Hemlock Brook, A Return

I wrote about this stream back in February when I first visited it. I went back last week for a little walk, with fly rod and camera. Now it's your turn to experience "Hemlock Brook"

Folks This Is All Good

Three simple ingredients to produce a wonderful little fly. The more I continue reading about North Country Flies there is one constant that comes forward, that constant is "simplicity". There are times when to much just gets in the way. This "spider", with it's sparseness has a great deal of life that would be lost if tied with a multitude of materials.

The "Chestnut Blonde".....Materials, chestnut silk thread for the body, very sparse fox squirrel dubbing, and two turns of hen hackle.

"Chestnut Blonde"

Photo courtesy of Mark Wittman

Last night was the Connecticut Fly Fisherman's Association annual fly tyers roundtable. I had the pleasure of tying flies with some of the best. There was a great turnout and I enjoyed meeting old friends and making new ones. I also came home with a few "goodies" that I will put into play in the future. Thanks to the C.F.F.A. for hosting this again.

Spaghetti and clam sauce....simplicity again. Clams, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and spaghetti.

A Spring Day

Early April, the skies were clear, a gentle breeze was moving the air ever so slightly. The woods were opening and a scent of fir and damp earth were picked up. Along a stream bank daffodils are seen almost in bloom, how they got there is a mystery. Birds are ever so vocal and wild turkey's are now gobbling. These are wonderful times to be about the forests.

A small stream flows quietly. Below a little plunge in the calm sunlit bank miniature black nosed dace can be seen darting, looking for cover I suspect. A bit closer to the log jam that caused the plunge is a twist of water that causes a surface disturbance. Frothy water full of oxygen catches everything that's pulled in and causes it to be stunned and disoriented. It is in this location that a brook trout waits and gobbles up all that's presented.

These are the days we have waited for....I hope you can take advantage of a few.

The Start, Opening Day, In A Different Setting

Yesterday was the opening day of Connecticut's trout season. With that brings the multitudes of youngsters and oldsters to the larger and very heavily stocked rivers and lakes all trying for their limit of trout. There are a few of us who prefer to fish lessen known waters for wild trout. Yesterday morning I met-up with Mark and Kirk to fish a lovely small stream. It was cold and we even saw snow and sleet at one point, but neither would dampen the spirit of adventure that lay ahead. Mark had graciously brought hot coffee and muffins along with buttery croissants. It was a good start to what was to be a fine day.

The stream was up from the recent rains and was no doubt running cold. By the way this stream was but a mere trickle last fall, but perhaps that's for another post. I had a Hornberg on and that's what I started with, but after awhile I soon realized they were not looking up. So the progression started, first soft-hackles, then winged wets, and finally bead-heads. It was the bead-head that was to be the best choice for me this day.

I dropped the bead-head in a swirling pool, the line moved very swiftly then stopped. I lifted the rod tip and felt the fish. In a match of strength I was able to convince the trout to stay out of the woody debris that had been deposited there by the heavy rains of spring. I slid my hand under this magnificent wild brown.

Kirk attempting to bring in a brook trout..

About mid-morning the sun broke out and man did it feel good.

I look pretty good despite what happened to me last year...I agree.

Mark getting down to business. Low and slow will usually fool them.

This stream is a classic New England freestone stream. Various waterfalls, some big and some small.

The stream travels though a valley with plunge pools and swift runs.

It was in one of those plunges that I was to find a true survivor.

This wild jewel not only survived the drought of last year but also the grip of a predator...the scar marks were very visible.

So a new season was launched today, a season welcomed by a few like minded souls who find a few wild fish in a pristine setting to be special gift.