Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Red Brook September 2013

Yesterday morning around 5 Jeanette and I were packed and ready to pay a visit to one of our favorite places. Red Brook Massachusetts. This wonderful stream is located at the gateway to Cape Cod. It's home to sea run brook trout "salters" as they are called. Eight AM found us in Buzzards Bay in the parking lot of Leo's breakfast emporium. Leo's is the place to dine for a great breakfast. After the meal we drove to Red Brook. Pulling into the parking area we were the only car there. I rigged up and soon we were walking through some of the most beautiful pine woods. The trail led us to the first area I will toss a streamer. This is where Red Brook turns into salt water. I have only taken a brook trout here once but it was a big one in the late fall one year. You still have to try it though for one never knows.


Tidewater. There are times when you could take brook trout here as well as bluefish, stripers and perhaps flounder.


Red Brook is an incredible habitat. You could spend days here and never fish yet still be rewarded. It is a tough place to fish. It's not your typical trout stream. It sort of meanders through thick brush and lots of in stream vegetation. Fly selection is also not typical. Dry flies, wets, and nymphs do not work well. Your best bet is to fish streamers. These brook trout feast on small fry from herring which spawn here in the spring.


This little guy was sitting on some watercress. I imagine he would be on the "salters" menu also.


This is a tough stream to fish. There are places where you could fish from the bank, but waders are a big plus. Years of restoration work have helped this stream flourish. There are dangers that must be watched for such as wood debris on the streams bottom.


The first brook trout of the day. The fish took a Edson Tiger fished along the watercress.


Even in bright sunshine and crystal water the brook trout have protection. They will slash your streamer form hiding places.


This absolutely beautiful wild jewel took a gray soft hackle streamer.


The afternoon found us at the place where Red Brook becomes Buttermilk Bay. This is pretty much salt. The brook trout can be found here but perhaps not at this time, the reason is there are to many predators. We walked the shore and I tossed the soft hackle streamer here and there. I received many responses from the snapper blues as well as a small striper who proceeded to swim out to sea with my fly.


A snapper blue. Scrappy fighters, and there's a reason they call them snappers. This can be realized when you go to remove the fly.


This day was completed in a restaurant in the town of Sandwich. A wonderful meal of Lobster Mac and Cheese, and Jeanette dined on a Rueben, with sweet potato fries.


I'll return to Red Brook again in late October.



CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

43 comments:

  1. Awesome post and place. The Cape has so much to offer!

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  2. That is just too cool! Brook trout , blues and stripers all on a walk along the same beautiful little stream. You've got some incredibly diverse and amazing fisheries up there Alan.
    And that lobster mac-n cheese....OMG!!!

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    Replies
    1. HighPlainsFlyFisher,
      Thanks.
      That stream is truly a gem. The years of restoration to protect these special brook trout have finally paid off.

      Delete
  3. Nice job with the Mass. salters & snappers too!
    Looking forward to my visit with the salters of Maine next week.
    Might enjoy some lobster up there as well. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      The brook trout are pleasure to catch. The salty guys were a surprise.
      John your going to love it.

      Delete
  4. I still find that so weird that you are catching brook trout the same place as saltwater fish.

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    Replies
    1. Kevin Frank,
      Thanks.
      It's a wonder of nature for sure.

      Delete
  5. Sounds like a wonderful day trip!

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    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      A lot of activity for one outing, well worth the effort.

      Delete
  6. A great post Alan, red brook looks a lush fertile stream. Nice snapper too, and as ever after reading your posts I suddenly have the urge to raid the fridge.

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    Replies
    1. Col,
      Thanks.
      It sure is. The ending seems to do that.

      Delete
  7. Outstanding Brk Trt!! Love the delectable delights pics!!!!

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  8. Now that seems like it would be an interesting place to fish. Wonderful photos and the food looks delicious.

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    Replies
    1. Bill,
      Thanks.
      That it is Bill. I'm sure you would enjoy it.

      Delete
  9. Looks like a grand day out casting a streamer amongst the watercress Alan, and good food to round of the day too.

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    Replies
    1. brian,
      Thanks.
      Streamers were the key, they love meat.

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  10. Fantastic, brookies and bluefish all in one stream!

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  11. Nice mix of water and species there! That stream is gorgeous I might add...

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  12. What a beautiful place. I'm glad it was a productive day for you.

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  13. Alan
    What a great post; I enjoyed the read from start to finish. I assume you were using a smaller streamer with a heavier wt. fly rod. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      The streamers were tied on #10 and 8 hooks. The soft hackles look longer but are tied on short hooks. I used my 7ft 5wt rod.

      Delete
  14. This has to be perhaps on of my favorite posts you have ever done. Looks like such a gorgeous and dynamic place to fish. I love it and I thank you for allowing us to see such a wonderful place.

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    Replies
    1. Atlas,
      Thanks.
      I'm glad you enjoyed it. Red Brook is by far one of my favorites. I could spend days there and not catch a fish and still walk away fully satisfied.

      Delete
  15. Having brook trout in and near the salt like that makes for an intriguing habitat, and fine posting!

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    Replies
    1. rivertoprambles,
      Thanks.
      It is truly unique. A precious place.

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  16. Beautiful place. Reminds me of my local waters here on Long Island. Its hard to beat a place where you can catch fish from both the fresh and salt water worlds.

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    Replies
    1. Kiwi,
      Thanks.
      Yes it does. You have a couple of salter streams there.
      I may fish one some day.

      Delete
  17. Beautiful photos!
    Greetings, RW & SK

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  18. Hi Alan,

    Very nice report. I'm going to have to make a pilgrimage there someday. Since flyaddict is down, I wanted to let you know about a recent outing I had. You can read all about it and see some pics on my website.

    Steve Culton

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    Replies
    1. currentseams,
      Thanks.
      I think you would really enjoy Red Brook.
      Steve I'll check it out.

      Delete
  19. These are really nice photos and the food looks tasty
    Hugs
    My recently post Retracing the legend of Gangadhar Tilak at Kesari Wada

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  20. What a great post Alan! (Not that all of your posts aren't great..) I really enjoy a Red Brook update..Maybe the next one will be in the spring for some salter action? Super job my friend..

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    Replies
    1. penbayman,
      Thanks.
      I'll probably fish Red Brook again in late Oct. early Nov.
      Thinking about Maine.

      Delete
  21. Great photos and great post Alan! Curious though, do you use your standard trout streamer hooks or tie them on SW safe hooks? Or do you soak the hooks after use in the brine?

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    Replies
    1. Anthony Nigro,
      Thanks.
      The soft hackle streamers were tied on Gamakatsu SW hooks. The Edson Tigers are tied on regular streamer hooks. They all get a fresh water bath when I get home.

      Delete