Autumn On The EB

Autumn On The EB

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Lady Beaverkill Soft Hackle And The First On A Dry


You couldn't miss them. Thousands of female Hendricksons bouncing in clouds over the Ware River in the late afternoon light. Are you sure they're females? one may ask. It's an easy ID because of the egg sack that every last one had. A bright yellow ball was attached to the back end of each one and thetrout could see it too.

The life cycle is pretty straight forward: the Hendricksons hatch and head for streamside cover to molt into their mating stage. The females gather together over the river and wait for the males. All mate and then die and fall into the river. Many times the egg sack goes down with the ship and is an easy target for the trout. A Soft Hackle (of course) works fine.

Hook - standard dry fly size 14-16
tag end - small yellow ball of dubbing
body - Grey dubbing is standard but I've been moving towards olive floss
Thorax - sparse grey or olive dubbing
hackle - sparse partridge

Cast up and across to sipping fish and then let it swing down below you.


There's nothing better to see than someone getting his first trout on a dry. A fish was steadily working a far bank and we had to get downstream to get into better position. Hendricksons were in the air so my cdc emerger went on and on the second flawless cast the foot long brookie made it's play.

CDC emergers are taking over my fly box and for a good reason. They float like a cork, are dirt simple to tie and can be fished either dry or wet. Click on the photo for a better look.

The rivers are coming down but may soon come up again. Stay tuned....

Ken


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ken

You may of been talking about the Ware River in this post. I've been fishing it a lot for the past 10 years and it's been very much alone. I could stand some other flyfishing contact on this river. The flyfishing is good and it could stand some other anglers. I've noticed that you are somewhat vague about where you go and it is "appreciated". Build this rivers reputation while being vague and the river will have more "friends".

Adam

Falsecast said...

Ken - Went to the Miller's today. That is still some dangerous wading. I brought out the 9 foot and did some chuck and duck nymphing, but mostly just trying to stand or wiping out on the rocks. I took one very nice rainbow on a BH green copper john in the white water. Called it a day early. Probably should have gone to the Housy or given the Ware a shot for the fist time. Live and learn :)

Do you park right in 3 Rivers at that manufacturing plant when you say Church St?

Andrew

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Andrew,

No!!!I park in WARE on CHURCH STREET a 1/4 mile below the intersection with RT 32 among other places.

Ken

troutandfly said...

Many years ago, my first trout was on a dry fly. In my opinion, it's the best way to get someone into fly fishing. If I had it my way, every fish would be on a dry. On another note, nice job with the blog!

Millers River Flyfisher said...


TroutAndFly,

Thank you on the blog!

All of my trout would be on a dry BUT I have that soft spot for a soft hackle drifted in the current especially if it's followed by hatch of insects with trout working the surface. It's all beautiful!

Ken

Bill/Tully said...

Ken, on Friday, May 5 the Millers River chptr. of TU will assist MassWildlife stock the Millers River. 8:30 AM at Holtshire Rd, Wendell Depot, Power Sta. Then 12:30 ish at Pete and Henrys Restaurant in So. Royalston down to Rezendes in Bears Den. Rain or shine. Feel free to join in.

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Thank you Bill! A 15 year event continues!!!!!

Ken

Lenny said...

Went to the Neversink for a day this weekend and the Lady Beaverkill saved me from going home empty handed. Could've convinced me I was in Maine, what a beautiful place!

Lenny

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Lenny,

You fished holy water! It's where it all began!

Ken