Rolling rocks and a picture-perfect pool

“I got him right here.”

—Harry Darbee, while hooking a finger in the corner of his mouth

The morning of October 4, six men and one woman met at Hankins Creek. Their objective was to open a narrow channel leading upstream from the mouth of the creek. Hopefully, this effort will enable brown trout at spawning time to ascend the creek. Rainbows have no trouble gaining entry to tributaries in the spring. Browns, however, often find their way blocked by large fans of gravel at the mouths of small tributaries in the fall. In past years, trout have been observed working their way up through our created channel while the work was still in progress. There is no reported spawning in the Main Stem of the Delaware. Therefore, the tributaries are vital to maintaining a wild trout population.

I have had the good fortune on several occasions to observe trout on their spawning beds. It is fascinating to watch a large male staying close to a female while she prepares her redd. The ladies do all the heavy lifting in preparation for the spawning act. At times, a much smaller male will attempt to get close to the female. The larger male will aggressively drive the smaller one off. If the smaller male is not careful, he may be seized by the head and given a thorough shaking by the bigger male. One experience like this and the little fellows decide to depart.

At the proper time, the female settles into the hollow she has dug with her tail while the male moves in close beside her. With considerable exertion, the female expels her eggs while the male releases a fog of sperm. The fertilized eggs sink into the bottom of the redd. The female then covers them with gravel. The male simply lounges around waiting for the female to prepare another redd. His only job is to drive interlopers away. When it comes to sex, male trout are lazy lovers.

It has been my good fortune to fish many pretty pools and riffles this year. Lately, in my mind I have been imagining what a perfect pool should look like. It would have to be in a secluded area. No pool with a road running alongside it would qualify. Few fishers would be aware of this pool. It would certainly need a good long riffle just upstream from the pool. Riffles are where the vast majority of aquatic insects are born and live their watery lives. A riffle is the food pantry of a river. When these insects hatch, the current will drift them down into the head of the pool where the trout will be waiting.

One side of this pool will have a dark green color, denoting deep water, while the other should be shallow, where an elderly angler can wade easily. The far side should be lined with some enormous rocks and on the bank, large hemlocks and rhododendrons will shade the water. Below the riffle there should be a smooth glide extending for some distance before entering the pool proper. This lovely water should contain large numbers of trout from yearling size up to heart-stopping tackle busters. These big fellows must be inclined to feed at the surface frequently. From time to time an angling author may write of this river, but my pool will never be mentioned.

Ah, but you say, this is too much to expect. No, gentle reader, I know of exactly such a pool. You may ask, “Where is this pool located?” Harry Darbee once was asked where it was he had hooked a large trout. Harry just smiled and hooked his forefinger into the corner of his mouth. “I got him right here,” was his reply. No further information was given. Where did I hook my last big trout? Watch my forefinger as I tell you, “I got him right here.”