Amber fished much better today than two days ago. I got 18 to net, 14 rainbows and 4 cutthroats, 16-20" range, while fishing chironomids and nymphs deep on a type VI sink line. I started in my usual haunt at 9:30 A.M., straight across from the launch in 25' of water, and stayed there. No takes or bumps in the first 30 minutes while trying the usual chironomids and stillwater nymphs. Surface water temp was 73. Temp low-70s with SW winds at 12-15 MPH. The wind became a problem as the day progressed, swirling at times and swinging my boat, preventing me from always keeping my line fully vertical, a necessity with this technique. The fishfinder showed fish consistently at 19-20 feet, just as it had on Monday.....very few above or below this level. Must be the thermocline.

The only food source I could identify was a heavy hatch of VERY small tan midges, which if replicated, would be a size 22 elk hair caddis! So I hoped for the best and tied on a size 18 bead head pheasant tail, the smallest pattern I had with me, suspended it at 21' feet and began my retrieve from there. This little guy drew immediate takes and, before the trip was over, accounted for 12 of the 18 fish. This pattern initially got me 8 in the next 90 minutes.

After the PT bite ended, I struggled for a half hour before settling on a partner's size 6 bomber pattern which he recently gave me. This got more bumps than takes but did get 2 rainbows with a couple others lost. I then went to a small stillwater nymph despite not being able to identify any damsels. They didn't want it early but they took it now, with four to net in the next hour or so.

After about a 45 minute lull in the action, another heavy hatch of those mystery bugs came off and the PT went back on, getting (no kidding!) 6 consecutive cutthroats, with 4 to net and the others lost at the boat. That was really weird and was the most cutts I've ever hung on this lake. Beautiful cookie-cutter 16-17" fish.

Sorry so long, but it's important that I reiterate that most fish I marked and takes I got were at the 19-20' level. I got some takes above this level but NONE below it, despite trying several times. So instead of starting out at the bottom as I usually do, I simply measured out 21' of line, suspended my fly at that level, then retrieved only 3-4 feet. If no take I dropped it right back down. This kept my offering in the 'strike zone", so to say.

Additionally, takes on the bomber and stillwater were strong, sometimes violent, but EVERY take on the PT was subtle. So subtle at times that my rod didn't even dip and all I felt was some very slight tension on the line where it ran across my index and middle finger. Both the rainbows and cutts did the same. I don't know why that was and I'll be pondering it for days to come!

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