http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/ fly fishing the Northeast Region USA en Fri, 18 May 2012 12:19:08 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/ http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9291-Another-Good-Night-for-the-5-Weight&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 03:53:10 GMT “What?” That was my wife’s response, delivered with no small amount of incredulity – or was it sympathy? – when I told her I was going fishing... “What?”

That was my wife’s response, delivered with no small amount of incredulity – or was it sympathy? – when I told her I was going fishing tonight. I really couldn’t blame her. After all, I had been travelling home from Florida all day. Now it was evening, and I was on a New Haven-bound Amtrak from Manhattan. I wouldn’t be home for another two hours, and then it’d be another two hours before I could leave.

But that’s OK. You get to used to the oddball treatment from people who don’t obsess over tide times, tide heights, moons, and river levels like you do. Even if you’re married to them.

I hadn’t fished in over a week, so I had it bad for some stripers. Tonight would be a perfect night for the five weight rod. Not too windy, and the prospect of a striper in the 15 pound class. I attached a fresh 30-pound test leader about eight feet long to the line, then tied on a Herr Blue Flatwing about 11” from nose to flash. Everything looked just right.

Not even a nighttime roadwork traffic jam could slow my spirits. I ended up getting there 10 minutes late. So what? The fish would still be around.

The current on the outgoing tide was moving along at a slow walking pace. In what little ambient light there was, I could see the intricate cake-frosting swirls of the eddies as they passed over the hidden bottom structure. I tried to guess the water temperature with my index finger. 58? 62? The thermometer said 59 degrees.

I began by working a deep little run between the rocks. Herring swirled near the surface right in front of me. I tried a few dead drifts, almost like high-stick nymphing, but there were no strikes. So I began to methodically walk down-current, greased line swinging the whole way.

The fish at this spot have a tendency to hit on or about my second mend, but forty minutes had gone by without a tap. The drill was comforting. Cast. Immediately throw an upstream mend. Then another. Let the fly swing around. Swim, pulse, and dance it in the current. A few short strips, then let it fall back. Even fishless, the presentation was pleasant and meditative. A glance at my watch showed it was well into the wee hours, and I was out here all by myself.

Except for her.

She took the fly as they often do on the greased line, slowly, with full confidence, inhaling the Herr Blue near the head, then turning back toward the bottom. I felt it as a sudden change in pressure on the line. Subtle, nuanced, yet distinctive from the unimpeded drift. No demonstrative WHACK! No explosion on the membrane between water and air. Not yet. I came fully tight to the line with a backward thrusting motion. The hook point found its seat in the corner of her mouth. Right where it’s supposed to be.

Now she becomes unhinged, tail thrashing at the surface. At first, I’m unsure how large the striper is, and I under-guesstimate her to be in the 24”class. She’s moving toward me, and I’m hand stripping her in. Once she reaches the edge of the sand bar and discovers she no longer has the comfort of depth, she lets me know that hand stripping will be ill advised. The fish begins her first run, taking the slack line out of my shooting basket through my thumb and forefinger at a jerky, frantic pace.

The drag protests as more line is peeled off. I ratchet things down a little tighter, and that stops her. Just to be sure, I re-set the hook. Line is regained, lost, and regained. She’s tantalizingly close now, about 20 feet out, but not quite done.

Her last defense is her undoing. To escape the shallows of the sand bar I’m standing on, she heads for the deepest nearby water, which happens to be upstream. Between the current and the pressure I put on her, she tires quickly.

As I cradle her in the water, I wonder how many herring she’d eaten that night? Our time is all too brief together, not only the fight, but the release as well. I don’t have her in the revival position for more than a few seconds before she thrusts out of my hands and melts away from the beam of my headlamp into the darkness.

I climb into bed at 4am. The birds are singing. I was, too. All the way home.

Miss Piggy poses for posterity. "Dang," she's thinking, "I really thought that was a herring."


A close-up of the fly, an 11" Herr Blue flatwing.
]]> CT SALT The Fisherman http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9291-Another-Good-Night-for-the-5-Weight http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9289-Breaking-6x&goto=newpost Tue, 15 May 2012 19:35:36 GMT So, I fished the hous last week in the rain and kept breaking my line tying on 6x. Tried double/triple surgeons and even a blood knot (which I don't use often and is particularly difficult with shivering hands). All of them seemed to break easier than normal. Even had a fish snap me off almost immediately and the fly was hanging in the current so I didn't even try and set the hook yet. Tried a second spool assuming the first was bad and same deal. Bought a new spool today to compare and same deal. Lubricating the knots when I tie them. Question is, how much tension do you guys apply when testing out a knot of 5x and down? Do you just give it a little tug or actually put a little muscle into it? I don't know why all of a sudden this is an issue. Never had a problem before. I have been eating a fair amount of spinach so maybe it's the popeye effect. ]]> General Gear jaybp30 http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9289-Breaking-6x http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9286-New-Plates&goto=newpost Sat, 12 May 2012 16:54:57 GMT Image: http://www.flyaddict.com/gallery/data/504/medium/Subaru_License_Plate.jpeg Jealous?


Jealous? ]]> General redsoxnrock http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9286-New-Plates http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9285-Women-and-Fly-Tying&goto=newpost Sat, 12 May 2012 15:40:57 GMT I thought this would interest some. http://streamers365.com/2012/05/selene-dumaine-on-what-a-catch/#comment-7290 Brk Trt I thought this would interest some.


http://streamers365.com/2012/05/sele.../#comment-7290


Brk Trt ]]> General Fly and Fly Tying BRK TRT http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9285-Women-and-Fly-Tying http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9284-Anything-Doing-at-the-Mouth-of-the-Housie&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 17:55:02 GMT Was looking to take a ride down to the mouth of the river anything doing? Havent heard much of a peep ? Rob Was looking to take a ride down to the mouth of the river anything doing?
Havent heard much of a peep ?

Rob ]]> CT SALT ct_fisher http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9284-Anything-Doing-at-the-Mouth-of-the-Housie http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9281-Sage-00-and-000-rods&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 23:22:28 GMT I would like to know if anyone has used the Sage 00 and/or 000 lite rods. Can you use a nymph with them or are they strictly dry fly? Are they fun to... I would like to know if anyone has used the Sage 00 and/or 000 lite rods. Can you use a nymph with them or are they strictly dry fly? Are they fun to use on small streams and more importantly, are they worth the money?

Any information would be greatly appreciated. ]]> General Ruby River http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9281-Sage-00-and-000-rods http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9280-Steve-The-Fisherman-s-2012-Article-in-Flyfishing-and-Tying-Journal&goto=newpost Wed, 09 May 2012 20:55:28 GMT Check out Steve's article in Flyfishing and Tying Journal (summer 2012) on wet flies. ]]> General Todd K http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9280-Steve-The-Fisherman-s-2012-Article-in-Flyfishing-and-Tying-Journal http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9279-Connecticut-weekly-diadromous-fish-report&goto=newpost Wed, 09 May 2012 19:11:07 GMT http://www.ctriversalmon.org/runs_2012/5-8-12.pdf Check out the size and shape of the sea run brown in the above report. Imagine a huge run of... http://www.ctriversalmon.org/runs_2012/5-8-12.pdf

Check out the size and shape of the sea run brown in the above report. Imagine a huge run of these running the CT. River and its tribs. Also check out the nice rainbow that got caught on camera during its journey. ]]> Conservation/Biological Gary http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9279-Connecticut-weekly-diadromous-fish-report http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9278-Voucher-for-stripers&goto=newpost Wed, 09 May 2012 19:00:00 GMT 2012 BONUS STRIPED BASS PROGRAM
 In 2012 DEEP is issuing free vouchers to anglers fishing
Connecticut waters (both Inland and Marine) to take
4,025 striped bass in a size range (at least 22 inches in
length but shorter than 28 inches) below the current
recreational minimum length for stripers in CT.
 Each voucher allows the angler to keep one “bonus”
striper and can be used anywhere on Connecticut waters.
The vouchers are valid through June 30, 2012.
 Vouchers can be obtained at the same DEEP Offices
where licenses are sold from DEEP Environmental
Conservation (EnCon) Police Officers,Riverfront
Recapture Rangers and a number of tackle vendors and
town halls where licenses are available (for a complete
list, see link below).
 Anglers can obtain two vouchers per day and use a
maximum of two vouchers per day to keep “bonus” fish.
 Use of these vouchers does not affect an angler’s ability
to keep their regular daily limit of striped bass. Each
angler participating in the program can also keep up to
two striped bass a day, 28 inches or larger in total length.
For more information, visit: HUwww.ct.gov/deep/fishingU
or call: 860-424-3474 or 860-434-6043.. ]]> CT SALT Gary http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9278-Voucher-for-stripers http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9275-Many-creatures-stirring&goto=newpost Tue, 08 May 2012 19:53:14 GMT ; but only a few bass on them in a salt pond last night. I got tight once and Tim landed his. ; but only a few bass on them in a salt pond last night. I got tight once and Tim landed his. ]]> R.I. SALT Peter Jenkins http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9275-Many-creatures-stirring http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9274-8-ft-Rowboat&goto=newpost Tue, 08 May 2012 19:41:25 GMT This boat was given to me for free so I thought I'd pass it on.......no leaks, could use a new paint job. PM me for more info ]]> Equipment Sales/Trades flygirl http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9274-8-ft-Rowboat http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9273-Fishing-in-the-morning-question&goto=newpost Tue, 08 May 2012 13:44:42 GMT So I am not exactly the morning fisherman type. I generally fish evening hatches till i can't see anymore then try to wade in the dark back to my car. But i have kind of figured out the evening routine.

Around hatch thirty start with emergers, then go to dunns. Wait a bit maybe fish dunns again or throw on a egg laying pattern and finish with spinners till i can't see. That has been my flow give or take and it seems to work well for the evenings.


But let's say i was able to overcome my ability to want sleep and actually got up early to go fishing. I do after all coach my sons hockey team, and we have some early practices and games and i am not unable to get up. I just generally am so glad when the hockey seasons ends that i can sleep in on weekends i do so out of principle. (This weekend was actually his last game).


I assume the cylce is the same after all it is the mayfly life cycle. But my questions are more around when does it start? I prefer to fish drys. Do the emergers begin at daylight, before, after? Is first light as productive as twilight is (or has been for me)? Just in general i would really apreciate your observations on the difference of fishing in the morning vs the evening. Like is it essential to be there at first light. My assumption would be that the warmer the weather gets the hatches get closer to the coolness of the dark but i don't know. ]]> General peconic http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9273-Fishing-in-the-morning-question http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9270-New-England-Spey-Clave-THANKS&goto=newpost Tue, 08 May 2012 00:24:33 GMT Many thanks to the FRAA for being a sponsor for the first NESC. Without the support from the FRAA it would not have happened. Thanks also to Todd... Many thanks to the FRAA for being a sponsor for the first NESC. Without the support from the FRAA it would not have happened.
Thanks also to Todd and Andy :rockon:for helping out during the day.

Kurt J. counted over 100 people at one point during the day which is pretty good for a first time event. The sponsors were happy and very busy. The Compleat Angler provided lunch and it was delicious!

We have had some positive feedback and suggestions for next year folks - that's right. NESC #2 is already in the planning stages.





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[IMG][/IMG] ]]> General Ruby River http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9270-New-England-Spey-Clave-THANKS http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9269-Delaware-Guide-recommendation&goto=newpost Mon, 07 May 2012 16:35:16 GMT Can anyone recommend a good guide on the big D? my pops is retiring this year and i want to get him a day on a drift boat on the Deleware as a... Can anyone recommend a good guide on the big D? my pops is retiring this year and i want to get him a day on a drift boat on the Deleware as a present. thanks ]]> General dlaffin1 http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9269-Delaware-Guide-recommendation http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9264-Skin-on-Frame-Kayaks&goto=newpost Mon, 07 May 2012 02:08:32 GMT Has anyone had experience with or built a skin on frame kayak? I'm thinking about making it a summer project and wanted to see if anyone had advice on plans/materials before I get started.

Thanks,
Billy ]]> Small Water Craft redsoxnrock http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9264-Skin-on-Frame-Kayaks