I set the alarm on Thursday night to check the river levels in the morning to determine if I could squeeze in a fishing day before the rivers headed out with all the rain in the forecast. The river had spiked up but had flattened out at a promising level so I headed up to the Sky. The river had color in it but there was 3+ feet of visibility so I started working the area with a float and jig tipped with prawn. About an hour in I hit a small hatchery hen and was glad I had made the trek. I continued working the drift with the same jig for about another hour or so before I decided to switch things up with another jig. I picked a pattern that was a favorite of a guide friend who makes jigs but I had never hooked a fish on it. First cast, bobber down and fish on. Lost it at the bank as I was considering whether I would release it to keep fishing.....sometimes fish make the decision for you. People started leaving the river around 10 am so I decided to move downriver and work some areas that had worked in the past. No luck with that plan and I was out of prawns so headed back towards the car to call it a day. Right before I left I decided to try a few casts near the place I had started and thought about a presentation that would work in the absence of prawn-tipping. Glad I did! Two casts in feisty hatchery hen pounded my jig of choice and I left with a limit. Never forget to change things up early and often. I tend to stick with my favorites too long and wait for the fish to change their minds. Work each drift thoroughly in a gradual manner and then change up and work it again. Then move if possible and repeat the process. Good luck and tight lines to all.

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