# 2nd ever trip to the Mad



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

A buddy and I went last week between Christmas and New Years. My first ever trip to the Mad was almost exactly one year earlier, also between the holidays. I wanted to test out my new nymph rod, a 10' 4wt St Croix High Stick Drifter. I bought the new rod after my Colorado trip when a longer nymphing rig would have been a big help. I fished a tandem rig most of the day with a large #10 brown stonefly as my anchor and a #14 Rainbow Warrior on a dropper above it. I ended up catching 6 browns, the biggest being about 13" or so. All but one came on the stonefly.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

Nice Brownies! What happened to the rainbows down there?


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## Flymaker (Jan 24, 2013)

Bassbully 52 said:


> Nice Brownies! What happened to the rainbows down there?


Bows turn up once in awhile ..the state doesn't stock them any longer. Ive heard there was a phantom stocker putting them in up north ....But not sure of its thats totally true or not. The bows tend to flush out while the browns tend to be home body's and set up residence...The state quit puttin bows in because well at least I heard the water wasnt quite up to bow standards.... Maybe Salmoinoid could shed some light on this...


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Love those long, long rods. Whole different game.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Yes the Phantom stocker has since retired and moved out of state. LOL so for the last 7-8 years the numbers of bows ( and brookies) has diminished but still a few around from all the clubs in the upper watershed. when stocked the rainbow have a bad habit of quickly running downstream as part of their natural instincts but browns , once stocked move upstream and quickly look for a home range that they will live their entire life if not eaten or bullied out by a bigger fish, many studies worldwide on this phenomenon. 
Basically it was cheaper to stock less browns to get as high if not a higher year round return on catch rates, Simple economics in play here

Cream, Nice fish and let us know next time your up this way , would try to arrange a time for you to experience some of the best the Mad has to offer.

Salmonid


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Salmonid said:


> Yes the Phantom stocker has since retired and moved out of state. LOL so for the last 7-8 years the numbers of bows ( and brookies) has diminished but still a few around from all the clubs in the upper watershed. when stocked the rainbow have a bad habit of quickly running downstream as part of their natural instincts but browns , once stocked move upstream and quickly look for a home range that they will live their entire life if not eaten or bullied out by a bigger fish, many studies worldwide on this phenomenon.
> Basically it was cheaper to stock less browns to get as high if not a higher year round return on catch rates, Simple economics in play here
> 
> *Cream, Nice fish and let us know next time your up this way , would try to arrange a time for you to experience some of the best the Mad has to offer*.
> ...


Does that involve portions of the river that have bends?  My gosh that river has some STRAIGHT sections.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

TheCream said:


> Does that involve portions of the river that have bends?  My gosh that river has some STRAIGHT sections.




THIS!!


And walking back up-stream in those straight sections totally sucks.


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## trekker (Feb 18, 2013)

Good stuff.


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

Salmonid said:


> Yes the Phantom stocker has since retired and moved out of state. LOL so for the last 7-8 years the numbers of bows ( and brookies) has diminished but still a few around from all the clubs in the upper watershed. when stocked the rainbow have a bad habit of quickly running downstream as part of their natural instincts but browns , once stocked move upstream and quickly look for a home range that they will live their entire life if not eaten or bullied out by a bigger fish, many studies worldwide on this phenomenon.
> Basically it was cheaper to stock less browns to get as high if not a higher year round return on catch rates, Simple economics in play here
> 
> Cream, Nice fish and let us know next time your up this way , would try to arrange a time for you to experience some of the best the Mad has to offer.
> ...


Thanks, I fished the Mad years ago and we only caught bows and one Golden trout. I love those Brownies...one mean trout!


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## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

Cream, any chance of a link to that stonefly pattern? I've been trying to find a good one to tie. I'd really appreciate it. 

Thanks,

Larry


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

iajetpilot said:


> Cream, any chance of a link to that stonefly pattern? I've been trying to find a good one to tie. I'd really appreciate it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Larry


I modified the 20"er stonefly pattern slightly. Here's a tutorial for that fly:

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/details.cfm?parentID=28

I changed the body from peacock herl to medium sized vinyl D-rib in a rusty brown color and used a brown India hen back feather for the legs instead of partridge. The dubbed thorax was dark hare's ear dubbing.


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## iajetpilot (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks Cream...I'll give them a try.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

Nice report, well done.


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## bobcatbasser (Sep 20, 2014)

Beautiful pictures and beautiful fish Cream. As always, well done


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


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