Brookie Rematch

(Above: Beauty brook trout that clobbered the black ant pattern. The white stripe at the bottom of the fins really adds to the fantastic color of this fish species.)

The aspen trees are showing signs of fall as one or two leaves are changing from soft green to a vibrant yellow or gold. A few more weeks and it will be perfect. Fall always seem to find me battling over rocks and trees in the high country for trout. A few months back Don and hit a brook trout spot where Don stumbled across a new fly pattern. Schedules opened up and we penciled in a rematch of sorts. This time I would bring the long rod.

With only a day to prep the only thing needed was the ant fly pattern. Searched several locations and couldn’t find anything close. Eventually I stumbled across a hardware store with just enough fishing tackle to make my list of last-ditch places to stop in an emergency. Funny how anglers generally don’t remember the way to the hospital but will subliminally map every tackle store within a twenty-mile radius of their house. Luckily I was able to find one suitable black ant pattern in a #16. I wanted bigger but that was the only size they had. First dip into the water and it was getting flashes. A few more tries after that and fish were getting lipped.

(Above: Really bad picture of the micro-ant pattern. I tried two small dry patterns along with a few micro-creature bugs. The ant seemed to get most of the love.)

The rematch aspect of this trip was not about Don and myself. The quest was for me to try and dial in the hot ant pattern that was so successful for Don last time. He worked circles around me on that early summer trip. The number count was far more even this time I must say.

(Above: Don holding one of his beauty brooks. It almost looks as if the brook trout is copying the fin color of a clown fish for some reason. Fish are $%^^ amazing.)

Missed a few fish that will torment me in my sleep again. One fish I lost when it wrapped around someone else’s line. Luckily it was able to break off and return to the deep rather than be trapped on the wad of line. Eventually I will get into the big brooder brooks. If not on the hot spin pattern then maybe it will be on the ant.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.