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| BA Caddis |
Fishing for as many years as I have inspiration comes in many ways. One such inspiration came in the form of a fly. I had been tinkering with a caddis pattern since last May, tying it in different sizes, colors, and materials. I first fished this caddis in a stream under a bridge and proceeded to take a nice brook trout. Since that first time I have fished it many times and it has produced quite a few fish including several nice wild browns.
Monday armed with several BA Caddis in large sizes, 10, 12, tied on streamer hooks I headed to the Farmington river. We had some heavy rains a few days prior but the river had dropped to a fishable level, with the exception of the many newly formed wood piles. The section of river selected is one I have not fished in maybe 10 years, I don't know why but I just haven't. An email conversation with Pete about it sort of inspired me to try this section again. Entering the water I found the waters much to swift to wade comfortably. So walking down stream I found a good looking run I could fish. With the mid afternoon sun shinning bright on the water I realized my best chances of connecting was the deep swift pockets where a trout would hold. The caddis was big enough to bring the trout to the surface.
It was this section, where the second boulder protrudes that a cast of the BA Caddis drifted. As the fly sort of stopped in front of the boulder it was pulled under. I could feel the weight of the fish as it headed for the current. I turned it back to calmer water and could feel its head shakes. Soon I felt confident I would land this fish thats when it made a run for the submerged log. Hoping for the best I put pressure on the trout and eventually won the battle.
As I laid my hand in the water I realized what a beautiful wild brook trout I had fooled. The fish had a spectacular tail, and markings that were incredible. This was by far my personal best wild brook trout taken from the Farmington river. A true inspiration.
Click Images To Enlarge
That Brookie is a beauty for sure!!! Well Done!!!
ReplyDeleteTROUT1,
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It sure was Pete.
What a fish, I love it when there colors start to turn with the leaves. It maybe a little earlly but signs are there!
ReplyDeleteLuke Bothell,
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For sure Luke. The best is yet to come.
Beautiful fish! Nice catch!
ReplyDeleteJamie Anderson,
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I appreciate your comment.
A splendid, well colored brook trout indeed! Congrats! Good to seeing them showing up more and more with a few hefty ones now and again.
ReplyDeleteMark,
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When I think of some of the beautiful brook trout in Maine, I'm so excited about the possibility of the same taking place in the Farmington.
That is an absolute beauty of a Brookie. To have a pic of that trout with your own BA Caddis in her mouth is such a bonus!
ReplyDeleteBrk Trt,
I have had a link to your blog on mine for quite some time now and wondered if you wouldn't mind stopping by? I will not post the blog name here out of respect until permission might be granted to do so.
Tight lines,
Mike
Micheal Curry,
DeleteThanks.
I only wish I had a better pic.
I'll be delighted to stop by your blog.
That is much appreciated.
Deletewww.wadetheriver.blogspot.com
Now that's a brookie to remember!
ReplyDeleteBill,
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I'll not soon forget it.
Great fish!
ReplyDeleteI think "B.A." now needs to stand for "Brookie Attractor". :-)
See you Sunday.
John
Apache Trout,
DeleteThanks.
Interesting, but so far it has attracted more browns.
Looking forward to it.
I take it back, it should be called B.B.A. - "Big Brookie Attractor" Caddis! :-)
DeleteGreat coloring on that brookie, liking that caddis pattern as well!
ReplyDeleteLQN,
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It's a pattern worth trying on those Croton streams.
What a fish! Beautiful water and nice flies as well...
ReplyDeleteDavid Knapp,
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That river is a gem for sure.
Gorgeous fish. The camera did well at capturing it's beauty.
ReplyDeleteRKM,
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I think your photo of it might have been better.
Alan
ReplyDeleteAbsolute awesome looking wild brown trout, landed on one of your best tied patterns, which is only second to the bomber. I hope to be back on our tailrace next week when the generating slows. This post has got me pumped---thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell,
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It was a special feeling. Bill I know you will do very well with those bows very soon.
That is one of the biggest wild brook trout I have ever seen. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteKevin Frank,
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It sure was the biggest I've ever caught on that river.
Congrats! What a fish!
ReplyDeleteMichissippi,
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I truly was special.
Beautiful gift from the Farmy. And on your own dry. It doesn't get any better than that.
ReplyDeleteJim Yaussy Albright,
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Just thinking of the future if the brook trout really take off in this river.
That's a great fish and thank you for your wonderful blog and photography. Since CT stocks the Farmington every year with about 2,000 adult brook trout from Goodwin Dam to lower Collinsville, it's hard to call the larger ones wild with any certainty. They generally don't stock brookies in the Upper TMA, but fish always distribute throughout the river anyway, especially in high water. I certainly hope the big brookies are wild, but given the numbers I've landed this year, I don't think so. Great fish! Keep the stories coming.
ReplyDeleteAlain,
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That's correct, and I agree there's no way we could determine if it is wild. But we must agree that catching 4in brook trout are indeed stream bred. I'm just hoping that one of those 4in guys might grow to perhaps 15in. That river can accomplish that.
That was a beautiful brook trout! I really like the looks of the BA Caddis too, and from the pictures so do the trout!
ReplyDeleteJoseph Hord,
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I have checked out you blog, and those streams you fish might be a place to cast a BA Caddis.
Thanks for checking out my blog! I think a BA Caddis would work well down here in NC, the wild trout especially love a big bushy dry fly on most of the small streams I fish.
DeleteBeautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from RW & SK
Our photos,
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A happy greeting in return.
As usual Alan, you've set a nice table and I've enjoyed my meal.
ReplyDeleteHoward,
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Sorry I'm late with the response...senior moment.