OLE HENRY IS CAUGHT BY JOHN BERRY

A few weeks ago I wrote about Ole Henry, a huge brown trout that I had encountered while guiding children on Dry Run Creek. This trout was not only of prodigious size but was also incredibly cunning. Over the years, my young clients have hooked him only to have him wrap a rock or root wad and break off or simply force himself free, due to his bulk and strength. I have had clients hook and lose him three times this year. I have become a bit obsessed with catching him and spend a few hours of every guide trip on Dry Run Creek in pursuit of Ole Henry.

It was no different yesterday. My wife, Lori, and I were guiding some youngsters on Dry Run Creek for Blue Ribbon Fly Shop. We began the day learning how to cast and just trying to catch some fish. Our clients did well and before long they were all into trout. After they had landed a dozen or so each, I would take then one at a time to the big fish hole, the water that Ole Henry calls home. We managed to catch some larger trout there but we didn’t see or hook up with him. Around noon, we left the creek with fond memories of a successful day on stream.

It was a much different experience for Blaine Huntley. His dad, Jeremy, took him and his sister, Brooke, to Dry Run Creek in the afternoon. What a difference a few hours make. They had a spectacular day. They landed five rainbows over twenty five inches, a spectacular day in anyone’s book. Then they landed Ole Henry.

 It was an epic struggle that went on seemingly forever. I can see it in my mind. As soon as they saw the big trout the adrenalin kicked in. Ole Henry suffers no fools, but these anglers were ready and they were extremely patient. They slowly wore him down and finally got him to dads net. He was thirty two inches long with a twenty two inch girth. He had a big hook jaw and a bad attitude. The estimated weight is twenty two pounds. He was a worthy opponent. The fly he was caught on was a pink marabou jig on a pink jig head. This is a fly that I have never fished but I guarantee you that I will tie a few before I return to Dry Run Creek.

When there is an epic struggle like this, the trout is stressed and must be carefully revived. During the struggle they build up lactic acid in their bodies and cramp up. Removing them from the water for photos further stresses them. As a result, it is important to properly revive them. The best way is to move them to quiet water, cradle them in your hands and slowly move the back and forth to force water through their gills. It can take as long or longer to revive one as it did to land them. In this case, it took forty five minutes. Time well spent! Dad said that, at the end of the release, he did not have a dry stitch on.

I received a call from Mike Schraeder, the shop manager at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop that evening telling me that Ole Henry had been caught. An hour later I got a call from Dad confirming the catch and giving me the exciting details. Lori asked me, if I was upset that someone else had caught Old Henry. I said no that I was happy for them and very pleased that they had taken care to properly release him. That means that he is still in Dry Run Creek.

With Catch and Release, I still have a legitimate shot at him and the way that trout eats he will be even bigger in the future. I can’t wait to try again.

John Berry is a fly fishing guide for Blue Ribbon Guides in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.