Last year I guided for a Casting for Recovery event in northern CT. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed introducing a cancer survivor to fly fishing while supporting this great organization. This year’s event was just as special. The weather was perfect and we had a chance to cast to a lake filled with bass and bream. My partner had never been fishing, so it was a real treat to see her cast and experience the tug of a large fish.
Special thanks to the Mianus TU chapter. Not only did the chapter members donate their time, they tied some really nice flies for us to use.
If you have a chance to support an organization like this, do it. You’ll have a great day on the water and a chance to share your passion for this sport with someone who will greatly appreciate it. Enjoy!
First Trip of Summer
Took the kayak and one-piece fiberglass rod out for some mill pond action. At midday, the thermometer rested comfortably the mid-70’s with low humidity. The bluegills were large, aggressive and generally resisted the reel. Caught quite a few that looked like this. Made for a great day.
Hope your summer is starting off right. Enjoy!
Product Review: Eddie Bauer Guide Long Sleeve Shirt – His and Hers!
Late last year I learned that Eddie 
Bauer is getting into the world of fly fishing apparel and gear. I was really surprised, given the increasingly crowded market. Through their site, I found out that they are introducing shirts, pants, jackets and gear bags, so it looks like a pretty solid effort.
I know EB clothing, so my expectations of product quality were high when I was asked to test the new Guide Shirt. EB is also introducing a women’s line, and I was given one for my wife to test as well.
At first glance, the guide shirt looks much like many of the other options on the market, but there are few features that I found to be truly useful.
The FreeDry™ technology, which wicks moisture and enables the shirt to dry faster, was tested when I was caught in a rainstorm and was able to keep on fishing without feeling like I was wearing a wet towel.
The FreeCool™ Pro collar lining and FreeShade™ UPF 50+ came in handy when I was on an extended kayak trip on a sunny day. I stayed comfortable and did not come away sunburned. That said, I still recommend sunscreen.
I carry minimal gear on my evening trips, so the zippered chest pockets, one with inner mesh, gave me more than enough room to carry a small fly box, tippet, nippers and forceps.
My wife also wore her shirt on several occasions, and found it comfortable and lightweight. She used hers for more non-fishing activities, but I was able to get her to put in some time on the water as well.
In her words, “The shirt feels very lightweight, moves with me, and I like color and texture. I could wear this in a variety of places, including amusement parks and other outdoor activities.”
We both found these to be comfortable and functional, and would recommend the Eddie Bauer Guide Shirt as a solid option for fishing or outdoor apparel. I look forward to seeing more from Eddie Bauer.
For more information, here are the links to the men’s and women’s shirts.
Enjoy!
Note: I received merchandise to test but no compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Camping & Fishing
I was finally able to get away for a weekend of camping & fishing on the Farmington River. I used to live close enough to the Farmy to fish it almost daily during the season, but now it requires a day trip or overnight to really enjoy the experience and have a reasonable amount of time on the water.
For this trip I departed from tent camping. With an unknown amount of rain in the forecast, I took advantage of the new cabins at American Legion State Forest. They were just introduced this year, and according to the ranger, very popular.
While they are called cabins, they could also be referred to as bunkhouses. From the outside they are small wooden buildings with metal roofs, screened windows and front porches. Inside they are equally plain: two rooms, wooden chairs, a small table, lights and electricity. No restrooms, kitchen or running water. Austere, yet efficient. Perfect for a short family getaway or, in my case, a weekend fishing trip. A fire pit and picnic table are also on the site. Bears, deer and raccoons optional.
Fishing on Friday was slow. It was a severe-clear, blue sky day, with temps in the 70’s. Perfect for hiking, biking and canoeing, but tough for trout fishing. At the third spot of the day I finally hooked a decent rainbow on an olive woolly bugger. Later I caught a rainbow and a brown at another pool. The rainbow took an elk hair caddis and the brown a tiny blue-winged olive.
Releasing the last fish, I realized that these are the first trout that I’ve caught this year. There were a couple of close calls earlier in the month, but either weather or personal commitments cut short these outings. For practical purposes, fishing season got a late start this year. Spring has been slow coming to the northeast, but the forest is now covered in various shades of green, all increasing in intensity. Brown is no longer the dominant color.
As it turned out, there was enough rain Friday night to validate my decision to choose a cabin. Instead of sitting in a damp tent watching the walls and ceiling for leaks, I sat on the porch drinking a beer and watching my gear dry, smelling the neighbor’s struggling campfire and listening to the muted patter of rain in the damp evening air.
When it came time to call it a night, I flipped the switch on my portable electric heater and slid into a dry sleeping bag which partially covered the foam mattress. Using a lantern as a reading lamp, I finished the last few chapters of the latest Gierach book and turned out the lights.
On Saturday I fished the Still River almost exclusively. Gusty winds and elevated water levels made some of the Farmington spots difficult. Many people were fishing but none catching. The Still turned out to be a productive alternative. To see more on my experience fishing the Still River click here.
By the afternoon I had hiked, fished, bushwhacked and explored enough to be satisfied for a first trip. My wife and daughters drove up and joined me for dinner. Later we loaded up the family wagon and headed to the Pleasant Valley Drive-in to see a movie. Although technology has changed since I was a kid, the experience of watching a movie in the outdoors on a cool spring night has not.
Finally, one of the best parts of this trip was having my 9-year-old daughter spend a night on one of the bunks. She slept soundly in her lime green sleeping bag adorned with glow-in-the-dark fireflies. For the sleepover, she brought two large tote bags and a flashlight with a zebra pattern. She was, as they say, a happy camper. Enjoy!
A Grand Slam On The Still River
As part of the weekend’s camping and fishing program, I decided to explore some new water. Originally the plan was to fish the Farmington, but the prior night’s storm caused the wind and water to be a little too high to be enjoyable, so I thought the Still would be a good small stream option. I was not disappointed.
If you’re not familiar with the Still River, it feeds into the Farmington at the town of Riverton. Most people pass over it heading upstream to Beaver Pool or downstream to Church Pool. It doesn’t exactly stand out. From the road it looks rocky with only anemic flow, more like a side channel of the Farmington than a separate body of water.
I attempted to fish it briefly twice before, but each time found it difficult to wade and the water level too low to sustain any fish. This remains partly true, but on this trip I spent time exploring other stretches and found deeper pockets previously overlooked. Another lesson in knowing your water.
Starting upstream, I tackled a section containing a series of pools and riffles, none more than twenty feet in length. Tried a few different approaches, but found that drowning and dragging a tiny BWO dry was an effective way to bring this rainbow to hand.
After that I covered a long stretch of water unsuccessfully, stopping at a bend containing two small, knee-deep pools. A few strips with an olive woolly bugger and this brookie was on the line.
Next I found a fast-moving run bordered by a downed tree trunk. Whatever is hiding underneath there effortlessly took two of my brown woolly buggers. After losing the second one I decided to leave it alone.
Finally I came to a fast moving pool where the river converges before it reaches the Farmington. Streamers were ineffective, but high sticking a nymph thru the strongest current hooked this feisty brown.
This trip reminded me to:
- Have a Plan B fishing destination when possible, especially if the weather is uncertain
- Periodically revisit water, even if has been unsuccessful in the past
- Try more than one technique, even you’re experiencing success
Hope your finding some new water. Enjoy!