— John Gierach
Gentlemen - start your engines, the Swift has been stocked (3/23)!!!!!!
Hen And Orange
My never ending supply of partridge capes is beginning to get a bit thin. I still have enough feathers to tie hundreds of soft hackles but I've spent the last year experimenting with pheasant, starling, woodcock and such but have found that good old domestic hen is the winner. They are great because they come in all colors (you can "speckle" these feathers with the appropriate sharpee Grey works great) and they are dirt cheap compared to partridge capes. Light brown is a winner and light grey is good too. You may not need any other colors to imitate the regions insects. P.S. I'll still use partridge on the flies that I sell.
I don't want to start anything but.....how come many flyfishing magazines show trout flies, either in the vise or in the hand WITH INTACT BARBS?? I thought that most authors and publishers believed in barbless hooks but the last few publications displayed the "barb". An oversight or maybe they don't give a dam?
The Streams
As I write the rivers have come down nicely but the DFW hasn't given us anything to play with. The ageless tradition in this State is to stock just after Easter so don't worry. I know, it's hard to be calm when the temperature is in the mid 60's. Hang in there.
Book Me
With a half a dozen rivers to pick from you have the opportunity to test some new rivers or new sections of rivers that you just haven't gotten to. We can do that!!! Sometimes you'll have some "expert" tell you that you don't need a guide for some rivers. My biggest request is to put people on new water that they have never fished and then show them how to fish it successfully. That's what a guide does and you can't get that on the internet.
Ken
6 comments:
Thanks Ken, for the hints on not so partridge and orange. Hen hackle and a sharpie - can't go wrong.
For those who have invested in a CT license, many waters have been stocked and the fish are ready to respond to your offering. One of my early season favorites is a plain gold ribbed hares ear nymph tied very fuzzy (put rabbit and squirrel in the dubbing loop). Our southern neighbor does a great job stocking fish. Mostly browns with a smattering of rainbows and brookies provide great early season fishing.
Bob O,
We should stock browns like CT and NY. About 2/3's browns is what CT does. We should cut back on rainbows in freestones and replace them with browns.
Ken
Went by the Farmie this morning and as expected on a bluebird day the named pools were all being flailed. I wasn't fishing just scouting out paths to some tough to reach spots so that once the Hendricksons start I can keep away from the crowds. I was amazed at the number of NY plates!
Ken let me be the first to endorse your guide service and to say beginner or seasoned angler alike can always benefit from a guide, on our first trip together I had been fly fishing for 15+ years and you guided my brother and I on the EB a stream we had never fished, your tips on where to fish and where to cross the stream to access good holding zones have helped save a lot of time on subsequent trips to this river. Hell you even answer back texts about appropriate stream flows and fly recipes. To me sharing knowledge is what this sport is all about and I always do my best to pass it forward. That being said I am really itching for our freestones to come into full swing, there is a lot of excellent water in this state and I do love the swift but to me nothing beats those thin blue lines!
-Paul Fay
Anonymous,
And the Swift was not that crowded!
Paul Fay,
Thank you for the nice comment. It's been my impression that those who are close mouthed as to locations and techniques are the ones who asked the most questions about those subjects.
Ken
No Browns have been stock yet. Weird. I agree went down to CT and caught my first brown this year.
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