Weather: 37
degrees, drizzle and fog
Stream: Clear
Hatch: One
midge
Beer: Boulevard Wheat
It’s taken me a year but I’ve finally made the hour plus
drive to Hay Creek near Red Wing. I’ve heard whispers of its bounty plus an
active, ongoing restoration effort. Typically, it would make for a better story
if I was exploring new water as new growth was sprouting from the forest floor
and season’s first mayflies had emerged. But I live in Minnesota and I have to
take advantage of the season when I can even in January plus I got the chance
to check out my new spinning rod. Hay
Creek was beautiful; it winds through some beautiful pastures, rolling hills and
thick forest. However, it’s nowhere near as good as the Kinnie. 
I approached one promising pool and tide on a brand new
spinner hoping the flashy orange and gold would entice something. First cast
caught a snag but the second hooked something big. It would be disingenuous to
say my fishing reflexes were sharp, I hadn’t caught a fish since September 30th
and kept reeling instead of setting the hook. To my luck I saw a gold flash
emerge out of the depths and rip line from the drag. In a short battle I had
the beauty ashore for a quick picture. I’m still in disbelief that I landed the
trout without setting the hook and using barbless spinners. It measured out at
a stout 14 inches, a great start to 2013. In the next five minutes I caught
another brown and a 10 inch brookie. Then the bite stopped. 
