Just something I'd like to pass along...

Wow this is my third cup of coffee this morning and the webs are still hanging on. Hopefully I can still make an informative post.

Several weeks ago I received an e-mail from a gentleman who represents a company you are all probably familiar with. The company is Abel Quality Products. He offered me a fly reel for free and would send it to me with no strings attached. He had noticed the popularity of Small Stream Reflections, thanks to all of you, and said the reel would go well with the theme of the blog.

I received the reel in the mail the other day and was very impressed with it right out of the box. As you can see it's look is somewhat different from most fly reels, a look I find very appealing. The reel model is TR1, it has a black frame and gold spool with click and pawl drag. Both the frame and the spool are solid. The handle is wood, which I find very attractive. Its fit is precise and the finish superb. I do not know the weight of the reel but it feels good mounted to my 3wt glass rod.

I placed a 3wt line on it and lawn cast the set-up, it was a awesome feel.

Well the true test came yesterday when I took the reel for an on-stream test. This little reel passed with flying colors. I would like to thank Abel Reels and the gentleman who sent it to me.

"Salter Country"

This is the second post on the salter brook trout and their streams in southeast Massachusetts and Cape Cod. This trip was taken in early November and in the period of 3 days we covered a lot of ground, saw some magnificent beauty both along the streams as well as in them. I was able to experience some of the finest brook trout fishing in New England in an area that is full of American history. Some of these streams are not to far from where the first settlers of the new world enjoyed the first Thanksgiving. While turkey may have been on the menu, I'll bet that a few salter brook trout were. I could probably do a post a week on this incredible fishing experience, but that would perhaps be a bore..so I'll give you a few days worth. Join me as I walk the trails, streams, deer paths of "salter country".

Parts of these streams look like gauntlets of thorns, willows, and grasses, places where an angler could not fish. In these places there are deer runs and access is quite good. Casting can be achieved if one thinks it out before letting go.

The brook trout in these streams are always hungry.

Snow flakes, perhaps stars, one only needs to use their imagination.

A Cape Cod wild jewel.

This is why streamer patterns are so effective on these streams. These are herring fry, they are starting their migration back to the sea. We saw thousands of these 2-4 inch fish moving down this fish way.

Those herring fry are why salter brook trout of this size are in these streams. This fellow was taken in tidewater and battled with the tenacity of our Pilgrim ancestors.

I worked these streams for several days. I got scratched, ripped a shirt, soaked several pairs of shoes and socks and fell numerous times, all this to avoid wading in the streams.

He was not the biggest fish I brought to hand, but the most beautiful.

There are so many people and organizations I would like to thank for the work they have and continue to do to restore, protect, maintain and monitor these wonderful fish and the streams they call call home. Instead of doing that I'll direct you to an organization that can. The "Sea-Run Brook Trout Coalition".....there is a link at the bottom of this post.

"I felt like a turkey sandwich"

Yesterday I had a craving for a turkey sandwich. It was a cold blustery day and it's November. I could have gone to a deli and purchased some sliced turkey breast and been done....oh no.

I went to meat department and walked the case until I came to the section where fresh turkeys were featured and purchased a half turkey breast. At home I boned out the breast and set it aside. We always have some form of bread that has seen fresher days so I broke it up, placed it in a bowl, added some cooked onion, celery and seasonings, and added some broth to moisten and into the breast it went. Into a preheated 350 oven and a hour and a half out it came. Put it on a board sliced it and the best turkey sandwich was had.

There are some leftovers and they will go into another type of turkey sandwich. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, placed on hearty white bread, served hot.

Just some stuff...and a farewell.

In the Sept/Oct issue of Connecticut Wildlife there is a wonderful article about "fallfish". I have caught my share of these silver bullets while pursuing small stream trout. The article tells in detail the qualities of this fish and how it and confused with a couple of it's look a likes. It has very fine eating qualities having white firm flesh and has been referred to as a "miniture salmon". I would also add they will take your flies, wets, dries, streamers, and put a bend in you rod with gusto.

There are always informative articles on the fish of Connecticut in every issue..well worth the price.

A New Years Day tradition with a few of us has been to meet at a small stream and fish on the first day of the new year. There has been deer chili, chicken soup, sausage and peppers, donuts, coffee, and even some fishing. It's nice to get on the board the first day of the year.

Well gents it's getting close. Maybe we can start thinking about a location for New Years Day 2016.

Another loss. "Howie" rest in peace friend.