It's cold outside. Pick up a book....

Little Rivers, a book written over a century ago is responsible for my inspiration in writing this post. I am always amazed by how much anglers and writers knew about what happens along the banks of a small stream. It must have been their passion for all of nature that caused them to seek these happenings and then to write about them. I would like to add that their writing was articulate, precise and thought provoking. In reading Little Rivers I have found references to what is natural and how to apply that which is natural to the world of angling and fly tying. It's said that if you take the time to observe and listen to you wild surroundings it will teach you more than you'll ever learn from a book or a class.

The enjoyment I derive from reading these old books can not be measured. It will always hold my interest to learn what these anglers knew and try to put them in my 21st century goings on.

If you look at the words behind the flies you'll see what inspired me to tie them. The words are eloquent.

Again the words carry forth my vision in the flies tied.

And on this page it was clear that the writer was speaking of brook trout when the words were written. The flies speak to the brook trout in their color and design.

 

Perhaps it's not looking like it should?

I have been reading John Atherton's book The Fly and The Fish and I have found some of his written words that have matched mine. He was way ahead of his time when he wrote about the fly, both alive and the one tied by the angler. He tells about seeing a mayfly and describes it like this...it was an exquisite creature, the wings were nearly transparent, of iridescent pearly color. The upcurved body was shaded darker on the back tapering slender whisks of a long tail.All of it's legs were marked with color, speckled and delicately shaded....his description is that of an adult mayfly, but those same characteristics apply to that mayfly as it emerges from it's nymph stage. So as you see in the first photo of a Partridge and Orange spider the sparse delicate imitation of that delicate mayfly Atherton described.

 

 

Heavily hackled flies have an appeal to most fishermen, and there are probably numerous reasons why the heavily hackled flies are desired. But when it comes to the true likeness of the natural it's the sparsely tied spider that will win the game.
 

The wild brown trout. Is there any fish that swims that is more wary, more cunning and possess more stream savvy that the brown...the sparse Partridge and Orange spider fooled him.
 

40 days 'til spring.
 

 

The land of a thousand dances, the fish of a thousand casts and the day of a thousand flies...well..

Yesterday was the first day out since the nor'easter we had on Monday. The sun was out and the air temperature was near 40 which is quite nice for this time of year. The issue today was going to be the snow one of which was a place to park. I did manage to find a cozy opening where my Honda was out of trouble. The next issue was going to be getting to the stream. The snow was deep I estimate it to be 12-14". It was soft and fluffy and I was able to move along without any real problems. There was one set of human boot prints as I got closer to the stream. I guess it was a hiker and not a fisherman.

I had taken my Tiny Ten today for I was anxious to try out my new line which is a Clearstream Uni Thread furled leader. This one is a 7' in a light yellow color. The color would allow me to see it better on the stream, which it did. I stepped into the stream and made my first cast. It was great to see the line move through the water. I fished and fished. I changed flies and changed flies. And I cast and I cast. And the one constant was nothing. Not even a bump. A snag on a rock gave me a rush but that was not what I was seeking. What did these fish want?
 

 

 

I may have answered that question as I observed these little bugs walking on the snow. I guess it's size to be a 20...forget about it....
 

Time to take a break and figure something out going forward.
 

The strategy was to tie on a fly and just fish it.

That was done and about a half hour later I got a strike. He was on momentarily but soon slipped the hook. Maybe ten minutes later as the fly moved along a bank I saw the flash and take of a brook trout.
 

What a jewel. "Were it worth it" hell yes.
 

The stream in brook trout forest was tough today but it did yield one of it's special creatures.
 

 

February....

Groundhog day....I think he will stay in his den and let us crazies figure out if we will have an early spring. This is my deck yesterday a 4pm...I guess there to be a foot of snow. This morning I can't open the door, the snow drifted up against it. Needless to say there will be no fishing today, tomorrow perhaps. February being the month of my birth I have been searching the net for some things to buy, anticipating a little cash from birthday gifts. I'm looking to buy another Wheatley fly box. These fly boxes I hope to leave as a little treasure to my children. Also in the list are a few tying materials. One desperate item is a Hare's Mask....
 

 

 

The "February Red"...I'm not sure who created it but I found it in Dave Hughes book "Wet Flies"...this fly works all year....maybe it should be called the 12 month fly...
 

The "Takayama Sakasa Kebari" I hope I spelled it right. This fly works well for me in the colder months.
 

Steve Z.  A fellow that I have associated with for a good many years. Way back on the days of Fly Addict forum we exchanged many views and thoughts on small stream fishing. Steve authored a piece for TU's "TROUT" magazine on me. The article was about all that is small stream fly fishing. The passion and the stealth, the dedication to mini trout, the conservation of their habitat and so on. Here he is on my home waters with a wild jewel. Where are you Steve?