Sunday, October 7, 2018

Streamers, Brook Trout, And Sore Knees...One Of My Best Days

Yesterday I can honestly say was one of the ten best days of fishing in my life. I experienced in a few hours the pure joy of doing everything that one needs to do to be able to say that this is what truly what fly fishing is. The stream I chose is one I'm familiar with. It has a gentle side to it and a nasty side. The walk in can be seen as a gentle one as pictured above. There is a mix of hemlock and hardwood with open banks. It is here that many brookies were slashing at the fly offered.



This is a small stream anglers dream. Runs, riffles and small pools. The area is open and tangle free. It is here where I was catching many brookies in the 3-4 inch range. They were viciously attacking the streamer I was fishing. It is here where the fishing became a challenge. The exposed roots became a dominant factor in the comfort factor, I mean they raised heck with my ankles and knees. I try my hardest to stay out of the water at this time. Most of the fishing is from the bank and you can get yourself into some precarious positions standing on roots and rocks and I probably should have found a more stable casting place, but that's small stream fishing.


It was in this pool that I was forced to use the upstream streamer technique. This is a method I first learned of while fishing the Upperdam pool in Maine. It involves casting upstream and stripping the streamer back at a fast speed.


This beautiful male brook trout found that streamer traveling at the speed of sound to much to resist. He hit that thing and actually began to take off line. It was a memorable battle with all of the tricks we both had in our play books coming into use. As he rest at the bank I slid my hand under him and lifted him to take a photo. The streamer slid out and he lay there for a few moments. He then swam off into the stream.




This pool was a challenge. A nice flow coming in and heading to a pile of wood. The pool was deep and its bottom thick with silt and fallen leaves and hemlock needles. I tried to stand on the small rocks but could not keep my footing. I wandered to the area where I could get out onto the clump of woody debris. It was here that I could make a decent cast into the pool. On the third cast I felt a fish take the fly, a surface splash and it was off. Several more casts and the pool seemed dead. I said to myself there has to be a few more in there. Several more casts and then I felt the tug of a good fish.


My goodness you talk about a fight...this guy was mean and was not about to be subdued. Luckily he did not try to go into that nasty tangle of wood. I was able to get control and brought the regal native to hand. A wild brook trout in all his glory...carry on my friend.


This was a special day in Brook Trout Forest.











28 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. William Shuck,
      Thanks
      Bill that pretty much sums it up.

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  2. Alan
    If one wants to fly fish the perfect small stream; you've just shown it, quality trout, easy casting, nice ripples, great pocket holes and most of all its beauty!! Congrats on a fantastic day of fishing--thanks for sharing

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    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill that stream is almost perfect. The one issue is that 72 year old legs get in the way...no complaints though.

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  3. I don't have any native streams but those photos remind me of headwaters of the White River that I fish for bass and panfish. I use the upstream method for Smallmouth myself on a certain creek.

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    Replies
    1. Josh
      Thanks
      Josh when I first heard of upstream streamer fishing I thought that was crazy. But on the forth or fifth cast and a salmon hit the fly, I never second guessed that method again. Where are you from?

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  4. The colors on those Brookies are fantastic.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark they are show off's this time of year.

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  5. OK Alan here goes with anonymous. Lovely pictures as always, an absolute delight. Those Brook Trout are fantastic to look at. John

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous
      Thanks
      John it worked. I'll fiddle around a bit with it on my end. A sweet time of year mate.

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  6. Hi Alan,
    Those Brookies look amazing in the spawning dress. The stream looks so good too, If that was on my patch it would be a regular haunt!
    I know what you mean about sore knees, I had a trip up to the Tees for some autumn grayling yesterday and there was a fare amount of water pushing through the pools meaning wading was quite hard going fighting the cold current and rocky river bed. My knees where paying the price this morning for some hard fought grayling!
    Alistair

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    Replies
    1. Alistair Corbishley
      Thanks
      Alistair we expect the pain when we overdue a bit. But the recovery time is the tough part, so long!
      High water can be a challenge, it was great you were able to connect on a few fish.

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  7. Alan absolutely stunning my friend, very well done on an excellent day & the fish are superb. George

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    Replies
    1. George
      Thanks
      George the brookies deserve the credit for such a spectacular outing...more to come.

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  8. If anything can get me back to the water, it is a post like this Alan. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard it's photo therapy.....

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  9. Absolutely beautiful. Alan. I hope those brookies and their home stream remain intact and secret for a very long time. What a gift that stream is.

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    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam much of that stream flows through private land. I don't see much development in the future. Now if the natural course of things remain favorable then these brook trout have a good future.

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  10. This is getting to be beautiful time of year and the brook trout are coming into their glorious fall colors! Those are some beautiful trout! I was out on another one of our favorite streams yesterday and held one of the most beautiful brook trout I've seen outside of the Adirondacks

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    Replies
    1. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark it seems as if the brookies are looking so much better since the last two years have been kind to them. Lets hope it continues in the future.

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  11. Replies
    1. Bureboyblog
      Thanks
      They are really showing off. They are rivaling the foliage this time of year.

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  12. Alan, that first Brookie looks like the "Quebec rouge" we caught in far northern Quebec province. His belly rivals that of a "Punkin seed" in color.

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    1. John Dornik
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      John this type of brook trout are common in Maine, especially in the Rangeley area. I've only encountered a few in CT.

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  13. Beautiful fish and stream! My favorite fish and my favorite type of water - thanks for posting.

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    1. NJpatbee
      Thanks
      Pat your a small stream lover...one of many here.

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  14. You always post excellent stuff, Alan.

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    Replies
    1. Michael Carl
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      Mike I always seem to find the right subjects.

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