Big Fish, Light Rig

... as much as for the fall ambiance, try to get out as much as possible this time of year to enjoy the fly fishing hereabouts - other than early summer don't bother with it as much the rest of the year, but like to inquire of others we run into when out and about along the river and streams to keep up with how the "fish are bite'n"...

...ventured out last Sunday evening along the 'Yough' - was only the fourth trip since finally purchasing this years fishing license this past September and each time to the same river spot - total catch the prior three visits numbered two average size Brook Trout - wasn't expecting much different this time, if landing anything at all - but, don't matter one way or the other - anyway, as 'Thoreau' said, "Most men fish their whole lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after" - could apply that phrase to just about any outdoor pursuit...

... was gettin' to be around 5pm and had been out for little over an hour workin' a 'Muddler Minnow' the whole time - always a good streamer bet when fishing the 'Yough' - might have had one strike about a half hour earlier, might not - wasn't a bug in the air nor anything breakin' the surface as far as the eye could see the whole time as well - was gettin' ready to call it a day when a surprising light hatch started to go off and it's settin' off a few fish to breakin' a bit further downstream... decided to let the 'Muddler' float a bit further down to where the action appeared, maybe about another sixty feet - had a lot of line out by this time, almost down to the backing, and started workin' back upstream when WHAM!! - got somethin' and it's big and strong... now I'm tryin' to land this thing - it's tuggin' and fightin' like crazy - broke the surface twice about a foot in the air - and I'm makin' a hell of a mess of about 80 feet of fly line while tryin' to let him run with it and prayin' the whole time he doesn't break the light tippet he's hooked...

... Man! - why didn't I buy the heavier weight fly rod I've been meaning to get for the past ten years with consideration always to the massive trout (bass as well) I've forever seen yanked out of this river!!  Always knew it was gonna' come back to bite me in the ass!!! Don't matter now!!!!...

... he's got the 5 weight nearly bent in half whenever I'd apply any pull at all but after about a minute of goin' berserk he's (thankfully) a bit played out and I'm able to bring 'em in and he's not bad - big Rainbow Trout about 14-16 inches and stout - near five pounds we bet - not the biggest we've ever caught but definitely the biggest on a light fly rod considering the size of the fish...

(internet image)

... didn't get a photo and tossed 'em back as usual - here's an image we "borrowed" - a very nice painting actually - for the unfamiliar few...

... Lots of fun!!...