What IS normal these days? Certainly we’re not so far gone that we have to ask ourselves this… are we? I’m coming from a view-point of being raised by parents that lived through the depression and World War II. So, if I seem insensitive, please, accept my apologies. I don’t know what normal is I suppose.
‘Under Normal Circumstances…’ I would fish the runs throughout the summer. I thought they maintained water temperatures that allows trout to survive right through till they cool down at the end of summer. But I had gotten a report that temperatures were elevated in the runs. I needed to get up there and evaluate the situation.
That, above, was yesterday, this was today:
I checked the temperature just after I got into my spot. I was encouraged. I used a Purple Haze dry fly and got a reaction or two but no pictures to prove anything. A little further up stream:
I actually saw a few fish rising here but managed to put them down rather quickly. I tried to make a presentation to them at 30 feet. I think the line hitting the water surface spooked them though. The water level is really, really low.
Favorite Stretch #3 
Favorite Stretch #4
There are some great looking spots, just not much water to hold fish. I’m sure there are fish there, but they are doing everything to make sure they make it through another day. My plans to capture some of them did not coincide with their plans of survival.
Temperature Check #2 – Holding Steady!
I checked the water temperature when I got out also. The two feeder branches registered at 64 and 62 degrees F.
Not Yet Please! 
Just some gorgeous looking water.
I did try out a birthday gift I recently got, a water purifying device.
It worked as designed – nicely. Sixty-Four degree Slate Run water tasted pretty good on a warm summer late afternoon. I can now say I’ve drank water from Slate Run – purified.
Saw this wild flower, of some sort, while walking back to the car.
Did a quick google search and didn’t find out what this (flower above) was, yet.
Under Normal Circumstances – I should have caught a few fish. I’m not complaining as this was the first hike/fishing jaunt up the run since I had surgery last September 30th. My other excursions were of a shorter nature. This expedition was pain free compared to the previous, approximately, 7 years. I’ll take it.
Hopefully I’ll have some fish pictures to post before I have to leave.
Reporting from Slate Run, … I’m UB
Slate Run Sportsmen 
Thanks for the SR water update, and congrats on sampling it both “inside & out.” I’ll bet it was refreshing and I hope we get some rain soon to replenish the sources. Mystery flower: looks like large-flowering raspberry. I often see it on the runs this time of year.
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It was a cool drink and hit the spot for certain. I must admit that rain is needed badly here. I’m not going to admit that I said that as I’ve been too scarred by the past 2 years of too much rain but, it really is needed here and now.
While I was searching I thought I saw something that eluded to a wild raspberry. It’s noting like the wild raspberries I have growing around where I live, smaller leaves, smallish flower in the spring that turns into raspberry sized…. raspberries.
Just googled them – Rubus odoratus – aka ‘Thimbleberry’ quite possibly.
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