The Ups And Downs Of Tailwaters

 

Kempfield Pool on the Millers

Tailwaters drive me crazy especially on a cold wet Spring such as we have had this year. The Swift turned into a freestone want-to-be with a 3 month flood with its flow overtaking rivers like the EB and the Ware. It is, as we know, an artificial river with it's flows mainly controlled by the guys who run Quabbin. Frankly, I like the Swift on days in the dead of Summer but I really love the freestones like the Millers, EB and the Ware on Summer evenings. They are not artificial rivers and are not crowded like the Swift or the Farmington. It is the way trout fishing used to be before tailwaters were invented in the mid 20th century.

Freestone Conditions

The Millers, Ware and the EB are perfect now!!  Try to hit them now in the evening which in the best time!!!

Ken

The Redhead Rabbit

 

This fly is another "old school fly" without any artificial material in it's construction. (I'll give myself a pass on the nylon thread and the metal hooks and wire). Other than that it could of been tied in 1900!

Hook - size 8, 10, or 12 standard wet or dry fly hook

Body - It's all rabbit including the tail and dubbed loosely then held in place with fine copper wire.

If you want  you can weigh it with lead free wire or just drop shot it.

Hackle - I like partridge but any soft hackle will do

Head - As I mentioned the body is rabbit (natural color) except for the head which is RED rabbit fur.

 

Try it!!

The Rivers

Swift - 401 cfs.  It's getting there

Millers - 765. Same shape as the Swift

The Ware - 179 cfs which is perfect  It's fishing well

The EB - 240 cfs

Don't forget Mom tomorrow!!!!!

Ken

Ken

The Worm hook Streamer

 

Make it simple and make it work.  That's what I was thinking when I worked up this fly. There is no body other than the hook shank ( 2/0 Eagle Claw worm hook), a  white  bucktail throat, a blue bucktail wing and a topping of peacock.  It took my first striper of the season on top of that.

I have to admit that this isn't the first time I used this style of fly.  I took some to Florida in a size 4/0 and took some outsized bluefish and then promptly forgot about it after I got back home. That will not happen again!  It's part of my saltwater game plan going forward.

There is no wind resistance with this fly which always seems to be a problem when I'm in the salt.

Ken