Some Firsts......2015

Good morning and welcome to 2015. Yesterday, New Years Day we held an annual tradition of meeting up at a small stream to do some fishing, talk fishing, compare flies, share some stories, and hopefully catch a fish. This meet up has been going since 2011 and most times it's the five of us, John, Pete, Kirk, Mark, and myself. This year John was absent do to illness, we missed you buddy.

We assembled at 10 and had a coffee while gearing up. The weather featured brilliant sunshine, cold temperatures and a kick ass wind from time to time. We then headed for the stream in search of a few brook trout. Working some of the likely places known to hold fish at this time of year we were not greeted to kindly. The fish were not in the mood to grant our requests.

Moving up we did not falter from our quest, and soon I was greeted with a tug. I was fishing a slow pool through some tough shelf ice. As the fly settled in just under the ice the brookie struck. Soon at hand was my first fish of 2015. A feisty brook trout was in the water at my foot. I lifted him up and a quick photo taken and back he went with a big "thank you".

We continued to fish and soon mark and Kirk were on the board with there first fish of the year. Kirk even had one rise several times to a Royal Wulff. I believe Pete had hits but was unable to bring one to hand. Pete aka "TROUT1" will be back at it today fishing the Farmington which is like his back yard and I'm sure I'll hear of the bruiser brown he tangled with. About 1 we all left for the cars and some hot lunch. On the menu was homemade chicken soup thanks to Mark and his wife. On a cold day there is nothing like soup to bring life back to ones body. We also enjoyed venison chili, and hot coffee and Italian pretzels, crackers, and tortilla chips. "It was a great day guys Thanks"

A likely holding spot....lets see if anybody's home.

Yes there is. My first brook trout of 2015.

Have you warmed up yet gents.

The last outing of 2014

Monday was the last outing of 2014. It's hard to believe the year is at end. I joined Kirk and Pete to fish a small stream. Kirk and I have fished it before and this was Pete's first time here. The weather was sunny and cold, not as cold as it's going to get in the next few days..still a great day to toss some flies. Coming to first long pool Pete, who is also known as "TROUT1" who is also known as the master of the bead head soft hackle cast the fly and was soon into a brookie. He stayed pretty much with that fly and was productive.

As we moved upstream both Kirk and I were given the opportunity to bring a few jewels to hand.

This stream has given up some fine fish. The health of these char is incredible. I have predicted that this stream will give up a 15 inch wild brook trout. One likely spot that may be home to such a brook trout is in the photo below. Several trout of about 12 inches have been spotted here. In the photo Pete is fishing the pool, with Kirk trying to figure out what fly they will take. The pool is quite deep with a dark rock ledge along the center. Pete so named this pool the "Black Hole"

Well I would like to wish all of you a safe and very "Happy New Year"

The Sun, the stream and other things.

A late December day. The sun was doing its thing making this angler feel pretty good. I am in the final stages of a cold and those few degrees of of warmth given by a bright sun made the day. All along the stream were signs of winter life. There are some beautiful greens along the brown forest bottom as well as a few animals who found me to be at times amusing, or perhaps a bit of an intrusion.

The water was crisp and flowing nicely. Ice has yet to form along the edges so walking was gentle. The fly to start was a Picket Pin. The choice was easy because it usually works, and it was already tied on from the last outing.

It did not take long for someone to take interest in the Pin. A splashy swipe, and a good hookup produced a feisty brookie.

While fishing a small pool I noticed movement along the bank. Upon further exploration a head appeared above a fallen tree. Several times this brown furry object popped up and down from various fallen debris along the stream, each time it was getting closer. Suddenly it made itself visible. It was a mink. He was beautiful with his hair wet and shinning in the sun. He gave me a close looking over and determined he did not care foe my being in his territory and left.

On a day as such a dry fly was going to get called into action. A bomber was chosen and sent on its mission. It was successful.

This stream has the prettiest brookies of all the streams I fish. The year is fast ending. I may have the opportunity to fish one more time before we bring in 2015.

"Epitome"

Brook trout fishing, brook trout fishing in New England in particular may mean tossing a fly into those famed rivers in Maine, or perhaps a back country spring fed pond in Vermont that has been held a secret to a few over the years. There are the large lakes of New Hampshire, and Massachusetts where trolling a fly will bring a bend in the rod. Rhode Island, while not know for their brook trout, as they are for stripped bass, do have a few beautiful brookie streams.

My native state of Connecticut is gifted with many streams that hold and sustain wild brook trout. The Farmington River while not a small stream does have wild population of brook trout. To me this is fine and well accepted. But  the "epitome" of wild brook trout fishing is a small freestone stream.

These streams have been flowing this way for years. They were dammed at one time or another, perhaps sustained a man made mishap, and natural disasters that are countless. Still they survive as do the brook trout that call them home. It is on these streams that you'll find me. As a matter of fact they will be my choice for almost all of my fishing. I believe this to be because I have never experienced a bad day on them, not meaning in terms of catching brookies, because there are skunks out there, but the whole small stream experience.

The "Ausable Bomber". This fly is the creation of Fran Betters. In the back of Frans mind I believe he created it for small streams and wild brookies. These "Bombers" were tied from materials from Frans shop. "Bombers" have taken brook trout in every month of the year. The "Bomber" is the "epitome" of a small stream fly.

A small stream that I fished Monday. The fly used was the "Bomber" Letting it work in pool, riffle and run. There were lots of brookies rising to it and even a few to hand.