August 14, 2010
Have you ever had an urge for a specific type of food that you just had to have? Of course, we all have…well I digress.
I have not been fishing alone for several years. At my age, my wife is concerned about me hiking and climbing in the mountains and canyons where I like to go for solitude. So we came to a compromise. I decided to go to the East Fork of the Jemez at the Las Conchas day-use area. There is a canyon but the entrance to the canyon is at ground level about one hundred fifty yards from the parking lot. This stretch of the East Fork is about one and a half miles of water back into the canyon to the fence line of the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
The weather was perfect with a crisp cold morning but I knew it would hot in the afternoon. The stream was a little murky but I started with a Royal Wulff pattern and after about three casts I caught a nice small brown trout. There are many large boulders, and tall canyon walls which create many deep pocket water and long runs against the rock walls even this time of year when the water is down some. I was fishing a long run against a tall rock wall, drifting a fly as close to the wall as I could and caught three browns from one run.
Shortly after the run I was fishing some deep pockets and not getting much action. Deeper water…lower visibility to the top…Duh! So I tied on a Prince Nymph, size 16 and on the next cast I got a good hit, you might say it woke me up. So for the rest of the morning and early afternoon I kept using nymphs and they worked well. I used the Prince, Pheasant Tail and Peacock Nymphs all in small sizes and caught several more fish…all browns today.
I fished most runs all the way to the fence line and fished a few spots again on the way back. I arrived at a picnic spot near my truck by the early afternoon. I sat at a picnic table in the shade relaxing, eating some lunch and watching a chipmunk trying to get my attention for morsels of food. When the chipmunk left and I was fed I walked the final leg of my trek back to my truck.
The fishing and catching both went well this trip. It was a very good day and I received the much needed therapy I was looking for.
I was a little measured in my movements on the trails and climbing over the obstacles along the way. I used a wooden walking staff to ensure my footing and it worked very well. I never thought I would ever need any help with this stuff. My best friend Richard Keach’s wife Bette passed several years ago after a bout with cancer. I always thought the world of Bette. She loved fishing herself and went when she could. A few years ago Richard gave me a wooden staff that Bette had carved herself saying that he thought Bette would want me to have it. Thanks Bette, it served me well on this trip and will in the future.
I have been craving a piece of cherry pie for the last couple of days and when I was driving though Jemez Springs on my way home I saw a chalkboard sign at the local diner and it read “Fresh Pies.” Seemed liked an invitation to me. So I made a U-turn as soon as I could. I went back to the diner and asked if they had cherry pie. They did. I ordered the pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and ate the best piece of homemade cherry pie I have had in a long time.
...tight lines…Phil
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