Summer Fishing

CFFCM Summerfest 2018 – Plan B

August 5, 2018 by Leigh 4 Comments

The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum’s Summerfest is always a great way to spend a day or two in late summer. The property has a field filled people casting, fly fishing vendors and those who just want to enjoy a day outside in the Catskills. There are a number of programs and events. CFFCM also has a museum and art gallery/event center.

I’ve been a few times and written about it before. Here are a few of my past CFFCM Summerfest posts:

Catskills Fly Fishing Center & Museum Summerfest 2015

Catskill Museum of Fly Fishing Summerfest

A Day in the Catskills with Walt from Rivertop Rambles

The museum has plenty of items on exhibit, including flies, rods, books, signs and other related items.

There’s also an adjacent space that pays tribute to Lee & Joan Wulff. Joan is still involved with the museum, and on occasion gives casting lessons.

Every time I visit there is something new to see. This year a Gyotaku exhibit caught my eye.

It has almost become an annual pilgrimage, usually topped off with some end of day fishing with my friend Walt Franklin and his wife Leighanne. Walt writes the blog RiverTop Rambles, which I would recommend adding to your reading list.

Unfortunately, this was not going to be a fishing trip. Rains came thru the night before, leaving most of the rivers, including the Willowemoc, the color and consistency of chocolate milk.

In essence, the fishing license I purchased for the trip was little more than a contribution to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

So with a couple of hours on our hands before we headed in opposite directions, we discussed what the best non-fishing options might be. We were also pretty hungry and thirsty.

The Roscoe Beer Company turned out to be a great Plan B.

Not too far from CFFCM, Roscoe Beer Co. is pet-friendly, and has a good bar menu for hungry anglers. They have several craft beers on tap. The growler of stout went down nicely while we had lunch on the back lawn and caught up.

In addition to blogging, Walt is a gifted writer. I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of his latest book, Streamwalker’s Journey. The essays in Streamwalker’s Journey are a celebration of the fly fishing life, with a focus on the triple divide of watersheds in north-central PA and upstate New York. His books are listed on the Rivertop Rambles web site, and I’ve always enjoyed his writing.

So how do I judge a good trip these days? See the pic below. Tippet had a full day of sightseeing and making new friends. It was a quiet ride home.

Hope your summer includes some opportunities to get out and share fly fishing with others. Enjoy!

Nothin’ But Gnat – An Evening On The Housatonic

June 8, 2018 by Leigh Leave a Comment

My first trip of the year to the Housatonic River is a mix of anticipation and trepidation. The hour long ride through northwest Connecticut is relaxing, and the back roads remind me what a beautiful state this is. The scenery becomes lush and canopied, and the car’s outside temperature gauge drops by a few degrees. For the last few miles, the road parallels the river, adding to the beauty and the temptation. On days when I am unable to fish, I sometimes take my motorcycle along the same route.

Stepping out of the car onto the dirt parking area, the air is crisp and filled with the scent of local flowers. You can feel the mist of the river. Aside from the river sounds it is peacefully quiet – a much appreciated benefit after a long week.

And while I usually wait until late spring, when the water flow and air temps are reasonable, it doesn’t always translate into a fish catching expedition. Tonight I was in luck. The thermometer read high 60’s, light winds successfully carried a sulphur hatch, and I was greeted by hungry brown trout, compliments of the state’s stocking program.

Stepping into waist-deep water, sporadic rises surrounded me. I tied on the small yellow and white dry fly and proceeded to catch about a dozen 12″ – 14″ brown trout over the 2-hour session, all eager for my pattern.

This was truly a one-fly night. All fish were caught on this sulphur gnat pattern, the same one I teach in my beginner fly tying class. I want to than Jim Misiura for this pattern, and encourage you to follow his channel on YouTube.

Best of all, I had the water to myself for the entire time. An increasing rarity as the weather becomes more favorable.

I look at the picture below much like a kid walking through the gates leaving Disney World. Sad to see it end, but happy for the day and the memories made.

Hope you have the chance to get out and make some memories. Enjoy!

Fish Per Minute

August 20, 2016 by Leigh 6 Comments

Or at least it seemed that way.

With temps still in the 80’s, I decided to give the trout a break and focus on Housatonic smallies with streamers. I was not disappointed.

The bite was on from the minute I arrived. Often they were hitting the streamer as soon as it touched the water, acting like it was a dry fly. This continued for 2 hours, and I stopped counting at 30 fish.

Bonuses on this trip:

Had the water to myself
Only lost 2 streamers to breakoffs
Did not fall in

Why not give the green trout a try.

Enjoy!

Product Review: Redington Hydrogen Fly Rod

September 28, 2015 by Leigh 1 Comment

Had a chance to test out the new Redington Hydrogen fly rod. Although marketed as a trout rod, I used it in few different situations and it performed exceptionally.

Offered in sizes 2 wt to 6 wt, I chose a 9′ 6 wt because I wanted to see if the rod could handle smallmouth and trout. Both are found in local rivers this time of year, and you don’t always know what’s on the other end of the line. In addition to casting dries, I also wanted the option of nymphing and throwing small streamers.

One of the first things I noticed is how light the Hydrogen is compared to some of the other 6 wts I use. At only 2.7 ounces, I checked the label to make sure I received the right rod. But the light weight didn’t impair the performance. I gave it plenty of opportunities to handle larger fish. And while it bent over sharply a few times, I never lost confidence in its ability to perform.

My first stop with the Hydrogen was the Housatonic River, where I used it to catch smallies on streamers. It cast the size 8 Orange Blossom Special conehead smoothly, but I probably wouldn’t recommend going much heaver.

Soon after arriving, I had on the first smallmouth. The rod bent nicely, but never felt weak or uneven.

This guy was on the other end of the line. He definitely felt and looked like a football.

My next stop was a local farm pond for some kayak fishing. The Hydrogen had no problem with the foam poppers, and a 6 wt was the right choice for largemouth bass.

Later in the week I took it to the Farmington River, where I caught brown trout on nymphs and dries. I was especially impressed with the way it delicately delivered a size 24 BWO dry to a waiting brown.

My last trip with the Hydrogen was back to the Housatonic. I cast a size 16 peacock caddis during the evening hatch to hungry browns, mostly in the 14″ – 16″ range. A few were bigger, and again the rod had a chance to show it could handle large fish.

In all, I used the Hydrogen to catch smallmouth, panfish, largemouth and trout. I threw streamers, nymphs, poppers and dries. It handled every situation with no problems.

Here are a few other reviews on the Hydrogen to compare:

Hatch Magazine Review

Red’s Flyshop Video Review

The Venturing Angler Review

Overall, I would recommend the Hydrogen. Its light weight, strength and price (~$300) make it a great choice. While it is positioned as a trout rod, I found it quite capable while chasing other types of fish.

Note: I received a 6 wt Hydrogen to test, but no compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Enjoy!

A Morning Smallie Run to the Housatonic

September 2, 2015 by Leigh Leave a Comment

September has started off unusually warm, offering us an extra week of summer-like conditions. While not entirely undesirable, the hot and rainless days have given us lower river flows and water temperatures that may not be safe for trout fishing.

With 6 wt in hand, I headed to the Housatonic for a morning smallie session.

I found a 60′ run with good flow and depth, perfect for drifting and stripping streamers. I stuck with a #8 Orange Blossom Special conehead, a western pattern that has proven to be reliable in recent weeks.

There were a number of fish landed. This was the first. He spooled off quite a bit of line and then shot out of the water like a torpedo. I let him work against the current for a couple of minutes, then swung him to the slower water for netting.

This was probably the biggest of the day. He ran for the rocks and kept a good bend in the rod for a few minutes. Even when I thought I had him heading to the net, he slid between my legs and tried to tangle the line. Almost succeeded.

They weren’t all big. This one gets the award for ambition.

While the water temperatures are keeping some of us away from the trout, take the opportunity to find some bass, panfish or other warmwater species. They do a fine job of putting a bend in the rod. Enjoy!