Strawberry Below Starvation August 9, 2014

**Date / Time:**August 9, 2014 12pm to 8:30 pm Location: Strawberry Below Starvation. S curves to just below highest fishable pool below dam The Characters: Solo Weather: Partly cloudy, sporadic T storms. 70s. Water Temp: High 50s guess **Water Level:**265 cfs Water Clarity/Quality: Clear, but went off color lower after T storm. Walked up and it was clear never found out what was discoloring **Moon Phase:**Day before Full Moon Hatches: PMDs, Sallies, Sporadic Caddis, Midges **Best Flies:**Cripple PMDs, Yellow PMD Spinner, Floating PMD Nymph, Sally Dry Fishing: Tammy dropped me off on way to Altamont for the day. Got on water around noon. Plan was for her to pick me up around 6-7ish, but ended up around 9. Started at S curves and fish were up in heavy seams. Put the sally I had tied for these fish since previous trip they were picky here and never tried the sally. Sure enough they ate it readily. I lost the only one I hooked and missed another one or two. Found another bank feeder below and missed that one too. Worked up and got one on the sally dry. Rain and T storm came in a bit, so waited it out but it didn’t get too bad so went back on water. Fished up to a fish and missed it also then was working one above and it stopped and I realized water was going off color. I B lined it across the field way up high and skipped all the water between and it was clear up there. Never found out what was making it off color, probably a bank caved in or side stream flooding. Found a some fish working a flat and stuck several there on cripple PMD, landed one killer fish. Worked up and stuck a few more on PMD cripples, one pig in backeddy that I lost and another in a glassy tailout working PMDs, could see it eat the duns. It was picky, but eventually got it to eat a yellow PMD spinner and broke it off. Got one in a back eddy across a fast flow that I never thought would eat from the side I was on, but it went out of it’s way and chowed it right toward me big gulp. Ended up a pretty big fish around 20”. Worked some risers at the top that I had seen week before with Zach from other side, saw one eating nymphs so figured I would throw the dropper and see. Got one immediately that ripped me on #18 light colored PMD nymph. Worked the risers for a long time and couldn’t get them to eat. Eventually got one to eat floating PMD nymph and missed it. Fish were swinging and chowing but tough. I think they may have been on beginning of spinner fall and I just didn’t fish small enough spinner. Worked back down and found several more chowing on the edge of a bank and stuck a killer one on the floating PMD nymph, another epic battler. Walked down and spotted some in a converging seam including a pig in glare. Threw the dark wing last chance cripple and it chowed it, another ripping ridiculous battle and landed biggest fish so far taped at 21” giant hookjaw and fat. Stuck a few more out of there. Worked down and found some along a bank and got a sweet eat against the bank. These risers were super picky again, but I saw one eat a PMD dun so threw the thorax which is what I got it on. Crossed and noticed there were tons of PMD spinners hovering, looked in water and sure enough tons of spinners. By this time it was about 6:30 pm or so. Worked the bank feeders that were against the cliff logs where the river makes a hard turn. The same pig in front of the logs was surfing and chowing. Eventually got it on the PMD yellow spinner, bulldog relentless fight and ended up being another giant at least 21” hookjaw and super fat. Fished a few risers below that and missed one and broke off one giant. Walked down to S curves thinking Tammy would be there soon and missed two more and landed one good fish. Figured that might be my last, but Tammy was still not on way. Realized I left my net up high, so jetted back up to get it. Fished a logjam feeder but put it down. Worked up and saw some pigs across the river in another flat. Missed one and then switched to rusty spinner since I saw tons of those in water below me. Got a killer eat and another ripping battle pig about 21” again, ridiculous big fish day. Tammy called right before that and so I started heading back. Picked up my tape that I had lost and met a couple of local kids and gave them a rusty spinner. 16 year old Kid was funny saying the river was just “lovely”. Saw a few more rise, but Tammy called frustrated and lost with baby crying so headed out and let the last pig on the rusty be my last cast. Epic day of giant fish rising, incredible.