Monday, April 6, 2020

Brook Trout Forest...A Spring Day

Wow what a beautiful spring weekend we just enjoyed here in Connecticut. Both days were just awesome with the edge going to Saturday. On that day I chose to fish a stream that I had not fished since last fall. I was anxious to see what old man winter had dumped upon it's waters. I was excited to see these beautiful wild yellow flowers in bloom along the stream. Amazing in that they choose to grow where they do. Marshy and damp are understatements.



The stream....a familiar run. It pretty much looked the same as it did last time I visited, only difference was there is now more water flowing in the stream. This run has some interesting history for me and I will go into detail on it in a future post. On this day a soft-hackle drifted through the run drew a swift strike.


This time the fly held and my first brookie was at hand. He was a healthy guy with an interesting hump to his back.


As the sun worked it's magic, the brookies became active. In this run it seemed that every little pocket held a fish. Some of them taking the fly as it drifted while others slammed it on the retrieve.


An interesting part of this stream. I usually don't venture up this far that being because the knees have started barking. But this day I accepted the issue and I'm glad I did. And no I did not use the log to cross the stream.




A couple of brookies like this one were holding in a pool above that log.


And to cap off such a beautiful warm early spring day in Brook Trout Forest I spotted this darling...Trillium about to blossom.











25 comments:

  1. Alan - it's so nice to see the spring wildflowers! From the picture, the yellow one looks like a marsh marigold or cow slip, which grows in marshy ground

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MarkW
      Thanks
      Mark thanks for the ID. I see many wildflowers but I don't know the names.

      Delete
  2. I found a stream last week that at a certain point seems to switch from brown trout to brook trout. Today I am going to go way upstream and see what I can find. It should be about a ½ hour walk o my starting point.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. dpnoll
      Thanks
      That's is what happens in these small streams. Browns will push the brookies out and into areas not as fertile. If you can walk it makes the outing so much more enjoyable. Good luck.

      Delete
  3. Alan,
    Sounds like you had a great outing. Your photos capture it well. I almost feel like I'm there.
    JJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beaverdam
      Thanks
      Joe it was awesome. A few more days of fine weather and the trout should be taking dries.

      Delete
  4. Alan
    I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend.The yellow flower looks like a dogwood bloom?? Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill days like these are precious. MarkW says the flowers are marsh marigolds.

      Delete
  5. I used to love those Marsh Marigolds and Trillium back home in WI. Nice spot Alan.

    Risked going out last week on a beautiful day. Stream was high and fast but managed a few to hand and released.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. billp
      Thanks
      Bill it's very pleasurable seeing wildflowers, excites me like a rising brookie.
      It's great you were able to make contact with some fish.

      Delete
  6. Gorgeous! Those fish have really neat yellow/olive splotching. Cool brookies on that stream.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation
      Thanks
      Will they were all similar in their markings, yellow like the marsh marigolds.

      Delete
  7. Beautiful water, Alan, and fantastic photo's. My grandmother always referred to Trillium as Stinking Benjamin. I asked her why, she said smell one... ugh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike I have that named used a couple of times. Did you ever smell one or did you take gram's word.

      Delete
    2. I smelled them a few times but it was never as bad as she made out. Still, wasn't great...

      Delete
  8. Glad someone is getting Spring. We had so much rain over the weekend, we had flood warnings. 24 days to go until no more "house arrest" hopefully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark heavy rains are not what you guys need on top of the other issues. Take care...

      Delete
  9. Hi Alan,

    Nice Marsh Marigolds along your blue line, the yellow of the flower is a good match for the spots on those brookies.......

    I am quite taken by the trillium at the end as well. My wife has tried growing them several times but the UK slugs and snails find the so tasty she just had to give up.

    Stay safe

    Alistair

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alistair
      Thanks
      Alistair they all blended in quite nicely. Perhaps I should fish a "yellow sally"? Post a sign..slugs stay out.
      Be well.

      Delete
  10. Just beautiful. Thank you, Alan.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful post Alan, with some quality fish. Marsh Marigold is edible, although it must be cooked before it is eaten. Not the easiest to harvest though, they really do like soft, wet soil.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cal Najimy
      Thanks
      Edible flowers, must cook. I learn everyday thanks to you guys. Wet soil, almost over the wading boot.

      Delete
  12. Alan - Thank you for your posts, I lost my wife of 46 years last week and your posts are always calming and enjoyable. Beautiful brookies and I hope to be back home with them in the near future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NJpatbee
      Thanks
      Pat I'm sorry to hear of your loss. 46 years is an awful long time to be close to someone. Brookie therapy...

      Delete