My morning started hazy and cool. A classic summer day when the cicadas sing and the thermometers climb. It was a morning that felt like fish and I wondered hopefully about the river for a chance to catch trout. I love the mid-summer early mornings. There is just something special about fishing this time of day. Like so many of these days before, this one would hold promise and not disappoint.
It didn't take long to find my first fish of the day. She was sitting tight to a seam along the bank. It was nice to hook up quickly. I moved up and was skunked at one of my favorite spots. However, the next run would provide me with a hard fighting 14" fish. This was going to be a good morning.
I soon had two more fish in the net and was looking to explore some new water. I have been fishing this river for the past thirteen years, but there are still many places that I have not fished. I eased my way upstream to an area that has been channelized.
A local farmer did this to reduce the flooding of his fields. He also has created and area void of trees. However, the banks are undercut and there were several trout in this stretch. I did not catch many, but I did manage to kick a few up. I think this would be a great place to hopper fish later in August and September. I managed two more fish in this stretch and finally reached the point of return. I headed back to the car for a quick stop at Kings Creek.
Kings Creek is a special place for me. The "crick" that I grew up fishing back home shares the same name. My Kings Crick meanders through my family's property and was my primer for trout fishing as a youngster. I caught my first trout there and my son caught his first trout there. It is a creek in which I have fished and walked every inch of, from the springs that start this stream to the Ohio river where is slowly spills. My Ohio Kings Creek is also special. If I cannot find fish anywhere else, I always know I can count on this creek. No trip to the Mad is ever complete without a stop here.
I would only have about twenty minutes before I would need to head for home. It was midday now and the temperature had climbed into uncomfortable air. I quickly found my spot and worked my way upstream to the riffles and runs that have become so familiar. The fish were in their favorite spots and I was able to pluck two more feisty browns from the shallow seams of this beloved creek. These rewards were enough to satisfy me until my next trip. I climbed out of the banks and was once again thankful for another splendid summertime sunrise.
This would be the only thing that I would see rise today!
The Mad River looks more intriguing ever time I see it and you talk about it. We need to be introduced in the near future.
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