Kern River - Wild Trout Section

A toothy hump backed KRR. 

It's been hardly a month since I last posted a fishing report, yet it feels like years have already passed.  The summer heat has been brutal and has forced me to finally stay put and tie flies.  With my upcoming trip to eastern Oregon just around the corner, my itch to cast a fly to wild fish has become increasingly unbearable.  With my west slope sierra Nevada fly box complete and my steelhead fly box nearly full, I was ready to return to the water. 

This time, I returned to the Kern River's wild trout section with Tuck and Joseph.  The day time temps were still in the low 90's however night time temps dropped drastically into the mid to high 30's.  The river was slightly off color (green), which may have benefited our cause.  We backpacked into the wilderness mid-day and arrived on the water just as the temps were beginning to drop. 

We quickly setup camp, hung our hammocks, pounded a few cold ones and hit the water.  My first run produced a quality KRR as shown above; Tuck helped land this fish for me since I may have died otherwise.  I fished a hoppicator with two nymphs the entire afternoon.  The first rainbow took a size 18 Flashback PT.  The first dropper was a size 12 yellow BH SH Kern Emerger.  Both flies produced many fish to the net, even the hoppicator was hit several times by some large trout.  My eagerness to set the hook on the hoppicator is still problematic... Joseph on the other hand successfully had a 15incher bang the hoppicator in the middle of a fast run.  Fishing was phenomenal for everyone.  I even got my first ever double on two nymphs at one time.  I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.  Tomorrow I leave for Oregon!

Rigging and... unwinding.

Tuck and I lost two LARGE trout in this run!

Joseph's first KRR.

Awesome pocket water. 

My first time sleeping in a hammock.  I kept waking up with my legs hanging out the end.

Tuck and Joseph on at the same time.

The next morning I decided to sling a single dry fly.  This is one of many caught on a yellow sally.

Tuck fighting a big one. 

We stopped at Mcnally's for cheeseburgers and shakes on our drive out.  While driving downstream along the roadside section, we just couldn't help but stop to put in a few last casts... Fishing was terrible, Nevertheless still fuel for the addiction.