Early morning on the river. The sun was playing peek-a-boo through a sky of clouds. The sound of the water moving over the stones was sort of hypnotic. I eased into the river and gazed up and down looking for that rising fish, something I would not see. As I tossed the fly into the current I noticed how it just sat in the film before being swept into it's drift. The hope was there that I would be lucky this day and hook a fish on the first cast, it was not to be. Continuing downstream I noticed how the light was on the water. It appeared to be green to yellow to blue, almost the colors of a brook trout. Mornings seem to produce such variations.
I was now standing in one of those seams where I have encountered brook trout. So I concentrated on my fishing and made the right presentations hoping to coax a trout to take. I was soon rewarded with a spunky and very healthy brookie, one of several today.
As the morning moved and the sun cast more light on the water I moved to the stream within the river, that area that is in shade. I worked the soft-hackle towards a submerged boulder. As the fly slowed in the current a swirl was detected, a second later a big surface wake and the water exploded with a big fish. He knew his river and began to teach me a lesson. Long story short he did and I had all I could handle. I finally turned him and brought him gently into slower water.
As he lay there I could not believe how breath taking that fish was. I placed my hand into the water and lifted him up...camera focused a photo and a tail move and the brown was hook free and gaining strength. A few moments later and he was gone.
A small fly...and the fish it attracted.
Alan, with the dog days of summer and no rain the only game in town is early or late in the day. The water temps. In my area are marginal at best except for spring creeks.thank the lord for spring creeks, I am blessed with many in my areA . That's a quality brown trout you caught. It looks like the soft hackle wins again. I think you could fish a soft hackle all season and do well. Thanks for the photos.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad the Farmington is tailwater and remains pretty cool. I dropped the thermometer in the water and it was 60. I guess it would rise a bit as the day wears on but it's still in the safe zone. As far as flies go I will stay with one as long as I feel it's productive, or on this day I was just lazy and did not feel like swapping flies. I still have your area in mind for a future visit.
Alan, was that first Brookie taken on a soft hackles dry fly? She had an interesting pale coloration as many Farmington brookies seem to have. That place where you got the brown looks familiar...saw some browns rising when I was there. That is some fish!
ReplyDeleteRI brook trout
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Jon, your pretty observant, yes it was a soft-hackle dry fly. Your right on the color of Farmy brook trout, they will color up come fall though. I guess that area would be hot when the sun is setting.
That's not one of the spots we fished up there Jon. Ma have to try it this week though!
DeleteQuiet please........
DeleteOh okay...looked like the first spot we fished.
DeleteGood,solid brown you have there! Way to go !
ReplyDeleteTROUTI
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Pete I've hooked a few like it but always manage to loose them.
Might be time to invest in that gadget called a net! I am sure you are familiar with that item,lol!
DeleteAbout 20 plus years ago I had to beach a very large brown 20 plus inches. From that day forward I have carried a net while on the Farmy!!
Pete I have a net, it's hanging in the garage.
DeleteI know I should use one but for some reason I don't.
It should be hanging off your vest !!LOL You know I am just joking, although if it is hanging in the garage it is not going to land many fish!! :-)
DeleteNice brown and gorgeous brookie! Was the adipose on the brown clipped? It looks a lot like some of the survivor strain browns I've seen.
ReplyDeleteRM Lytle
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Rowan I was not given the chance to look at him to long so I couldn't tell. One thing is certain he's been in the river for some time.
my gosh, i got lost in that opening photo...
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Theresa the light that morning on the water was awesome.
Beautiful brown! Love when they are all "buttered up". Great looking water as well. You are spot on....knowing where that stream within a stream is, makes all the difference.
ReplyDeleteRalph Long
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Ralph some of those Farmy browns are breathtaking.
Look for those seams and little streams and good things just might happen.
Tail water is the only game in town and I'm glad you did well, Alan. Thank goodness this summer we have them available.
ReplyDeleteI checked out a bridge pool of the Scantic River today in
Hampden, Mass today and it was pretty pitiful to look at. There was water in it, but the trout I saw were quite still and hugging the bottom same as catfish. It's got to be getting close to the lethal point of water temperature.
Hopefully we get some needed rain soon. Regards, Sam
Parachute Adams
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Sam your so right about the tail-waters. I check out a few small streams and the water is low, but moving. I feel the trout will be OK, but between predators having easy access and the hit or miss rains is not good. Do you know a good rain dance?
I wish I did know a rain dance! My grandmother was half Cherokee, but she never taught me that, haha. Storms were heading right toward our area tonight from the north, but dried up. Hopefully the small stream brookies will find a way. Regards, Sam
DeleteI could feel that first cold water as you stepped in the water. Everything after that was icing on the cake! That is a beautiful Brown that has been there awhile....... Long live the Soft Hackle...........
ReplyDeleteGrandpa Mel
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Mel early morning cold water is so refreshing, as is a nice brown on the line.
Beautiful trout, but if the stream is very low, the water is very hot in the summer sun, right?
ReplyDeleteGood your story I like this description of that time, very lucky.
Armando Milosevic
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Armando the water in this river flows from the bottom of a dam. The dam is on a reservoir and it's depth is 100 plus feet, so the water coming out is probably in the mid 40 degree temp. It does warm up but it's still around 60 so that's plenty cold for trout.....lucky indeed my friend.