A Small Stream, 11-7-14

Yesterday I had a commitment to see through but at the last minute it was cancelled. Now I had some free time and a beautiful day, even though it was on the windy side and somewhat cool, I still had a few hours to visit a small stream.

The water level was somewhat on the low side, but still sufficient to keep the resident brook trout population happy. The char were in the business of creating future populations and signs of this were evident all along the stream. The little fellows were actively rising to dry flies with some of the bigger guys just not interested.

Just to be able to walk along such a place on a fine November day is reward enough to satisfy this angler.

To be able to bring a brook trout to the surface and have the opportunity to photograph him is a plus.

I look forward to fishing this stream many more times over the coming months, and I hope to enjoy such a day as this.

"Old Dam Brookie"

Over the years I've attended many fly fishing shows, and most were quite interesting. Then they seem to have taken a high end commercial feeling and I don't care to much for that so I no longer attend them. There was a show I did attend at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center some years past. The gathering was small and friendly and featured everything from flies to bamboo rods with books and art work. While looking I spotted a nice art print it featured a fly angler fishing a lovely pool below an old dam. The angler was into a nice fish, one could tell by the bend in his rod. The print was titled "Fishing Below The Old Dam" by Arthur Shilstone.

Monday found me angling about a lovely little stream. A bright sunny early November day which would bring about some delightful temps. I have fished this little gem a few time but have not ventured very far up. This day I would try it and see what it held. Fishing as I moved upstream I was given the pleasure of catching several feisty brook trout. These fish were not fussy, and took most all my offerings.

As I moved into new territory I spotted the remnants of a washed out dam. The pools and the little falls were such a pleasure to see. One of the pools was quite deep, and shadows of the breached dam walls made it nice and dark. Looking at the pool I knew there had to be a trout holding there. I positioned myself and sent the parachute looking for a taker. It did not take long for as soon as the fly hit the water I had a rise, but a miss. Several more casts produced nothing. I tied on a Elk hair caddis and on the second cast the fish rose again, the result was the same, a miss. I changed to a small Mickey Finn and worked the pool. The streamer was not hit but its red and yellow colors managed to show me the trout that held in the pool. He followed the streamer and I saw him, a beautiful colored brook trout.

I went into the box and pulled out a bomber and tied it on. Waiting a few moments to allow all to settle down, I then sent the bomber flying. The fly landed softly and was sent turning by the swirling waters. From the dark pool came the rise, the strike, the hookup. The fish was on and he used all of the pool to seek his release. The finish is what I hoped for. A quick photo and a fast release along with a thank you.

A small stream, a memory, and later some reflecting on what a beautiful day this was, at "Old Dam Brookie"

Ausable Bomber.... "Rough Cut"

Ausable Bomber tied by me.

Fran Betters "Ausable Bomber" has been in my emails many times in the last several weeks. Questions about materials, construction, sizes and so on. And with that much interest I decided to do this post. I don't know when Fran first tied this fly, I came to know of it back in 2002 while visiting his shop in Wilmington. I bought a couple of them and was impressed with the way trout, and especially wild trout hit this fly. I attempted to tie it and the first few flies I fished were not taken the same way that Frans versions were. I contacted Fran and was given instruction, as well as materials that are a must to get this fly to work the way his did.

I don't know if Frans design of the "Bomber" was for use in rivers, although I suspect it was, being from a region where the mighty Ausable flows. But the "Bomber" is a small stream must have dry fly. It has taken trout for me every where it's fished, as well as every month of the year.

Here are the main list of materials. Rust orange Australian Opossum, Hot orange thread, woodchuck guard hair, grizzly, and brown hackle, and the Mustad 9671 hook.

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This is the main ingredient to a Ausable Bombers success, these are not my words but Frans. Rust Orange Australian Opossum. These came from Frans shop and as you can see there is some variation in color and depending where the fur came from on the body some of it is a bit wirery which is also a plus for making these flies look very buggy.

These flies were tied by Fran. You can see the 5 Bomber flies tied "rough cut" as Fran so often did.

A Halloween Blue Line

Halloween, the last day of October. This was a day to finally meet up with Mark and fish a small blue line. We have been trying for a long time to fish together but could not make it work with our schedules, and it all came together on the last day of October. The day started out sunny and bright with a definite crispness to the air. The skies then turned to a November gray, with the sun trying its best to work back in.

There were no visible signs of rising fish so I chose to fish a wet fly and that was a good choice. The brookies were on that fly in short order. Mark was using a yellow mini muddler, fishing it dry. He floated it through a long smooth pool. As the fly neared a large submerged rock a fish struck and missed. He returned and the second time was on.

So a decision was made to fish dries, and the first choice for me was the Ausable Bomber.....good choice.

My first fish of the day. This nice male took a wet fly drifted through a heavy riffle.

This is where the bomber made an appearance. Nice water, and they hit the fly well.

Bombers and brookies are like bread and butter.

I spotted this little fellow looking at me and wondering what I was doing. He sat there watching me for several minutes. Not feeling threatened he continued to observe.

He said I may as well have a snack while watching the show.

I continued to fish dries, changing to a Mr. Rapidan parachute. The fly worked very well. As the afternoon moved on I had to leave, but Mark continued to fish. It was good to finally meet and fish again.