We had a pretty good turnout, 8 anglers altogether, 6 PPTU members and two guests. Zack Dingus fishing a #16 stimulator, a TU Nat'l employee and co worker of Rob Shane, and my grandson Jacob Cloyd fishing a #12 beetle. PPTU members were; Ken Bowyer #16 henryville, Bob Kaiser #18 pheasant tail, Lou Reichel #20 suspended midge, Rob Shane #16 hot caddis emerger, Jeffery Roberts #14 bead head prince nymph, and myself also fishing #12 beetle.
It was a cool September morning, overcast, low sixties with a little mist hanging over the river, leaves dripping water, just a nice morning to be out. After checking everybody in, we split up and spread out. Lou down to Bunker Hill, Rob & Zack up river from Masemore, Ken and Bob up to Falls I think, me, Jacob and Jeffery heading down from Masemore.
The water level was better than expected, not sure what the actual flows were, maybe 50cfs, whatever way better than the 30cfs posted earlier in the week. Maybe it was the cool temps after such hot days, or the overcast skies, but the river was quiet. No rises, no trico's, no nothing. Wasn't long before some big drops began to fall, not enough to really wet ya up, but enough that I decided a beetle was a poor choice since part of the attraction of the beetle is making a little splat when it hits the surface. But Jacob and I continued to pound the bank and around any fallen trees we came across always hoping. Around ten o'clock we saw Jeffery coming up the trail saying he had one on briefly but that was it.
Around 11:00 o'clock the rain would pick up, let off, then pick up again. By 11:30 it was a bonafide downpour. By the time Jacob and I got back to the truck we were soppy wet above the waders. Not long after Ken came splashing down the road in about the same drenched condition reporting nothing on his fly. Standing outside breaking down our rods Jeffery who had taken shelter in his truck got out with no catches to report, and about the same time Bob strolled in saying he lost his "One fly" with no catches but did get a couple on a small partridge & orange, well, that's two more than we got. By this time I was smelling skunk. We were going to hit the Inn for lunch but I didn't have any dry stuff so decided to just head home. Just as I began to back out, Lou drove in and said he blanked as well, so that just left Rob & Zack, and I was thinking well.....this maybe the first year without a winner.
Getting in touch with Rob later he told me Zack caught a 9 incher on his stimulator saving us from a skunk. The river was in what I thought to be good shape but just no fish or bug activity that I saw.
So, in grand tradition of the "One Fly" I declare Zack Dingus the winner with full rights to brag for the entire year. Congrats Zack!!
Dennis Covert
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