IMG_4775I was east of Ellsworth yesterday an fished from 4 to 5 pm. When I left the Rush River it had picked up flow from my last report . Water was beginning to go off color and it was full to the banks. The fields are beginning to get saturated and there is more snow to melt yet. Angling for tomorrow(Sunday) may not be too productive.

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Guests for dinner

I stopped by The Ellsworth Rod and Gun to view the contest fish.This contest is open state wide and  is a long standing tradition at the Rod and Gun. The largest trout in the annual contest By 3:15 PM was a 20″ 2.5 pound brown. There might have been a bigger one entered by the end of the day. Here are a few results from contests in years past.

2000- 7.9 pound 28″ brown

2001- 5.7 pound 23.5 ” brown

2002- 6.15 pound brown

2006- 6.4 pound 24 1/2 ” brown

2007 – 4.6 pound 22″ brown

There were a bunch of youngsters fishing. They were having some luck and appeared to be enjoying the time on the water. By all accounts the fishing was better at 5AM in the morning. The large volume of cold water running into the system may have had something to do with the slow down in “catching” activity  by afternoon. Water temp. 41.

Trees Down Everywhere

Trees Down Everywhere. Your favorite hole, yes!

In that hour that I fished, I was looking for a trout to bring home to Ma Ma to show her what a superb provider I am. But as the fates would have it I could not muster a brown big enough to legally keep. The brookies pictured above belonged to another angler I met while rigging up at the car.He had been out at 4:30 am that morning. The largest was 13″.