July 2012

As July comes to a close, it has turned out to be a good month. While the rainfall was not what we hoped for it still managed to keep the flows ok in the small streams. I have been fishing a tailwater for the most part in July but still managed to fish a small stream from time to time. This stream was a cool 64 degrees, and with low, clear water it was tough convincing a brookie to take.

I have been doing some prospecting this month, trying to locate another wild brook trout stream. Well I may have found one. I was a thin blue line on the map and I was encouraged by it's location. Yesterday I paid a visit to it.

After parking I walked into the woods. The hemlocks and hardwoods made for a dark walk. Soon I could hear the brook, its waters sounding, telling me its here. As I got closer I could see there was a drop off, and sure enough there it was.

I climbed down, or should I say slid down to the stream. It was beautiful. Good flow and a temp taken showed 66. I thought this may be a gem. I cast a fly into a nice run and quickly had a strike. This happened several times and I soon realized these were mini brookies. The stream was full of them, all to small to take the fly.

A pristine habitat, but so very harsh. Having fished many streams like this I knew there would be a bigger fish somewhere in this stream.

As I moved upstream I glanced up to the rocks above,"did I climb down that".

I continued fishing and taking all the beauty that was this stream. The fly kept producing a few hits, and even managed to hook one of the small residents.

Persistence paid off. In a tight wedge of the stream near a woody clump a wild brook trout took the Bomber. He was worth the effort. I will visit this stream again, perhaps this fall. I know the colors will be beautiful.

Streamer Information

The latest issue of Fly Tyer magazine has some wonderful streamer info. There are several pages of artistic streamers, the pattern recipes, and several links to some great sites.

On the front cover is a streamer celebrating the 100th anniversary of L.L. Bean. It's drop dead gorgeous.

Jungle Cock is a very pricey feather. But there are times when you can buy a cape that has mixed feathers that is some with split nails and some prime ones. This can be seen in the cape pictured. The split nails can be repaired very easily with nail polish, and this can make this fragile feather stronger.

Here is a JC nail that has a split in it. By simply putting a light coat of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails on the back side it can be repaired.

The repaired nail. There are times when these split capes can be had for as little as 30.00. Compare this to a prime cape that sells for 100.00.

A streamer, a Dace Pattern, tied with a repaired JC nail.

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"Dog Days Bounty"

This time of year, the dog days of summer, are upon us. As far as cold water fishing there are not many choices out there, a few tailwaters, but the small streams are pretty much shut down til cooler waters prevail. I have a few I can still fish, they are holding 63 degree water, but with low water the trout are very cautious, you have to bring your AAA+ game with you to bring a wild one to hand.

This week I have fished and did a lot of recon. I have selected two thin blue lines I have not fished. These streams are located in both ends of Connecticut and I believe they hold wild trout. I'm planning on fishing one soon.

Summer also brings in some of natures bounty from local farms. These are potatoes from a farm in Newington. They are fingerlings, sliced and fried the same day they come from the earth.

You may look at these steaks and say ribeyes. They sure look like ribeyes, but they are chuck eyes. Well marbled, tender and flavorful. Rib eye 12.99lb, chuck eye, 5.99lb.

Grilled chuck eyes, and pork tenderloins.

I'm at the end of this post and I didn't mention the first photo. A wonderful cook book from LL Bean. It contains recipes of fish and game, along with many others. Many of these recipes can be substituted with other meats, and vegetables.

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Along The Path

The sun was working its way through the pines and hardwoods this A.M. The plants along the path were wet from a shower overnight. Tiny flowers were dotted along the path and appeared to be lighting the way.

Mini works of art along the path. Going unnoticed by many. How sad that is.

The path follows the river, or perhaps the river follows the path. As I followed both for a few hours this early day it did not seem as if they were two.

The dry fly followed a path this day. Drifting through current and seam. It's trek stopped briefly for more beauty along the path.

Alan

"Toothaker"

A place located about 320 miles north from where I'm writing this post is where I'll be the last week of September. In this photo taken from the cabin we stay at, the area to fish is about 10 miles, that is as the crow flies. The region I speak of is Rangeley, Maine, and the cabin is on Rangeley Lake. At this time of year the lake can produce some fine fishing for landlocked salmon and brook trout. But I choose to fish the tribs of the lakes in search of the same quarry.

One of those tributaries is the Cupsuptic River. The river where it enters the lake by the same name can be good fishing, I seek out the streams in and about the area.

"Toothaker"

"Toothaker" a streamer I created and tied and so named for the streams of this area.

Hook, Mike Martinek Rangeley Streamer...Tail, Two Jungle Cock Breast Feathers...Butt, Gray Ostrich...Body, Yellow Yarn...Rib, Embossed Gold Tinsel...Throat, White and Red Hackle...Wing, Two Yellow, and Two Silver Badger Saddle Hackles...Shoulder, Ringncked Pheasant...Cheeks, Jungle Cock.

 The fishing opportunities. See you in September.

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Critters,Streamers and Wood Fly Boxes

While going through my streamers the other day I noticed a couple of odd looking ones. The flies seemed to be missing something. Upon further examination I noticed that the feathers were chewed upon. One of the flies had most of the shoulder missing and the other the wing was chewed in half.

What had happened was one of those feather critters was eating the streamer. I have now been going through my saddles and all the other loose feathers and skins and checking for more. They will be boxed up and put into the chest freezer for a spell and hopefully this will take care of it.

This is a book I suggest you pick up if you have an interest in streamers. Mike Martinek is an expert fly tyer and an authority on the history and tying of Rangeley Style Streamers.

This is a little project I've been fooling with. Wooden fly boxes have always been a fancy of mine and I'm trying to make one that will hold the necessary flies for a small stream outing.

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Morning

Morning, early morning is such a wonderful time of day. Such was the morning of Tuesday. I awoke at four and went for my first cup of Nantucket. As I sipped that black brew, I was thinking of where I was going to cast my first fly of the day. I knew what river I was going to fish , but not the section. After the coffee I proceeded to ready myself and put the gear in the car. I was on the road by 4:45. The sky was still dark as I drove to my destination which is about 45 minutes away. I stopped for one more coffee at Dunkin Donuts, drinking it in the car. I reached the river about 5:30.

I was greeted by this whitetail as I was going to park. He was in velvet and was content to feed on some lush vegetation as I watched him. He never bolted for cover as I watched him, and as I pulled away he continued to feed.

These next photos of the Farmington as the sun was breaking through were a scene to ease ones eyes and mind.

I chose this run to cast my first flies of the day. The fog hung over the 56 degree water as the sun tried to burn it off.

There were no visible rises and I was going to prospect with a Bomber dry. I worked the run and the pool below with no takers. I changed to a soft hackle, and achieved the same results. It was about an hour later that I started to see a few fish rising. They were taking a small fly or a very tiny spinner fall from the night before. I tied on a small cdc fly, which was the smallest fly I have and no takers.

Trying to compete with this little fly that they apparently love and I could not offer I put on a summer favorite, "a beetle". That was the fly.

I only fished a couple of hours, but it did a days worth of fine tuning my mind.

Fire on the water.

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A Rare Saturday

In this spot lies a trout that owes me some flies.

Saturday was one of those rare opportunities for me to fish all day. Jeanette was going to visit New York City for the day with my son. I declined not to go on the grounds that a million people on a hot day all together is not good, especially for me. So on this hot day I was to enjoy some of Connecticut's fine tail water fishing. Kirk was to meet me at a location on river. As I drove to that location I noticed his truck a few miles down stream from where me elected to meet. I stopped and walked along the river to try to locate him. After a brief search I was unable to see him. I jumped into my car and continued to our original destination, knowing he would eventually meet me.

I entered the river and began to fish. I had a Bomber on, because that was the fly tied on there from my last outing. I cast the fly slightly upstream and as the fly hit the water a trout rose. Of course I missed hooking him because I was not ready to have this happen so soon.....always be ready, I should take my own advice. A few minutes later Kirk showed up. He told me he had hooked up on a few browns down below. We continued to fish this section with good results, mostly for Kirk, but I had a time or two. The fish were rising and I still don't know to what exactly but a size 16 CDC caddis was working.

In a previous post I told of a very large brown that I tussled with in a deep pocket and lost him in some fast water. I have fished the same spot a few more times in hopes of tangling with him again. Well that never happened til Saturday. I was fishing there again, Kirk was just down stream. I cast the 16 caddis into the pocket, it sat there briefly then it was pulled down and under. As I lifted my rod up I felt the weight of a big fish. I yelled to Kirk, I got him on. The fish went to the bottom and never came up. Seconds later the line went slack and it came back to me minus the 16 cdc caddis. This fish lives in this pocket, I know that. He's consumed two of my flies. Perhaps the third time's the charm.

This is a rainbow that I took in some fast water. He's beautiful. What I think is so special are the parr markings on this fish, as well as the overall condition of the fins. Could it be.

We broke for lunch. Sausage and home fries. Cast iron cook so well.

We moved on to another section and fished. It was at this time that Kirk had to leave. I was to stay and fish until late evening.

Lots of beauty stream side.

Around 5:30 I stopped for dinner,a "Boston" strip steak, after which I would continue to seek this rivers trout.

I elected to fish this section. It is one of the most beautiful areas on this river.

The final fish of the day was this handsome brown. Is dorsal was like the northern lights as the sun was setting on this day.

You can read Kirk's take on the day at, "Trout Quest Redux" blog.

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An Evening of Wonderful Surprises

I teamed up with Kirk yesterday to fish the Farmington. We got to the river about 4 pm. Sunny and bright, water that was cold and so very clear. Kirk moved to the shady side of the river and I was going to work the faster riffles a bit up stream. We both started fishing dries, and soon realized it was going to be a tough outing. There were fish rising about but we could not determine what was on the menu. It was about an hour later, and many different flies that I got my first hookup. A small brown who was very energetic. The fly he chose to take was a partridge and orange soft hackle. A cast or two later and the soft hackle put another brown in the net.

We continued to fish this section for awhile. Kirk had fish rise to his flies but kept missing. I never had another hit after the last brown. This river has a way of humbling an angler for sure.

These two browns found the soft hackle to there liking. Perhaps they were the only two fish in the pool....NOT.

We continued fishing the upper part of the pool. Are plan was to take a few more casts and move to another part of the river. Kirk tossed a Bomber to the spot near the fallen tree. That's when a brown rose and took the fly.

Kirk and his first fish of the evening.

We hopped into the truck, grabbed a cereal bar and some water and moved to a place downstream. When we arrived Kirk moved upstream and I went south. In the run that's pictured there were several trout rising. Try to get them to eat a whole different game. I left that side and moved to the other side. It's a slow moving pool, almost like a pond. I could see fish rising right along the bank. There was high grass falling into the water and casting was going to be tough.

I tied on a Bomber and worked the fly as best I could, trying to place it close to the rising fish. Several casts later and the trout rose and missed. Keep on casting I said to myself. Finally it paid off and this wild char came to hand. My excitement level went through the top.

You might say to yourself what's the big deal about a 3 inch brookie. Well this just reaffirms my thoughts on natural reproduction.\' "wild brook trout" in the Farmy.

Well many more casts of the Bomber brought up several more fish but none to hand. Until.

On a drift of the Bomber into the center of the pool, like I mentioned earlier it's almost like a pond. The fly almost stopped drifting when this fellow hit. I'm really liking what's going on in this river.

On this evening the hatches the Farmy is noted for never came off, at least while we were there. At times this river can put the best of anglers in their place.

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What's Planned, and What Happens.

I have plans for these streamers, and I'm sure they will happen.

Today is one of those days when what you had planned is not going to happen. So you say take whats given and deal with it. Well that's sometimes easier said than done, and trying to cope with it just becomes more difficult especially as your years progress.

I'm an easy going sort of person and I can take things with that grain of salt, but between yesterday and today I need a whole salt mine.

Well enough of my rant, this is supposed to be a fly fishing blog. So I hope you'll enjoy the streamers, I know they are an image that eases my mind.