May 24, 2016 – Wild Browns, Wet Wading in May, and a Month Out of Warranty!

I landed a couple good ones on midges before tragedy struck...

In case the stars aligned later in the day, I threw my wading boots, 3 weight rod, and my pack in the Subaru this morning.  I had a meeting at work that was supposed to end around 3 PM, but I had a feeling that my part could be finished before 1 PM.  If so, I was going to Valley Creek for a couple hours before I had to go get the boy at school.  I am fortunate enough to work within ten minutes of two or three of the best access points on the creek.  Well, the plan worked out, and I was suited up to wet wade this 80 degree May weekday by 1:30 PM, and I had the place to myself.  

A couple ate a scud right off the bat, but water clarity was not great.

Valley was still stained up from the rain over the last couple of days, but I had early success on a scud at my first drop.  With all the rain and warm days, the creek temperature was reading a balmy 61 degrees, which felt comfortable on such a hot day, but I hope it cools off again soon.  After getting a few great drifts with the scud through a hole that I know holds fish and not getting any attention, I rigged up a soft hackle with a size 20 mayfly nymph below.  I caught a couple very small browns with that rig, but mostly in clearer pockets.  The plant life is really growing on the banks and in the creek.  A few respectable-sized fish were sitting right in the vegetation.  I decided to put my polarized lens in front of my phone and snap a shot of one such fish, just suspended in the current waiting for an easy meal, though not rising to anything.  

See him?

When I arrived at a favorite deep hole, I swapped out the mayfly for a black zebra midge as the anchor fly and landed at least 3 more on the midge, a couple of them solid Valley trout, before minor tragedy struck.  As often happens on a small, overgrown creek, my backcast hung on a leafy branch, so I gave it a short tug.  At first I thought the top section of the 4 piece rod just slid out of the ferrule, but when I examined closely, the top section had snapped.  This was the only rod I had with me, so end of trip.  Despite the broken rod, 8 fish in about 90 minutes was not a bad afternoon, even if it ended too soon.

How about now?

As bad luck would have it, when I got home I learned that the rod only had a one year warranty that ended a year from April 19, 2015.  This same model used to have a 25 year warranty prior to April 13, 2015!  And it gets worse:  I bought it on sale for 125 dollars, and now it retails (the new and improved one, of course, still with only a one year warranty, however) for $189.00.  It’s a shame because I loved the rod, even if it only filled a small niche; it was an 8’ 3” 3-weight that was perfect for small creeks like Valley.  It is not one of my go-to rods that gets regular use, but I may still try to return it and see what happens.  I didn’t fall on it or break it in a car door, so maybe Big Brother is getting even for all my disparaging remarks about big business in previous posts.  Maybe the company will prove me wrong?  People are still good, though: Kenny offered me the use of his 3 wt, but believe it or not, I have another, a short 6’6” toy that I use even less and which might now see some action…

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