Went up the local river again today. Drove about 10km up to a bridge and walked half a kilometre from there. Saw nothing on the way up and turned for home at about 8:20am.
Saw a shape holding in a limestone pothole on the way down. Whilst I was freeing the leader it popped out took something and went back to the hole. Perhaps it saw me, I don't know but it continued to hold.
I had a Caddis emerger on so I flicked it out (no reason for this fly, there was no hatch on but the Fishing Report from CSI Fish & Game had suggested it). It wasn't a difficult cast and I was able to fish sitting below the grass tops. After several casts which were not far away I changed the fly to a dark blue humpy. Nothing. Tried a green sparkle (Caddis). Nothing. Changed again to something that looks a little like a Kakahi Queen. Still nothing. Tried one of the bug-eyed mayflies. Same result.
I crossed the stream below it and checked it was still there. It was but it was holding on the bottom. Tried a tungsten bead mayfly. Nothing. Put extra weight on, still nothing. The fish was still there.
The pothole was deep and not wide. It was a good sized fish. Silvery. Perhaps 3 pounds? In the end I had run out of time and I poked it with my rod! That's how close it was. It shot off. So did, I late for home. By using my rod I estimate the hole was 4.5 ft deep.
Do trout sometimes just not feed? This is the second time a trout lying close to the bank has not responded even to lining.
Have been out many times this summer. Still no fish from my two local rivers.
