Monday, June 4, 2012

I Should Fish This Stream More Often




I did a post on this river last November. It's one of the more picturesque streams in Connecticut. The photo above was taken in January of this year, the last time I fished the stream prior to yesterday. I spoke of this streams restoration effort for Atlantic salmon, and the potential to possibly catch one of these precious fish. But in reality the river is more likely to give up a few trout and the salmon parr or smolt.


I met up with Kirk in the morning to fish this stream for a few hours. The stream was up a bit from the heavy rains of the day before, and a bit off color.


I could spend hours on this stream just casting a fly. I don't care if I didn't even get a bump. Just being there is pleasure enough.


Bridges, and the waters above and below are like magnets to me. I have to fish these places. I was on top fishing off the bridge with a streamer, an Edson Tiger. On one of the casts as the fly drifted under the bridge I saw the line stop and go tight. As I took hold of the line I felt the fishes weight as it started to move across and down stream. As I put tension on the fish I felt that slack loose feeling....gone. I retrieved my line and the fly was gone.


I continued fishing, picking up a few salmon parr, and these, wild browns. At this time I was fishing a Picket Pin wet fly.


While fishing a smooth spot near the bank the fly was left hanging in the current for a few seconds. As I began to retrieve the wet fly I felt the fish take. After considerable persuasion I brought this beautiful brook trout to hand.


I have to make a point of fishing this river more often.


Kirk, (RKM), trying to decide what fly?


CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE









37 comments:

  1. Wonderful place! I can understand that you want to fish there more often. Sorry you missed a big one but you got a lovely brookie instead.
    Have fun fishing beautiful streams,
    Mats Olsson

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Jassid Man,
      Thanks.
      Missing those big ones is why we keep coming back.

      Delete
  2. Actually, RKM failing to tie on properly the selected fly and proceeding to fish with an unadorned leader.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RKM,
      Thanks
      Your supposed to keep things like that quiet.
      It was a good day.

      Delete
  3. Wow! Gorgeous brookie. My hat's off to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kiwi,
      Thanks.
      We are graced with one like that once in a while.

      Delete
  4. Brk
    I know you are not doing much if any bank fishing here, so if you are in the middle or on the edge fishing fairly fast water, what is your best pattern to fish here? I do know you pay attention to the hatch, but what if there is no hatch to speak of. It look like the rocks are moss covered, are you wearing felt sole boots? This looks a lot like our tailrace with water about knee deep and lots of moss covered rocks. You have some amazing streams to fish in that area. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      I think a dry fly, like a Bomber would have worked just as well if the stream was not so much off color. I usually fish the streams in pretty much the same fashion. I start out with a dry fly, a Bomber, or Elk Hair caddis, if no takers I'll switch to a wet fly, Picket Pin, or maybe a beetle, ant, or a San Juan worm.
      There are a great many streams here, and most of them are on public lands.

      Delete
  5. All I can say is , WOW!! The colors on that brookie are just incredible , that last shot...the blues , yellows and oranges....unbelievable!! Mother Nature at her finest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HighPlainsFlyFisher,
      Thanks.
      Ma Nature just took all the colors available, and let them fly.

      Delete
  6. A very nice outing indeed and one beautiful brook trout !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      That fish really surprised me.

      Delete
  7. What an incredible brook trout...just awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wonderful place and awesome brookie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. J and M Flies,
      Thanks.
      It's one of those places where fishing, or reading a book is just as pleasurable.

      Delete
  9. Listen, if you don't want to fish this creek, let me know. I can be there in, maybe 6 hours. LOL

    Mark

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shoreman,
      Thanks.
      That's great. Before we fish though it's coffee and donuts.

      Delete
  10. Beautiful stream. I like bridges too. And I have caught some real nice fish when the fly is dangling unattended in the current. Many ways a stream can surprise us. Thanks for taking us along again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim Yaussy Albright,
      Thanks.
      I know I can't pass up a good bridge.

      Delete
  11. I can beat Mark's time there by 4.5 hours (including donuts and coffee in hand)! :)

    Sorry Mark.....all is fair in war, love, fishing, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed,
      Thanks.
      And you would be bringing Dunkin Donuts and coffee.

      Delete
    2. Dunkin's donuts for sure but will have to find a place that sells Nantucket blend on the way.

      Delete
  12. That is a beauty of a Brookie! I like fishing off your bridge more than fishing off mine. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve Zakur,
      Thanks.
      I saw your blog and that was a nice bridge fish.

      Delete
  13. Hey that's one gorgeous brookie. Nice post Alan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howard Levett,
      Thanks.
      He sure surprised me.

      Delete
  14. B.T.
    Nice!
    That brookie would be at home in a river Maine or an Adirondack lake.
    The biggest CT brookie I've lost was living under a bridge.
    A green, purple and orange monster at that.
    Might have to pay that bridge a visit this week.
    A.T.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      Your right. But I believe if we keep the habitats protected we can have better brook trout fishing.
      I remember your post on that brookie. Maybe a Little Brook Trout bucktail may get him.

      Delete
    2. A little more size to that one Brk Trt..it's a "fatty"!

      Delete
    3. Always nice to see that there are some big ones lurking in our CT waters the size of their northern cousins. :)
      We need to plan an outing.
      I'll be in touch.
      A.T.

      Delete
  15. penbayman,
    Thanks.
    It looks like a brook trout out of Mooselookmeguntic.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Apache Trout,
    Thanks.
    An outing, that would be great.

    ReplyDelete
  17. that's one healthy looking brookie! Nice job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve,
      Thanks.
      I think he might be eating more than insects.

      Delete