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.

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.

Springtime brookies

I recently visited a local stream that has some beautiful small wild brook trout.  In the late afternoon there have been numerous caddis dropping their eggs and the fish have taken kindly to the EC caddis pattern.  They may be small, but to me they are one of the most beautiful fish to behold (and these pictures do not do them justice).

Easter browns

I went to a Class 1 stream today to see if the conditions had improved since I was last there (yesterday).  The water had dropped to a much more reasonable level and the fishing was a little bit better.  Three fish came to hand, all falling for wet flies.  Although there was some insect activity, the Ausable Bomber was ignored (and abandoned).  This was my second use of the ECHO Glass 6'9" 2wt and I am becoming very impressed with it.

2015's first fish

Yesterday 2015 was rung in with our customary New Year's Day fishing trip.  This year four of us were greeted with sub-freezing temperature and patches of ice on the stream.  Undaunted, we worked our way upstream and back, landing a few wild brookies along the way.  In spite of the cold it was a good time on the water.