"I use anything that's working at the moment," he said. "I've got fly rod tips that are broken, and mix-and-match rod sections that don't quite fit and are attached with duct tape. I only have one rod that's complete the way it came from the factory.
In the Keys last winter, I went through two fly rods in one day, the only two I had," Gartside said. "I rushed off to Kmart and bought a Berkley Hunter fly rod that sells for $19.95. I got it on sale for $17. It's a decent rod, and it caught fish. The Berkley Hunter is in the trunk of my car and I'm still using it." The late, great Jack Gartside (Kind of makes you think twice about laying out a grand for that ultra sensitive super rod that's guaranteed to make you a better fly fisher. Gartside is my hero) - Ken
The March/April edition of American Fly Fishing has something special for the Northeast fly fisher and that is a feature article on our MILLERS RIVER. The article was written by Christophe Perez who has written about the Swift and the EB for this publication. It is not a cookie cutter, fill-in-the-blanks rush job that could apply to any number of rivers but is a story about the Millers River. Just in time for the Spring season!!
Read the article and ignore the dude on the cover!!! And no, he's not rolling a joint!!
Large Spiders And Soft Hackles
I've always had a thing about large soft hackle flies and by large I mean size 8 and 10, especially size 8. They have done well for me on the big freestones such as the EB and the Millers (and maybe the Ware if I remember to use one there) but I always thought that I was missing something until I realized last year what I was doing. My BIG soft hackles were just a large version of my smaller soft hackles. So, I decided to mix things up.
Basically everything is the same EXCEPT for the hackle which finds a good use for those way oversized hackle that every partridge skin has. Wrap the hackle on by the tip and DON'T peel off the plume or after shaft feathers but wrap them on too. Don't think that the hackle is too large because it isn't.
This is a riffle, choppy water fly and works its magic in faster currents. The hackle really sways in the current and when retrieved has that stonefly, damsel fly profile. It may even look like a small minnow. It may even look like a small summer steelhead fly!!!!!
The fly in the photo is a large version of a Grouse and Flash and one can make an outsized Partridge and Orange, Purple and Hen, Partridge and Yellow or whatever.
Fish them on the swing or under a large buoyant dry fly.
Booking For The Spring-
The Swift, the Millers, the Ware, the EB, the West Branch (WB) and the Middle Branch (MB) are all on my list of streams that I guide and fish on. I know how to avoid the crowds (even on the Swift) and put you into fish while fishing on a beautiful river. If you are tired of elbow to elbow fishing then contact me for a Spring or Summer trip!!
Ken
10 comments:
Ken - that pic on the magazine cover looks like a nice warm day... Ahhhhh!
Ill have to pick up the mag, sounds good.
Will
Will,
How about a nice warm evening in early July. A great time to be waiting out a hatch on the Millers. I know you've been there!!!
Ken
Ken,
Can't thank you enough for your blog. It is one of the reason I had a little success last week on the swift.
Thank you again,
Hal
That large soft hackle is going into my aresenal this spring! I am not sure why I never really thought of or considered something like that...its Gartside sparrow in a way. I am sure to get them out to Montana if I go....I think they would hammer fish on the Madison, Lamar or Gallatin...hoping to get to the south side of the park rivers too like the Lewis and the SnakeIin the park)...this is the tweener season when I am less likely to fish than any month...but am planning ahead for 2021.
Dear Ken,
I entirely agree that Mr. Perez's article on the Millers River in American Fly Fishing is both comprehensive and accurate. One point of clarification for the readers of this forum: the articles on the Swift River and the East Branch of the Westfield River which you cite were published in Eastern Fly Fishing (EFF), one of several predecessor publications 'condensed' into American Fly Fishing by its publisher due to recent financial exigency.
The article on the Swift River appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of EFF (page 30), whereas the East Branch article was featured in the September/October 2014 issue of EFF (page 40). I should also mention that EFF published an earlier article on the Millers River in its January/February 2015 issue (page 34), authored by Reid Bryant. This article includes more of the river's industrial history, and a somewhat different view of its fishery.
-Mike
Mike,
I've been a subscriber since 2013 so I am aware of that.
The Perez article gives us what we really wanted in an article that we would find in a fly fishing magazine.
Ken
Hal,
You are welcome!!
BobT,
It's a Gartside inspired fly for sure and I'm also sure you'll find some Montana riffles (Madison) to work it out on!!
Ken
Ken - that right there sounds amazing. Makes me think of some days, up near Rezendes, Thunder well off in the distance, and hoping I can beat the storm, soak in a little more warmth and enjoy a hatch... After the 50+ mph winds last night that sounded like they were going to take the house down, that sounds soooo good!
Ken these large soft hackle flies work great up on the pemi or any similarly infertile streams, I once spoke to someone who told me to very slowly strip them back up stream after a swing and it works
This looks very good simulation effect, it is easy to make the fish think it is real. I have also tried to use for fishing, the effect is very good.
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