Red Brook

On Friday I had the great pleasure of stopping at Red Brook in Lyman Reserve (MA) and fishing for it's wild brook trout inhabitants.  Flowing directly into Buttermilk Bay, the brook is home to native sea-run brook trout (although a scale sample would be needed to prove that any of the fish that I caught had ever ventured into salt water).  I strongly recommend visiting this beautiful catch-and-release fishery and experience observing it's gorgeous residents first-hand.  It is unlike any stream that I have ever fished, having a sand bottom, streamside vegetation, beds of weeds and carefully placed logs providing cover for the fish.

http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/southeast-ma/lyman-reserve.html

The monkey is off my back!

Since I first experienced catching a carp last summer, I've been wanting to do it with a fly rod.  The handful of times that I pursued them with a fly proved to be futile.  One of the areas that I have waded on an number of occasions has had numerous fish, but they were always drifting slowly off the bottom and showing no interest in feeding.  I recently met RM Lytle (Connecticut Fly Angler) and he agreed to bring me to a couple of sites that he frequents.  After two failed attempts to get me connected with a carp in one of his favorite ponds, we went to a nearby lake that he also has had success fishing.  On my first visit there I had the opportunity to cast to a feeding fish, but it failed to produce a hook-up.  My second visit resulted in the chance to cast to two fish feeding on the surface (no response) and finally to one poking around the bottom searching for food (liberating small bubbles).  I roll-casted the fly to area where the bubbles were coming from, allowed it to settle and then withing seconds the line jumped and my first carp was hooked.  As anyone that pursues these creatures with a fly will tell you the battle is incredible.  I can't wait to catch number two (and three, and four.......).  Thank you RM.