One of three...

The first of three streamers that will hopefully get the job done.

These are the times....

The stream was full, the flow was so sweet. The stream did it's best to conceal the little jewels that darted into the heavy cover of the thick foliage that lined the streams bank. The angler armed with his little glass rod and a few black ants tried his best to coax a brook trout to rise to the offering. This has played out several times in the past few days and for the most part the anglers ant has done it's job.

What a fine specimen, a true work of art.

My goodness man, your not serious about casting in such a place. Why no, I'll just get far enough upstream and let the fly just drift with the current. There are times when such a method has worked.

And this was one of them. What beautiful times these are.

Images

Here are some images that we can all relate to. Hopefully you can take a few minutes of thought and see how they to can bring a memory to the front of your mind.

Browns, Small Stream Browns,Part 2

In this second installment of seeking some rather awesome brown trout from a small stream I found myself in familiar surroundings. The upper part of the stream flows over stone with some rather flat areas with the favored slack and wood obstructed sections that brown trout love. This outing featured some what lower flows and clear water. The browns were holding in some pretty skinny water. The reason I knew this is because I spooked many of them. I have to work on my stealth, "note made"... This spring I have noticed very few outings where trout have been actively feeding on the surface and I have not found a reason for that. Many times I've seen insects on the water and they seem to go untouched. You have probably noticed not many "bombers" in the lips of the trout I've featured, I'll figure it out.

On this dat I did see an abundance of these guys in the bushes along the stream. I knew they would get someones attention at some point. The soft-hackle came off and the sparse muddler went on.

It did not take long for the fly to bring one to strike. This brown really tested the little bamboo rod.

This section of the stream flows through some nasty areas. The mud along the banks is tough walking. I stepped into some stuff that almost reached my knees. Experience has shown that the pools here hold nice fish. Several casts brought no response. I walked upstream a bit and crossed over to the other side. I was in a better position to fish the pool now and I made the presentation. The second cast and the brown moved on the fly but missed. Three more casts and he went for it again....the fight was on.

What a fight it was. Thankfully everything held and soon I had this brute at hand. The strength of this brown can be seen in his head. What a day....more to come.

Summer is upon us. But look what Spring gave us.

Kirk and I got together and selected a stream that we thought would fish well. We chose it because it might have handled the heavy rain we received the day before. Upon arriving I had seen a stream that was full to the bank with swirling waters and swift riffles. The only plus was the fact that the water was so clear. We made a decision to move to another section of the stream one that offered us smooth pools and kinder riffles and as it turned out that was the right call.

To use the word lush to describe the woodlands at this time is a gross understatement. So beautiful my friends.

It took a spell before I had my first hook-up. This healthy wild jewel took me to the roots and underwater branches several times before I managed to bring him to hand. Recognize the fly?

Kirk working a very fishy looking stretch. The brookies were where they shouldn't be and we figured that out in time.

Kirk with a fine one. A well proportioned specimen. A tribute to a pristine environment.

Another one on the same fly...which is?

Kirk and I split up, with him staying at the first stream. He was a bit wet and was going to go home in short time. I drove to another stream and I planned on fishing it for an hour or so.

It did not take long to hookup...these brookies preferring a different offering.

A broken down bridge, a dark and somewhat deep pool...let the fly drift, and guess what.

The last fish of the day and what a day it was...and guess what, it's raining today.

Browns, Small Stream Browns, Part 1

Over the last ten days I have been fishing a stream that I'm pretty familiar with, or perhaps I should say familiar with in certain places. There are areas where I don't venture to often because the area is not very angler friendly. Last week I gave it a try and for the most part it was not to bad. Before I go further I want to say this report is really the first of three concerning this stream. The others will follow. The stream is flowing very good and the flows have moved fish in such a manner you'll find them most anywhere. For the most they have been taking sub-surface flies but the bomber has worked also. A fly that I'm fond of called the Picket Pin has been a staple on my last several outings. The fly is actually a wet fly but works on the surface to.

The wild browns have been quite nice. Some holding their color while some have gone sort of silvery. When the light hits that adipose fin it almost looks like it's on fire.

A typical stretch of brown trout water on this stream. A fly drifted anywhere will likely bring a strike.

Ferns and more ferns, this is the gentle part before the nasty outback.

This brown has a silvery look to it. Just a heads up on the next few follow up posts on the browns of this stream. When I got home from here yesterday I tied up three very big streamers.

Father's Day

Grouse and Flash

Happy Father's Day

A thin blue line

A thin blue line in eastern Connecticut. It flows at times gently and at times crashes through boulders creating some wonderful pockets and plunges. A day where the mountain laurel was showing and it gave the effect of snow. Within this woodland stream are some beautiful natives. They were playful this day and I was thankful. An old friend joined me on this outing and I appreciated his part in my success.

I love this spot

"Muddlers"

One of the most recognized flies in the world has to be the Muddler Minnow. The fly created around 1936 by Don Gapen for use on the Nipigon River in Canada. The fly that is most available in fly shops and online is a far cry from the original. The first fly shown is a typical Muddler tied today. It is neat and evenly proportioned, not a flaw. This fly would not be passed up by a angler looking into a fly shop bin. I how ever would not buy one like this for it is to neat and tight and does not fish well. In the water I find these to float, lay sideways, and when retrieved they can come back in many ways all of which are unappealing to fish. I have been in many fly shops and retail sporting goods places in my life and the only place I have found a Muddler that was tied close to what the original looked like was in Sam's Army and Navy Store in Brattleboro VT. I have a couple of those Muddlers which I use today.

This is a Muddler from Sam's. It is tied rather sparse and does not have a overly large head.

This fly came from the Rangeley Sport Shop in Maine. As you can see it to is on the sparse side and it incorporates a long slim head.

This is a Muddler I tie and fish. It is quite sparse with a small loose head. This fly catches fish. I use it in small streams, and larger rivers. Both brook and brown trout take this fly.


You can see an original Muddler Minnow as tied by Don Gapen here.https://globalflyfisher.com/patterns-tie-better/gapens-muddler-minnow

A Jewel

We have had some beautiful days this past week and I was fortunate enough to take advantage of a couple. As you can see the woodlands are full of spring color. Flowers are all over and the fragrances are heavenly. I have talked about the concept of trout flies and flowers and how when you match the color of the blooms to the color of the fly magic will happen.

The stream was clear. Large pockets of deep water held the promise of good fishing.

And that promise was true. Beautiful little brookies came up from their rocky bottom to take the fly.

Again and again the small white wet fly did he trick.

Bright sun, a shadow or two and the fly swings near...

and suddenly a brook trout takes.

This day it was all about this little white wet fly. The fly is the Genesee Jewel...it was created by the late Mark Libertone.

"Trout Flies and Flowers"....thanks Mark.