Saturday, June 9, 2018

"Oh Those Brown Trout" And Outside The State Of Maine

Wardens Worry
Yesterday I was fumbling through some fly fishing magazines when I came across an article that really hit a nerve so to speak. It told of an angler who was fishing a river and using a bucktail. What's so interesting about that you say. Well fishing for trout in rivers with bucktails and streamers is nothing new you say, and I agree. The thing that was unique was the fact that the angler was fishing a "Wardens Worry". This fly is a very old Maine pattern that when fished for brook trout is a killer. With exception to anglers in Maine I don't think I've ever seen this fly fished anywhere else, let alone written about in a national magazine. Well this fly was being fished in a eastern river by a Catskill angler and the Wardens Worry managed to bring a very big brown trout into feeding on it.....to go on.



The majority of browns that take a fly seem to prefer something more bug like to take a whack at.




These browns paid no attention to what is supposed to be hatching, they just took the fly offered.


What is it....
I mean you guys don't see these all the time on your streams. Try one and let the trout decide.....just as he did when he chose to take a "Wardens Worry" outside of the great State of Maine.








32 comments:

  1. Amazing colors on those Browns. "Wardens Worry" seems like a winner to me.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark the colors and markings sure show the wide variations of the brown.

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  2. Hi Alan,
    Those are some well marked Brown Trout you caught there!
    The 'Warden Worry' looks such a simple and winning formula, I wonder why it it is not more widely fished over on your side of the pond? Here in the UK a pattern such as that would probably be reserved for autumn fry feeders on our still-waters rather than on streams and rivers. After seeing the streamers on your Blog, I have often wondered how they would perform over here with our Trout? Just not been brave enough to tie some up and tie one on!
    Alistair

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous
      Thanks
      Alistair this bucktail is about simplicity. Not a single exotic item used. I'm pretty confident if one were to fish some of these streamers in the UK the results would be very satisfactory.

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  3. Alan, those fish have amazing markings. Very vivid red spots. I love when you introduce us to some of the more regional patterns. Very nice looking streamer. Thankyou.

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      Brad three browns from three different CT streams. There are some differences in color as well as markings. I've been fooling with some of Sam Slaymaker's "little trout" patterns...

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  4. Hi Alan, According to Ed R. Hewitt, brown trout when they get to be 2 or more yrs old, become almost totally cannablistic feeding on fish and ignoring insects, for the most part. Fish streamers if you are targeting larger brownies. I'm familiar with the Warden's Worry pattern. I also like the Housatonic Special (another simple streamer).

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    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John Mr. Hewitt words are true. My success with Warden's Worry came in pond fishing for brookies and that was in the fall. I did a post on the Housatonic Special some time back.

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  5. The fly has the look of an 'older' sea trout pattern of the sort that you would see illustrated in expensive catalogues when I was a boy. Mind you that's going back a way. Your tying still looks nicely spidery. great work. Keep them coming. Regards, John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John you may be right on the fly being used for sea trout. I have come across patterns similar in research. Global Fly Fisher is a good resource.
      Brown trout do love "spiders"...

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  6. The colours of the fish are astonishing, well done again Alan

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    1. George
      Thanks
      Agreed, they did have some outstanding features...wild trout.

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  7. Your Warden's Worry is beautiful, Alan. Being a Mainer I grew up surrounded by all those regional streamer patterns. We still fish them.

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    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike most Maine patterns are productive, and I fish quite a few of them.

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  8. Get the drift right and they take it. My favorite fish. :) :)

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    Replies
    1. Ralph Long
      Thanks
      Ralph that pretty much says it all.

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  9. Beautiful browns Alan. No one seems to complain much no matter the fly when the browns are eating.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard they can be very aggressive when hungry, key is to find them when they're hungry.

      Delete
  10. What does the name mean if it was taken from Supervisor Warden Joseph S. Stickney, I do not understand why "Worry"? good and productive pattern.

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    Replies
    1. Armando Milosevic
      Thanks
      Armando I don't know why the Worry was part of the name I may research that...I take it you like the pattern.

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  11. Those wild browns are really something, Alan. Amazing red spots on them. Love that "what is it" fly. CDC adds some nice life like movements to flies and I use it more these days, both on sub surface and elk hair caddis flies.

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    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam CDC is a great material. It's so life like in the water. The issue is when slimmed by a fish it takes a long time to dry. I like to mix it with a bit of elk or deer hair to make it hold up better.

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  12. Alan,
    You know that I am a huge fan of your streamer work (and all the other patterns you do as well!) and this one is a beauty! I like what you said about the tying of this pattern centered in it's simplicity! By the looks of things, this will be a killer pattern no matter which side of the ocean it's tossed!
    Great job Alan!
    Dougsden

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    Replies
    1. Dougsden
      Thanks
      Doug I have fished the WW for trout mostly but I can see it being a good bass or other warm-water fish.
      See John Dornik's post on the Housatonic Special.

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  13. Oh wow. That photography of yours gets me every time!!!

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    1. The River Damsel
      Thanks
      Emily, credit the camera for most of it.

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  14. Some fantastic images, Alan. Those are some gorgeous browns, and I'm always impressed with the flies you tie.

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    Replies
    1. Justin Carfagnini
      Thanks
      Justin browns as handsome as can be, thanks to mother nature for the most part.
      Simplicity in the fly makes us all better tyers.

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  15. Love those browns. Gorgeous colors.

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    1. TROUT1
      Thanks
      Pete I think you know just what stream those came from.

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  16. Alan
    Awesome browns, in fact some of the most colorful I've seen you land. Were all the trout taking the fly just under the surface film? Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill for the most part the browns preferred their dining subsurface...but the fact that most of the flies used, soft-hackles and emergers, could be fished on the surface from time to time.

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