This is prime time for Sierra creeks around 6,000 feet or so. I went to one I've been hitting the last few years - each time I hike a little farther up the trail and fish a new (to me) stretch. It's been cool lately in NorCal - when I got to the creek at around 8:30 it was only 50 degrees or so, and never warmed up past the 60s. Very nice considering how hot it'll get later in the summer.

This was my third time out with with my new LL Bean 7.5' 4wt Pocket Water glass rod. On both previous occasions I hooked but was unable to land fish. I had to break the jinx on this rod. A dozen or so fish later, I think I was successful. It's a good rod for this kind of work - 7.5' is about right for bushwacking around creeks, and it's not an overly stiff 4wt, so casting is easy and even small fish are fun to catch. Tossing a little Woolly Bugger was no problem, either.

Back to the fishing - the fish are somewhat spooky, but I don't think this creek gets fished much, so they weren't overly picky. My biggest issue was presenting them with too large a fly - a stimulator - that got tons of grabs but nothing hooked. I got fish on a parachute Adams, but the dry fly of the day was a Royal Wulff. I think this pattern probably does a good job of imitating Sierra carpenter ants, and the red seems to add a bit of zip to the mix.

I'm not a streamer fisherman, but after having some success last summer pulling nymphs through small creeks I've made a commitment to try streamers in some of these creeks where there are deep, turbulent pour-overs at the head of pools. When I came to a particularly likely looking spot, I tied on a #12 crystal bugger, tossed it into the pour-over, and pulled it through the top of the pool a few times. The result - my fish of the day - a whopping ...

...10 inches or so. That's big for this creek. So I'm a believer now. Pics follow.

Still a little snow in the shade next to the trail.


Typical fishy spot on this creek.



The run above yielded this pretty little guy.



Another Sierra jewel.



My rig for the day. The LRH Lightweight balances the rod well.



I pulled seven fish out of this spot with a Royal Wulff.



This "monster" went for the streamer. Note the camouflage match to the bottom - perfect!

Yep, my kind of fishing. Thanks for sharing.

You mean in the first picture? I know - weird, huh...

Simply beautiful, and congrats on breaking the ice with the new rod..

Great day and beautiful photos! Thanks!

Great shots!

I, too, have been pleasantly surprised with dropping a small streamer into a big pool on a tiny creek. Wonderful when something unexpected grabs it!

I was recently fishing a small creek in the Adirondacks, only catching little fries, when I dropped a #12 Wooly Bugger into a huge, deep waterfall pool unlike any other spot on the creek. I finally snagged a 10.5" gorgeous red-spotted brookie. One of the largest I've ever seen in the ADK.

Congrats!

Motosacto glad you got the skunk off your LL-Pocket water glass rod .
You western guys have some real beautiful streams and fish out there.

Although I’m Still waiting for the Timberline/LL vs the LL Pocketwater Rod challenge ....
Happy bushwacking.

Nice water and fish !

So here’s a quick and dirty comparison.

The two rods are similar in cosmetics - wrap color, blank color, reel seat, etc. The Pocketwater is tip-over-butt and the Timberline has spigot ferrules. Both have pretty basic components. The assembly quality and handwritten labeling of the Timberline are nice touches. The quality of the Pocketwater is fine, though it looks more mass-produced.

My two rods are quite different from an action perspective, and not directly comparable in application. My Timberline is a 7’ 5/6wt and Pocketwater is 7.5’ 4wt. I haven’t lined them up next to each other and compared actions.

I mentioned in another thread that the Pocketwater looks a lot like the Echo River Glass - blank, printing on the rod, fittings, etc. Given past rods that LLBean had made for them by, e.g., Loomis, Lamiglas by way of Timberline, and other makers, it wouldn’t surprise me if this rod turns out to be made for Bean by Echo.

Is that the 8’ 6wt? Nice rod. I used my other Bean/Timberline 7’ 5/6wt in Montana last weekend so It’s been an LL Bean summer for me so far…

Motosacto,
Mine is the same as yours.
7ft 5/6 wt


Bill Franke really knew what he was doing when it came to building great rods.
Tight lines.

Real beauties.

Very cool. Always wonder how these creeks end up with fish in them, when most go dry by the end of the summer. You'ld think they'ld be barren, but nope.