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3. It's fall again - flowers, foliage, fungi, and fish vol. 1

Our trout season is over and the post-season has begun. My fly rods aren't getting put away until our weather gets unbearable, and fall fishing around here can be pretty good (last fall was outstanding). Of course, this time of the year is perhaps the most colorful, and though our foliage is mostly still green, there are many other sources of color as you can see above...since the drought we have had a lot of rain, and the fungi have burst forth in greater variety and volume than I have seen in a while! And it is certainly "chicken season" in my neck of the woods...

The end of trout season yielded only little guys, none bigger than 9" or 10", though with some beautiful evenings on the water. Perch haven't been biting much lately either, just did Reid Lake yesterday and only got one. But the sunfish at Clark's Marsh just couldn't resist my hoppers and poppers, and they are bigger and fatter than ever, colorful too! This is what I call "comfort fishing". Next trip is to the Rifle at Selkirk, probably tomorrow night to throw caddisflies (still hatching) and some White and Royal Wulffs.

Jonathon

Interesting stuff there Mr D...Was out biking/birding a few weeks back with some friends and spotted some Jewel Weed...Also spotted a couple hummingbirds who are attracted to it just before they head south.

A couple nice looking fish too...

We stopped by over in Farmington Hills last week near sunset to watch 10's of thousands of Chimney Swift descend into a chimney there. A real sight to see. They have a camera inside and you can watch them...It was like this big swirling cloud that eventually just stopped.

Spence

Hey Spence, good to hear from you. Yes, fall is kicking in for real, though today felt like summer. I made it over to the Rifle at Selkirk and got 4 fish, 3 browns and a rainbow, on dries before a serious rain shower drove me out of there! While fishing, I spooked up a great big heron who flew upstream, probably scaring the hell out of the fish...then later I scared the hell out of him cussing at some issue with my equipment and I saw him launch up and out of sight. Oh well, by the time I got to that area it started raining too hard anyway. Also, saw and got photos of a ruffed grouse prancing around on the trail from the parking lot to the water. I do seem to have uncanny luck with birds and I was contemplating sitting down and compiling a life list for you to look over. I can tempt you with such delights as the Tricahue (rare Chilean parrot), Andean condor, black-bellied whistling duck, American bittern, lesser scaup...

It was nice to catch trout on dry flies today, one was almost decent sized (11") and the rainbow sure was pretty...but I had hoped to stay until it got good and dark and then streamer my way back down after two hours of wading upstream. It's lake-run brown season and the Rifle gets a run - maybe I should take the 8-weight and some pike streamers?

Those mushrooms are delicious, btw - diced up, fried in olive oil in a cast-iron pan, just sea salt...a true vegetarian delight, Spence! Check your local oaks, especially old ones, dying ones, or downed logs. If you find it, you usually find enough for several if not many meals. Just be sure to cook it for a good 10-15 minutes!

Fall is a beautiful time of the year, and I know what's coming, so while it's still nice it's time to fish! Tight lines and good birding to you sir!

Jonathon