Last week my dear wife Molly shared her story of an evening’s fishing with you. The very next evening she returned from trouting with this sequel:

Molly’s Follies

Fishing can be an addiction. I’m back fishing in the same place but not under the same circumstances. My fishing partner, Brucie, can’t join me. Slim is busy in the shop. Once again I’m fishing solo. I’m equipped as usual except this time I have a wooden framed net and hip waders. My hipsters are size 7 on my size 5 feet. The water is still high, but receding.

The trout are active when I arrive but it seems to take forever to carefully wade out to the grassy island where I can reach them with my fly. There are more slurps and swishes than one can imagine, both in front and behind the island. Although trout are feeding, I find that they are being very selective. After many fly changes I finally hook and land a nice sea trout.

By now the light of day is basically gone and it’s time to reel in, ending a glorious evening. Frogs are croaking and birds are sweetly singing each other to sleep. The tranquility is broken by a furious frenzy of rising trout along the grassy far side, likely feeding on grasshoppers.

As I try to turn toward shore I realize my hipsters are stuck in mud. I pull, but the mud hangs on. I pull harder, but so does the mud. Then I pull with all my might and win! My moment of triumph is short because I lose my balance, falling backward into the cold, murky water. Only the net floats gently on the surface.

As I enter the shop with my trout Slim says “Good Lord! What happened?” Now you know “the rest of the story”.

Hugs, Molly

Now, here’s a killer nymph pattern for trout:

Lightning Bug Nymph

Hook –               Nymph hook such as the Mustad 9671 in sizes 6 - 12

Thread –             Black

Bead Head -       Brass, making this a weighted fly, illegal in some waters

Tail -                 Ring neck pheasant tail fibres

Body -               Flat silver tinsel, then pearl Flashabou ribbed with very fine copper wire.

Thorax –            Peacock herl

Wing Case -      Flat silver tinsel and pearl flashabou

Legs -               A grizzly hen hackle tied flat over thorax   

Thorax –            Peacock herl - Pull legs and wing case forward over thorax, tie off behind bead head and apply 2 coats of thin head cement.