For the fourth show we had four members of the Croton Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited join me. We covered fishing the watershed, Trout In The Classroom, Project Healing Waters, fly tying and other topics. It was great time.
Enjoy!
Occasional Creek
It rained steadily for most of Saturday, soaking autumn’s fallen leaves into a coarse wet mat that covered soft and muddy ground. By Sunday most of the USGS gauges in the area had spiked and were on the way down to seasonal levels. The sun had returned, yet it was looking like an afternoon trip to a big river would be a marginal call at best.
Then I decided to visit a small wild trout stream near my home. Unlike others in the area, it flows intermittently at best. The melting snow of spring provides the infusion necessary for it to be a nursery for wild trout. But by summer it’s reduced to a shallow series of pools connected only by the meager life support of trickling flows.
When I arrived the stream’s surface was littered with leaves, all floating leisurely in a mild current. The rain had overfilled the pools, creating true riffles and runs. I stood on the shaded bank and tied a small caddis dry to the leader of my 7′ 4wt fiberglass rod.
My approach to fall fishing is more cautious. I move slowly among the trees and rocks in an effort not to spook the fish. More time is spent studying water before casting or wading in. Today was no exception.
Standing on the rocks at the head of a narrow run, I watched for signs of active trout. For several minutes I focused on an area just to the left of a partially submerged boulder, 2o feet downstream in ankle-deep water. There had been some movement when I first arrived, but falling leaves often imitate riseforms. I wanted to be sure that it was a feeding fish. In a pool of this size, second casts are rarely well received.
Another set of rings appeared. I cast just short of them and waited. Within a split second a feisty wild brown took the caddis and tore off. He shook his head, then jumped when the line went tight. True to form, he protested all the way to the net. A quick picture and he was back on his way.
This is the first wild brown that I’ve caught in this stream of native brookies. It is also the largest, coming in at a whopping ten inches.
These next few weeks will be some of the best trout fishing in the northeast. Hope you’re giving some consideration to streams that are often overlooked.
Enjoy!
Backbone Media Showroom Fall 2014
Had a chance to attend the Backbone Media Showroom in NYC again this year. Lots of great brands were represented, but I was most impressed with the Stio line of outdoor apparel, which was new to me. Spent some time with their reps, who walked me through some of the differences in the construction and materials they use for their outdoor wear. Here are a few shots I took of some Stio’s offerings:
This is the Buckhorn Bonded Flannel Shirt. It is bonded flannel with a microfleece lining. Definitely feels like a good all around outdoor shirt.
The Vescent Soft Shell Jacket with microfleece is both warm and highly wind-resistant. Good for running, hiking or fishing.
This is probably my favorite, the Kirby Windshirt. It’s light and has snaps instead of buttons, which I prefer. It also has an interior stash pocket for keys, phone or a small fly box. I put in a request for a flyfishing version with extra pockets and tabs for holding rolled-up sleeves.
Many thanks to the team at Backbone Media for the invitation!
Hope your getting into some of this great fall fishing.
Enjoy!
Called on Account of Rain
I found a break in my schedule and decided to take a couple of days off to fish some local waters. I wanted to spend one day on the Esopus, a river I’d heard much about but never explored, and the Farmington, where I first learned to flyfish. Unfortunately the weekend forecast of light rain and overcast skies turned into much more. Both of these trips were cut short by the weather. That said, here’s a brief summary:
The Esopus
I’ve always heard great things about this river, but up until now, haven’t had a chance to give it a try. The section I fished is a series of great runs and riffles, with a large glassy pool at the end. The water level was lower than ideal, but I felt quite a few hits from what I believe to be small rainbows. It was easy to wade and although the water is somewhat milky due to a high concentration of sediment, it doesn’t seem to stop the fish. After a few hours of on-again off-again rain, I called it a day.
Aside from the 2 bears that I encountered during my hike to the river, this was the biggest thing I saw all day.
That said, I’ll be back in the spring.
The Farmington
I never cease to find new water here, even though I’ve been fishing this river for years.
Originally this was supposed to be a weekend camping trip, but again, forecasted light and intermittent rain turned out to be much heaver and lasted for hours, effectively ruining the evening hatch.
The first day started out slow, but I had no complaints under sunny skies and mid-70’s temps with low humidity. After 2 hours I put this beautiful fat rainbow in the net. It was hiding in less than two feet of water behind a rock the size of a bowling ball.
Midday fishing was slow, but as it started to approach dusk the water began to boil and I brought a few browns, all 10″ – 12″ to hand. This was not my biggest brown nor my best picture, but it is representative of what I caught.
There’s a few more days like this left this year. If you can dodge the rain there’s some good fishing to be had. Enjoy!
On The Fly – Show #3: Interview with Tony Hill of Mianus Trout Unlimited
For the third show I had the chance to interview Tony Hill, the President of Mianus TU. Not only did I learn more about the chapter and its history, Tony also walked me through a number of its outreach programs.
Enjoy!