A Year, Closing

As 2010 comes to a close I'll be posting some of the photos I've taken this year. While they maybe not the best photos I've taken they have a place in my mind and a memory or two going along with them. I hope you'll enjoy.

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A Broken Friend

In a post that I did in August about a fly rod that I believe to be the finest small stream rod ever made.
The Orvis Small Stream Special has been with me on little waters along the east, and has served me well.

Unfortunately on a previous outing I managed to break the tip. I felt bad about it and considered just retiering it to a place along the tying bench. I know about the warranty Orvis has on their rods so I brought the rod over to the Orvis Retail shop in Avon CT. That was a wonderful visit. Andy who was in the shop greeted me and my wife and asked if he could help. Explaining to him the trouble my rod was in. He took my info and proceeded to write up the repair order. The rod was placed in the tube and Andy assured me of its shipping to Orvis for repair. While in the shop we were invited to enjoy some hot apple cider, and listen to a group of women sing some wonderful songs. I believe that this is whats needed more of in this season as well as the rest of the year.

Well done Andy, and the staff at Orvis of Avon.

This is my broken friend.

A Small Stream , Yellow Palmers, And..........

I had tied this pattern,"Yellow Palmer" from Roger Lowe's book. I was dying for the opportunity to float a few, so yesterday I did just that. The air temp was in the mid forties with on and off sunshine. Taking the water temp I found it to be 42 degrees. The stream was clear with lots of leaf jams. I tied on the little Yellow Palmer and sent it drifting in one of the pools. It worked its way along for a while ever so slowly until it reached a twig of a larger branch that was submerged. As the fly hung there for a second or two the surface exploded, soon a beautiful brook trout came to hand.

The Yellow Palmer work that same way on quite a few trout that day. This is a fly that will be a delight to fish this spring and summer.

A small stream wild brook trout, and the Yellow Palmer

I encountered a hunter along the stream, he was about to take flight with his meal.

At home a hot cup of coffee and some pepper biscuits warmed me up very nicely.

"Orange Palmer"/ "Yellow Palmer"

These are two simple patterns from Roger Lowe's Smoky Mountain Fly Pattern Guide. They are easy to tie and look like they would work well on the small wild trout streams I fish.

This is the Orange Palmer
Hook, Mustad 94840
Thread, Orange
Tail, Golden Pheasant Tippet
Hackle, Brown, Grizzly
Body, Orange Dubbing

The Yellow Palmer
Hook, Mustad 94840
Thread, Black
Tail,
Grizzly and Brown Hackle Fibers
Hackle, Grizzly and Brown
Body, Yellow Dubbing