Out Of The Way Places And Charlies Sale

"Nicknames unfortunately are not standardized. When your friend on the next pool tells you that he's just seen a few "Sulphurs' hatching he is really just suggesting a fly pattern, because the name might mean anything from a size 24 Baetid to a size 10 Anthopotamus Distinctus, two insects with very different behavior." Thomas Ames, Jr.

Anyone who has my Millers Guide knows of the Upper Trestle Pool on the Lower Millers River. This Pool has captured my attention for over 30 years and it's a spot that I want clients to become familiar with. As I tell people it's a spot that fits two anglers nicely but three is a crowd. I'll tell them if they see two anglers working the pool then just go upstream.

"Upstream" means right around the left hand bend in the river above the pool. The first thing you will notice is that the path disappears in about a few hundred feet. It's impossible to travel upstream on the shore so one must walk in the shoreline shallows to get anywhere. The next thing you will see are two beautiful pools/runs that beg to have a fly cast across them. The one thing you will not see is another angler! If fly fishing is a social event for you where you can hold court by doing equipment reviews and dispensing your "knowledge" to anyone unfortunate enough to have to listen then you will hate this place and may be a little scared of it too. (One angler was!!)

This section actually starts at the end of the long Orcutt Pool and two drift boat brothers (Harrisons) always would fish that tailout. Don Barnes from Regal told me years ago that nightfall at the start of the fast water is where you want to be for the browns. I caught my first BIG Millers brown about a 100 yards down into the fast water on my Millers Bivisible years ago.

It's about 600 yards from the end of Orcutt to the top of the Upper Trestle Pool. One can follow the railroad tracks but getting down to the river from the tracks is a real chore. It's best to travel in the river from either end but remember that this is a real boulder field.  Watch your step!

Those two pools that I mentioned are perfect for swinging sunken flies but not the best venue for the nymph fisher because of the collection of rocks and logs. Try to keep your fly UP.

Charlie at the Evening Sun Fly Shop has a fly tying sale going on in January that REALLY deserves attention:

Spend $50 on fly tying stuff and get $12.50 worth of fly tying stuff FREE!

Spend $100 on the above and get $25.00 worth free

Spend $150 on the above and get $37.50 worth free

Spend $200 on the above and get $50.00 worth free.

This really makes sense because you are supporting an "owner/operator" and not a big box fly mart. Charlie has a well stocked shop right down to the size 30 hooks and it's fairly priced. No canned shop talk here but REAL information on whats happening on our rivers. Charlie and I talk frequently so he knows whats happening in "Trout Land".

We are in the fly tying season so take advantage of this great January sale at Evening Sun!!

Ken