Brookie Action

Sylvia suggested I take a couple of days and go fishing where the Brookies call home. She knew I had only a few open days left for fishing this month, and that I needed a Brook Trout species to achieve my personal goal for the year. So, on Wednesday I departed early to get to the waters where Brookies roam at 9.5 thousand feet in elevation.

What a beautiful day to four-wheel up a mountain for a chance to slide some Brookie Trout into my net, and achieve my New Mexico Trout Grand Slam. When I arrived mid-morning, it was partly cloudy in the sixties with a slight breeze. Dang, it is beautiful up here at high altitude! And I felt lucky.

I noticed winged insects of some type flying, and floating on the surface, but too far out from the bank for me to identify the species. So I tied on an Elk Hair Caddis to see if it had any magic. Yup, the fly fooled a pretty Brookie right away, and as soon as the trout slid into my net, I completed my prized Slam! I fished a few more hours, landed more trout, and then left when the wind picked up and the clouds turned dark.

With the New Mexico Trout Grand Slam recorded in my journal, I celebrated and ordered Chile Relleno for dinner at Doc Martin's later that evening. I had dessert too, in concert with a relaxing patter of rain adding to this angler's satisfaction...life is good.

Gear: Winston WT 8'6" 4wt fly rod; Bauer SST4 fly reel; Rio LightLine WF4F line; Patagonia sling pack; Wayward landing net; Elk Hair Caddis dry fly.