Headed back last night for my 3rd trip to the Highwood. Got there and had about an hour and half of nothing...no rises, no signs of fish. I got so bad I had to switch back to the big ole stimulator and even that has the same reaction - nothing. About 2 hours in I'm thinking this trip is a dud. I'm also thinking maybe I'll stick to the Bow...
But that little voice in my head says go downstream...just to see. Always one more corner to check right?
Of course I had been heading upstream so going downstream meant walking all the way back, past where I started, and then continue on. But, I listened to the little voice. Good thing too because I round the first corner and....NIRVANA! Big pools falling into more pools and on and on. Not something I have found on the Highwood yet.
I toss a streamer and start stripping thinking to get a Bull but got this scrappy fella:
I then position myself at the bottom of a pool and I start seeing jumping fish! Woot! And I'm rewarded with this on the stimy:
Wait, wasn't I supposed to catch the Bulls on the streamer and the Bows/Cutts on the dry? Stupid fish
As it started getting a bit darker out I start seeing more fish staging at the end of the pool. At one point I could see easily 30 or so bull trout and would also see rockies, some smaller cutts and a nice dark back which I imagine was a bow - big too. Now I'm into senses overload with all fish. I came for the bulls so I focused on getting my line down and stripping and pausing. Caught 3 very nice bulls before the end of the evening. This one was the biggest and best fighter. Good thing I switched to the 7 wt because in the current this thing was a beast. I'm guessing 24 inches and close to 5 lbs but released quick and didn't bother other than a quick pic:
Shot from above of a previous release:
Got out of there and back to the vehicle around 10:30 p.m. Exhausted and grinning from ear to ear. Funny how the evening started and stayed on such a down note to totally turn around by going "one corner further...". Now I have a ton of new water to explore in this area alone and it all looks "fishy".