Serendipities Save The Day

You just can't go wrong fishing the riffle sections of the Swift with a Serendipity. I once used the tradition tie with it's fine deer hair head but found it lacking, at least on the sections that I like to fish. I experimented with this fly, changing the wing and the body material. The addition of turkey flat for the wing worked nicely as did the flat, waxed nylon thread for the body. Take a close look at the "head". Yes, there's head on this version which is dubbing that is the same color as the body but DARKER. My colors are red, pink and green. The green works great in the Summer!

It saved the morning at the gauge/pipe section today. The pipe has been slim pickings this month and that's bit of a mystery. I've only seen one other angler this month in the early morning when I've been there so maybe others have had the same experience. The Gauge is a different story. I took two 'bows on that stretch both on a #16 red serendipity.

Early this Friday me and my better half will be heading to Jamaica for five days for some mid winter R&R. Can't wait!!!!! Maybe the groundhog won't see his shadow next Tuesday and Spring will be "right around the corner".

Ken

The Marlboro Show

It's one of those events that I take with a grain of salt. "Been there, done that" is a term that I'm qualified to use after 40 years of fly fishing. After awhile ( a few decades) it all begins to seem the same. How many new rod designs, new fly fishing gear, new fly tying equipment can you stand before it begins to look like the "same old same old"?? I'm right on that account and after doing the show in 09 I had mixed feelings about the 150 miles round trip to see it all again. But, in a moment of weakness, I had invited my better half to an introduction to our lunacy a month or so ago. As it happened she had to take off to NYC on family matters which left me with some time on my hands. Ok, I'm going but I'll be a man on a mission!! I'll be zeroing in on a small wish list of "have to have" items.

First item - I found a copy of George M.L. LaBranche's "The Dry Fly & Fast Water". If I believed in the supernatural I would believe that LaBranche has used me to "channel" his dry fly philosophy. This book, which I have read in snippets over the years, will be my bedtime reading this winter hopefully during blizzards when all hope of Springtime days are just a dream. I can hardly wait!!!

Hooks - I first bought my Mustad dry fly hooks at $4.00 a hundred back when that was a princely sum to a starving college/flyfishing student. It's 4x times that now. I've heard of the Saber line of hooks and finally got to see them. Good finish (not too bright) and the point is sharp and strong. $6.95 a hundred is great too!! I bought a bunch of them. I'm happy!!

Bobbins - A.K. Best is right!! Today's ergonomic bobbins suck. Hard to adjust the tension and always fouling the thread around the structure. S&M bobbins solve all of that but over the years they have become scarce. Cote's had them and I bought three. Very happy about that. Cote's also had a hare's mask in rust color at $2.50. Perfect for henderickson thorax's and other flies. I'll take my electric clippers to that mask and shave it into a pile of dubbing. Happy again!!

I am the proud owner of the 3rd issue of FLYROD & REEL back when it was called ROD & REEL MAGAZINE. I kept that subsciption for 20 years but let it lapse. Show Special - 3 years for $30.00. I'm in!!!

During the show I ran into some old friends, some new friends, some great folks that I have guided in the last few years. It was fun. The crowds seemed very manageable which made the browsing fun which was very different from the hordes of a few years ago. Maybe my expectations were lower which made the event more tolerable. I had a good time. Hope you did too.

Got some info on the LOWER Swift!!!!!!!! More on that this Spring.

The above photo has nothing to do with the show. I just don't like to post an article without a photo. Sue me!

ALONE On The Swift!

The alarm was set for 5:15am this past Saturday morning. "Just 5 more minutes" I said to myself. Of course, that 5 minutes morphed into an HOUR which had me racing to the Swift. My plan was simple - be the first one there on your first trip of the New Year. But I thought my late start would kill that idea. Well, I was surprised to see NO CARS at the Y Pool lot at 7:30 and NO CARS at the Pipe! I had the place to myself for the two hours that I was there.

The fishing - only two in two hours with an additional two hits. A far cry from my last trip two weeks ago. Could the bait boys have emptied the place? There were a lot of footprints in the snow on the pipe side of the river especially on the steep bank by the lower pool, a telltale sign of bait fishermen. Two years ago the fishing was great from January through March so I can't really say if they had an affect this year.

I took a photo of the Pipe showing the low water condition of this year. The other photo is from January of 2009 during the flood. One can just barely make out the top of the pipe. What a difference a year makes!!

BTW, I was rigged with a #14 serendipity and a #16 scud. The Serendipity produced the trout.

Swift River Scud

I can only tie for so long before I have to write about it. This is my "scud pattern" that I've used over the last five or so years on the Swift.

First, I guess that it will work on any stream but it REALLY works on the Swift which means it's probably a good tailwater pattern wherever tailwaters are found. I've fished "big" versions of this on the Millers and had success. First things first - I don't like the "bushy" scud patterns. Real scuds are not that bushy. Second, less material means that the fly will get down quickly which is very important. Third, I probably have more real Australian possum in various colors than anyone in New England (maybe a stretch) at this point which I firmly believe is the real reason that this fly works. Believe me, I've tested materials and the Australian possum is the real deal!!

Over the last five or so years this pattern has worked throughout the seasons. Dump it into the riffles, dump it into the pools, it doesn't matter. Trout like it. They like it better in the riffles! Sizes 14 and 16 are all that you need.

I hope to get out this weekend to the Swift even though they're talking about another "weather event" for Friday and Saturday. Say your prayers folks!!!

Ken