"The best fishermen I know try not to make the same mistakes over and over again; instead they strive to make new and interesting mistakes and to remember what they learned from them" - John Gierach
Bridge Street Pool On The Millers
"Once upon a time", before the wide spread creation of tailwater fisheries, if we wanted rising trout we fished in the evening from late May through September. It was the "Evening Rise" that we lived for. Spring and Fall, because of cooler waters, have good dry fly conditions during the day and Summer usually doesn't. That is why tailwaters have become so popular (cold water all day) and freestones seem to have less angling pressure. I LOVE THIS CONDITION. I've been fishing the Millers and the EB for years and the evening is ALWAYS the best!!
Early Summer mornings are good on a freestone but by 11am things go to sleep and begin to awaken in the early evening. Now, if it's a cloudy day that morning action may not stop but it will slow down and the evening rise may start early. In any event, pick out a good pool or run and plan to spend the evening there and that means until dark or later. I've seen the river surface go from dead to boiling with rises in just an hours time, usually around dark.
The Flies
The March Brown
We are not talking about the tiny flies of tailwaters but of good old Mayflies, Caddis and Stones in the size 12 to 16 range. That's what you find on freestones in the evening. My all time dry fly is a size 14 Comparadun because it gives a good profile of an insect and is almost indestructible which is good when the action picks up because you don't have to change flies as often.
I don't go around "matching the hatch". Just mimic the size, profile and the general color of the insect.
For those who care the stocking trucks are rolling.
Ken
12 comments:
Hi Ken,
Caught my first trout on the fly 3-4 years ago at the Bridget Pool. It was a Brown (14.5") and it was stocked about 10 days prior. But still fun to catch nonetheless.
Since last year I believe, everywhere is posted so that:
1) You can't turn left off of Rte 2 West
2) You can't turn right off of Rte 2 East. (You'd have to be coming fromm Wendell somehow and even if you could turn off of Rt2
3) They've posted the little dirt parking area other side of the Bridge. (This side of the Bridget was already posted long ago)
Since a bunch of summer yahoos trash the place and leave their stuff behind a few years ago, you can't park there. Any suggestions on where to park and where to walk from?\
Feels good to see this Ken. Helps to think of the coming weather!
My usual summer pattern is a usually the usual. Its unusual for the usual to not produce strikes from risers in the usual places on the EB/WB. Its unusually effective for such a simple pattern!
Ken,
Agree. Nothing better than being on the water at "the magic hour". As the sun dips below the tree line and shadows begin to emerge on the water, a shift seems to occur, the water becomes placid and a pure sense of tranquility sets over the river. Then the bugs appear and "rings" begin...
Anonymous 5:39,
Very well said!!! It is the magic hour.
Anonymous 5:14,
Fran Betters certainly struck gold with that pattern.
Brian Miner,
First, it's the Bridge Pool, not the Bridget Pool
Second, It's been three years since you've been able to exit Rt 2 onto Bridge Street.
Third, they actually increased the parking on the Wendell side of the river and have a donation station like they do at Chesterfield Gorge on the EB
Ken
East Branch C&R featured in the current issue of Maine Sportsman Magazine as a fly fishing destination.
Anonymous 8:09
That is amazing!!
Ken
When the Maine Sportsmen has to write about the EB in Mass as a "fly fishing destination", it tells me they are either running out of good, knowledgeable writers, or topics in general to write about. Seriously, as much as it can be a fun place to fish, is easy to wade, offers beginners trails and footpaths to locations and a pretty surroundings, I highly doubt it is on the level of the Madison, Frying Pan or Magalloway for that matter...
Ken this reminds me of my first time to the Millers, I had arrived around 10 am to the kempfield section in late may, only one other angler working the trestle pool and I worked my way slowly through the kempfield pool and below a good stretch, no action and the day was quite hot, as I worked my way up a few other anglers we're arriving so I picked a good spot across from whetstone brook and decided to just hang for a while, as the sun started to dip I started to hear the tell tale slurps that scream soft hackle. I ended up catching a few browns and braking off a few resulting in a depleted stock of partridge and yellows, I tied on a wolly bugger and fished my way out ( darkness had set in) and ended up catching a very good sized brown with good shoulders on him. I love that river very much but I arrive at 6pm now and get right to the juicy stuff
Paul Fay,
The "Witching Hour" always rules!!!!
Ken
The point of the Maine Sportsman Article is that you don't need to travel to those fabled waters to have great fishing experiences!
Anonymous, Well, if that's the case, they should have simply stated. I would suggest the term "destination" is very misleading to those who read the article and have never fished there.
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