Rocky Ford Fishing Report (I forgot my camera!!)

I went fishing to Rocky Ford Creek on Sep 30th. I was thinking about going to Naches also, but now it's a hunting season here in eastern WA, which attracts more crowds than at Madison River! Declined. But also I was not very eager to go to Rocky Ford either. It is a long way for me and I would be doing the same thing......please see my previous post below (Favorite River - Rocky Ford Creek ).

Well, I just couldn't sit in my house and I had to feel fish before my next trip to Yellowstone just in a month. So I made up my mind, yet my mind seemed slightly off or relaxed because I could imagine what I would be doing (and I did). I just gathered flies I would use (and I used). With that attitude, I noticed that I forgot my camera in my truck half an hour later I left my house. Then I had had the best (actually the easiest) day ever in Rocky Ford!!

It is interesting that this reminds me what Dan from Blue Ribbon Flies told me when he guided me in late October last year. Following his guiding and instructions, I hooked a big brown, 20-inch class. We did see its body. We had talked "no pictures for below 20-inches". Dan instructed me to cast large Royal Wulff trailed with an egg to the cutbank. At mighty Madison, it was suddenly a springcreek situation to spooky spawners. Regardless of the size, I liked the way we did. So with excitements I said,

"I've gotta have a picutre of this!!"

Dan: "Don't talk about pictures now!!"

Then the fish was off the fly......Dan told me "don't talk about pictures until you land the fish" and also"usually we forget either camera or net when we catch big fish".

This day, I did remember and packed my net but the camera......very funny

As a remenisce, at the very end of the day, we finally hooked another nice brown and landed it to make up my mistake. Dan took nice pictures for me. Here's one.

But I already know trout in Rocky Ford so it really didn't matter to me to take pictures. They were just the same as in my previous post. Yet two things I slightly regreted are: I was with some kind neighborhood fishermen around me who could have taken pictures of me holding nice fish and the coloration of trout in the fall.

So no pictures for trout and scenaries, all I can do is to show my flies.

Here is the "advanced" tie of San Juan Worm. It sinks pretty well. I admit I accidentally hooked one. It ran, jumped, and snapped my fly off. Just a typical 16-incher at Rocky Ford but I really liked its typical Rainbow actions.






Then this size #20 San Juan Worm was killing. I guessed it might also look like midge pupa, chronomids, and even tiny red/orange scud. Since I was catching, people around me asked me what fly I was using. I was embarrased but show them this......

I recall I tied this at the Fishermen's hut of Armstrong Springcreek last June. It was when there was not so much insect actions. People at Yellowstone Angler suggested me but obviously I didn't want to buy it. So I quickly spread my travel kit and tied some. I also recall I burned the ends with matches from my camping stuffs. Anyway, I hadn't used them till now!!

As always scud worked too. Sparkle Scud is always good. My Deer-hair Scud didn't get any attention on that day.

Then I believe this is the method that few people do at Rocky Ford. Whenever I am fishing, I always look for opportunity to swing flies, which is very rare at stillwaters like Rocky Ford. Two exceptions are: when it's windy that causes lots of waves and at the head of the creek, an outlet from hatchery boundary. That outlet is the only one riffle. Though forming a little pond, the movement goes on enough for me to swing flies. Not to mention, midges are very important for trout at Rocky Ford. I think it works all day and any days. But at least for my eyes, trout start rising to surface film or to rolling at subsurface on warm days or in the afternoon.

This is the one I copied from Blue Ribbon Flies, named Mighty Midget Emerger. Obviously this was invented for Yellowstone waters by them but hey, it works anywhere.

The last trout I caught was on this tiny soft-hackle that I learned from Sylvester Nemes' book, called Peacock Herl and Yellow larva style. Can you imagine an over 20-inch & 5lb trout was hooked on this tiny fly along with 6X tippet?? Now I really miss my camera!!

Here's one controversial and ethic/moral thing in Rocky Ford. Is it an unfair and un-flyfishing action to dap our flies in front of trout right at the bank?? Is it even cheating?? Certainly it's not technical at all. But considering the fishing situations and my experience at Rocky Ford, I am sure not everybody can catch fish by doing it (unless trying to snag on purpose with leech pattern, that's a bad thing). Also I am sure trout know what we are doing and oftentimes they just get away or never respond. But it's a very up-close and personal fishing in my opinion. Though you are not making fly-casts, can you stalk that close to trout in clear and heavily fished water then make a light action dapping?

This day, I saw one big fish at the bank who hadn't see the shadows of me, my rod, and line. I dapped Sparkle Scud with Mini SJ Worm right in front of it. It did recognize the scud pattern that they have and will have been seeing through their lives at Rocky Ford. Then I twitched my rod and showed him the Mini SJ Worm, and it went for it. I confidentially set the hook by streatching my body upward. That was some of the biggest in Rocky Ford, 25-inch and 6-lb class. I can't express all about actions and emotions of trout in that so-close fishing.

Typing all through, I think I regret that I forgot my camera!!