http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/ fly fishing the Northeast Region USA en Thu, 23 May 2013 01:22:44 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/ http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9912-Son-fly-fishing-for-the-first-time&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 17:20:38 GMT We were at Eastbury Pond in Glastonbury; Sam caught a Sunny and had fun :biggrin: http://youtu.be/sd9RWu-nByQ We were at Eastbury Pond in Glastonbury; Sam caught a Sunny and had fun :biggrin:

]]> General Drewcastic http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9912-Son-fly-fishing-for-the-first-time http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9909-Nest-of-Dirty-Birds&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 14:09:00 GMT Well, my wife's aunt canceled dinner last night, so my wife and the baby thought it was a good night for a family dinner at home...and there went the fishing plans...

Oh well...it made me realize I should keep a night fishing kit in the car at all times. Hopefully it'll get used tonight after rehearsal. Plus, I had time to tie a couple others to test out

Poppa Bird is about 6" w/two articulations

Mama is a TMC 700 sz. 2

Baby Bird is a TMC 700 sz. 8

Now I need a new ringneck pheasant skin

]]> Fresh Water Patterns pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9909-Nest-of-Dirty-Birds http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9908-LW-s-Periodical-Cicada&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:11 GMT Just a simple foam tie I got off of Loren Williams's site. I hope this hatch is fishable and I'm able to partake!

http://www.lorenwflyfishes.com/tutor...iodical-cicada

]]> Fresh Water Patterns pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9908-LW-s-Periodical-Cicada http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9907-Cicada-Streamer&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 13:39:38 GMT Tied it as a streamer.
Dead drifted it should ride just below surface in moving water.
Can't wait for these things to appear now so I can try it out!
I'll get recipe up later on here & on blog, off to work.
PS. Left the thing on the window sill over the kitchen sink, the wife is gonna freak! :)

]]> Fresh Water Patterns Apache Trout http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9907-Cicada-Streamer http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9905-Dirty-Bird&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 16:16:20 GMT I used one of my favorite flies, the Gartside Sparrow, as a jumping off point for this. It's very Sparrow-like, but enlarged and with some extra stuff. I can see an articulated Dirty Bird going into my streamer box in the very near future. Hopefully this will bring some fish to net tonight if everything goes according to plan...

Tied on a sz. 2 TMC 700


]]> Fresh Water Patterns pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9905-Dirty-Bird http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9895-Snaeldas&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 13:49:07 GMT Here are three color schemes of a popular tube fly from Iceland. In a span of two weeks last season, I went from catching smallies close to home, to... Here are three color schemes of a popular tube fly from Iceland. In a span of two weeks last season, I went from catching smallies close to home, to a sea-liced Kola springer on the same fly. My last broodstock salmon last year took one a little bigger than these. Also had some landlocked salmon action on one. Good fly, though deceptively difficult to tie. My first bunch always fell apart. I think I finally figured out how to make them durable, but it took a lot of tries and experimentation.

My buddy found a blue Snaelda in the Pomperaug a few years back. What on earth was it doing there??

Tied on 1/2" copper tubes from the art supply store

]]> Fresh Water Patterns pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9895-Snaeldas http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9894-Copper-John-w-rubber-legs&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 13:04:35 GMT I'm not sure why I tied this. I hadn't tied a CJ in years and it seemed like good way to pass a little bit of time. I wanted to try this fairly large, heavy nymph at a stream which has a healthy push of water this time of year, but I guess that's gonna have to wait until we get some rain. Sorry for the poor iPhone pic...

]]> Fresh Water Patterns pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9894-Copper-John-w-rubber-legs http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9893-How-long-do-you-let-a-hole-settle-down&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 03:40:03 GMT Sorry if this is a re-post from an old thread, but I'm wondering how long some of you guys let a pool settle after landing a fish out of it. I recently ran into some amazing wild rainbow fishing in the Northeast Kingdom, and found a ton of pools holding many rainbows in it(very shallow pools in some cases, 2-4 ft deep). Of course after landing or even picking a fish in the pool, they'd all spook.

Would you guys say these fish are spooked for minutes, hours, half the day? Or even all day? How long do you think it takes for a fish to forget about being spooked? Maybe it depends on the location or water level, but it seemed like the fish never really settled after one got spooked, or maybe we didn't let the pool settle long enough? It's hard to wait longer than maybe 20 minutes when you know there are a dozen huge rainbows in the pool in front of you!

I stayed behind the fish as much as possible and moved as slow as I could, so I doubt they saw me or my friend, probably just my fly line and the fish making runs all over the pool.

What's your take on the subject? ]]> General Matt http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9893-How-long-do-you-let-a-hole-settle-down http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9892-A-book-about-insects-in-VT&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 03:35:03 GMT So, I'll admit I know very little about the aquatic life in my river systems here in VT, nor am I much of a book reader (mostly online reading instead of paper) I'm looking to buy a book all about what kind of aquatic bugs can be found in VT, especially where, when etc etc. Or even an e-book of sorts? I'd love to learn things like life cycles, how temperatures and time of the year affects hatches, triggers for hatches...sizes of all of these etc etc. Anyone know a book I can buy where I'd be able to find these things out? Or is anyone up for some general lessons on aquatic lifecycles in VT?! :lol:

Thanks in advance. ]]> Fly Fishing Literature and Film Matt http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9892-A-book-about-insects-in-VT http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9891-streamers&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 01:38:47 GMT I've had the ability to do a lot more fishing early this year than over the past few seasons, and as a result, I've had the opportunity to do some experimentation...it's much easier to experiment when you have say 10 hours to fish on any given week than 2.

Over the past years, I've grown fond of nymphing, to the extent that that's about all I did last year...anyway, this year, I've done nymphs, dries, and soft hackles, all of which have produced above average results for me. Then the other night i decided to go the streamer route. I realized I really suck at streamers. I'm a chucker and ducker...and primarily a wooly bugger. But it occurred to me...I've got a big old expensive 7wt gathering dust in the basement...Does anybody have any ideas about how I might be able to put this rod to better use with streamers? Sure, I guess I can go the wooly bugger route....but heck, why not experiment a bit...I'm looking for some ideas for big flies...line types....and types of water to fish (for me that's the farmington or housatonic). Seems like we talk a lot about other techniques, sometimes it seems like streamer fishing gets neglected in favor of the day's newest nymphing rage.

thoughts anyone? Huge size 2's? Intermediate Line? Sinking Tip? Pools vs. Runs or Riffles? ]]> Tips, Tricks, and Techniques Riffle http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9891-streamers http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9889-Fly-tying-materials&goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 01:09:01 GMT What are some tying materials you could not. Do without? Mine are hares ears and Turku tails. With those two items and a ages others like deer hair I... What are some tying materials you could not. Do without? Mine are hares ears and Turku tails. With those two items and a ages others like deer hair I could tie almost all the flies I fish with ]]> GENERAL red http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9889-Fly-tying-materials http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9888-A-Week-In-The-Life&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 22:20:52 GMT Striper fishing requires a special kind of patience. They can be there one night and gone the next, and be back the night after that. You just have... Striper fishing requires a special kind of patience. They can be there one night and gone the next, and be back the night after that. You just have to keep going and you will be rewarded.
Last Monday morning I got up early, very early and head out to catch the end of the outgoing tide before sunrise. When I got to the water I was a bit disappointed to see that the current had gone slack (it was a good hour and a half to dead low). Since there was no current I decided to fish my 10wt because I was sure it was in the trunk of the car. Unfortunately it was my 4wt and the only other rod I had with me was the 13’ two hander so that was the rod of choice.
Spey casting with no current is a bit of a pain. It’s not impossible, but it’s less than the most efficient way to cast. Since there was no current, cast and strip was the only way to keep my fly from getting hung up on the rocks in this shallow spot. There were some herring about but there didn’t seem to be any bass willing to take a fly. I stuck it out until 5:30 AM and called it quits.
Now I was not about to get discouraged by one bad outing. After all, the striper fishing so far this spring has been so good it felt like the good old days. So Tuesday I redoubled my efforts. The low tide was an hour later and I got on the water an hour earlier at 3AM. My hope was that there would be more current earlier in the tide, and I was right. I got to the water and the current was moving pretty good. “Open for business” I thought to myself as I carefully waded over the slippery rocks to my spot. The stronger current made it easy to Spey cast and swing my fly across the channel. The herring were around, but still no bass. Eventually the current just stalled and the water was a pond like the day before. I bagged it just before sunrise even though there was still some outgoing tide left.
It was time to regroup and come up with plan B. Wednesday evening I went back to the same spot, but this time on the incoming tide. Long story short, no stripers on the incoming either.
Thursday I took the day off from fishing to rest up and get ready to hit it hard over the weekend.
Friday I did the day shift at a spot where one can catch large stripers during broad daylight during the herring run. The tide was coming in, and with, wave after wave of herring. At the first couple of spots I fished I had absolute solitude, just me and the herring. Three hours of fishing and not so much as a bite. I went to a third spot, but unfortunately there were already a half dozen anglers there. I suppose I could have squeezed in somewhere, but I decided not to, especially since somebody was already standing in the spot I wanted to fish. As I was leaving I saw a guy land a bass that was easily 40 inches. I was tempted to stay but decided not to.
Saturday I decided to fish another spot. The tide wasn’t great with dead low being right around dusk. I would prefer low tide to be at least an hour after dark at this spot, but if you don’t go, you don’t know, and after four straight skunks I was itching to feel that tug. Well I would have to wait. Right at dead low two guys with spinning rods hooked up simultaneously but nothing for me. I stayed and fished the through the first hour of incoming without a bite.
Sunday was similarly dead, even with low being an hour after dark. Fished an hour on either side of the low. Very few bait fish around.
I was not deterred by lack of recent success. Monday at dusk I returned to the same spot I had been fishing over the weekend. At first it seemed like the magic was back. Herring were splashing about without a care because mister striper was surely not there. An hour later and still no signs of the striped ones. Then out of nowhere I felt that familiar building pressure of a bass taking the fly on the swing. I hadn’t felt a bite in so long that it took me a few seconds to actually believe what was happening. I was tight to a nice keeper sized bass. The last 45 minutes of tide produced three more bass in the 28 to 29 inch range. The bass had the herring pushed up into the shallows behind where I was standing. I could see their backs as they swirled near the surface. Most of my takes were right along the drop off as the bass cruised on and off the flat.
Tuesday night I was joined by Jon, Todd, and Steve. Misery loves company. Four anglers, four skunks. There were noticeably less herring.
Last night there was a good three hours of outgoing tide after sunset. I decided to start out at a different spot. As I was rigging up several other guys were leaving. The report was all the same-dead. I gave it a go for an hour and a half. Very few herring and no bass. At 9:30 I packed up and headed elsewhere. I was in the firing position by 9:40 PM and hoping for a change of luck. I didn’t see any signs of herring here either. Could this be the end? They should be leaving in the next few weeks anyway. I was on the water for a good 20 minutes and then I felt the solid whack of a good fish. I hand stripped the fish in close in short order. The bass didn’t feel big, but when I got it closer to the rocks it really started to slug it out. The fish hugged the bottom in the deep cut and shook back and forth. Every so often I would get a short run. I played tug of war with this fish for a few minutes before I was able to get it up to the surface. I could tell this was a decent fish when I got my first look at it. I landed it and took a quick measure-32” and fat as a football.
I kept at it for a bit longer and got no other action. I moved to a spot a bit downstream and I got a short strike about a half hour before dead low. It looked like that was it. When the tide hit dead low I decided that would be my hard stop for the night. I began to carefully wade back to shore as I reeled my line in. As I was walking I saw a quick swirl on the surface about 20 feet below me and maybe three feet out. I flicked the head of my fly line out and the fly drifted about two feet after it hit the water. The bass took the fly with the subtlety of a freight train. The fish was quick to the reel. After a short battle I was able to land another beautifully fat keeper bass. After I released that last fish I was tempted to prolong my stay. I made a dozen or so more casts before deciding that I really didn’t need to stay out past midnight on a work night.
So there you have it. Striper fishing is a game of numbers. Sometimes the fish are there, sometimes they are not. You just have to keep at it. It took me nine trips to get a half dozen bass. I’m guessing I spent a good 18 to 20 hours on the water over that time period. My efforts were rewarded with some good fish. Time on the water and tight lines. ]]> CT SALT flyrodder http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9888-A-Week-In-The-Life http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9885-Moves-Like-Falkus&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 13:29:07 GMT Hugh Falkus was like the Don when I was learning to fly fish. In one of his films, he meets up with the actor Michael Hordern (the voice of... Hugh Falkus was like the Don when I was learning to fly fish. In one of his films, he meets up with the actor Michael Hordern (the voice of Paddington Bear) to fish for sea-trout in North-West England. In one palpable scene they sit patiently to wait for the sun to leave the water, to be ready for darkness and the "magic time" when these trout start to move. You can almost feel their impatience to cast, but they hold back.

It was dead when I arrived at the salt marsh last night. The tide was well on its way out and at eight-thirty o' the clock the sun was still on the water. It was light late last night. And I knew it was dead within a minute, because this is the kind of skinny water where catchable fish show themselves, often in numbers, slashing and gulping bait at the outflow channel. I made some practice casts to no fish, which were most obliging, then walked inland to a secondary funnel to see if no fish were there too. You know the places. There are a thousand along the CT coast - bridges that compress water and bait. Striper hang-outs, basically.

The water was glass calm, but I made some more casts because I was there. It was mildly educational to recalibrate the length of my casts to the fly-catching Fragmites on the far bank; the plus side to the bright gloaming. But these are the excuses we make when we know we're wasting time, and I perched myself on a rock at water's edge, smoked a cigar and pretended I was having the most fun listening to the spring evening, watching the moon rise, and sending insulting texts to my house-bound friends. Too lazy to haul myself home, is the truth.

The first bait-inhaling pop of a striper no more than 15 feet away confirmed my angling genius for cleverly biding my time. Where there had been nothing, in the next five minutes every bass in the neighborhood joined the feast and I moved into position to do some proper fishing. A 16"er on my first cast was followed by a 25" and a few more smaller fish, all by dapping 10' of fly line to a floating shrimp. No monsters, but it's all relative in skinny water. I caught or hooked most of the rises I covered, settling down after each fish to rest the water and await the next customer. It's rarely as predictable at this spot, and sometimes the bass are fussy to the point of refusal, but last night they ate, my patience rewarded.

Walking out through the mud I thought of the Falkus film and the way it should be done, and how it means more to me to be fortunate than to be right.


English Jonny's calculated patience pays off


The film that stirred the memory is worth a look, if you haven't already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNiAshQiAG4


Tight lines,

Jonny ]]> CT SALT Jon http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9885-Moves-Like-Falkus http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9884-This-bears-repeating&goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 19:43:12 GMT For the most part, moderating flyaddict is a pretty easy gig. But, like in The Godfather, every few years we go to the mattresses. All humor aside,... For the most part, moderating flyaddict is a pretty easy gig. But, like in The Godfather, every few years we go to the mattresses. All humor aside, there are three things that bear repeating:

1) You don't have to like our posting policies. You just have to follow them.

2) From time to time, we will edit a post. If this happens to you, try not to get too bent out of shape. Even professional writers have their stuff edited.

3) Abusive, aggressive or threatening language directed toward a flyaddict staff member (including PMs) WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

And to the lion's share of our members who don't need to have this repeated, we thank you. :-)

The Flyaddict.com Staff ]]> ***PLEASE READ FIRST*** The Fisherman http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9884-This-bears-repeating http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9881-WTMA-Classification-questions&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 14:07:12 GMT How often are current WTMAs assessed for wild trout stocks? Also, what would it take to get new streams classified as WTMAs? I fish a class 3 stream... How often are current WTMAs assessed for wild trout stocks? Also, what would it take to get new streams classified as WTMAs? I fish a class 3 stream every so often, but I have never found too many wild trout. Conversely, there's at least one (stocked) stream I fish which is not classified as a WTMA of any kind, but has a very healthy population of wild browns...I would say that it has many times the wild fish than the class 3 stream I mentioned, though the class 3 stream has brookies whereas the other does not (that I am aware of, at least). There are three other streams that immediately come to mind as wild brown destinations, but none are WTMAs. Does the fact that one stream holds native trout make it more likely to be classified as a WTMA?

Philosophical question...might it be a bad thing these other streams get WTMA classification? On one hand, they might benefit from more strict regulation, but do you think it might draw to much attention to themselves if they became classified as a WTMA? I really have no answer to this question, but am curious about what people think.

(I'm keeping this thread as vague as possible so as not to burn anyone's spots, my own included) ]]> General pork http://www.flyaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?9881-WTMA-Classification-questions