Some Warmth and Some Thanks

This flannel shirt hangs on the back of the chair at my tying desk. A flannel shirt that was purchased years ago for Christmas. It has kept me warm during many days on the stream and in the field. It has also provided comfort while lashing feathers and hair on countless flies.
A flannel shirt that rarely gets any thought until you feel a chill then it go's into action providing warmth and comfort. I'm happy to have this flannel shirt, and I'm glad I gave it some thought this 30 degree morning.




This is streamer I tied several years ago. It's name is "Rio Yaqui" and it takes the name from a river in Mexico that is home to a beautiful trout.
I'm doing this post because of several paintings, done recently by Joel DeJong and are seen on his blog "A YEAR ON THE FLY". They are wonderful watercolors of western trout. These beautiful trout live in southwestern U.S. and Mexico.
Stop by Joel's blog and see these fine paintings. Also check this link for more on these special trout.

http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/tnhc/fish/research/truchas_mexicanas/

"RIO YAQUI"


I also would like to pass along these links. They are a program that was broadcast on the "Rangeley Lakes". A bit of history about this wonderful place including Carrie Stevens and the Rangeley Streamer.
I would like to thank "DRYFLYGUY" for giving me these links.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r-video/29708489/detail.html

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/29708452/detail.html

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r-video/29708494/detail.html

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/29708491/detail.html

Pie and Worms

"Pork Pie"
This is a pie that I make as the holidays approach. I have been making these for years, a tradition. They are of French heritage, but I was given the recipe from a Russian, who used to work with me. They are delicious as is, or with applesauce, that's the way I like it.


These are some flies that I tied. They are to represent aquatic worms found in most streams. The one on the top tied with peacock herl proved deadly the other day on some wild browns. The others I have not tested.
They are simple patterns to tie and don't require a lot of materials.
The next time your fishing a small stream pick up some of the leaf debris on the bottom of the stream. You'll be surprised whats there.

November Browns

Yesterday I spent a few hours on a Class 1 wild trout stream. I have not fished this stream since the snow storm of a few weeks ago and was anxious to see how much damage was done. The stream holds both wild browns and brookies, and the browns predominate. As I walked into the stream the damage was easy to see. Trees and limbs scattered about, some of them very large.
Upon reaching the stream I observed some of the better pools had completely changed, and the familiar runs were gone. I said to myself I have a new stream to explore, and proceeded to do so.
The first fly I chose was a Bomber dry, this is a fly that always worked here even this late in the season. Well I gave this fly all the time it needed to bring a trout to the surface, and that did not happen. I changed to a Picket Pin wet and this produced one bump. This was going to be one of those days where I was going to do some hard walking and enjoying the stream and the woods. I say this because the flies that would have been a good bet,streamers, were in a box at home.
Looking at the choices I had I tied on a worm like, caddis like, I guess a bug that looked like it had a chance to fool one or two fish. The second drift as the fly started to sink the trout hit, and hit hard. A very respectable battle took place, and the TFO 2wt was tested and did its job. I held the brown, took a photo and sent it off, it was gone in a heartbeat.

As the day went on, I learned where the new trout lies where and had a wonderful day.

These were the flies that worked so well. Also a longer version with peacock tied in as legs. It was centipede like. I don't have a photo of it for I lost it, along with the three other flies. I'll tie a few up and post them later.

This was a good pool.

Beautiful wild browns. Nicely spotted and very aggressive.

You can see the other fly in the browns mouth.

This was a part of the stream that was so beautiful and peaceful. While taking in the view I was startled when a wind gust brought down a large branch.

Thanks friends.

Penn's Woods

This time of the year not only offers fine fishing for me, but also the anticipation of the whitetail deer season. My son and I have hunted this area of Pennsylvania for a quarter century and we have many fine memories. For those who never hunted deer, it is a very challenging quest, but one that has many rewards. The friendships that are made last lifetimes.
While the actual opening day is the Monday after Thanksgiving, several weeks before that day some scouting of the woods is necessary to see if there are deer in the area, especially bucks. Bucks leave distinctive markings, trees that marked by them show bark that has been rubbed of the tree. They also make scrapes in the dirt, these scrapes are used as mating signs. Since we hunt oak ridges, acorns and the abundance of them is also a good sign.
So with this preseason work and some luck we will be able to place a tag on a special gift..... a Pennsylvania whitetail.

Although I have never fished this lake it is one of the best. It produces a great variety of fish, including some nice trout.

The mountain ridges we'll be hunting. Every year they seem to get higher and rougher to climb.

I now find it easier to walk a half mile out of my way just to find a gentler slope to access the top.

A whitetail rub. By the size of the tree, this might be a good buck.

A whitetail scrape. This one is active, the ground was damp, this is hard to see from the photo, it was a windy day and the leaves were blown into it. Notice the sapling, it is well rubbed.

There are many little creeks running through, some containing brook trout. This is a favorite.

The Alpine....a favorite spot to stop. The best German smoked sausages, and provisions. Landjaeger.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE