Elkhorn Clean-up 2011

Well, after a very long and eventful winter I was finally able to get in some REAL fishing....and it's April!

This event is an annual TU outing for me. Unfortunately it just happened to be the first "real" outing of the year. Fortunately, though, it coincided with my son's spring break and our annual trip to the Smokies - so this would be my son's first Elkhorn Clean-up.

As with many spring outings you must dodge rain and high water, and I've only attended one (of five) Elkhorn clean-ups where high/fast water was not a factor - an this year was not one of them.

We arrived on Friday for the Saturday clean-up, which gave us a full day to fish THE best wild trout stream in the state. In the last 4-5 years, this is the only time of the year where I fish a West Virginia stream that is not a "native" stream.

The flow and the levels were up in the main stream, so it was tough fishing for my son and I. We made the decision to move up one of the tribs...and it was fish on! I caught three of these guys in about five minutes.

I picked up a few more little guys before we made it back to the campground for the annual Friday night dinner and festivities.

We almost made it through dinner before the rain started and we also got a campfire started before the real storms hit! My son and I piled in the camper when the massive storms hit: thunder, lightning, and hail! Our host said that those were some of the worst storms he has ever encountered in a camper.

The next day was the actual clean-up and the numbers were down again this year. We had ~100 volunteers in 2009, ~80 in 2010, and just over 60 this year.

The numbers were down, but it also appeared the trash was too. It may have had something to do with the high flows and storms - most likely it was swept it on downstream.

Before:

During (with my son right in the middle of it):

After:

Following lunch it is usually back to the stream but this year was different; we had high water, forecast for more storms, and plans to head to the Smokies. So, with all of that we packed up and headed south a day earlier than planned.

Next entries will be from our annual father/son trip to the Smokies but first I wanted to post some photos my son took. He likes to carry a camera too. He has already "dunked" one camera so I let him carry my waterproof and he doesn't do too bad. All of these photos were taken by a handheld, underwater, video camera:

Maybe it's just because he's my son, but I think (for a 10-year-old) he does pretty good with a camera.

Chris

Alvord Cutthroat - A Call for Action

As anybody who has followed my blog knows, not only do I post my adventures in search of native salmonids I also use this blog as a platform to raise awareness on the efforts to restore some of these native species.

This is another opportunity to voice your support of an improvement effort. This time it is for the "extinct" Alvord cutthroat. My friend Gary Marston of Native Trout Fly Fishing made me aware of this effort a couple of weeks ago and today he sent me this information.

This is a phenotypical Alvord specimen Gary caught (borrowed from his website):

 

 

The Alvord cutthroat has been declared extinct for most of the past century, however in one small creek in Southern Oregon there is still a remnant of these fish left. Although it is unclear how genetically pure the fish in this creek are, some are phenotypically correct representations of the Alvord cutthroat trout and this may be the last chance to save these fish from extinction. The problem is that closely related Lahontan cutthroat have also been stocked in the creek and the greatly out number the Alvord type fish and seem to be slowly but surely replacing the Alvord type fish. For more information of these fish, please visit http://kortumofdiscovery.wordpress.com/ or http://www.nativetroutflyfishing.com/alvordcutthroat.htm.

 

I fished this small creek on August 1, 2010 and did not land one of these phenotypical Alvords but my partner did. All I caught were the introduced Lahontan cutthroat.

 

I want another shot at them and we need to ensure they survive/thrive for me (and possibly my son) to add them to my life list.

 

Here is some information on current efforts and what you can do to voice your support:

 

A number of “challenges” attempt to inhibit ODFW SE Oregon Fish Biologists—at least where the Alvords are concerned. They have a lot on their plate, and much of it essentially mandated. At this point, the alvordensis phenotype consideration is completely volitional. The remaining known streams in the Alvord Basin that can support trout have had Willow/Whitehorse Cutthroat Trout translocated to them. Other streams might be “salvageable” if riparian zone work was accomplished, and perhaps beaver reintroduced into those streams. There also seems to be an expectation that they cannot get funding for a project without genetic “proof” that these are alvordensis. Of course, this inevitably leads to the complications Dr. Behnke predicted. Like many native trout enthusiasts, we hope that action will be accomplished before it is too late…

 

There’s a fair amount of “mystery” involved in this situation—and some have interpreted this into skepticism. The “true believers” tend to be those that have spent some time on the stream and have experienced the trout first hand—with an observant perspective of inquiry: “what is this?” and “where did it come from?” Common sense would lead one to comprehend that there are a finite number of explanations—and what Dr. Behnke has put forward indeed is the most likely explanation. Of course; none of us would have any traction without the authority and statements published by Dr. Behnke…

 

There’s more we may chat about in the future providing that time and circumstances permit… We’d be interested to know the level of genetic studies that you may have undertaken in the pursuit of your fisheries biology degree (there’s some background that brings this question to mind). I’ve been looking into the prospect of furthering ichthyologic biology and genetic studies simply because it seems alarmingly evident that some genetic studies/conclusions are missing a broad element of common sense.

 

Currently there is a “waiting game” underway—Mary Peacock of UNR ostensibly waiting for funding from the US Fish & Wildlife Service before she undertakes the project to look at the dozens of pre-hybridization specimens, along with the more recent specimens. More could be said about this than time permits—but this is the course of “action” that TU seemed to consider logical; and partly, for lack of funding, has gone on and on. There are samples from 2004 and 2008 that may be appropriate to analyze along with the select few from 2010—but, we personally have notable concern regarding whether genuine objectivity will be applied in the thought processes involved.

 

As you may know; Dr. Behnke has already pretty well spelled-out reality: “The best advice I can give I borrow from Peter Larkin’s keynote address to AFS many years ago: “Simplify, simplify, simplify”. The goal is to create a population of trout phenotypically representative of the extinct alvordensis by selecting specimens from Guano Creek that most closely resemble alvordensis. These would be transplanted into presently fishless waters. If all of the proposed actions, especially “genetic testing”, were attempted to be carried out with all of the associated planning and funding, I doubt the goal will ever be attained. It’s human nature to put off until tomorrow what could and should be done today. Accept that Guano Creek trout are not pure, but retain the hereditary basis to phenotypically duplicate alvordensis. What can more and more genetic analysis tell us except that the present population is most likely the product of more than one parental population?”

 

Little has changed in the five years since 2006, except that remaining Alvord phenotypes may still be on the decline. Last summer, when sampling the creek—with Shannon, her field assistant, Trout Unlimited personnel, an OSU Fisheries Professor and Patrick Trotter; eleven of fifty-five trout were logged as Alvord phenotypes (for a 20% or 1:5 ratio). In reality, that number was exceptionally high. The real number of respectable Alvord phenotypes is almost certainly a notably lower percentage, and the more time that goes on, the more likely it is that there will be greater difficulty in securing meaningful phenotypes for preservation of Alvord characteristics for future generations to experience and appreciate.

 

Writing a positive and encouraging letter of support to Shannon would be a good thing. We believe that as well as being a tool she can utilize in requesting grant funding from the Western Native Trout Initiative, etc; she also could use positive encouragement herself in this regard.

 

A letter of support might ideally include the mention of a number of considerations:

 

1. Possibly changing the regulations to “catch and release” only (currently allows a take of two trout per day), or some similar restriction…
2. A gentle reminder of the facts as Dr. Behnke has related them, and that genetic analysis tends to be a delay—and for what purpose? And to what end?
3. Creating sustainable habitat for the Alvord phenotypes (riparian zone work, doubtless, should be a priority for streams that could, with help, sustain trout). 
4. If you believe it to be the case—expressingalvordensis in the system seems to still be on the decline…

Please submit letters of support for an Alvord phenotype rescue and restoration project to: Shannon Hurn, ODFW District Office, 237 Highway 20 South/PO Box 8, Hines, OR 97738 or via email to shannon.m.hurn@state.or.us

 

Thanks,

Chris

It's Getting Close

The long winter is nearing completion. Tomorrow is the first day of spring and my first planned fishing trip is less than three weeks away. I plan to kick off the season with the annual trip to the Elkhorn Clean-up then heading further south for our annual father/son trip to the Smokies.

I was able to get out once over the winter, with a quick trip to new water with an old friend. Due to my transfer and my friend's house building, we were unable to hook up in 2010. Last month, following the West Virginia winter meeting of TU State Council, we headed east about 45 minutes to new water for me. With heavy runoff and heavy flows, there were no trout harmed on this quick trip but it was definitely nice to just get out on the water.

The winter hasn't been a complete loss, I've been acquiring gear for the upcoming season. In addition to my son's first pair of waders and his first backpack, I also purchased a dozen unique flies from Ben of Arizona Wanderings blog. He calls them mini-hoppers and I can't wait to give them a try on some wild trout waters of the Smokies.

Here's to another great year in search of native salmonids.

Chis

Restoring Native Salmonids in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, the nation's first national park and home to some of the world's most acclaimed wild trout fisheries, has developed a draft plan and environmental analysis addressing future protection and restoration of the park's native trout, including Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Westslope cutthroat trout and fluvial Arctic grayling.

The documents can be found at the following link:

 The Native Fish Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

The plan calls for drastic measures (rotenone) but declining populations of native salmonids in the park explain the drastic times we now find for ourselves.

The primary focus of the plan will be eliminating the lake trout from Yellowstone Lake, but there are also several smaller projects to restore westslope cutthroat and grayling to park waters. I have pulled some of the specific projects from the plan:

G.2.2.1. De Lacy Creek

Brook trout are proposed to be removed from De Lacy Creek with the use of piscicides, followed by a YCT restocking effort.

G.2.2.2. Elk Creek Complex
This project would remove BKT using piscicides with subsequent restocking of YCT.


G.2.2.3. Gibbon River (upper)
Non-natives such as BKT, BNT, and RBT are proposed to be removed in this section of river upstream of Gibbon Falls by piscicides followed by the restocking of AGY &WCT.


G.2.2.4. Goose Lake Chain
This project would remove RBT that were previously stocked in this historically fishless lake. The proposed project would utilize piscicide to remove the RBT from the Goose Lake chain, including all streams between the lakes, and replace them with a self-sustaining population of WCT.


G.2.2.5. Pocket Lake
Pocket Lake is proposed for removal of BKT by use of piscicide followed by a restocking of YCT. Not only would the entire area of the lake be treated, but the upstream tributary and downstream to the lower waterfall would be treated as well.


G.2.2.6. Clear Creek
For more than 50 years information concerning spawning YCT from YSL was collected at a weir on Clear Creek. The weir was located approximately 250 meters upstream of the confluence with YSL. In 2008, high water damaged the existing weir, rendering it inoperable. The NPS is proposing to reconstruct the weir in a fashion that would allow the weir to again monitor spawning YCT and would minimize impacts to hydrology and wetlands or waters of the U.S. and their associated values.


G.2.2.7. Grayling Creek
This project would remove non-natives such as BNT, RBT, and CTX by use of piscicide followed by a restocking of AGY and WCT. A small existing bedrock waterfall would be modified to ensure it is a complete barrier to passage by nonnative fish (rainbow and brown trout) as they attempt to move upstream. The waterfall is located out of public view in a steep canyon near Montana HWY 191, 15 miles north of West Yellowstone, MT. The waterfall is approximately 2 meters in height. A deep (1 m depth) pool (“plunge pool”) exists immediately downstream at the base of the falls. The falls is bounded by bedrock and boulders on both sides.


G.2.2.8. Soda Butte Creek
This project would protect remaining YCT in Soda Butte Creek upstream of Ice Box Canyon. In order to preserve native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the upper reaches of Soda Butte Creek we would modify an existing bedrock waterfall to ensure it is a complete barrier to passage by nonnative fish (rainbow and brook trout) as they attempt to move upstream. The waterfall is located out of public view in a steep canyon (Ice Box Canyon) along the East Entrance Road, east of Tower Junction. Ice Box Canyon contains a series of small falls and cascades (each approximately 2 meters height) which are bounded by steep bedrock on both sides. There is one feature within this series of falls and cascades that represents a significant barrier to upstream movement of trout. However, a large crack in the bedrock has formed a chute that may be passable by fish under some flow conditions. Of particular concern is the west bank of the falls where a large crack in the bedrock ascends the falls creating a single steep (but potentially passable) cascade.
G.2.2.9. Specimen Creek
During 2006 – 2010 native westslope cutthroat trout were restored to the East Fork of Specimen Creek (EFSC) temporarily isolated from the remainder of the Specimen Creek watershed by a man-made barrier to upstream movement of nonnative trout (rainbow and brown trout). The EFSC fish barrier is a log structure placed in a remote canyon, 5 km from the trailhead at HWY 191. Although this work represents a significant advancement in the conservation of westslope cutthroat trout, the overall goal remains to restore the entire watershed (including the North Fork of Specimen Creek and the mainstem) extending downstream to near the HWY 191 road bridge. Upon completion of the watershed restoration, the EFSC barrier would be removed and the area rehabilitated to its natural condition.


To restore native westslope cutthroat trout to the entire Specimen Creek watershed, it would first be protected from invasion by downstream sources of nonnative trout (in the Gallatin River) via a permanent fish barrier constructed largely of concrete and steel. The barrier site is well within public view near the Specimen Trailhead parking area, 26 miles north of West Yellowstone, MT. The site consists of an abandoned road bed (old HWY 191) that intersects Specimen Creek approximately 75 meters upstream of the existing highway bridge and forms an existing low “dam” across the floodplain. Specimen Creek flows through a narrow notch in the embankment, where a bridge once stood. Analysis of this site using Hec-Ras hydrological modeling (White 2008) indicates that it is a feasible site for barrier construction. Bankfull widths of the creek average 9 meters at undisturbed cross-sections

You may not believe in poisoning one species to preserve another, but hundreds of thousands of miles of streams with introduced species will remain in Yellowstone and surrounding states. These planned measures represent a fraction of a percent of total fishable water.
 
Read over the plans and provide your comments in support of the plan by using the link below. From my TU friends in Wyoming and Montana:
 
Tell the Park Service:
You support its stated objective to make suppression of lake trout in Yellowstone Lake the highest priority action for native fish conservation in the Park;You support the Park's stated, measurable targets for restoration of the Yellowstone cutthroat population in the lake, as well as the objectives for stream miles to eventually be occupied by westslope cutthroats and grayling;Also, ask the Park to:Increase the time and resources it dedicates to lake trout removal to ensure the population of this non-native predator is reduced to numbers that result in a significant rebound of Yellowstone cutthroat trout numbers.


Employ rigorous monitoring to ensure the Park meets its stated objectives, and to implement important research projects that help the Park better understand where lake trout spawn and how they move about the lake. This important information will help ensure the Park achieves its objectives.

Implement the recommendations from a science panel the Park convened in 2008 to help guide its efforts on the lake. These recommendations can be viewed at: [www.greateryellowstonescience.org/files/pdf/Gresswell_FINAL_color.pdf]

Submit your comments today. Help Yellowstone National Park's world famous native trout.
 
Submit Your Comments Online

Thanks,
Chris

#151

I recently received my certificate for completing the California Heritage Trout Challenge. Of the individuals to complete the challenge, I am number 151.

The species I submitted for the CHTC, all in their native watersheds, were:

• Kern River Rainbow
• Little Kern Golden
• California Golden
• Lahontan Cutthroat
• Goose Lake Redband
• Warner Lakes Redband

I also caught the McCloud River Redband, but I will save that one in case I catch the remaining species in the challenge.

This certificate will look nice with my Wyoming Cuttslam certificate.

The species I submitted for the Wyoming Cuttslam, all in their native watersheds, were:

• Yellowstone Cutthroat
• Bear River (Bonneville) Cutthroat
• Snake River Cutthroat
• Colorado River Cutthroat

Also hanging with the two official certificates will be my "unofficial", self-created, Colorado Cuttslam.

The three native species from Colorado, all in their native watersheds:

• Greenback Cutthroat
• Colorado River Cutthroat
• Rio Grande Cutthroat

Happy New Year and here's hoping 2011 brings a Wyoming and Colorado Cuttslam for my son.

Chris

2010 Year in Review - Quality Over Quantity

As the year quickly comes to a close, it's time to reflect on the adventures of 2010. With the move to the Cincinnati area, I didn't fish nearly as much but the times I did make it out were very special.

Before I get into the video portion of the recap, here are a few numbers:

• I added 7 new streams to my West Virginia brookie list.
• I added another state (California) to my brookie list, bringing my total to 12.
• I added 2 new brookie streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• I caught brookies in the same stream but in two different states (West Virginia and Virginia).
• I added 11 new native species to my personal life list, bringing my list to 25.
• One of those new species, the Lahontan cutthroat, I ended up catching in 3 different states (Nevada, California, and Oregon).
• FINALLY, I added a successful California Heritage Trout Challenge to the successful Wyoming Cuttslam, and the "unofficial" Colorado Cuttslam.

To me, the fishing is just as much about the people and places I fish as it is the fish themselves. I started out the year with the annual father/son trip to the Smokys.

We ended up hiking about 20 miles over the three days...

 saw some pretty water..

my first virgin stand of timber east of the Mississippi...

and caught a few brookies.

I didn't make many trips back to the mountains of West Virginia, but when I did they all had a purpose.

There was the Elkhorn Clean-up; where, following the work, I was able to catch all three species - two of which were wild, stream-born and the third (brookie) was a mystery.

Following this trip; I made a business trip to Las Vegas where I was able to add the Lahontan cutthroat to my life list and hike a bristlecone forest in the White Mountains of California, in search of Methusela.

My next trip back home was for the Blennerhassett chapter of TU spring campout ad hanging out with a small group of great guys.

This weekend started with the second annual 10-mile (round trip) hike into the Seneca Backcountry with another good friend.

Then was the Middle Fork of the Williams Bucket Brigade, where we had over 100 Walmart and TU volunteers show up in the rain to dump over seven tons of limestone fines - one bucket at a time.

I was also able to fish following the work with the head of the West Virginia DNR's Limestone Fines program, and add the same stream to my list - five years ago this stream was dead!

Another annual outing for me is the WVAngler.com campout. It was an incredible weekend where I caught one of my larger WV brookies followed by an incredible day with two great friends.

My next adventure was an epic road trip in which I added 11 new species to my life list, including the Life-long Bucket List hike into the Golden Trout Wilderness. I also was able to spend  day on Silver King Creek with Dave Balducci, one of the original Native Trout Anglers - another great highlight. However, I did strike out on the paiute cutthroat, Alvord cutthroat, Whitehorse Basin cutthroat, and the Humboldt cutthroat...looks like a return trip may be necessary.

I tried to summarize the trip in the following video, but there is no way pictures and words can summarize this amazing adventure!

I wrapped up my 2010 adventures with another annual event, the Blennerhassett chapter West Fork of Greenbrier fingerling stocking.

During this weekend I was able to catch brookies in the same stream, but two different states.

West Virginia Brookie:

Virginia brookie:

I couldn't close a 2010 wrap-up without saying goodbye to an old, reliable friend. These guys have literally been with me for hundreds of miles of hiking. They have accompanied me on multiple (6) 10+ mile hikes into Seneca Backcountry, hikes deep into the Dolly Sods Wilderness. They have made (2) hikes to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park - over 10 miles to over 11K feet, multiple trips into the RMNP altitude chasing (3) greenbacks and (3) brookies. They have also made hikes and been dunked in waters of Yellowstone NP, Smoky Mountains NP, Shenandoah NP, and Yosemite NP. Their ultimate demise was a 16-mile day hike in the New Mexico desert and the Gila Wilderness. If these guys could talk, they would speak volumes of the adventures they have covered with me!

I sure will miss these loyal companions!

Here's to a great year and hopefully another one for 2011, in which I hope to take my son on his first visit to the Rockies.

Chris

A Wonderful Fall Weekend in WV - 2010

Well, it's been a while...too long!!

I haven't wet a line since I returned from my western adventure. I have been working my tail off! I worked 38 of 39 days (most were 11-12 hours), including 32 in a row, and I'm a Monday to Friday guy.

I finally got a chance to return "home" to West Virginia for the annual fall stocking with my TU chapter. This is one of three or four TU events I try not to miss every year and this one usually signifies the end of the fishing season for me.

I had received a text earlier in the week from a friend that had fished this stream earlier in the week. I had not fished this brookie stream in over ten years. How do I know that? The lat time I fished this stream my wife was in her last trimester of pregnancy with my son - he turned 10 in May.

This particular stream is a limestone fines supported stream. The acidity comes from the high, headwater bogs.

The limestone fines that give this stream life.

During my previous outings to this stream I would hike in 2-3 miles and fish back to a meandering meadow section. I thought I would repeat my previous patterns on this stream, but it didn't work out for me.

It was mid 40s when I stepped out of the vehicle, but not too cold to wet wade. When I finally stepped into the stream I had second thoughts, luckily I had enough layers on top to survive.

I fished for a good half-mile of stream and didn't even spook a brookie. I made the decision to jump out of the stream and head back upstream to the section my friend had fished earlier - this paid off.

Apparently the feeder stream at this location is highly acidic and above it the limestone dump still buffers the stream. I finally picked up my first brookie just above the junction pool and the little guy was a gem.

One thing I do remember of the brookies in this stream was the unusual amount of red coloration. The fish were still amazingly colored!

I also soon learned that it was "that time of year" on this stream, as the next few pools offered this:

At this point I stepped out of the stream again, ensuring I did not step in/on redds. I did pick up a couple of smaller fish as the bigger and older fish were getting busy.

On the drive back out of the Wilderness Area, the road crossed the extreme headwaters of a stream that I have heard held browns on the lower end. I had plenty of time so I decided I would park the vehicle at the culvert and bushwhack down over the mountain to see what the headwaters held.

I missed a couple of strikes in the trickle that I could literally step over. I soon connected in this small pool:

Another small stream, West Virginia gem and another stream to add to my list.

I really hadn't set any plans on where I wanted to fish, only that I needed to be at the DNR cabin in Thornwood to meet the other members of our TU chapter.

On the way to Thornwood I stopped on the lower end of Seneca Creek, right along Rt 33, to have lunch. I parked in the fire department parking lot for lunch and figured while I was there: why not wet a line?

I picked up two small, wild rainbows before packing it in.

Where to go next? I thought about a stream I wanted to fish but my friend had told me this watershed was extremely low. What about a stream that headwaters in Virginia but it was too high and fast to fish when I was on it earlier in the year.

That's how I made my decision. I had caught brookies in this stream where it headwatered in Virginia but not where it flows through West Virginia.

It's a little over a mile on the trail to get to the water. This is a marked trail but it is one of the most rugged, knee-knocking, ankle-twisting trails in West Virginia...and, yes, there is a trail there.

The stream and the fall colors were beautiful!

The fish weren't too bad either.

This is a first for me - brook trout from the same stream, but in two different states (Virginia and West Virginia).

After catching a few brookies, the skies started to open up. It was raining in October! I have to say these are the best fall water levels I have seen in years!

With the rain coming down, I figured I could call it a day - brook trout in three streams and wild rainbows in a fourth. Now it was time to meet up with some friends, friends I had not seen in months.

It was a great evening hanging out with friends and swapping fishing tales but it was also an early evening for me...I had another big day ahead of me.

The next day was the annual fingerling stocking on the headwaters of the West Fork of the Greenbrier. This is the last fingerling stocking of the year and a great opportunity to get the kids involved.

Although downed timber kept us from stocking the waters we normally get to, it was still another great turnout for the Blennerhassett chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Following the stocking it was a difficult decision on where to fish - we were in "trout central" with wild trout streams in all directions. We finally agreed to hike into the lower canyon section of one of my two favorite streams in the state. Both of my fishing partners for the day had fished this stream, but neither had ventured into this section of the stream.

It's a 2-3 mile hike into this section, but once on the water it didn't take long to see why this is one of my two favorite streams in the state.

I picked up the majority of my fish on the dropper but it is nice to also pick up the occasional fish on the dry - which I did with this guy.

I landed the only brookie of the day:

More beautiful wild rainbows!

From this landmark on the stream it is nearly a two-hour hike back to the trailhead. This is not a section of stream to hike into for an afternoon of fishing, particularly with the short fall days.

It was another great evening in the cabin sharing the days fishing trips. Again, it was an early evening with plans to get up and get on the road and water the next morning.

The decision was to hit my other favorite stream in the state, but hitting the upper end.

This stream is also a limestone fines supported stream, with the fines purchased by our TU chapter. The upper end of this stream is known to produce higher numbers where the lower, canyon end is known for size.

The fishing started slow, picking up only a few small brookies.

I finally figured out why we were picking up only smaller fish. My partner pointed out a large female on redds, that he said was over 12".

I started taking my time moving about the stream, looking for the paired up brookies. I wish I had a polarized filter on my video camera. I was able to video this pair, but the glare on the water makes it difficult to see - look for the white edges on the pectoral and pelvic fins.

I was finally able to entice this nice fish to the surface in a pocket that was in the direct sunlight. Maybe the warming rays of sun had warmed the water in his pool.

Regardless, it was the only decent brookie I would pick up on the day...another wonderful fall weekend in West Virginia!

Chris