Well, if you do not like to catch brown trout then you might not want to read this trip report. Four FATC members headed to Cardiac Hill this past Wednesday. Why Cardiac Hill you ask? It is close and driving down with one guy per car just is too boring to drive more than an hour and half away. Plus – it is fishing real good right now. Kenny Klimes, Jim Craig, Scott Payne, and Brian Yost traveled to Cardiac Hill and found it “empty”. Not with water but with fly fishers.

Arriving early and deciding that it would best to split up into groups of two. Jim and Scott went up stream and Kenny and Brian headed downstream. They planned to meet at lunch time, but Kenny and Brian went past Suicide Hill and just could not make it back to the rendezvous point. So, they just kept fishing (actually catching)!

Scott and Jim did well upstream catching a few browns and rainbows. Kenny and Brian hit the mother load as they (well, mostly Kenny) whacked brown after brown. Brian had a lot of hits but could not get them in the net. Found out later he brought the wrong rod with him (a medium, 7 ½ ft 4 wt. – he needed his 9ft 5 wt. to throw those leeches). Yes, it seemed that leeches were the ticket on this day. The browns would attack them as they were swung downstream through the fast-moving current.

We all had a great day on the water. Cloud cover most of the day as the rains came in a couple times throughout the day but nothing that bothered us. What was interesting were not only a lot of browns were caught but so were other species; rainbows, smallmouth and largemouth bass, sunfish, big chubs and even crappie!! Go figure!!

Flies and techniques, you ask? Simple. Swinging leech patterns seemed the best. Subtle hits at times so be ready. Cardiac Hill means a LOT of walking so be in good shape. At times it has been “crowded” but other times you can have the place all to yourself.

Hang in there. Once this “virus” is over then we can get back to “normal” fishing again. Tight lines!