Rainy day at Class 1 stream

Rather than wait until tomorrow's sunny but cooler weather, I decided to spend some time today in the light rain at a Class 1 stream.  Last night's rain had dirtied and raised the water somewhat, but the stream was really in good condition.  Every time I go there I seem to have a different experience, a fish caught in a different pool or using a different fly, and today was no exception.  While this trip was more productive than any thus far, six browns landed and gently released, I am still not catching any of the brookies that inhabit the stream.  I'm not sure why this is the case or what I am doing wrong, but I intend to keep trying.

Other fish that I am enamored with

Not only do I enjoy pursuing beautiful native trout, but I also have a fascination with koi.  I have a small backyard koi pond with five fish in it.  I also keep a 300 gallon quarantine tank running in my basement, which now houses one fish for the winter.  While the picture isn't great (no polarized filter), these are my two most valuable koi, in regard to price.  The top one is an Omosako showa, while the bottom is a Koda sanke.  This is another hobby of mine that can become an overwhelming obsession (and a real financial drain if one isn't careful).

Cool morning on a Class 1 stream

After waiting a couple of days for better weather, I headed to a Class 1 stream this morning to get a breath of fresh air and hopefully continue with my fall trout fishing education.  Initially I was having no luck, but with time I started to catch some fish.  I ultimately caught four browns using a Gartside Sparrow nymph (size 12), both dead-drifted and stripped slowly upstream.  I have become a big fan of this fly.

Is it me or is there just something inherently wrong with this?

I went to Talbot WMA today to fish.  When I got out of my truck I saw a pile of something in the woods, literally 50 or so feet from the sign.  I walked over to see what it was and was surprised to find that someone had dressed a deer at the parking area and left the carcass in the woods.  Not a pretty site.  Is it really acceptable (or legal) to clean a deer right at the parking area of a wildlife management area in this state?  For the record, I am not opposed to hunting.  I am, however, disgusted by the amount of garbage thrown into the woods (including this carcass) in some very beautiful rural areas in CT.  What is wrong with people?

While the fishing was not very exciting, it wasn't as ugly as the beginning of the trip.  I did catch one nice brown on a Gartside Sparrow nymph.

Fall colors

Roadside brook

Since I have become preoccupied with finding wild trout in unfrequented streams, I am compelled to stop and take a few casts whenever I see something with potential.  While driving to a stream that flows into the Salmon River I passed this small brook right along the road.  The brook flows over a series of waterfalls, down through a small ravine and then into a flatter section emptying into the Salmon.  While I did not find it to be crawling with fish, I did catch one small brookie and lost two others.  The stream has some nice pools that I would have thought contained fish, but I've had no luck in them.  Maybe next time.

First attempt at blue lining

After reading about the practice of blue lining, I sat down with a computer and searched for potential small streams to fish within a reasonable distance of my house in southeastern CT.  I chose this stream because of its location in a designated "open space" and the fact that it flowed into a well known river.  My guess paid off.  While it is quite small, there are many small native brookies in it.  I was also fortunate to trick one larger fish (bottom photo) with a picket pin after it swiped at but missed a muddler minnow (my comfort fly from my fly fishing beginnings).