The "Wheatley" and....

Several years ago I was gifted a Wheatley fly box for Christmas. It's made of aluminum and has metal clips to hold various sizes of flies. I use the box to carry wet flies, spiders, flymphs and small streamers. The metal clips hold the flies very well and I have not noticed any damage to the hackles or any rust. The box being aluminum it is quite strong, and even though I have dropped it several times there is not a dent on it. Another feature of this box is that it has holes in various places which allows for the drying of the flies after use. The box holds about 80 flies which is more than ample even on streams with the most selective of trout. The box fits nicely in any shirt pocket as well as my small pack.

What I'm most happy about the Wheatley is the fact that it will someday be passed along to one of my family members. A heirloom that no one can fix a price on. The stories that may be told of the flies, fishing and places the Wheatley has been will be cherished by those who will hold the Wheatley.

I received an email yesterday from a reader. And I thought I'd express what I feel. The thought was that rock walls were safer than old rusty barbed wire. I believe his words were "barbed wire just rusts" but "stone walls age with character"....this stone wall runs along side of a stream I frequent. I often will sit here and just let my mind wander. No particulars just let it happen. Fifteen minutes of quiet and the world is a better place....what say you.

A Hazard And A good Outcome....all in a day of a small stream angler

What a lovely walk, pines, hemlock, oaks and all of those fragrant smells of the forest that can intoxicate. Such was that day when I chose to fish this wooded stream. I really love days when I can fish and the only things I encounter are natural, and wild. The area in which this stream flows is a some what popular hike for some folks but at this time of year not many use it.

The stream is lined with laurel in some places and in other areas it's pretty open.

It did not take long for the brookies to find my offering. This male fought like Mike Tyson as I was bringing him in. Tough guy who had some impressive scarring along his sides.

Connecticut was once a big farming state. Much of the land is now back where it belongs...woods, woods and more woods. Along the stream there are remnants of old farms and lots of barbed wire. Most times I see it and avoid it. This day it was not in my sight. I stepped off the bank and into a deep hole. As my body slipped I fell back and my hand and fingers found the barbed wire. I composed myself and then realized I had been injured.

There were two fingers that were ripped open and the bleeding was profuse. My option was to get back to the car where I could tend to the wound. So as I walked the finger kept bleeding. The walk was not to long and soon I was at the car. I had all that was necessary to treat and bandage to wound.

I went back and continued fishing.

I'm happy to say that a week later and the fingers are doing well.

North Country Spiders

I had the desire to tie up a few North Country Spiders last night. So with "The Three Pickers" CD playing I got out the silk threads some hackle and tied up some classics. These flies are incredible, such a delight to tie and fish. So little material and so much fish catching capability. I get so much pleasure in tying a fly that has been around for over a century, actually longer. Using silk thread adds so much to these simple flies. Along with the sparse hackle there is a simple elegance to the final product.

The Partridge and Orange. This is probably the most recognized of the North Country Spiders. It is one of the flies that can still be found most everywhere.

The Purple Dun. This spider is not likely to be found in fly shop bins. But may soon be a favorite of some.

Enhancements That Pay Big Dividends

Over the last few years the State of Connecticut has been replacing culverts that flow under paved roads. The replacements were done because of the need to prevent the roads from being washed away in times of heavy rains. A plus of these necessary replacements is the fact that the state has used fish friendly culverts. I have seen several styles of these culverts and all seem to have accomplished what they were designed to do. One such culvert replacement is on a small stream that flows through a big piece of state land. I first noticed the stream many years ago when I hunted the land. Where the stream flowed under the road was a disaster for fish passage. The culvert was at least a foot high. The pool it created was deep but that was as far as the brook trout could go.

So about three years ago that useless culvert was replaced with the fish friendly one. It opened up the stream to some beautiful habitat for brook trout.

I poked around that stream recently and was thrilled with what I saw. There were brook trout darting about. These fish were small but they were there. Now I really don't think a 10 inch brookie will be caught here but that is not the point and that point is they are here in whatever size that may be. They are survivors and a necessary part of our heritage.

This was one of several I hooked that day. He was the only one that came to hand.