Rock Creek Sunrise Bow

Matthew Clark is an angling videographer & the creator of Small Stream Salmon Fishing network. He has been an avid Traveling fisherman for over 25 years. His experience with both fly rod and terminal gear has covered much of the west coast for many species of fish in both fresh and saltwater.

Currently his work can be found on this site in the video & article sections.

All articles and materials here are copyright © property of Small Stream Salmon Fishing

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Rock Creek Sunrise Rainbow

Matthew Clark
Small Stream Salmon Fishing

On the first morning of my Rock Creek Res. camping trip I crawled out of my sleeping bag as soon as I saw the glow in the eastern sky. We had arrived later on the day before and I had not yet fished the lake. I wanted to put some low light casts in an area I had seen very

large trout boiling in the evening while I was making camp. It was now very early in the morning and my only company was an early bird Osprey who also seemed to know the small lake was holding many large secrets.

Somewhere between dawn and sunrise I had a take that nearly doubled my 6 weight Kilwell somehow shattering my personal inner silence! The beast had grabbed my fly close to shore and turned outwards causing a "SLAM!" that served to remind me exactly what 4 lb tippet meant. Fly line flying through my hand with only feet of slack to go my nerves began to tweak. I realized that when the line hit the reel the moment of truth would come and I had to act fast. When he reached the last foot of slack line I grabbed the line at my reel and pulled line to him to start the reel spinning, it worked! The reel screamed flawlessly for another 15 feet while he swam across the surface breaking the morning glass. Shortly after I was able to gain control and turn him in my favor. Much fight still left in him that he used to thrash his head violently and remind me once again that I only had 4 lb tippet.

I had only left the task of landing him at my feet. With so much excitement I had hardly noticed the glowing sunrise over my shoulder. My Nikon with remote on a tripod behind me saved the day so I would not forget this Rock Creek sunrise bow.

Long live the beast, the beast is dead. A large hatchery rainbow over 2 feet long. I decided to share the fish with 7 children and their grandparents camped across from us that I had met the night before. They had many young mouths to feed and I felt this hatchery bow would be great cooked over an open campfire.

It was the green & black bead head wooly that sparked the bows interest. A pattern that I always carry plenty of anytime I fish a lake for all types of trout. I fished the fly on a floating line but gave time for the fly to sink before I began a slow emerging retrieve.

Fishing remained pretty steady for 12 to 14 inch fish the rest of the morning and I would even break off one more large bow before breakfast.

I headed back into camp around 9:30 AM and when the group across from us saw the giant fish the response was a somewhat cluttered amazement. Their grandparents were very pleased to know they would be eating fresh trout that night with their family, and for me, the satisfaction of a plan coming together on a beautiful morning.