I paid a visit to one of the streams I fish, I was not sure what to expect. I had not fished here since early June, but after getting some much needed rain I figured this was a good time to check it out. As I started my walk to the stream I was able to hear running water which is always good. Getting close I could see the stream looked good. The pools were full and the water was flowing nicely through the riffles. I took out the thermometer for what would be the test as to weather or not I fished. I tossed it into one of the pools and it came back with a reading of 58, great.
Working here it did not take long before I had a willing trout. Several would come from this short stretch.
A wild jewel, such highlights, that bluish tint just awesome.
This stream has two sections, the red barn, and the family secret. Having fished the red barn I was off to fish the family secret. Before that I always stop at a little country store that has one of Connecticut's best coffee's. A cup of Hadlyme blend and to the parking lot I went.
Walking the path to the stream the destruction to the trees from the gypsy moth caterpillar was evident, luckily the trees seemed to regenerate somewhat.
The stream here seems to move slower and has some deeper pools.
In those pools dwell these. One was even rising to, well who knows. To watch trout rise is a pleasure.
In this rather picturesque pool I caught what was a first in this stream.
A very small largemouth bass. When one finds such a fish in brook trout water it not good. I hope that was a fluke and that there will be no others.
just a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteTexWisGirl
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Theresa I love that little stream. Can't wait for autumns colors.
I am glad to see your hidden jewels running well and cold after this miserably dry summer. I too hope that largemouth bass was a fluke. Regards, Sam
ReplyDeleteParachute Adams
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Sam good shape they are...hope they stay like that.
I've caught pickerel in there before, and some browns have been taken but the brookies still dominate.
That's the kind of stream I could fish all day and wouldn't care what was going on in the world. Beautiful fish and what a surprise. I know the large mouth is not welcome but it really has nice markings on it. Thanks for taking me along.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad I agree, to just be there never mind catching fish, although it helps. I didn't think putting him back will hurt, but I do keep my fingers crossed.
Glad you found some water this late summer. Thanks for the wooded coverage the stream is keeping cool for the trout. The DEP shut down the Farmington for at least a month as the flow out of the West Branch has been cut way back. The trout are stressed and pooling up at streams entrances to the river. I have never seen a summer with so many 90 degree days and so little rain. I hope this changes soon. Glad to see your still putting that 3 wt. into action. Take care Alan
ReplyDeleteJohn Wirtes
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John luckily there are a few streams still pushing some cool water. The closing of some areas of the Farmington was a good decision. The area up near the dam is OK but with low water flows. The last few times out I have been fishing a 5' 2wt. Waiting for September........
Good to see that the water is cold and flowing there and the brookies have survived.
ReplyDeleteTROUTI
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Pete I was pleased to see things pretty much normal.
I hope it holds.
Nice to see that stream is still healthy. I had heard that the gypsies had removed a lot of leaf cover but glad to see the stream is still cold. The introduction of bass into Adirondack ponds destroyed many of them. Hopefully that won't happen in this stream.
ReplyDeleteMark Wittman
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Mark Pete and I fished that stream when the caterpillars were feasting on the leaves, you could hear the chewing. I don't think bass will be a problem.
Is that a Killer Bug I see in the second brookie's mouth? They are the simplest yet most effective flies I have ever used.
ReplyDeleteChris "Kiwi" Kuhlow
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Chris it is the Killer Bug. I have been using it for sometime. It's also good for smallies and perch.
Man, that's funky on the bass Alan. Does the stream flow into a lake or bigger river fairly close by? I dont think I've ever seen a LMB in a brookie stream... though a river (most would call a large stream) I fish which flow's into quabbin holds a small wild brookie population and according to the state's cold water fisheries info, during electroshocking a few lmb's have been found. Ive fished it nearly 40 years and never caught one though. So, I'm just amazed to see your beautiful specimen of a little large mouth. They are great fish, but it does seem like it would indicate an environmental shift if they took up residence in a trout stream. Unless this summers super warm temps just "set it up" so to speak...
ReplyDeleteHibernation
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Will there is a pond on the other side of the road that when there's high water may push a bass over the little dam. That would be the natural place it would come from. Other than that it would have to be someone doing a stupid thing. He was pretty though.
Pretty or not, that Largemouth has his place and it is not directing traffic in a beautiful Brook Trout stream. Hopefully, as you said, it is just a fluke.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you folks got some rain and a little water running in the course of your streams..........
Grandpa Mel
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Mel I think that bass is a one time deal. Now our weather people say we have another dry spell, just can't catch a break.
Not only a nice trip, but the photos keep getting better and better. Thanks Alan!
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard I'm learning.
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ReplyDeleteHi - not that it should make you feel any better but I think that bass is actually a spotted bass vs. a largemouth. I think that because of the fact that it's mouth doesn't appear that it would extend past it's eye and the barred markings/ stripes on it's mouth and the very dark but broken lateral line marking.
ReplyDeleteIf that is in fact a spotted bass (looks like the ones I catch in Southern Indiana) then the good news, if there is any, is that spotted bass are as at home in cooler, well oxygenated streams as they are in warmer waters. The bad news is there's no good reason a spotted bass should be in your part of the country. Hopefully it's an aberration and not a trend.
I love reading your blog and especially looking at your great photos!
Thanks - Jay in Indiana
P.S. I was smallmouth fishing in an Oklahoma stream a few years ago with my brother in law and he caught a trout (it was stocked the previous fall for a winter fishing season. He quickly exclaimed "how the heck did this trash fish get in my smallmouth stream!"
ReplyDeleteHe's an avid trout angler so of course he was joking but we have seemed to know better than nature and sometimes put things where they don't really best belong. I won't get too upset about it because it allows me to trout fish in Indiana. But I can certainly understand being concerned when a trout fishery (expecially a brookie fishery) is impacted by non-native species.
Thanks again,
Jay
Joseph Fogle
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I'm sorry I took so long to respond. I just noticed your post.
Folks around here are pretty protective of our pretty little native. Over the years we have seen these trout beat, and beat again. It has been in the last 20 years that people have recognized the value of native fish.
I thank you for your clarification on the bass.
Please continue to stop by and your comments are always appreciated.
Interesting pictures and his work as usual, Al, ... but there is something I do not understand very well and is going through this mouth-long trout being native to that region, should not be there? It is a fine specimen of trout long mouth ...
ReplyDeleteHere in the "end of the world", Tierra del Fuego, we have not had yet good winter and we had very little snow, this shows that we have a very dry summer with high temperaturas..estimadas also ... in about 20 degrees Celsius, it is about 68 degrees for you ...when the average is 12 ...
ReplyDeleteArmando Milosevic
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Armando I'm sorry for not replying sooner.
A lack of snow, which keeps those underground reservoirs full is a big problem. We experienced a very poor winter last year. Our rainfall deficit in CT. is at least 8 inches if not more and long term does not look good.
I'm happy that the temps have gotten cooler and the days shorter, less sun on the waters.
I am pleasantly shocked to see that your streams actually have water, let alone have low temps. Here in MA (and most of New England) the summer has been the most brutal I can remember - almost no rain for the whole summer and blazing heat. I fear for the permanent damage this has likely caused in many places.
ReplyDeleteGeorge S
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Again I apologize. George I missed your comment.
I was out on 2 streams yesterday and found them to be OK. Brookies were scattering and water temps were at 62 degrees. Hopeful in CT.