Sun. Rain. Gale force winds. Snow. The weather has been all over the place and so have I. I’ve been driving around trying to find a regional river that has some bugs and rising fish. It’s been challenging.
My local tail-water river is running real cloudy…not good. Water management has also been drastically reducing flows resulting in several significant water drops. I found some stranded Parr (juvenile trout) in a puddle 20 feet from the river and transferred them in a plastic bag back to the river.
puddle where Parr found, snow-covered boot foreground
This tail-water river usually fishes very well in inclement weather. No dense baetis hatch occurred and therefore very few large fish up. However, I covered a lot of water and managed to find a couple.
brown trout
brown trout
abby
Another tail-water river I’ve had some success on this summer also had few bugs even on cloudy days. I did manage to hook up with a few great fish. This rainbow took a foam beetle.
rainbow SW Alberta
chewed-up beetle
beetle flies, car top frost
I decided to rocket down to the Missouri river for two and one half days. The first day (the half day) was incredible. Cloudy, little wind and tons of bugs. Trout were up everywhere on tiny baetis may flies. Opportunity knocked and although I didn’t fish well, I did fool a few on size 20 olives/baetis. The next morning the sky sort of cleared (Chinook Arch) and high winds came in. I tugged down my hat and gave it my best but got blown off the river and all the way back to SW Alberta.
searching for a released trout
Missouri rainbow
Missouri river side channel
Missouri bow
I fished a lot in the past two weeks. I was on holidays for one of them and managed to get out most afternoons. I hung in there with the varying conditions, put in my time and made some connections with dry flies.
another storm
morning flat water and sun
sw alberta brown trout, size 18 bwo
alberta brown trout, size 18 bwo
end of day walk back to car
trout on dries 
Bob, it’s been brutally windy here too. I even had a tent pole snap while camping recently.
You’re a good man for saving those little fish. Wouldn’t it be something if your paths cross again in the future,only this time one of those “little ones” comes back as a six pounder?
Les: Yes wind! And it continues daily and especially on weekends when I get a chance to fish! A snapped tent pole. It has to be pretty windy for that to happen. This week gusts up to 130km….80mph approx. Top of nearby ski hill 200km plus winds. Last Fall was the same…makes angling challenging. Still going to try and get back down to Missouri one more time if reports are good.
Nice posts and photos on your blog: the ignorant angler
Thanks for dropping in…good luck on your spring creek.
bob
Hi Bob,
Terrestrials imitations on ice! really surprise to me, very good photos to enjoy. Congratulations for your attitude with that small fishes, i lived some similar experiences here in my local waters after big summer water flows. I have rescued some trout trapped in isolated puddles to return them to the normal riverbed after that.
Best regards
Humberto
Humberto: Thanks for dropping on. Yes, it is good to save stranded fish. You’ve rescued some yourself!!! Nice to set them Free! Good luck in upcoming season. Just checked your blog: achalabrookies…………….I look forward to ongoing photos on places you’ve fished in Patagonia and of course pictures of your beautiful region, and photos of brookies and bows. Tight lines this Spring!
bob
Your photography inspires me to get out try to take great photos while fishing. What kind of camera do you use? I seem to get a lot of fish photos out of focus. Do you set the f stop high to get a larger depth of field. Or just keep everything on auto.
Thanks
Ray: Thanks for comment on blog. My camera is a simple pocket sized Nikon, Coolpix, S30(don’t know if they still make them)….it is waterproof and pretty durable and due to size goes into pockets in chest area so can get to it fast/easy access. As you know taking pics of trout is challenging, and I fish alone 99% of time which makes the task even more difficult….and in wind, rain, etc..yikes! It is set on auto and focuses quickly by lightly tapping the photo button before shooting. Some times I tap it 2 or 3 times before snapping. And I take several quick shots using a net to keep the fish in control, in water and safe as possible. Of course I also get my share of blurry shots, missed shots too. Thanks for dropping in.
bob