The West Branch, an Assortment On Glass

In my last post I talked about fishing the lake above the Farmington River. Well Monday I paid a visit and fished Mickey Finn cove. When I started my walk in to the place I would toss some streamers and assorted other flies the sun was just starting to make its rays felt. The sky was brilliantly clear it seem to run competition with the clarity of the lake. The lake was very still and looking out from the rock I would cast from I saw a large brown trout launch itself straight up to a height of 3 feet and enter the water with a thump. I guessed it was chasing a nymph/emerger from the bottom and was determined to eat it.

I was armed with my Cabela's glass rod, the 5'9" 3wt. I cast the Mickey Finn out and stripped it in. The streamer was just under the surface. Within a few strips I had a few fish following. Several cast later and "wham" a take. After several strong runs and countless jumps I was able to bring to hand a nice small mouth bass.

I was able to take another on the Mickey Finn, and then the fly for some unknown reason died. I fished it for a good half hour with out a strike.

I tied on a Crowningshield dry and cast to a large boulder near the shore. There was a deep drop off and it just looked fishy. The fly hit the water and was stationary and motionless when suddenly a fish rose and was hooked. As I brought the fish in I could see it was a small brown trout, about 4 inches. Reaching down I placed my hand under it....gone. I did manage to catch several of these guys with there awesome red eyes.

This area produced a lot of fish. There were several fish that were very nice and several that were spectacular. What clarity.

The best producing dry fly was the Bomber. The smallies loved it.

West Branch smallmouth, a Bomber and a glass 3wt.

There were several other rising fish. One was to hit a fly I call the BA Caddis. This fly is tied on a #10 streamer hook. It was cast and allowed to float and drift with the breeze. I observed the fly and thought to myself something will hit that. Something did, can't say it was a brown for I never saw it. It took that fly to what seemed like the bottom, I have no backing on that little reel. I felt several strong tugs and the line went limp. The fish threw the fly. Man how I love that.

Lots of these on dry flies.

That's not pond scum, that's a reflection of the tree lined shore in a crystal clear lake.

The West Branch small mouths also loved the BA Caddis.