Lower Colton Pond

This is an OFC property I don't fish much. It is close to my favorite fishing spots, Big and Little Tree Lakes, so I have no excuse. I just have been in a Big Tree rut and not fishing other properties nearly as much as I could or should. The OFC president, CEO, CFO, and guy who lives on a trout and bass lake (I am NOT jealous...really....no, really) had mentioned that some members are in a Colton Ponds rut. Since they and I are in the rut I did something about it.

The geese took no notice as I parked in the grass next to the pond. As I approached the fishing platform at the edge of the pond, geese began to paddle around nervously. The geese were cool to watch, but those splashes all over the pond were trout, not geese. Splashy rises are generally indicative of fish chasing prey to the surface. The prey were rising rapidly to the surface from the pond's muddy bottom. Black chironomids work great in Big and Little Tree Lakes. Black chiros would obviously be my first imitation to try. Not a hit. Every technique in my bag of tricks was used. Not a hit. Dry imitations. Not a hit. Scuds. Not a hit. Wooly Buggers and Brush Bunnies. You guessed it....Not a hit. A long-handled aquarium net emerged from my pontoon boat's left pocket. Bending over to sample the water hoping to find whatever the trout were chasing to the surface, I saw, right in front of me, an adult size 18 chironomid. A gently positioned finger was welcomed as a way to get away from the voracious trout. As the insect crawled over my finger I noticed its overall blue-gray color which didn't surprise me. The body however, was different from other chiros I had found in OFC lakes. The front one-third was a beautiful medium olive and the rear two-thirds was the expected gray-black of other chiros. All I had was black or olive, no combos. I did have some light blue duns in a size 18. Again, the trout refused to take a dry. I examined the fly. What could I do to make it look like an emerger? The light bulb that went off might have spooked a few fish, but was worth the chance. I pulled the wings off. I pulled and pressed the dry hackle toward the rear of the fly to sweep it back wet fly style. After tying the fly back on the 6X tippet, into my mouth it went. A careful soak in saliva (makes it sink immediately) and I casted to the edge of the shorline structure, an area of partially submerged brush next to a fishing platform adjacent to the outlet of the pond. A ten-count got the fly down and then I began slowly and sharply twitching the fly to the surface. The next hour and a half were so much fun. I lost count of the two, three, and four pound trout that came to my boat. This was a great learning experience for me and I wanted to pass it along to you. Next time, and there WILL be a next time, I will have more of these dry flies and a LOT of the same pattern tied as an emerger. The addition of permanent markers will leave me totally prepared for any contingency......or, probably, until the next time I go fishing.