Saturday, May 23, 2015

The Salters of Red Brook, Part 1

Jeanette and I just returned from a few days on Cape Cod. They were spent in part on the shores of Red Brook and the shores of Buttermilk Bay. The weather was beautiful with sunny skies and cool to mild temps. The winter had taken a toll there as it did most of the northeast and the folks there were glad it was gone. A side note it seemed as if everything was a week or two behind normal, maybe the result of the harsh winter. The stream was in fantastic shape. Most times that we were fishing there we had caught the tide right which made for more pleasurable fishing.

As you can see in the photos the green-up had not been completed. The leaves were not fully shaped and the watercress was still some time away from full bloom. The river herring run was in swing when we got there and fish were in the brook heavy. With that I knew that fishing tidewater would be very difficult because when the herring run the stripers are right behind them. And stripers do not see them and brook trout as anything different then food. So thought was to fish further upstream and stand a better chance at taking the salters.


Red Brook, an easier time to angle.




Herring. I don't know if they actively feed while spawning but I did tangle with many of them. They are swift and formidable opponents on a glass 3wt. jumping and running like salmon.


With the sun so bight and the stream so clear it was going to be a challenge to get a brook trout to take. I did manage to put the fly just where it had to be. Most places of cover and deeper water produced a strike.


And in some cases the strike produced a salter to hand. These fish strike hard at streamers. There are lots of little fish for them to eat and eat them they do.


When they did restoration work on Red Brook they knew exactly where to place structure. A fly near this structure usually means fish will take it.


A healthy Red Brook salter.


A quiet and peaceful run. Sounds of birds, and water..........


.....and the thrashing of a feisty wild brook trout.


And then there's lunch..................part 2 coming.



20 comments:

  1. One look at the stream bottom and you can see why it was named "Red Brook". Glad you both had a nice time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      John the fishing was great. I think there is a lot of iron deposits in that stream.

      Delete
  2. Cool anadromous assortment there! Herring are very cool fish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RM Lytle,
      Thanks.
      It was funny how after a few hits by each I soon was able to tell which was a brook trout hit and which was a herring hit.
      Herring are fighters.

      Delete
  3. Alan
    These streams are classics just like the fresh water streams you fish by home. I can't think of a better place to visit. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      Bill that stream was giving up brook trout to the Pilgrims. Now it will be protected forever.

      Delete
  4. how can you not love places named red brook and buttermilk bay? and red brook appears aptly named!

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    Replies
    1. TexWisGirl,
      Thanks.
      Theresa, they are a bit romantic.

      Delete
  5. Really neat area , those "salters" as you call them must be a very hardy fish. They would be a nice meal for almost everything living in the saltwater and as such are probably looking over their shoulder at all times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HighPlainsFlyFisher,
      Thanks.
      Jeff they are indeed hardy. And they are extremely fast. They tag many of these salters to help track there movement. I was told that a tagged brook trout from Red Brook turned up in a stream on Martha's Vinyard. that's a fair piece of ocean to cross.

      Delete
  6. Never having the opportunity to experience this type fishing, I am in awe...................

    Nice camera work makes this post beautiful as always. Streamer patterns?

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    Replies
    1. Gramps, (Mel)
      Thanks.
      Mel they are special fish. All were taken on various streamers. Black Ghost, Montreal Lady, both marabou patterns, and several small mallard wing patterns.

      Delete
  7. Nicely done Brk Trt. Got some beauties there!!

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    Replies
    1. TROUTI,
      Thanks.
      Pete they were strong, and indeed beautiful.

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  8. And speaking of herring...I have an usual taste today for some. Kippered...

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett,
      Thanks.
      My mom use to pickle them in some sort of brine. I could never acquire a taste for them.

      Delete
  9. I will get there someday. These posts are like a loving nudge.

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    Replies
    1. Kierran Broatch,
      Thanks.
      K. you would be delighted. You can fish Red Brook, take a very short ride and fished the CC canal.
      A real pretty place.

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    2. You read my mind. Striped bass & brook trout, not a bad native combo.

      Delete
    3. Kierran,
      For sure.
      Just made a few stuffed clams.

      Delete