Temperatures were a balmy 24 degrees when I got to the river. I rigged up with a micro egg (size 20 multi color), a size 18 Candy Cane emerger, and a Gray foam wing midge emerger called a Silver Bullet. Immediately I was into fish. For two hours I caught more fish than I can count. Small Browns and Bows in the 12 to 15 inch Range
Snags, being lazy and not checking the knots after two or three fish, and a couple bad back casts into the brush started diminishing my normal Cand Cane Supply. I had a half dozen Candy Canes tied with a Dun Hen Hackle that I decided to dip in to. I put it, and a small red midge on. I dont know if that was the trigger or what, but what happened next was AWESOME!
I cast into a tiny little seem, and rolled a monster Bow. I am guessing it at 10lbs. I had him on long enough to see he was hooked with the new Candy Cane. He made one run against a rock and the tippet broke leaving only the egg. I wasn't heart broken. this has happened to me more than once on the Frying Pan River. Big fish and lots of sharp rock. what a combination. By far that was the big fish of the day. within a fifty foot distance I did manage two Bows at 24 inches, one at 22, and one at 19 inches.
all three took the Candy Cane with the Dun hackle collar
Heres a pic of the 22 incher
A few of the patterns.
Hackled candy Cane
Silver Bullet
Red Midge
Another Candy cane variation that took fish
Merry Christmas all!
