Opening Day Traditions 4-14-18

Another Opening Day 2018!! Over the years I have had many opening day traditions, from fishing the Farm River for many years with childhood friends and family, to fishing the Hamo with my son, early mornings, late mornings. At some point I graduated to fishing the Farmington River, going in the late morning with my son Matt or my brother Mike. A few years ago Matt and I joined the NYD crew on a wild brook trout stream and another tradition was born.

Today Matt and I joined Alan and Mark on a wild trout stream someplace in Connecticut. It was sunny and warm, finally. Some wild brookies and fall fish were caught, but I got to share the stream with my son and friends for a couple of hours. For this I am very thankful. The friendships and simply wetting a line together was my reward for today.

The Crew Opening Day! Pete, Matt, Mark, Alan!

Above the Master Alan at work. Raised one in there.
Second photo Matt working  a run.

Valentines Day 2018-Finally on the board.

I was able to get out for a couple of hours today and fished a local stream. I was euro nymphing using pink worm as the anchor with  BHPTSH as the dropper. Worked a couple of deeper pools to no avail.

Nice Bow here

Finally took a nicely colored hold over rain bow in a nice deep run on the pink worm. Bow actually cartwheeled out of the water. So relief, finally on the board. Pictures to follow. Had a neighbor with me who took the pics.

Fish  on here

Back at the Bench

Several years ago after being introduced to Euro-nymphing I was encouraged to tie my own flies. Many years ago when I was in my twenties I used to tie quite a bit mostly nymphs and streamers.
For whatever reason or reasons I stopped.  Back a few years I started to tie Euro nymphs and some soft hackles. A variety of reasons have kept my from the bench until this weekend, when I moved all my materials, vises, and  tools upstairs to a more convenient location. Now I will be back at the bench tying again, in preparation for some fall fishing.

Notice to the left side original Thompson Vise.

I set up the bench using a handmade, maple drop leaf desk, that was constructed by my wife's grandfather many years ago. Above before and after photos.

Mother Natures Beauty

Sometimes you just have enjoy mother nature. This large field of sunflowers is located on my way to my home river! ENJOY the view!

 

 

 

They are all facing the sun!

FYI, UPDATES, SOME STUFF!!

As you can see I have not been fishing or posting on a regular basis. This is an update for my fellow bloggers,close fly fishing friends and fly addicts!! You all know who you are.
As you guys know I am battling the big "C" and recently had a small setback, which has prevented me from getting out to fish. I am on the mend, slowly, getting better and hope to be out on the stream with you guys soon, So I am living vicariously through your fishing blogs which helps me to keep up my spirits and hopes.
Fly fishing has been my "drug" of choice to help escape my troubles. My wife used to tell me "Go stand in the river", which is what I did so frequently to relax, like we all do.
So keep fishing guys, posting, and I will keep reading and commenting until we can get together.
TIGHT LINES!
THANKS For the Support !!!!
TROUTI

A Doe?! A Deer!!!

Spent some time this afternoon exploring a small local stream. At location A, I promptly hooked and lost what would have been the first fish of the day. The fish took a sz. 18 BHPTSH, dead drifted. I set the hook, felt the tug and just quickly it was gone.
At location B nobody was home, but on the way down a dirt road spotted a young deer browsing on the fresh vegetation . He or she seemed undisturbed by my presence and I was able to get a couple of photos of the deer.
Arrived at location C, and as approached this area noticed a few fish rising pretty steadily. I tied on a sz 16 Partridge and Peacock soft hackle, cast above the first riser, the fish took it on the dead drift, and of course I missed that one. Continued in the same pool, and finally managed a small stocked rainbow, which took the soft hackle on the retrieve. Released to live another day.
Moved down stream a bit and located a few more rising, hooking and losing another one.

Deer Watching me.

Back to eating.

Getting Back on the Stream

I have been slowly getting back into the swing of things after an extended time away from the streams. Today I visited a Class 3 WTMA, that holds both stocked and wild trout. I had scouted out this particular stretch of river yesterday and had spotted several trout sipping something very small.
I was unable to see exactly what it was they were on, trying in vain using some assorted soft hackles and spiders.
Returning today, the fish were all rising in the same stretch and I began using a sz 18 PTSH, and initially landed a pretty solid rainbow that took on the retrieve.
Moving downstream a bit, located a few more sippers, and missed one on the drift. Must be a bit rusty. That will change as I get back into the swing of things!!
After sometime, changed over to a sz 18 black soft hackle, moved back to my initial spot and saw a rise directly up and across from where I stood. I made one cast above the rise, twitched the fly once and was rewarded by a hard, solid take and this fish ran downstream and under some brush. This guy gave me a good battle and soon a gorgeous 10 inch wild brown was in my hand. It was a pleasant suprise and a great ending to a short but successful outing.

Healthy looking wild brown.

Today's wild brown. A solid one!

Some of my soft hackles.

This One Is For Me!!

It has been a while since I was able to get out and fish, for a variety of reasons. That is not important as today I was able to get out for a short while and was fortunate to bring s couple of wild browns to hand The stream was up and a bit cloudy. It appeared that it had begun to drop already.

Today's fly of choice was a small size ten Black Ghost, which I have used many times in the past to search for trout in high, cloudy flows. Well apparently some of the wild browns that inhabit this stream liked the Ghost too and jumped on. Managed three to hand and missed another one. So finally was able to connect!!!!

First one of the day .

On The Board 2017

Finally got on the board for 2017. About midday fished a stream that holds wild browns. The water was up and a bit off color from the previous days rain. I was using my go to soft hackle, the BHPTSH, size 16, While fishing a nice rocky run a gorgeous wild brown pounced on the PT.

First of the new year.

A beautiful wild brown







 

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2016

Merry Christmas from the Farm River Angler to all !!! I would like to share with you a few photos from Christmas Day. The last photo is a hand carved and hand painted rendition of the Farm River Wild Brown Trout. A very special gift today from my close friend and fellow fly fisherman, Dave.

Wishing you Season's Greetings

Beautiful  Floral Center Piece
A gift from a very special family

Hand Carved and Painted rendition of the Farm River
wild brown trout. Thank you Dave.

Some Fly Fishing History

A few weeks ago my son gave me a shadow box with a photo of Elsie Darbee and three flies she had tied placed into three smaller compartments in the lower part of the box.

For your viewing pleasure

It Has Been A While...

My last blog entry was on July 11, 2016. A combination of the long hot, humid summer, low water and high temps kept me off the rivers until today.
This morning after the rain had stopped I went on a recon mission to a local stream to see if any of the trout, stocked or wild had survived. When I arrived at the first location , the river was up a bit and with some stain in the water. I did not take a temp but the water was ice cold to the touch. The first stretch I fished using a Partridge and peacock soft hackle produced a very robust and well fed holdover rainbow that put up quite the battle. While in this area I spotted one fish rising in stretch I could not quite reach.
At the second location I landed a small wild brown on the same soft hackle. I continued downstream until I reached another area I know holds some wild browns and was rewarded with seeing two more swing and miss the soft hackle.
A good start to the fall, but we need much more rain.
I took no pictures today, just a quick exploratory mission.

Rainbow Monday on the Farmington River 7-11-16

Spent a couple of hours late AM  fishing the main stem of the Farmy. The first location was void of any other fishermen, so I geared up and headed to the head of this pool. Fish were rising sporadically and there were some BWO's, ISO's and small caddis rising. I initially started Euro nymphing and had no luck. I switched over to a sz. 14  BH Ausable Ugly , and landed several nice rainbows. Went back to nymphing using a sz. 16 Frenchie and landed another bow. I did have one brown come up three times to an ISO Compara Dun, but no take, just followed a short distance and melted right back into the bottom. Frustrating at times.

Moved down river, to a second location and and Euro- nymphed up two more solid hold over bows and missed another one.Nice cool over cast day to be out before the next heat wave!

A couple of several bows today.

Browns and Bows

Today I visited a small stream, hoping the rain overnight helped to refresh the stream a bit. I was fishing a sz, 16 Partridge and Peacock soft hackle and found a nice holdover rainbow in a deep run.
I moved upstream to fish another stretch and was rewarded with an handful of wild browns, bringing a few to hand and having some LDR's . The water had come up a bit and was a little off color.
A rewarding trip this morning.
PS. If you were fishing a local small stream yesterday 7-4-16 using a Payne Bamboo Rod and met a friend of mine please reach out to me! Can contact at espnsports44@aol.com. Thanks

Nice holdover Bow

Wild Brown and a few of his cousins!

Farmington River Hat Trick 6-13-16

I spent a couple of hours fishing the Farmington River Monday, arriving late in the morning to find that I had a nice stretch of river to myself. I saw that there were some caddis sporadically coming off the water and it appeared that the fish were taking them as they emerged. I began nymphing using a small BHPT in the faster water at the head of this stretch and immediately had a nice rainbow. I had steady action for about the next 2 hours,landing a good mix of browns, bows and one decent brookie, which completed the hat trick.
I also had to contend with the wind, which at times was blowing like a hurricane and I could see whitecaps on the river!!

My one brookie completed the Hat Trick!

Caterpillars and Wild Browns

I did a little exploring this  morning, thinking that the rain on Sunday would freshen up some of the small streams. The stream I chose to fish has a nice canopy of trees, shading the water and providing some food for the trout. The water was up a bit and slightly stained and after approaching the stream saw some fish rising. After some close observation saw that the caterpillars were falling from the trees and the trout were just hammering them.
I was fishing a small Partridge and Peacock Herl SH, and I took a bunch of wild browns on the dead drift, and swinging the the SH hackle down and across.
Enjoy the photos.

Delectable Delight

Nice Shaded Section

First one of the Morning

Another Beauty

Last One 

Monday Monday 5-23-16

Monday, late morning I headed to the Farmington River to spend a few hours fishing and hopefully avoiding the crowds that will surely accompany the Memorial Day Weekend. With the weather predicted to be sunny and hot this weekend, the river will come alive with not only fishermen, but an assortment of tubes, kayaks and canoes.
As I  drove along the river my first choice of spots was occupied, so I continued upstream to my second choice and saw that my friend Dave was there. So I parked, got geared up and walked up to the area he was fishing. After exchanging the usual pleasantries and seeing that the fish were very active chasing caddis, began  nymphing using a pheasant tail and green caddis larva. Dave was drifting a green BH caddis larve and some type of soft hackle. We had constant action for a couple of hours, all on nymphs. All of the fish I landed were taken on the PT, which was my dropper. I also landed a very solid, broad shouldered brown and a few others using an olive Greeen WB.
As the sun hit more of the water the action slowed down and it was time for me to head home. A very successful day fishing with a good friend.

Dave has a good one here

Nellie, Dave's Springer watching the action

Nice Brown

Dave with a beauty

One Fly and Redemption

Last Saturday I joined Brk Trt ( Small Stream Reflections) along with a couple of other wild trout fly fishers in a two fly challenge on a small stream. While I hooked several brookies last week, I could not close the deal. I fished with a Partridge and Peacock soft hackle and the "Bomber".
Today I returned to the same stream armed with my go to pattern, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail size 16. That was it, one fly. While approaching my first spot to fish, I came upon Billie the Great Blue Heron who was fishing also and frightened him off. Needless to say I did not fish that location. As I moved upstream where we had observed two fish rising last week, I found Bucky Beaver doing the back stroke, so I did not fish that location either. Farther upstream I came to a nice riffle along the path. I swung the soft hackle through this area and promptly had my first wild brook trout of the day.
Fished a few other location to no avail. Moved up to a nice run I have always had success in and on the first cast hooked and lost one, cast again and brought another nice brookie to hand. Fished a few other locations and found no more takers. The stream has dropped quite a bit since last week.
I returned to my car and moved down stream to another section and in a nice deep run took a gorgeous colored brook trout. Got him on the third attempt as he swung and missed the first two times.
Moved a short distance down stream and in a fast run a nice solid fish nailed the PT and put a bend in the rod.
So... one fly and Redemption!

first one of the day!

one for two here

Took this beauty in the pool (pic) below

Last Beauty of the day

last fish took the PT in this fast riffle.