Dream Stream Take 1

It's that time of year again where all I can think about are large spawning browns. It's like a mental disorder. Really. I'd like to say it doesn't affect other aspects of my life but I would be lying to you. I will freeze my butt off, lose sleep, go hungry, whatever it takes to stick and land that trophy brown. But, just because you are willing, doesn't mean you are able :-)

I've been fishing the Dream Stream for years. I've never quite figured it out. I am usually able to snag a few anywhere except for the Dream Stream. It has become my nemesis. I have the uncanny ability to miss the spawning browns. I'm usually too early or too late. Or I'm walking right past them and don't see them. I think it's a combination.

There is hope though! I can feel it coming together. I'm learning more and more each year. I have to slow down and start doing more looking and less fishing. I have the tendency to rush into things when I'm excited and when I get out of the truck at the Dream Stream my arm wants to start casting before I'm on the water. The Pros will tell you to hunt these beasts. You need to spot them and then carefully plan your approach and presentation.

Spotting fish is something I've worked on for a long time. It is not a talent I was born with. Some guys have X-Ray trout vision. "You see it? Right there, about 50 yards out 6, feet down in the plunge pool, I just saw it take a midge". Uhhhhhh...... yeah.... sure did. On top of that it is VERY hard for me to stop fishing long enough to really focus on spotting fish. I know this is a problem. Solving it is going to probably take regular days of leaving the rod in the truck. Something I'm not really prepared to do.

The battle rages on! I'm going to be up there several more times this year. It may or may not happen. The Dream Stream for me is like day dreaming about winning the lottery. Even though I've been schooled day in and day out up there I still keep going. It will happen! Maybe not this year but it will happen!

As for the fishing, I thought (my first mistake) that it was early enough still to see if there were fish staging in the inlet of Eleven Mile. If they were they didn't like the barrage of Streamers Ben and I were throwing.

Wait a second! Wait one damn second. I almost forgot. I need to give Marty crap on this post! How could I almost forget that? How should I politely say that Marty's lady parts kept him from getting up early and caused him to miss the fishing bus? Maybe Marty knew all along that it was a schooling in the making? And if he did, why did he not warn us? Hmmmmm.... Does Marty know more than he is letting on...... Hmmmmmm Very suspicious... I've got my eye on you Murphy.

 Back to the fishing. After a few hours of slinging rabbit strips in the inlet we walked back to the truck and headed up stream. By this time it was an absolute MAD HOUSE on the river. I have never seen it so packed. We counted 80 cars in the three parking lots! That probably equaled over 100 peeps throwing multiple hooks. What a gauntlet these fish have to swim through!

Instead of elbowing in, Ben and I decided to head up to Spinney. We walked along the dam and managed to hook a few on streamers to include the nice 20" bow shown above. This thing took some serious runs! My original Ross Cimarron hasn't screamed like that in a while. Really a good looking fish.

I also hooked and landed a small pike. Very cool fish. I have been saying for a long time that I was going to target pike on Spinney. Just catching this little guy was a lot of fun. They just look built for killing. Fresh water barracuda. Ben and I agreed that we need to learn the pike game next summer at Spinney. Would be sweet to be pulled around the res in a float tube by a 40" pike!

Spinney saved us from being skunked. The Dream Stream has landed yet another direct hit on my ego. I will be going back for more punishment soon!