Light Cahill's on Spring

Monday began by providing the rain that we've needed badly for several months.  We should all be thankful for that because when the Central PA streams reach the heat of the summer the water will be in a little better shape.  Plus, it's no fun fishing nymphs in highly vegetated areas or putting excess stress on fish in warmer, shallower water.  

With that said I had time to get out from 6:30PM - 8:45PM on Monday night and it offered my best day fishing of the year to date.  I arrived a the parking area along Spring Creek the rain had slowed down and then suddenly came to a sudden stop (I had a feeling that the fishing was about to pick up!).  
  

I motored down the path to where I was far enough away from any other angler.  I watched the stream carefully before I stepped into the water and saw a moderate amount of Light Cahill's. Literally every insect I watched float downstream was getting eaten.  Sure there were Sulphurs, Crane Flies, among other insects but I choose to tie on a Parachute Light Cahill.

It was insane, almost every single fish that I casted to took the Cahill imitation on the first cast.  Most of the fish were between 6 - 12 inches where I was fishing but still it was fun to release a fish and repeat the same procedure within the next few casts.  I would cast to the fish that I could see working around me and then take a few steps upstream and then cast to new unsuspecting trout.  Even by doing this I only fished four or five pools and one of the last pools provided me with a humbling experience.  

I was approaching a new riffle and casting along the seem and all of the sudden a fish took the parachute pattern and immediately pulled the rod straight down after I set the hook.  This is always a good feeling because you know you have a quality fish at the end of your line.  Amidst the battle with this fish it took me to the bottom of the pool for a large percentage of the fight and I only got one good look at the it...  The "educated" brown was headed for an exposed tree root system and I bent the rod to my left to deter it from getting tangled up in the roots.  I successfully pulled it away from the tree roots and as the fish was approaching the surface I saw the huge silhouette of the trout and in slow motion I watched my fly pop out and shoot straight towards me!  Just too much tension in the wrong angle at the wrong time.. This situation happens to all of us and I was thankful for the brief fight that we had! 

All in all the night was incredible and I'm still thinking about the huge brown that outsmarted me!  I guess that's why we anglers keep going back! For me it is to try and get another shot at seeing just how big the trout are that got away...Until next time, tight lines!