Getting Ready

Despite the cold winter-like weather, most Adirondack fly fishermen are gearing up for trout season. Organizing fly boxes, checking line, patching waders, purchasing new gear, the list goes on and on. I have tied a full stock of flies for my personal use, as well as a couple hundred for Tom Conway at the Ausable River Two Fly Shop in Wilmington. I will be dropping them off at his shop around April 1st. If you are in the Wilmington area, be sure to stop in the shop. The season starts off slowly in the north country; it's not easy to find productive fishing unless you are very familiar with some of the early spring "honey holes."

Over the winter I managed to finish a few new rods for my guide service. The first one is a 4 piece 81/2 foot 4 wt. I used a Batson Rx 7+ blank; it's my favorite Batson product, but for some terrible reason they do not make the blank anymore. I used TiCr single foot guides, a reverse half wells cork grip and a lightweight uplocking reel seat with cork insert. The rod balances perfectly with a Hardy LRH fly reel, loaded with WF 4 wt line. I have only cast the rod in my yard. It feels very light in hand with med fast action and enough power to punch out a ton of line. I created a feather inlay using grizzly saddle hackle; I really like how it turned out. It looks like fish scales or snake skin. It is hard for me to look at the inlay without imagining the many dry flies I could have tied using the feathers.

I also got my hands on two fiberglass 7 foot 3wt blanks from Great Bay Rod Company. By the way, I really like this company; everything they sell is manufactured in the USA and the costumer service was very friendly and quick. I bought the Northeast series blank. It is a 4 piece blank with spigot ferules. They use S-Glass to roll the blank; it's faster and lighter then E-Glass. Great Bay sells a whole line of finished fiberglass rods designed for small stream fishing. I used TiCr single foot guides, TiCr tip top, Silk wrapping thread, a 6 inch cigar shaped cork grip, and a REC down locking cap and ring reel seat. After spending some time casting this rod, I was very happy with its medium speed and buttery-smooth feel. I tried it using both 3wt WF line and 4wt WF line. The rod is a true 3wt. After trying a few reels, I have decided that the perfect reel is an old Pflueger Progress 1774. I love the reel; it's sturdy and utilitarian, plus I think it looks cool especially on glass.

New Nymphs

I want to introduce some new nymph patterns that I have added to my online fly shop. The Swinger Princes started out as a wire prince pattern but I decided to tie it on a natural bend hook and use a blend of dubbing that I could brush out heavily to create life like movement in the water. This series of flies can be fished either dead drift with an indicator or on the swing like a traditional wet fly.

Swinger Prince

Golden Swinger Prince

On the West Branch of the Ausable here in the Adirondacks one of my favorite ways to fish the river is by "picking pockets". I pick a good stretch of pocket water then start to fish up stream tossing my nymph or nymphs into almost every pocket. I usually only make a few presentations in each pocket trying to reach as many pockets as possible then move up river to the next comfortable stance. In water with heavy current the trout do not have much time to examine your imitation as it tumbles past. This batch of new nymphs I added are flashy and meant to attract attention they are true attractor patterns.

Olive lightning bug

Hot orange lightning bug

Lightning Stone Fly

Flies as Art

Tying flies is a skill used to make fly fishing more enjoyable and productive. Flies are, after all, meant to serve a function: catch fish. Of course, after tying thousands of flies I have realized I rarely fish with flies I don't find attractive. Could it be that trout and fishermen have the same appreciation for well tied and pretty flies? Or maybe I can only properly present and fish with flies that are pleasing to my eye. Each fly represents years of design and technique based on form and function. I'm not sure if it's art, but I do like the thought of my flies as tiny masterpieces meant to be trashed by hungry fish, snagged in branches, and flung through the air.

After posting photos of some of my Salmon flies, I was very exited to receive a comment from a talented artist, Peter Strid, with a link to his rendering of my Ausable Salmon Bomb. Check out his website Strid Art; he creates beautiful art often using fish, flies, and fly fishing for inspiration.

Salmon Flies

Well other then a few slow days on the catch and release area on the West Branch of the Ausable River I have switched gears. I have been tying salmon flies to fish the Lake Champlain tributaries. Take a look.

8' 6'' 5 weight

Here is a photo of a 8' 6'' 5 weight I have just finished. I built it on a Batson Rainshadow 7+ I love these blanks. The guides are titanium and the real seat is box alder. It is weighted perfectly for a light reel my Hardy Angel 3/4 weight even balances it nicely.

Fall Fishing

I have been having a lot of luck on the Ausable and Saranac rivers the water is clear, the temp is in the low 50s and the level is perfect. I have seen a few October Caddis but have mainly been fishing nymphs and streamers. The fish have been aggressive attacking big zonkers and bunnies often before the streamer has a chance to sink more then a few inches.

October so far

The Ausable has been way to high for most fishermen this past week. I have managed to take a few clients to some local spots with some luck. Mostly with streamers and heavy nymphs. I also have been able to get out on my own a few times here are a few pictures of a nice brown I caught on a size 6 Zonker.