"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time" - Steven Wright
Photo by Thomas Ames, Jr.
"Look at them, the place is covered with them!!" The them being referred to were the empty shell casings of large Golden Stonefly nymphs clinging to streamside rocks and this was not a day in early June but a day in early September. They crawl out of the stream usually under the cover of darkness and they will do this all season long ESPECIALLY in the Fall. Combine these guys with the Fall emerging Isonychia mayfly (a nymph that hatches the same way as stoneflies) and you have two insects that wack the conventional wisdom that Autumn means tiny flies.
Isonychia Nymphs
The Stones can be imitated with any large stonefly nymph, sizes 6-10 and the Isonychia works well with a size 12-14 pheasant tail. These nymphs can be found on the Millers but the EB takes the prize for the most.
Also, let's not forget that late Summer and early Fall are prime hopper time. Hoppers are to trout what chicken wings are to football fans. You just have to have them!!
This is a very simple fly that allows you to play around with the dressing. I supply OLIVE bodies for the market but my own fly boxes contain olive and very pale olive bodies that almost look like a pale yellow to me. It doesn't seem to make much difference as long as you keep the bodies SLIM and the hackles SPARSE. There's nothing worse than a fat bodied SH with a half dozen wraps of oversize hackles. It would make Sylvester Nemes roll over in his grave.
I am booking up September, October and November. Don't get left out!!
Ken
8 comments:
I saw a lot of those stonefly cases on the EB also. Many more than in years past.
GW
Got my redemption on the EB this morning caught two nice rainbows on a stimulator that I tied and also reported a fish poaching underneath the 143 bridge in chesterfield the guy left his rod unattended with the line out in the water at a 90 degree angle attached to a stick unfortunately there was a dead brown on the end of the line the fish swallowed whatever it was and was left to die...reported it to mass environmental police hopefully they followed up on it
Dalton,
Good move! Although it is general regulations up by Rt 143 you still can't leave tackle unattended.
Ken
Just came back from the lower Millers.It is very warm! caught several small bass,2 dace and a a shiny little critter! Chet
ken to answer your question about stripers its been a strange yr. Just check out the surfland web site. Whales and white sharks busting pogie schools all over the ocean front. I took the boat up to the casco bay area Maine to find some good 24 to 26 inch schoolie fish. The island been bad except eel fishing late at night along the beach at night. Going to the roach river to chase the water release and salmon and huge brook trout spawn. Dan at maine guide fly shop said they are going to do 3 water releases because in first roach pond plenty of water. With that said I hope the fall migration on stripers have started when I get back. Then as a avid bowhunter and a early oct 1 season of whitetail fishing takes second place. Will aka the( hibernation) can understand the terrible problems some of us have. Hope to make the swift or the millers soon. tight line tincup
Bob (tincup),
Good luck on the Roach and thanks for the tip on Plum Island. I've been thinking of sneaking up there before the leaves turn but......
I used to bowhunt but gave it up to fish. Something had to go.
Ken
Ken --
Hit the Kempfield section of the Millers on Labor Day. Arrived at sunrise, and made my way down to the "Pool" with hopes of some dry fly action. Tricos in abundance, but no fish breaking the surface. Went deep but notta. Threw a hopper on and coaxed a few smallmouth and chubs up top. Water was deep but fishable. Made my way back to the island, fishing the pockets and runs in between, and tried various approaches before swinging a black whooly bugger from the giant boulder down river about 50 feet. Pulled out three browns, with one at 19." Water was cooler than I expected, but all three trout were a bit lethargic coming to the net. Left about 10:30 a.m. as the sun got hot and high. Looking forward to heading back when cooler temperatures prevail. Thanks for the continued updates! I wouldn't fish nearly as much if it wasn't for your blog.
John,
There are LOTS of tricos on the Millers. You can see them in the sky looking like falling mica and spider webs along the shore are loaded with them but the trout don't rise for them! Congrats on the browns!!
Ken
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