Thanksgiving 2020

It has been a tough year, but I'm certain we all have something to be thankful for.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving ..

Easy times and fighting oaks....

Down this gentle slope in an area of little hassles lies a stream that has similar attributes. Along the banks there is almost a feeling of being on the 50 yard line in a football stadium. There are the usual blow downs and a briar or two but nothing like most streams I fish. Note to "me" why don't you fish it more often? Well I really don't know why but maybe that will change. The day was chilly with clouds and sun. A breeze at times made it feel colder. I find that being in my seventies chilly takes on a whole different meaning.

 

 

For a small stream this one has a lot of nice deep pools. And in these pools were many brook trout. They were  willing and the hookup ratio was great. There was also a good mix of smaller trout which is good for the future of the fishery.
 

Most of the brookies were like this. In good shape and prepared for the not so hospitable winter about to come.
 

A Futsu Kebari, I hope that's the name. I tie this fly in many colors and hackle variations and they all work well. This day the purple bodied one or perhaps "eggplant" bodied one got it done.
 

My, My..look how open. Even the boulders did not present a problem.
 

 

Remnants from the fall drop. Many of these oak leaves were taken that day. Water logged they fell like a brookie.
 

 

Soft hackle feathers ...Waterhen Bloa Variant

This is another post on various feathers used in tying North Country spiders and Soft Hackle flies. The feathers above are, top and bottom left California Quail and the tow on the right are hen feathers dyed light and dark dun. The two types of feathers are very good substitutes for the feathers from the waterhen. Waterhen is a difficult feather to obtain. And the price is somewhat high. The California Quail feathers were given to me and the hen feathers can be found in most fly shops and they are a bargain.

Below I have tied a progression showing the tying in of the California Quail hackle in the creation of the Waterhen Bloa, a North Country spider with a well known history.

 

 

The feather is prepared as such. The fibers are stroked away from the tip. The tip is then clipped to just a small wedge which is used to help anchor the hackle to the hook.
 

Here you can see how the hackle is tied in.
 

Here the hackle is being wrapped. This is where you need to take your time. Wrap three turns of hackle making sure each turn is in front of the previous one, this will prevent the hackle fibers from being trapped. When your done with the wraps then whip finish and the fly is complete.
 

The Waterhen Bloa variant.

The body is primrose silk thread loosely dubbed with natural mole fur. The hackle is a California Quail.
 

 

 

Frost on the pumpkin. And a buddy....

Good morning good people. This morning as I lifted the shade in the living room I saw another first of the season. There it was ice on the pond. I'm not certain but this maybe the earliest this had taken place in the twenty plus years we have lived here. I have plans of fishing today but I'll probably wait until the sun warms it up a bit.

I know my posts have a great deal of trout related stuff. Small Stream Reflections was started because of my love for all  things small streams. But there are other fish that live in small streams that I seek at times. Some of the fish live close with trout, and some don't. Some of these will at times dominate what I catch that day even though I had not planned it that way. There are times when I intend to catch one of non trout buddies, and sometimes that works out.

In the pool below you can see a perfect place to find a trout. There are also places in that pool that hold another favorite of mine.

 

The "redfin pickerel"...calls small streams home. This fish is one of my favorites. Many times I see him laying in the soft area of trout streams. He is extremely cautious and will dart away at record speed and totally vanish. He will take flies and will battle the hell out of you when caught. He does not get much bigger then the one pictured. A native fish he call's the same stream as brook trout home.

Good bread, good sauce and good sausage.....let's eat.