Day 1: Armstrong Spring Creek - Good Start!

April 7th, I started my trip at Armstrong's in O'Hair Ranch. No introduction needed for this lovely place. This is one of my favorite places to visit (my older post).

It was a bright sunny day with light breeze. Temperature was from mid 30s up to 57F in the afternoon. I was expecting cloudy overcast yet quiet day for baetis hatch and stronger midge emergence. I think midges hatch anyway but definitely stronger at cooler weather. But I already had a game plan. At day in and out, streamers are best bets (streamers at spring creeks?? More to come......). And hope for those tiny insects' hatches in the afternoon for some surface activities and to see what trout would act.

I started from deep pools and runs at lower end of the creek. One of the most fish-holding spots though they are hard to please.......

Doug's Home Invader brought me a first brown trout for this year! This is his special color for the spring creeks. Certainly not the biggest for sure feisty

I moved several more trout till noon.

Then in the afternoon, I went to upper end of the creek but there were several people stepping in, plus with the sunny warm weather, baetis were not hatching. Also, though midges were hatching, there were not so many trout feeding the surface. One could try those sporadic risers but I had another plan in this condition. I went back to lower riffle where somehow not so many people fish. here's my equation; riffle + hatch = soft-hackles.

I really enjoyed swinging soft-hackles, my obsessively favorite way to fish, in this lovely place. I was happy and positive about my tying and selection. Also it's very fun to fish with my 4wt and 6X tippet to make me feel trout are larger. Actually they are not small. Peacock Herl & Yellow worked at Armstrong's too.

A 15-inch rainbow was the first one to respond.

Just a bit later, nice taps on my line and 16-incher came to my hand.

See my soft-hackle found a "regular position" on trout's mouth, always a corner when swinging.

Mighty Midget Emerger worked also, tailed with the Herl & Yellow.

Brown trout couldn't resist either.

All those Armstrong's trout look 1-inch longer than actual size because they are very fat and healthy!

I fished like this for 2 hours till 4pm and then moved again to upper section. Now day-out time and other people seem to be gone for a while. I grabbed my 6wt and streamers. I moved a few big shadows as before but didn't quite get into hook ups as before. Those shadows moving and chasing my streamers is one of my most exciting experience. Of course I am there to catch it but this kind of experience makes me visit again. there and improve my skills, fly tying, and knowledge, I believe.

OK, I get my trip started alright!!