Autumn On The EB

Autumn On The EB

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

A Favorite Millers Spot

"Tailwaters are what Thomas McGuane called "the great theme parks of American fly fishing," with their more or less stable water temperatures and artificially inflated populations of insects and fish. They are irresistible for all kinds of reasons, but all of those trout breed the peculiarly postmodern sense that anything short of a 20 fish day is a bust, so when things are slow there's the temptation to lie about numbers or to vaguely allow that you are "getting your share" - John Gierach


One of my favorite spots on the Millers is the "Gorge Pool" approximately a half mile below the Rezendes area in the Bears Den section. I call this the Gorge Pool because that is what it was called over 60 years ago by legendary Millers Fly fishers, the late Bob Rouleau and the ever present Rodney Flagg. They told me that this pool was known as the Gorge Pool when they fished it as kids and young men. Attempts have been made to rename it but they would have none of it. In homage to them and the generations who fished this pool I continued the name when I wrote the Fly F
ishers Guide to the Millers River. (FREE on this site). It's the Gorge Pool!!

Actually it's a double pool with the first section occurring after the long riffle below the Third Run (see the Millers Guide) and then running into another pool after a short heavy riffle.  Both "pools" are DEEP, almost in the swimming hole category and are PERFECT dry fly water. That perfect dry fly water is best visited in the evening when the place really comes alive. Before that it's the land of the deep drifted nymph. In fact, I've never taken a trout on a dry unless it was in the evening in this place. Trout, especially brown trout, love this place and I remember the monster that broke off my 4X leader as I fished a large stonefly and another time when I lost a bugger on the same rig. This pool is a sanctuary for the Summer and the Winter for this rivers trout. I've seen deer prints crossing this river while cross country skiing years ago. It may have had a foot of ice BUT there was many feet of running water below = that's winter holding water!!

When To Fish

Fish it when you can BUT if you can get there in late May through mid June you want to start around 6pm. Follow the path on the north bank down to the first pool but keep going to the tail-out of the second pool and start fishing upstream. Your dry fly drifts will be drag-less (perfect). I work larger flies here with stones, big caddis and the wonderful March Brown. I've never done it but God knows what a mouse pattern would do here!
Looking down at the "first" pool

There are blogs out there that give a flaccid overview of this river including other rivers. That doesn't help you. I can tell you where to fish and also how to fish it to catch trout.

Ken













16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good ol` Rodney its been 20 yrs since I walked into his smoke-filled shop
While he was sitting behind the counter with a cigarette in his mouth talking and tying a grey ghost...I used to buy writing hackles from him
That man has a lot of knowledge about FLY FISHING !

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Anonymous 5:41

I first stopped into his shop when he had it over in Barre over 30 years ago. That place is open 7 days a week. He is the last of a breed!!!

Ken

kevj said...

Ken,

Thanks for the advice, as always. Hopefully I'll make it up to the Millers this year.

I met Mr. Flagg several years ago when I landed in the western part of the state and was looking for a fly shop. Spent about 45 minutes speaking with him after I walked into his store while he sat tying. Very funny man and a wealth of information which he willing shares. He is the last of a breed, America's Renaissance men who grew up in the mid 1900's.

He ties a slightly unusual yellow caddis nymph that has netted me several nice fish, and a monster that broke my tippet up on the Jamaica River in VT. I tie my own flies now, but still visit his store when I have to stock up on that pattern.

Hibernation said...

As a kid, Rodney's dad - Mr Flagg to me, but I think also a Rodney, really got me into tying. Well, taught me. I'd walk in, 4th grade aged, and he'd give me a fly and tell me to go tie it, I'd bring it back - my version, and he'd give me pointers. He was a character. Ill never forget him taking my dad's hand and making him feel his inner thigh above the knee to feel the BIG rubber vein that had been surgically implanted due to circulation issues! That was in Barre.

Rodney continued that, though I went a lot less once he was in Orange for some reason. Wasnt really any further...

Any way, it's probably been 15 years since I was last in there. Amazing to think he's still going. Occasionally I ride my bike by when at my folks or drive by if out that way fishing... but I've not stopped in. I should... never know how may more years he, or that shop has.

It really is the last of a dying breed Ken... It would be cool if someone (hint, retired fly fishing guide :)) digitally recorded some of his stories! Him talking about Lamprey below the Orange dam was one of my favorites - and made me scared to wet wade on that river - still! :)

Great info Ken, and, thanks for the awesome memory trip!

Anonymous said...

and Rodney never tried to sell me a thing in his shop...instead....he showed me how to tie my first wooley bugger he said...you don't need that rubber floating frog....this fly will work like magic.....and it did...my largest bass ever.....on a WB ..in lake rohunta..(spelling)

I actually was surprised when you mentioned him cause I thought he'd already passed .
he taught me a lot about wet-flies and also how to tie his trustie'ol tandem flies....

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Will,

I knew you would respond to my mention of Rodney. He is a one of a kind and has some stories about some less-than-known local streams where the trout are always rising. I wrote a piece on Bob Rouleau but then the local TU group immediately did one on Rodney. I think I'll do another one!!!!!

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Anonymous 10:40

That's Rodney for you!!!

There are a lot of newbie fly fishers out there who would not talk or listen to Rodney Flagg because he doesn't come with an instructional video. Translation: he's too "old school! What the hell does he know?" Answer: More than YOU and that includes the Swift. Many of these guys might actually be scared of him or think because he's not trying to sell you everything he knows nothing. Want to know where the Green Drakes are? Ask him!!!

Ken

Bill/Tully said...

Rodney has been a wonderful help to me as I learn fly fishing. Where/when/what and a wry smile. Wonderful and infornative stories all while he is tying. I’m not into tying and prefer to use his flies or bring him a picture. Fixes me right up. A local treasure. Stop in and support him. Gorge Pool may be one of the prettier runs on the river. Just don’t drive down Gulf Rd very far.

tincup said...

1962 First Worcester eastern show. Those shows everyone from NewYork would have browns and salmons on ice to book trips. Mr Flagg had a booth on the end, material everywhere a simple vice and time to spend with everyone. Gave me a Joe smelt and a flagg streamer. Those pintail feathers are unavailable unless u know a duck hunter. I still stop by to see him on my way to quabin or the swift. His old Miller stone fly looked like it could walk just unbelievable the detail. I have thanked him many times for the journey he started me on. A great angler, tier , but overall a great person.

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Bill/Tully and Tincup (Bob),

More good tales about a very good person.

Ken

Paul said...

Ken,
It looks like those of us who have never been to Flagg's shop need to plan an outing. Too bad I'm just learning about it now - I feel like I've wasted multiple opportunities over the last 2-3 years during my commutes down rte 2 to the Millers.

I hit the Swift yesterday.....as did half of the fly fishing nation, to take advantage of first warm day in awhile. Everyone I met said the fishing was slow and that they weren't even seeing any fish above rte 9. While the fish were visually few and far between above rte 9, we did have some luck in the bubbler arm with each of us hooking a nice rainbow on either microeggs or black zebra midges. At the end of the day we hit the previously packed pipe and were the only one's there. While we saw a dozen or more fish in the tree pool, the pipe run was VERY QUIET with nary a strike let alone a fish. The water feels "wicked cold". Is this just a simple case of cold water, low metabolism, little food required or do you think extreme cold snaps like our recent one push the fish into different holding areas?
Paul

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Paul,

I hit the bubbler yesterday and took on 8 inch rainbow and that was it. I didn't see another trout so my hat is off it you!

Everything you said is true especially the cold water. They don't want or NEED to feed as they did only a month ago. In 2015, a very cold winter, the trout went downstream to deeper (warmer) water. That is the way it goes. I did meet a client of mine who took three bows around 15 inches below route 9 yesterday. I believe him!!!!

Ken

Paul said...

Thanks Ken. When you say they go downstream to deeper, warmer water, is that likely to be somewhere below Cady Lane? Since I haven't explored much below Cady lane I don't really have a feel for where that deeper water my be.

Also, if and when you work the Y pool during the winter, what is your approach to fishing the calmer, spillway arm which has little to no flow?

Paul

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Paul,

The deep water is from Cady Lane downstream.

I'm about to right a post on your second question. Stay tuned.

Ken

Sam said...

Ken,

When it comes to sub-surface fishing, how often do you use two flies? During this cold spell and no fishing for a good while or in my near future, I have been studying different dropper set ups. If you fish two nymphs what is your favorite set up?

Thanks, Sam

Millers River Flyfisher said...

Sam,

I used to fish a two fly rig but I cut back on that a few years ago. I don't believe I was catching more fish but I was losing more flies and getting tangles up. When I did I kept it simple: a soft hackle on the top and a small weighted PT on the bottom.

Ken