Charlie and I went and explored a creek about 13 minutes away from our house. I heard rumors that there is a native brook trout population there and Charlie jumped at the chance to try out his new waders. Win-win. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we only needed a light jacket.
The first great sign was little black stoneflies everywhere. A hatch was going on while we were there and they were crawling all over us. Charlie didn’t seem to mind.
Lots of skunk cabbages popping up, too.
We had a little chat about wading safely in moving water and found him a wading stick.
Charlie’s waders are from HISEA. They seem to be pretty good quality, kept him dry, and include a wading belt. If you have a young one who is interested in creeks, rivers, marshes, and the like, get them a pair.
Great afternoon exploring. Charlie found a black walnut, a nice piece of birch bark (we talked about how it was once used like paper), and some small pinecones.
The creek looks fishy to me. Good flows, clean water, macroinvertebrate life, some deep holes, lots of deadfalls. I’m eager to come back with a rod and see if I can find some brook trout.
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