Talent Indeed. A Young Fly Tyer

I would like to focus on a local young fly tyer from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. His name is Justin and he is an exceptional talented tyer. He seems to have found a passion for tying Rangeley style streamer flies. These are pretty complex and difficult streamers to tie and he seems to have mastered it. What's most remarkable is he's only 15 years old. His dad told me he has been tying since he was 7.

Justins dad sent me a photo of 3 Rangeley streamers that Justin tied. These are a series of "Patriotic Streamers". Two of the patterns are Carrie Stevens originated, and one is a pattern created by Leslie Hilyard one of the authors of the book "Carrie Stevens maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies"

These are streamers tied by Justin. The top fly is called "General MacArthur"....the next fly is "America"...and the bottom fly is "Victory". The flies are tied on Mustad 94720 #4 hooks which seem to work beautifully with the classic feather wings.

I'm very excited to see youth finding fly tying rewarding. And to see Justin's interest and work on these classic Rangeley streamers gives me hope that these flies will continue to grace a fly tyers vise. Well done Justin.

"Muddy Creek" Why do they call it that?

I got out for a few hours yesterday morning. It being the coolest part of the day, as far as air temps go but the humidity was disgusting. I had on a light shirt that I wear when mosquitos are active and it was wet with perspiration in minutes. But I was fishing so a little inconvenience was accepted. The stream was low, but it's flow was good. There were numerous pools of deep water and that provided all that was necessary for the trout who live here. I took several water temps before I made my first cast and the readings were 64-66, and one reading of 60, that must have been right over an incoming spring. Another thing that I noticed were a lot of crayfish, don't know if the brookies were eating them or perhaps a raccoon.

The first pool I fished was as clear as could be, I was able to see the bottom as well as anything that was swimming about. I gazed for a spell and was shocked when a trout rose but a foot from me. Where did he come from, and what was so small, I saw nothing on the water, that he was eating. I cast the Ausable Wulff to a spot about 6 inches from where the trout rose and very soon he came up and took the fly.

Comfort zone for brook trout.

The pool continued to give up several nice little brookies. A few even allowed me a in the water photo. Man I love these fish.

The next pool had me drooling. Good oxygen flowing in, a deep water section, and a large boulder with a beautiful undercut and all in shade. Three or four drifts of the Wulff produced nothing, patience Alan this is to good of a spot not to have any fish. Several more casts and suddenly to pool exploded. The trout hit and hit hard. The fight was on and that fish used every bit of that pool to gain his escape. I finally got control and had the trout at my foot. As I lifted him up and readied the camera he flopped and the hook shot out of his mouth. A heartbeat later he was in the water getting ready to leave. I said to myself please wait a moment, and as if he could hear me, waited. I took a photo and was ready to take another when he departed back into the dark stream.

A nice brook trout from a small stream. One photo for you Mr. Angler. After all that disruption in that pool it continued to give a few more brookies.

By this time, which was several hours of rock, and hill climbing I was pretty beat. I headed for the Honda and a bottle of cold water.

Look what was available to me when I got home. How can you beat a day like this.

A Pair Of "Classics"

Classic, the flies of Carrie Stevens. Streamer flies tied in her style are just so "classic". These feather wing creations have graced many an anglers fly wallet. They have been pulled from the lips of some big brook trout as well as landlocked salmon. And now many of her streamers are kept with in those families who have been fortunate enough to have had them handed down.

There are a select few who still tie her patterns as well as other streamers using her methods. These flies are not easy, and require some time to put together. This maybe one of the reasons why they seem to be gone from most retailers. A few fly shops that I have visited over the years have had some of Carrie's patterns available, most notably the Gray Ghost. As H. Wendell Folkins, he's the man who took over Carrie's fly tying business, said....I can assure you that this method of dressing a streamer will never be adopted by the commercial tyers, as it is to labor intensive. The book above is also a classic. I pick up this book almost daily just to view the beautiful streamers on it's pages.

Here are a few links to some of the sites devoted to these long graceful flies. http://www.streamerlist.com/ and http://www.classicstreamerflies.com/

These flies are from the pages of Carrie Stevens, a book by Graydon, and Leslie Hilyard. The "Gray Ghost"

"Morning Glory" streamer. These are two of my favorite patterns.

Here's the two classic Stevens streamer flies. "Gray Ghost" and "Morning Glory"

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

"Upstream" after Arthur

Last week we here in the northeast were blessed with three rain events. The fourth of July brought us tropical storm Arthur, lots and lots of rain. All that water brought the small streams up and flowing nicely. High water will also get the trout on the move. The new water level gives them a free highway to find select feeding locations and provides a bit more cover and security.

I took the opportunity to pay a visit to one of these streams. I have fished this brook several times but have not fished it much upstream. This day was to be different and upstream I went. The place was overgrown in some areas and very hard to fish, but other areas opened up quite nicely and I took advantage of it.

Large boulders provided me with some cover, and the pools and eddies seemed to all hold trout, willing trout. The day was awesome weather wise with warm and breezy conditions.

It was here that I hooked my first trout of the day. It was a feisty little brookie.

There were blackberries all over, I have to remember to bring a container next time.

This brook trout couldn't resist a stimulator.

I had several bright orange flanked brookies swipe at the fly in the faster water, a wonderful sight indeed.

Mini muddlers also worked this day.

Wild flowers along the way. These are as beautiful as the brook trout that call this stream home.

A pristine environment. I was delighted to be part of it. It was hard to call it a day.

Life is..........