Classic brook trout water

It is truly amazing where wild brook trout live.  This little guy and a good number of its buddies reside in the pool just downstream of this bridge.  It's a tiny brook, but home to many pint-sized wild brookies.  The one pictured was the biggest fish fooled by a small pumpkin head midge.

If you thought the last one was big....

This afternoon I returned to the small stream that produced the large wild brookie for me on New Year's day to see if there were any other residents willing to feed.  This time I started farther upstream where I know there are a few good pools that have produced for me in the past.  Nothing happened as I worked my way downstream until I got to the pool pictured below, situated right at the beginning of the first house one encounters along this beautiful little brook.  The fish struck my slowly retrieved Gartside sparrow somewhere between the two rocks.  To say that I was shocked by the size of what was at the other end of my line would be an understatement.  This may well be the largest wild brookie I've caught in CT.

The New Year's day fish.

Welcome back brookie

After spending a fishingless week in southern California, the cool morning weather was not going to stop me from getting back on the water.  Although the water level has dropped, I was able to admire two of this small stream's residents with a little patience.  The first was a colorful holdover stocker that I have now caught three times and in three different stretches of the stream (not pictured).  It's probably been there for a couple of years since it hasn't been stocked in ages.  The second was a beautiful wild brookie that fell for one of BRK TRT's dry flies while being stripped in (both pictures below).  The fish revealed it's presence to me by rising for something at the edge of the light foam at the tail of the pool.  It wasn't until I drifted the fly to the edge of the denser foam cover and began to retrieve it that the fish decided it was time to eat.  I'd gladly accept cold feet every time to catch and release unharmed a beautiful wild fish such as this one.

Thanksgiving brookies

I couldn't let Thanksgiving go by without a quick fishing trip.  I caught these three fish in the pool at the bridge, as well as one more downstream.  All rose for a small Ausable Bomber.  It's a very small stream. difficult to fish in some sections, but holds a number of beautiful wild brookies.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and with any luck gets to see some beautiful fish.

You never know

As Alan discussed on Small Stream Reflections, yesterday we went exploring at a stream that he had become aware of.  Unbeknownst to him, I had already visited it last year and found it lacking in trout activity.  In spite of this, we worked a good looking stretch that runs right next to a highway.  Expecting nothing, I was stunned to catch two brookies on a Picket Pin in one of the pools.  One of the fish, pictured below, was actually surprising large and in great shape.  It goes to show, you just never know (and I guess never conclude something is devoid of fish until you're absolutely certain).

Rain please

Our small streams are quite low and in need of fluid replenishment.  Although rain is in the forecast today, I'll believe it when I see it.  This small brook has some beautiful wild brookies in residence.  I got a number of strikes, but only the one pictured below was hooked, falling for a Picket Pin.

 

Fall fish

I was recently reminded by BRK TRT that an upstream stretch of a stream that we fish had become open to the public due to its presence in some land trust property.  Alan had fished the stretch and caught some very nice wild brookies.  A few weeks ago he and I went there and again caught some of its beautiful residents.  However, the water was very low and it seemed that mostly the smaller residents were willing to show themselves (my observation).  I returned yesterday, after a day of rain, and found that the water level had risen and the stream was in much better shape.  Using wet flies I was able to fool a few of the seemingly standard size small fish, but with a Picket Pin I was able to catch the beautiful brookie below (second picture).  I hope that this stream has many more residents this size (or even bigger).  Time will tell.