There's a lot of meaning behind the first photo. I have mine and I'll bet you have yours. Today I'm going fishing and my hope is that the natives will be in a mood that is conducive to putting a smile on my face similar to the one that the cup of cherries did. The stream is located in the northwestern part of the state and my hope is it will be fishable. The rainfall has been in a slow down pace for a day or so and my thinking is that will settle the flows and move the fish.
We all in our times on the water have experienced catching small fish. Most of them are just released without a second thought....not so with the next brookie.
This fella has got to be the epitome of conceit. He is so beautiful and he has the gumption to think he can actually eat that nuddler minnow.
This photo was sent to me by a reader of SSR's. Shawn caught this black brookie in a Connecticut stream. These fish are impressive, I personally love them. Look at the tail and the fins. They are very dark...adapt that's what they do.
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The "Orange Bristle"
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I'm hoping this fly will make some waves today. It's simple using only three materials.
Curved barbless hook, orange silk thread body, ginger squirrel dubbed thorax and a few turns of semi stiff ginger hackle.
Native sweet corn, nothing like it friends. I have a couple of ears left over from last nights supper and they will be used in tonight's tacos.
Alan,
ReplyDeleteThat little guy sure has some great colors. I'll bet if that were a real sculpin he would have got the job done.
JJ
Beaverdam
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Joe seems the little ones are the most colorful, "concentrated beauty"....many of the small streams i fish have health populations of sculpin.
G'Day Alan,
ReplyDeleteThat beautiful little brookie was certainly punching above its weight class. I've often caught tiny trout with big appetites. I've also caught English perch that have taken a fly almost as big as themselves. They have mouths like a bucket.
No fishing for me for a week--another lockdown. 'Gam zeh ya'avor". SSR keeps me sane--well, almost!
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve
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Steve I love that quote "punching above it's weight class"
We all have been border line sane when it comes to covid.
I hope that you found some fish today. I have been surprised all week by the persisting high water levels in some streams. Thanks for the reminder of the range of colors that are possible. It is amazing how brookies in different streams can vary so much. I am hoping to try a new (to me) stream on the weekend and am curious about what colors it will yield.
ReplyDeleteShawn
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I fished two streams today. One was out of control, the other was fishable and had a few willing brookies. Good luck on that new stream. Sometimes they turn out to be real gems.
Alan,
ReplyDeleteCatching a yearling brookie always makes me happy I use a barbless hook. How beautiful that youngster is and a good sign for the future in this stream. That dark brookie photo, I have never seen anything like that in a brook trout. It almost seems it is a sub species living in a dark stream that it has evolved to survive in. Amazing.
Regards, Sam
Sam
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Sam if I may ask what brand of barbless hook do you use?
Those little guys are so important. Most streams I fish showed a good spawn last fall. Dark brookies are not rare but do occur in those deeply tannin stained waters.
DeleteThat dark brookie came out of a stream that was nearly the color of black coffee. I need to catch more fish from that stream to see whether they all look like this.
I wonder to what extent our brook trout reflect native populations that have faced natural selection in particular environments for thousands of years versus the offspring of stocked fish over recent decades? The presence of so many dams, mills and stone walls in Connecticut along with near complete deforestation that accompanied them suggests that the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries must have been hard on these streams and fish.
Shawn I believe the brook trout in our streams are from hatchery stockings. A few survived to breed successfully creating the wild strain we catch today. Now can there be a heritage in one of the streams I would say yes.
DeleteAlan, I don't buy any particular brand of barbless hooks. Before tying a fly I smash the barb down in my tying vice. I then sharpen the hook point on a whetstone my Grandfather gave me many years ago. I have not been fishing all that much, once a week maybe. The Gartside Sparrow has produced so well for me I always keep one tied on for the next time out.
DeleteRegards, Sam
Sam I like the fact that you use something given to you by your grandfather in your life today. I see you are a fan of Gartside and his "sparrow"...great fly.
DeleteI've been pleased with the Drsgontail.com hooks, especially the Trogatta. Super sharp and consistent.
ReplyDeletebillp
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Bill I have never heard of that brand. I will check them out. I use Firehole Sticks.
Alan, those are also a high quality hook. I use them also.
DeleteAlan
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read one of your posts involving food,I get hungry. Cathey and I had fresh sweet corn on the cob last night for supper too. Are those cherries local or from the supermarket?
Unique color patterns on that brookie---outstanding!!! Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill such a common vegetable sweet corn is, but when it's fresh and local it's heaven to eat. The cherries are supermarket.
Great pictures and ditto on the getting hungry for seasonal produce!
ReplyDeleteNed Zeppelin
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Kevin more and more varieties coming everyday. Love them.
Hey Alan. been out of town for the last few days. That poor little Brookie probably thought he had dinner for a couple days with that big Muddler.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark a meal that size would have kept his belly full for awhile.