The Perfect Fish, A Story With Three Parts

I spend many days in search of perfect fish, on a perfect day and with a perfect plan.  The fish that are healthy and strong and have the most brilliant colors possible.  New England with all it's wonderful charm played out in a thought process that puts me in the right place at the right time with the right angling choices.  To that end most people would say I carry the game too far..  

This spring I have had a substantial number of these days with large and beautiful fish as an added bonus.  Mostly Rainbows with some spectacular Landlocked Salmon.  We fish hard, barb free and work to do our best to analyze what is happening at every moment.  This Saturday was one of those days to remember for a long, long time.

Archie says this one is perfect

I started out the morning at three dark o'clock and hit the road for the one hour drive to my first location.  I would be meeting Leo for a few hours of landlocked Salmon angling before heading to a favorite Trout and Salmon hole.  The fishing was not easy and we each managed a few fish with only one that Leo had on that could be called perfect.  The fish managed to snap him off and was not brought to hand. I was just down river at the time and when I saw the fish jump it was truly impressive.  To see a big silver fish fly three feet out of the water is the magic of Salar.  For that brief moment the snow stopped and the wind was not howling any more.  For being the end of April the weather was normal in the North Country.  Normally unpredictable.

Upon arrival at stop number two,  the first connection for both of us came within ten minutes.  Leo took the  big fish of the day at  twenty one and a half inches.  I then had a bright and perfect nineteen inch beauty that fits the heart and the inspiration of this story.  Then everything just stopped.  As we continued to fish there was no movement, no takes and no insect activity.  The wind was still blowing hard and the temperature only ticked up a bit.  My guides were freezing and hours were going by without a sign of possibility.  This is the time when every fly in your box will be tried.  Leaders will be lengthened and shortened.  Weight will be added and removed.  Tippet size will be dropped at the risk of breaking off the big one.  Nothing works because nothing works.  Nothing works.

As the day continued, Leo and I stayed with the plan.  We were there until dark no matter what and would make sure that everything possible was considered.

1:30 Nothing

2:30 Nothing

3:30 Nothing and we moved up river to give the pool a rest.

4:30 Nothing

5:30 Nothing and we headed back to the pool.

6PM

"Hey, I just saw a fish swim right past me," I said.  "Maybe they are moving up to the rapid to feed", said Leo.  Then in a matter of moments, Leo had a fish take up in the head of the pool, I had one in the middle, Leo had another in the head, we switched and I had two in the head and then another toward the middle.  It went on for about one hour and was done.

There was one theme to this explosion and that was all the fish were taken on an Early Black Stonefly nymph.  This has been the go to fly for some time and was tried all day long without results.  As the feast was happening we bantered about Little Stony this and Little Stony that.  In a very clean environment where the water stays cold the Early Black Stone will be seen.  This little stonefly is effective in sizes 16 and 14 and is a true emerging insect. The activity will last as long as the water stays cold.

All I can say about this day is that it was perfect.  The fish, the river, the fly, and most of all the company and friendship.  Perfect.........

William