It's All Good With The Right Frame Of Mind

Winters first snow. Depending on where you live in Connecticut the amount was from a coating to 18 inches. For a little state that's quite a swing. The woodlands are so beautiful, snow clinging to everything like frosting to a cake. The evergreens especially stand out adding color to the drab hardwoods. Fishing at this time of year can be a challenge. Walking through snow can really put a strain on those leg muscles. Moving along the stream presents it's own set of issues. Don't slip on the snow as you near the water, and watch for those leaf jams that are covered with snow. As far as flies go they say small nymphs are your best bet. I use them and they get the job done. I also like to fish soft-hackles and dries from time to time.

Watching a little brookie swim up from his place in the stream and swipe at the seductive feathers of a soft-hackle is one of the joys of winter fishing.

There are no days when you have a half dozen fish to hand, but that's something you should realize before heading out. Be content to bring one or two to hand.

With the right attitude going in, the rewards will be spectacular.

Without question this is not gourmet. American cheese and butter on white bread. Oh well...

Saying Thanks At This Time Of Year

It's that holiday season once again. Here at Small Stream Reflections 2019 has been super, and most of that can be attributed to the followers who faithfully read and comment here, and I might add some of the best comments anywhere. So to say thank you for your support I'm giving away a few gifts to you. All that's needed is that you comment on this post and then keep your fingers crossed. Your names will be put into a box, and on Saturday Jeanette will pull three names and the winners will be announced here. Good luck and thank you.

Number 1...A Rangeley Style Streamer.

Number 2, A Cabelas Fly Box With 15 Soft Hackle Flies

Number 3...A Copy Of My Book "Thin Blue Lines"

December 1st....

Well folks here it is December 1st. The first day of winter, meteorological winter that is. It will be a long time until we see fiddlehead ferns looking so green and pretty. In Connecticut we are about to get hit by our first winter storm and how appropriate it happens to come on the first day of winter. Well I'm of the mindset that I can't do anything about the season upon us so what the heck, "Get use to it"....

This place has been poking in and out of my mind since the last time I fished it which was about seven years ago. I can't really say why I have never returned there, it's not a far drive, it's a conserved piece of land open to fishing. Regulations state "catch and release", "artificial lures and flies single hook" open to fishing all year. As you can see it is a lovely stream and is pretty easy to access. Still I have not fished it....that may change this winter.

In this spot on the stream I talked about above. Back in February of 2013 I was fishing a Mickey Finn streamer. As the fly finished it's swing and stopped a big wild brook trout slashed it. A split second later he hit and was on. That brookie fought as hard as any fish I have ever hooked. Played out so I thought I reached for him and a sudden tail flap and he was gone...only a memory, a memory that still is in the front of my minds journal. I know that he is gone now. I hope I'll be fortunate to catch one of his offspring.

The Mickey Finn...In this day of modern streamers this classic seems to have taken a "back, back" seat...not with me, how about you?

The first day of winter, meteorological winter that is...Jeanette and I enjoyed this breakfast of "Makowiec" poppy seeded strudel...hot coffee and life is good.

The Day Before Thanksgiving. Are There Wolves In Connecticut?

Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving I found myself fishing a stream I had not visited in a long time. I wrote about it a couple of years ago. The stream flows through lots of private land and a couple of issues with a few landowners made for some interesting conversations. I'm glad that I received permission to access the stream. It is not like other streams I fish in the sense that I never know where the brookies will be found. They move quite a lot on this stream which I can't figure out why. But this day was a good one as far as weather issues. While not sunny it was still bright. Temperatures in the mid forties and not a breeze. The stream was in great shape and many of the pools were deep in places.

Places like this held brookies in the tail section.

I did catch this one despite scarring the rest of his mates.

A very nice plunge pool. These places hold nice fish. This one had an awful amount of twigs and branches within it. Usually I just pass by and let it be, but today I stopped and did a little house cleaning. Three or four branches pulled and that made all the difference. Obviously I could not fish it then so I moved on upstream for an hour or so. More active brook trout, and quite a few of them slipped off the hook. On my way back I stopped to fish that plunge pool. Several casts and no response. I think it was the fifth one when the fish struck. It went berserk. Airborne and a zigzag like a jet avoiding a missile. I finally got control.

I don't know if he was in the pool before I cleaned it out a bit but if so I'm glad he returned.