Freeman Fishing Trip

[DennisS]

Well had a great day out on the Freeman with my buddy Keith. Beautiful day a bit windy. We got there about 10:30am Mon. We rigged up Keith with his 0wt and I whimped out and used the 3wt. I had intentions of doing a bit of Llama leeching it, so I though the 1wt & wind would just be to much.

The river didn' look to bad up a little. One thing for sure the slippery rocks have not change. This river has to have the most slippery slimmy rocks in the province. I must have twisted the body it positions that are impossible to get into to stop from falling in. Yes I'm drugged up today. Feeling real good right now.

 

Anyway off we went In the first run I manage to hook up and land 10 or so Grayling, nothing to big. All on an Parachute Adams. Keith started up ahead of me and managed several small grayling. Not sure what he was using. I started moving up stream and came to the first slow bend couldn't rise nothing so put on the Llama leech, still could bring anything out of the deep hole. Keith still was working his way above me but his luck wasn't to great. I worked my way up to to the next slow bend and noticed several rises so chucked the leech out, sure enough started getting hits and hook ups. Again nothing big but did manage one around the 11inch mark. Finally caught up to Keith he was straining a nice deep hole with a couple of fallen trees in it but only manage a couple of little guys. I had no luck here so moved up to the next bend that look promising I started working my way around the bend wind was picking up a bit so the casting was getting a bit nastie at times. Keith went by me and and head up to t he next hole. Finally worked my way up to the head of the bend which was just about a full 90degree. There was a nice seam running right to the far bank

I cast the leech into the seam and sure enough a hit the first cast and for the next 45 minutes or so it was a hit a cast and I must have caught as much as I lost. Caught several in the 11 inch range and of course I lost the biggest of the day. Saw him but still not sure if it was a big grayling or Rocky. Things slowed down so I moved up to the next bend and decided it was time to have a bite to eat. Found a nice log out in the sun. I was starting get a bit of a chill. Keith had radioed down and he was heading back as the water deepth had started to skinny out for quite a ways so I waited for him. While waiting I fished the hole in front of me. Again manage to bring out another 5 or 6 grayling. Keith came up and decide to finish off lunch and decided it was time to head back to the vehicle. Told Keith about the good fishing at the 90degree bend and using a Llama leech, so he change over to a Llama leech and head down the the bend. I fished where I was for a bit and started heading down to where Keith was. All of a sudden I hear this blue fog of swearing and Keith rod bent right over. Then another blue fogs starts again when his rod bounces up and the fish is gone. I work my way down to Keith. he's working one side of the seam and I start working the other side and along the far bank. I'm not catching as much on the leech but the fish are rising on a regular base. You ciykd tell that they after something just under to surface. I yell over to Keith that this would be time for a soft hackle. He switches over to really dark red soft hackle and sure enough he's into fish and damed if he doesn't catch a couple in the ll to 12 inch range.

Now don't think these guy's don't put a nice bend in his 0wt. of his. Not to be left out I switch over to a green soft hackle and sure enough I started catching fish on a regular bases. I manage to pull out several in the 11inch range and 1 going 12. Keith finally decided to head back toward the vehicle I stay behind for another 20 min and the fishing started to slow down. So I headed down to Keith. We decide to go back the vehcile but stop for a short time where I had first caught fish with the Adams. We fished there for about a half hr. and manage to catch a bunch on the soft hackles. I had to finally grease the leader because they wanted the soft hackle just below the surface, any deeper and they wouldn't touch it. There was one rising right at the very end of a fallen tree in the water and it was a Umbridge to get a fly to him, manage to actually put the fly into the tree a couple of time but got the fly back. I finally manage to drop the fly into the right spot and caught the Grayling. Both Keith and I decide it was time to go as I was getting pretty cold with a slow leak in the waders and one really wet foot.

 

So Great Day Was had. Great Buddy, Great Day, & Fish Caught.

Not sure what fly won out as the fly of choice Both the Llama leech and soft hackle caught lots of fish and the adams done well for the length of them used.

I must of caught in the 30 to 40 range and Keith in the 15 to 20 range.

 

Just a great day.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S