Thursday, July 7, 2016

Thursday On The Farmington..7-7-16

This morning was one of those typical July days. The sun was just filtering through the trees and casting light upon the river. The air was humid and the water cold, that brought waves of fog drifting down. These waves also brought a funky chill that was not a good feel to the skin. As I walked out to where I was to make my first cast I scanned the surface for a feeding fish. There were none dining on the surface so a soft hackle was the first fly of the day. I was to cast many many times the wet flies and had only a few bumps to show for it.

Well nothing taking below, then why not try on top. I was armed with several new dry flies that I wanted to try so what the heck go for it. An hour later and all I had was many looks at how the flies floated but not a fish.


It's hard to believe that a river full of fish and an angler can spend a couple of hours casting and not have a fish to show for his efforts. Plan X went into effect and when the big caddis floated near the bank the water moved and moved a lot. The fish rolled on the surface in an attempt to grab the fly and missed. Right here a little frustration set in, and soon it was brushed aside.


I continued moving upstream and casting... a subtle rise and a solid hookup. My first of the day. A wild little brookie.


Moving still further upstream I came upon this...a big clump of underwater wood...a nice flow of current...and a deep channel. I floated the fly a couple of times and the fish rose. I pulled back but felt nothing...then something the trout was on. A brief struggle and I could see the brown starting to tire...not to be, a quick run and off he was.
I continued to fish for some time without any success. The morning was beautiful and the river so relaxing...who needs fish? I was set to call it a day when I walked by the spot where I hooked the brown. Why not a few more casts. On one of those casts the fish rose in a big boil and grabbed the fly. He bent that rod so much I knew I had a good fish on. Strong runs and holding deep. I turned the fish and it ran upstream right at me, and that's when I saw him. A brook trout of substantial size. Be cool Alan. The glass rod and my ability to keep cool finally subdued the trout....


I was amazed at the size and beauty of this brook trout. It probably ranks as one of my best Farmy brook trout. He had a nice hook-jaw and will be something to behold come October.
As I reached into the water to release him he just shot upstream. The hook had come free and he was gone.


Look at the hook on that fly...strong fish. I walked up the bank headed to my car. Pausing for a moment to say thank you.



19 comments:

  1. 'who needs fish?' - i liked that. :)

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    1. TexWisGirl
      Thanks
      Theresa the fish are a bonus...I like the being there.

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  2. Nice Job!!! That is a substantial Brookie!!!!

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  3. Great story, Alan, and beautiful brook trout, both the small one and the large one. That large one is really something...like a fish one would see in the Maine wilderness. Well done, Sam

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    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam I would agree on those Maine brook trout. A couple of years ago I hooked into an even bigger brookie further up the river my personal best from the Farmington...that one was on a caddis also.

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  4. Alan sometimes it's the quality of the experience not how many fish you catch, but I have to say that large Brookie would have made my yr. congrats beautiful fish.looks like caddis strikes again.i have one box of caddis patterns that I fish a lot,everything from pupa to dries to cover all levels, they rarly leave me down. Thankyou.

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      Brad it was a delight catching this fish. It no doubt is a highlight of this year.
      I'm going to attempt a few caddis pupas, never tied or fished them.

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  5. Alan, You are now known as "The Brook Trout Whisperer" Amazing!

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    1. Brookie61
      Thanks
      Kurt it's good to hear from you. Hope your fishing?

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  6. Wow, what a beautiful full bodied Brookie! Happy to read that you were able to play it "cool". The Farmington is an impressive looking river..............

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    1. Grandpa Mel
      Thanks
      Mel he was a handful for the 3wt, and a true beauty.
      The Farmington is a wonderful resource.

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  7. Alan - you never cease to amaze me! In a river known for it's brown trout, so always seems to find a few nice brookies. That last fish is a really stunning one for sure!

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    1. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark perhaps some day it will be know as a brook trout destination...lots of wild brookies in that river. A happy thought.

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  8. Sounds like a great day on the river. Your sentiments about the number of fish, yet challenge of catching them are very agreeable with me. Mark's point on the brookies is a good one. The Swift up here in MA, also a tailwater, is seeing a massive brookie boom over the past 10 - 15~ years. I wonder if the age's of these two tailwaters is finally getting to the point where they have higher fertility and the wild brookies are able to take off? regardless, it's good to see.
    Will

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    1. Hibernation
      Thanks
      Will I noticed about 5 years ago in a section of the Farmington that I favor. It's a section I have fished since the 70's. It always gave up some beautiful fish, but they were browns and rainbows. And I noticed a sudden surge in brook trout being caught. Well you might say well the state stocks them, but these brookies were quite small 3 inches and a pronounced parr marking. Over the next five years I have been catching more brook trout between 5-9 inches and they have been from various other places on the Farmington. This to me means that they are indeed naturally reproducing in the river.

      This is a great happening not only for the brook trout, but for anglers and naturalists too.

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  9. Alan
    The reward that comes from fishing the Farmington in the summer; gorgeous brook trout taken--thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill there are many rewards, and the brook trout are a wonderful plus.

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  10. Alan, that might be the most beautiful brookie I've seen you post up here from your home waters :)

    What an incredible catch and thank you for sharing!

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