August 3 2015...Mickey Finn

Hot town summer in the city...The Lovin' Spoonfull, a Saturday afternoon just the same. Jeanette and I hit the road for a favorite spot on the Farmington river, a spot that is shady and cool. We had decided to make some simple prep work and put together a lovey evening meal beside the rushing waters of the river. Grilled hot dogs with chips and some very cold ice tea. Beautiful conversation and a few "that smells great" from the passing anglers that were going in to test there skills.

I was not fishing today but had a fly rod just in case we needed it for a survival situation. The rod was rigged with a soft hackle fly and that is what I tossed. About an hour later I reeled in the fly for the last time. It was not a skunk for I had a swipe at the soft hackle by an unknown fish.

What a place to enjoy a summer evening supper.

After the angling we went to the west branch reservoir to take a few photos of the sunset.

The west branch reservoir and the start of the Farmington River tail water.

Water coming from the bottom of the reservoir is quite cold and the mist rises above the river for a long way.

"Mickey Finn Cove"

The west branch reservoir is quite a fishery itself. I have fished it many times especially in the late fall. This a spot that has given up many nice trout. It is a cove with a small feeder brook entering. Streamers have been the flies of record, the lake has a good population of smelt. I call this cove "Mickey Finn" cove. It was here that I caught a beautiful brook trout on a Mickey Finn. That was about 5 years ago, I must fish this place more often, perhaps tomorrow.

The "Mickey Finn"

The "Mickey Finn" the coves namesake.

Sign Sunday...

Signs, everyone who has spent time outdoors has seen some signs. Some of these are very unique some common some old and some we don't enjoy seeing. I know I've seen signs and most times I take a photo of them.

So I going to start a weekly feature probably every Sunday on a sign I have photographed. "Sign Sunday". I hope you'll stop by and read a few.

This sign photo was from Dixville Notch New Hampshire. It's the first town in the U.S. to vote for President. Good hiking, wildlife and brook trout.

This handsome gentle soul is "Parker" or as he is called by Papa, "Mr. Parker". He's the joy of my daughter, son in law, and two grand children Morgan and Ethan. They are on vacation and were unable to take him along so Parker is ours to enjoy and spoil for a few weeks.

Parker is the typical Lab, loves walking, fetching balls or anything else tossed, water sports, good dinning, and the well earned nap. Nana and Papa love you.

How many of you fish this this bucktail. The Mickey Finn has been around forever, care to guess why. Fished at the right time and the brookies will molest it to no end.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE