Excitement, and The Golden Badger

This is a post about several exciting happenings that took place a day or so ago. The first was a visit I paid to a stream, a small one that holds wild brookies. This stream last year at this time was very low, with stream temps that made it not fish able. This summer up to this point has been a bit more generous in the rain fall, being slightly better. And although we have had some very hot days I don't believe it was as bad as last summer.

Upon arriving at the stream I could see that the flows were OK, and the dark leaf canopy was doing its part to keep things cool. The water was very clear and after a few steps I startled many trout, sending them for cover. As I walked along the banks I dropped my thermometer into the water, its readings were another exciting happening of the day..... 64 degrees. I continued to check the temps as I fished this little stream and the temps were consistent.

I tied on a mayfly pattern I had tied the day before, a lovely fly that was tied with some badger hackle that had been dyed gold. As I sent the fly along a riffled run, I was hoping for a rise from a brookie. This being a small stream the response comes quick, and is generally not repeated... I just gave away my position the trout would say. The rise came after a few drifts, and the brookie was on...off in a few seconds. While this happened more than normal, it did not frustrate me, I was excited that the fly was doing its part.

I am very familiar with these waters and over many years I have taken lots of brookies here. They are all wild fish. On a few outings, I could count them on one hand I have taken wild browns. These few browns were in the 10 to 12 inch range, very robust fish. This was the most exciting part of this outing. Along a very dark deep run, that swept the water into a undercut, the mayfly was molested by a flash of silver, in a moment a beautiful little wild brown was in hand. I took a quick photo, and released the wonderful wild fish back into the stream. Off it went, disappearing back into the undercut. I stopped to think about just what happened. A trout of this size, had to begin its life in this stream.
Perhaps at the start of this outing I had hopes for a different result in the maiden outing of this little mayfly. But upon holding that little wild brown, I realized my hopes were fulfilled.

Clear, and cool. The woody debris, the stones, and the leaf canopy, all doing there part.

The gold badger hackled mayfly.

The wild beauty of this beautifully spotted, red adipose fin little brown capped the excitement of a few hours on this little stream.





When I got home that afternoon I found this waiting. My son had made this pizza.
Fresh native tomatoes, broccoli, grilled chicken, and fresh mozzarella.
Talk about exciting...

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Golden Badger

I used to enjoy reading a fly fishing publication, Fish&Fly. It was a well written and informative magazine. Back about five years or so I read an article on a fly tying happening being held at Roscoe NY. It was named Clearwater Junction. It assembled many fly tyers from all over, and lasted for two days.
One of the tyers that caught my attention was Roy Christie, from the UK. He was tying a somewhat different type of parachute fly, called a reversed prachute. The post and hackle were tied in near the bend of the hook. These flies really interested me. I said to myself I have to find out more about these flies.

Several years later, while visiting a web site I frequented often, smallstreams.com, I saw a post by Roy Christie. He was not only a wonderful fly tyer but also a fisher of small streams.

So one post and another post, comment and comment, we had a good conversation going, across the Atlantic. I managed to purchase a few flies from him, which are very effective. We continue to read each others blogs, and he comes up with some innovative flies.

While reading one of his blog posts he told of a bunch of natural Iron Blue Dun hackles he had obtained. The fly he tied was wonderful. He made the comment that he was not going to loose many of those flies to the surroundings. I made the comment "would you mind loosing a few hackles to me"..... and he so graciously sent me a package of some wonderful hackle. They're all beautiful, but one really caught my eye. It was a badger hackle that he dyes gold. I tied a few flies with it and they came out very well. I'm going to fish these soon on a small stream, and take a brookie for Roy.

This is the package I received from Roy. The badger hackle is on the bottom in the clear plastic.

This is the first fly I tied with the badger hackle. The natural dark band on the hackle forms a beautiful colored thorax.......... RC Emerger.

The two mayfly's that I tied using the badger look like they should draw some attention...... RC Special.

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A Friend......Some Thoughts, Part 3

In my quest of the brook trout, a variety of fly offerings have been used. Beautiful colored, and classic streamers have taken there share of brookies. All though some would say the classic streamers used are elegant, the brook trout does not really care about elegance or terms of classic, and regal, these are a fly fishers words.
I have had the pleasure of taking brook trout on the very rough, buggy looking flies of Fran Betters, and the crisp clean lines of the Catskill dry fly. The Royal Coachman, both dry fly and streamer, with their regal colors are an offering of beauty to the brook trout.

The brook trout, although he does not request we seek to take him with the finest of means. He and I do believe he should be taken with respect.

Ausable Wulff, and Bomber. Not elegant, but effective. Wonderful simple flies for the pursuit of a wonderful simple char.

This reel has had its time on the streams, all good. There are much more expensive reels to use on brookies waters, but he does not request it.

This is my first fly rod. Its history is so that I could not tell, for my fingers would fail at the keyboard. I do use it til this day.

A high end hand made cane rod would be the ultimate tool to use when seeking the brook trout. It to is not necessary. But that is the beauty of our pursuit of the brook trout.

Fly boxes, everything from one of a kind Wheatleys, to plasiic pill boxes, and plastic boxes given to you for the price of some fly tying materials, to the newest of flies, for those who fish in the most simplest of ways, Tenkara.

As I close on this three part series on the Brook Trout. I hope you will get an understanding of my love for this fish. I hope you all will someday experience this wonderful white tipped fin char.

Brk Trt

A Friend.......Some Thoughts, part 2

I find pleasure pursuing the brook trout in all seasons. Each one has its attributes, and drawbacks. I find that Autumn is the finest season in which to seek him out.
The streams and the landscapes are beautiful at this time of year. The waters have cooled from the crisp nights, and the days can be spectacular. It is also the time of year when the brook trout begin their quest to bring forth a new generation. They begin this anytime from late September through perhaps early December. I have seen this spawning activity in many of the streams I've fished.
The male brook trout at this time of year can be quite stunning. His colors seem to take on the same colors of the landscapes, only more vibrant.

I have been fortunate to fish for these fall classics in many places, from large rivers, to lakes and ponds, and in my favorite of places, "the small stream". I believe when a brook trout is taken from a small stream, his colors are more vibrant, perhaps this is because of his small size, sort of like a concentration of flavors. Just my view of it.

Some say that Autumn is a time when nature brings death to the woodlands, and this may be true.... but she also starts the life cycle of the brook trout.

One of the tools needed. Fly selection need be simple.

The colors of this brook trout rival natures finest paintings.

The Rangeley River in late September. Several beautiful brook trout have come from this river.

Even the streamers take on the colors of Autumn.

Autumn's beauty at its best. A wild brook trout, in a small Connecticut stream.