Happy Thanksgiving

 Only 127 days until April 1st

Happy Thanksgiving To All of You!!!

Ken

Tweaking A Wet Fly: The Millers Flymph

 

Two wrongs do not make a right but three do! - Anonymous

Well, the dark season is upon us and I don't like it. I've done a lot of Winter fly fishing but it was only to have something to do. No way would I give up a balmy day in May to trudge through snow and ice to wet a fly.  The great flyfishing publisher Nick Lyons once said that yes, there can be great midge fishing in Winter, but he needed the downtime of Winter and the thoughts of Spring to recharge himself.  Nothing wrong with that!

Then there's fly tying. Earlier this Fall I stated that there is no fly tying season for me because I tie all year long. During the "season" I'm busy tying inventory but in the Winter I get to experiment.  I've come up with the Millers Flymph.

Hook - light wire scud hook sizes 12 through 16

Thread - 8/0 brown

Tail (that's right) very sparse partridge fibers

Body - brown ice dubbing (don't go to the hook eye with the body but to about where the wing would be.)

Hackle - partridge (three turns)

Head - a few turns of ice dubbing again slightly pushing back the hackles.

This fly is like a soft hackle on steroids and imitates all those bigger mayflies and caddis of Spring.  I'll be stocked up by the time April rolls around.

Ken

Brook Trout Study On The Swift

 

Please read the following:

HI Ken - as per your recent discussions of the Swift and its wild brookies this from the GBTU chapter: PVTU Embrace a Stream Project The Swift River tailwater in Central Massachusetts is the premier wild Brook Trout fishery in Southern New England and is fished by TU members from all ten TU chapters in Massachusetts including many from GBTU. The Swift River holds up to 4000 wild brook trout per river mile, estimated by MassWildlife. Yet, Brook Trout have not been stocked in nearly 40 years. It is a virtually accidental wild fishery, created after the damming of the Swift River and the creation of Quabbin Reservoir. Pioneer Valley Trout Unlimited has been awarded an Embrace-a-Stream Grant to study the population density, movement, mortality, recruitment and growth of these wild fish. Partners include the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWlidlife) and the Massachusetts Outdoor Heritage Foundation. The core method of this study is the use of PIT tag technology, supervised by the MassWildlife and implemented with the help of TU volunteers. The Project will provide metrics on fishery status and viability and develop better strategies to protect Brook Trout and their environment. This study, at a total cost of $36,500, will inform not only cold-water fisheries professionals, anglers, and advocates, but the general public that support the preservation of this unique heritage. The PVTU goal for this fundraiser is $12,500 to complete the needed funding. Please support this project with a donation this week (November 7- 13) to maximize the match that PVTU will receive from TU National

Finally, we have some action on the wild brook trout population on the Swift, action that is long overdue. Let me correct a few statements mentioned above. 1. The Swift is the Premier brook trout fishery in not only Southern New England but maybe all of New England. 2. Yes, it is a tailwater (artificial) fishery BUT no other New England tailwater matches it's ability to produce large brookies. 3. It's fame is not just local as I have guided fly fishers from up and down the eastern seaboard, the mid west and Europe. They had all heard of the Swift.

Now, why did I include the photo of the monster brown from the Swift.?  That's just to remind everyone that we should be taking care of these trout too. I know that they are not NATIVE (They are European origin) but they capture the minds of all fly fishers and have coexisted with brookies in this river for decades. They are the perfect apex predator. They are needed to keep the brookies at a healthy level.

If both species are to be studied to improve their stream environment then I totally support this action and you should too.

Not The Fly Tying Season, Some Tasty Food And A Lost Fly Box

 "Fishermen who care too much about the size and numbers of the fish they catch are insufferable on good days and as harried as executives on slow days.  On the other hand, it's possible to be a happy angler who doesn't catch many fish; it's just that no one will ever say you're good at it." - John Gierach

I recently cruised through a fly fishing website that said that the fly tying season has begun.  "WHAT"?? The fly tying season has no beginning and has no end. When I guided I told countless clients that if I couldn't fly fish again I would still tie flies. That the tying of a henderick emerger or dry transports me to to that time of season, same with tying sulphurs or ants.  As that fly takes shape in my vise I begin to recall the great moments with that fly and that is almost as good as the actual fishing.

I tie flies almost every day, from streamers to tiny stuff. I tie flies that I only use on certain rivers because they only seem to work there and not really anywhere else. I have a small box for the Millers, the Swift and the EB which makes things very simple for me.  It also works well!!

Tuna On Thai Noodles With Snow Peas And Zucchini

Season the tuna really hard with pepper and some soy sauce and sear each side for a minute. I throw basil on the noodles and vegetables.  It's SO good!!

The Flows

Millers - 463 cfs Fishable

Swift - 122 cfs I'm worried about brookie spawning

EB - 98 cfs = It's good

Fly Box- A small grey fly box was lost above route 9. Contact me and I'll contact the owner.

Ken