For those who love small streams, wild trout, and life...in their simplest form
Friday, December 20, 2019
The Battenkill
"Shushan Postmaster"
In his last post blogger Bill Trussell told us of his trip to Vermont this past fall. Bill and his wife Cathey hail from Alabama. Bill is quite a fly fisherman and when he visited Manchester VT. he was thrilled. In his post he mentioned the Battenkill River. It's a wonderful and historic trout stream. Many say the NY section fishes better. One thing that is certain is Lew Oatman. Lew lived in Shushan NY, an avid fly tyer and fisherman. Lew is credited with the creation of many streamer flies and one of them is the "Shushan Postmaster"...the fly was named for his friend and postmaster Al Prindle.
The Shushan Postmaster represents a baitfish that inhabits the waters of the Batenkill. It's tied like this..Hook Mustad 3665A I use #10-8...Tail, Mottled turkey...Body, yellow floss...Rib, flat gold tinsel...Throat, red quill fibers...Wing, fox squirrel tail...Cheeks, Jungle Cock.
Awesome to learn of this fly, which I'd never seen/heard of before. Thank you Alan! The Battenkill is awesome. My parents, a few times a year, as a grade schooler getting into fly fishing/tying, actually made the trek up there with me... probably 1:45 drive time or so, and would let me fish the river. At the time, it felt huge to me given most of my fishing was smaller streams or small rivers near home. But the mystery of fishing the Battenkill was so amazing. I only caught a handful of browns and brookies, but it wet my appetite for fly fishing for sure. Amazing place.
Hibernation Thanks Will I love hearing how as a youth we find places that stay so vivid in our memories. I have never fished the Battenkill but hope to one day. Mr. Oatman played a big part in the early days of streamer tying and fishing.
Very nice story, Alan. We fish a close version of this pattern, tied up as a tandem, for ice out trolling; we just never had a name to put to it. A second cousin to a Warden's Worry.
mike Thanks Mike I could see the Postmaster as a tandem streamer. And a Wardens Worry such an underfished streamer. My first Maine lake brook trout came on a Wardens Worry.
Alan Of all the places Cathey and I have visited over the years in our travels,Manchester Vermont is our favorite. We are both big fans of small town America and Manchester fits that mode. I can see why Norman Rockwell loved the area. We were told he actually lived 14 years in Arlington, which was another little town we visited. We stopped at the red covered bridge that crosses the Battenkill in Arlington and really got a view of the Battenkill. I didn't realize it was that wide down stream from the town of Manchester. What a great way to remember a historic trout river and an avid fly fisherman name Al Prindle. I could see a savage brown killing the Shushan on trout rivers or streams. You did an excellent job at the vice bringing back the Shushan. Thanks for sharing the history of this streamer with all of us who love to fly fish!!!
Bill Trussell, Thanks Bill I can feel your excitement for the area in your words. This thing we are hooked on, fly fishing, has such rich history. I know in my life I've only scratched the surface of what's out there. I'm going to tie a few more Oatman patterns in the future.
Armando Milosevic Thanks Armando this streamer tied on a large Mustad hook would work in your waters. You would have to use gray squirrel because fox squirrel tail are to small.
Alan, This pattern is such a gem! I love the history behind this pattern especially between Lew Oatman and Al Prindle! I think even a duffer like me could tie this pattern successfully! I like your style of tying much better! Dougsden
Dougsden Thanks Sorry buddy for the late response. Oatman and Prindle now that was a match. The fly works well on brookies but I think it was designed to fool those B'kill browns.
Absolutely love this fly Alan, I fish it a lot in Colorado now actually. I bought a bunch from John at Ruff Waters recently, I like his version when I'm feeling too lazy to tie my own. Hope you're well.
Awesome to learn of this fly, which I'd never seen/heard of before. Thank you Alan! The Battenkill is awesome. My parents, a few times a year, as a grade schooler getting into fly fishing/tying, actually made the trek up there with me... probably 1:45 drive time or so, and would let me fish the river. At the time, it felt huge to me given most of my fishing was smaller streams or small rivers near home. But the mystery of fishing the Battenkill was so amazing. I only caught a handful of browns and brookies, but it wet my appetite for fly fishing for sure. Amazing place.
ReplyDeleteHibernation
DeleteThanks
Will I love hearing how as a youth we find places that stay so vivid in our memories. I have never fished the Battenkill but hope to one day. Mr. Oatman played a big part in the early days of streamer tying and fishing.
Very nice story, Alan. We fish a close version of this pattern, tied up as a tandem, for ice out trolling; we just never had a name to put to it. A second cousin to a Warden's Worry.
ReplyDeletemike
DeleteThanks
Mike I could see the Postmaster as a tandem streamer. And a Wardens Worry such an underfished streamer. My first Maine lake brook trout came on a Wardens Worry.
Alan
ReplyDeleteOf all the places Cathey and I have visited over the years in our travels,Manchester Vermont is our favorite. We are both big fans of small town America and Manchester fits that mode. I can see why Norman Rockwell loved the area. We were told he actually lived 14 years in Arlington, which was another little town we visited. We stopped at the red covered bridge that crosses the Battenkill in Arlington and really got a view of the Battenkill. I didn't realize it was that wide down stream from the town of Manchester.
What a great way to remember a historic trout river and an avid fly fisherman name Al Prindle. I could see a savage brown killing the Shushan on trout rivers or streams. You did an excellent job at the vice bringing back the Shushan. Thanks for sharing the history of this streamer with all of us who love to fly fish!!!
Bill Trussell,
DeleteThanks
Bill I can feel your excitement for the area in your words. This thing we are hooked on, fly fishing, has such rich history. I know in my life I've only scratched the surface of what's out there. I'm going to tie a few more Oatman patterns in the future.
beautiful and small nymph pattern, very practical to tie it and cast on rivers of clear water. Good video telling the story too.
ReplyDeleteArmando Milosevic
DeleteThanks
Armando this streamer tied on a large Mustad hook would work in your waters. You would have to use gray squirrel because fox squirrel tail are to small.
Alan,
ReplyDeleteThis pattern is such a gem! I love the history behind this pattern especially between Lew Oatman and Al Prindle! I think even a duffer like me could tie this pattern successfully! I like your style of tying much better!
Dougsden
Dougsden
DeleteThanks
Sorry buddy for the late response. Oatman and Prindle now that was a match. The fly works well on brookies but I think it was designed to fool those B'kill browns.
Absolutely love this fly Alan, I fish it a lot in Colorado now actually. I bought a bunch from John at Ruff Waters recently, I like his version when I'm feeling too lazy to tie my own. Hope you're well.
ReplyDelete