Friday, June 15, 2018

"Whittemore"

Having fished the Farmington river since the late 60's I have pretty much covered most of its waters that allowed me to cast a fly. There have been some banner days in the many outings along with many skunks. The one overwhelming constant is I have never had a bad day on the Farmington when it comes to the beauty that this river gives forth. There are many named pools in this river. Many are well known and fished extremely hard, in fact I would say some have seen just about every fly ever created. I will say I have my favorite places to fish on this gem of the northeast. A few of them I can be assured that I'll be alone with the only competition  being a heron or eagle. But one of the most beautiful pools on the Farmington is Whittemore. I make it a point to stop here every time I'm at the Farmington.



While Whittemore may be the most beautiful pool on the Farmington it has been a difficult one for me to fish. It's riffled head, it's long sooth and deep center as well as it's rapid tail out have proved to be quite the challenge for me.


Several very large trout were seen here...rising to something I could not see. It was a grand sight.




Whittemore lived up to it's name as the most beautiful, and frustrating pool on the Farmington this day but it did manage to give up one of it's wild browns.










25 comments:

  1. Hi Alan, not unlike the Baverkill in NY. Those fish have seen everything. I don't mind at all targeting a specific fish and spending an hour trying for it and being careful with the casting. The best of fly fishing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John I've spent many hours trying to coax a rising fish. Sometimes I'll take him and sometimes I walk.
      I've never fished the Beaverkill.

      Delete
  2. Hi Alan, I think some of the trout there are so well educated they have a PHD bug selection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brookie61
      Thanks
      Kurt another famous person said something much like you just said. Famous minds think alike.

      Delete
  3. Alan
    Beautiful photos of the river, flowers and of course the wild brown. That is such a serene, peaceful scene.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TROUT1
      Thanks
      Pete you are familiar with Whittemore. I think that fall is spectacular on this pool.

      Delete
  4. Another interesting fishing "hole" in the NE. The stack stones once a bridge?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark they are called the Whittemore abutments. I think the flood of '55 took the bridge.

      Delete
  5. Congrats on connecting on the Farmington, Alan. I absolutely love that river as do many other anglers in our region. I have fished it twice this year, taking vacation days both times to fish when not so crowded during week days.

    I connected with a few day after Memorial Day. As you know wading that river wears me out and I was taking a rest on the bank mid afternoon just watching the river. I saw a nice one rising close to the bank about 25' upstream of my position. After several casts with the elk hair caddis I connected and that fish was off to the races, I had little control of it. Finally the barbless hook let go of the biggest trout I have ever had on. Hard for me to say how big it was, but I have never before felt such power on my fly rod.

    After I lost the fish I kind of just stood in stunned silence, much like after the Red Sox lost game 6 of the 1986 World Series. I managed to regroup to long distance release one more, but after losing the big one I was ready to quit for the day.

    Best, Sam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam the weekdays are best when seeking room to be alone. There are some massive brown trout in that river and it looks like you tangled with one. I have to choose where I wade, bum foot right now. You take care out there.

      Delete
    2. Alan, once hooked it tried to shake the fly quickly, but once it couldn't it was off like a freight train and I kept it on several minutes. I don't like to over play trout and make recovery for them difficult if not fatal, and I got a little too aggressive trying to bring it in to end the fight. Well, the trout ended the fight on its own terms and I have zero regrets with the long distance release.

      As Vincent Marinaro wrote "in the lexicon of the fly fisherman, the words rise and hooked connote the successful and desirable climax; landing a fish is purely anticlimax." I agree, but would surely have liked to taken a picture of that trout in my net...if it fit in it.

      I hope your bum foot heals up soon. You take out there as well.

      Best, Sam

      Delete
    3. Take care out there as well.

      Delete
    4. Sam I'm sure you did all the right things out there. Sometimes we loose a fish like that and the result is one of the best memories of a lifetime.
      The tendon is responding nicely and I'll wager I'll be a 100% very soon.

      Delete
  6. One gem is all it takes some days. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ralph Long
      Thanks
      Ralph that's very true. I'm happy with one as I know you are to.

      Delete
  7. Alan
    Gorgeous pool, another image worth framing---thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill the Farmington can give you enough beautiful prints that you could fill a room with them.

      Delete
  8. There is absolutely nothing that isn't beautiful about the Farmington.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard your right...now if I can get the fish to cooperate I'll be doing fine.

      Delete
  9. That looks a beautiful place, sometimes there is a satisfaction and peace just looking the river. melting into the landscape if you like. Time for another coffee I think. I hope the foot heals soon. All the best, John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John flowing water is so soothing.
      The foot is coming along nicely, and I'm now enjoying my second cup of morning coffee, a fine Columbia blend.

      Delete
    2. Well done Alan. That wild iris and brown are beautiful!

      Delete
    3. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark there are some incredible wild flowers along that river, some incredible wild trout too.

      Delete
  10. Alan, that is my favorite pool although I don't fish as much as I used to. It is the pool I learned to fly fish on so it holds a special memory for me. Nice post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael Carl
      Thanks
      Mike it is a beautiful pool, although over the years it has proved a bit of a problem for me. You like many of us are attracted to it's challenging trout which have been increasing over the years.

      Delete