Friday, February 10, 2012

First trout of the year.

This past weekend Sarah and I went to Connecticut to watch the Super Bowl. I really had little interest in the game this year and even though it was a good one I was distracted. I was on the computer reading stream reports for the local waters. Aside from visiting, this trip was about fishing (I even think Sarah admitted that in the end).

I decided I would fish the Farmington River. There were many reasons for the Farmington over the Housatonic or one of the small streams but I can't pin down which one sold me on it.
Well, for what ever reason, the Farmington was the choice. I did not get up early because, as Sarah put it, this was a mini vacation (and the trout aren't going at the crack of dawn like they are in summer). Now for a trip in the beginning of February on a Monday afternoon, you would think I would have had the river to myself right? Well that's not the case at this stretch of the river!  When I pulled in the parking lot was half full.

Once I was suited up and lined up I talked to an older fella who was smoking a pipe next to his car. He had a fly rod so I asked how the fishing was hoping he'd hint as to any action. He smiled and said they are ONLY hitting micro stone flies. I had no clue what a micro stone fly was but I said okay and hit the water. After briefly fishing a midge larva I spotted a couple fish rolling in the film.

After fishing the smallest wet fly I had thought I'd try a dry. So I grabbed the trusty rusty Griffith gnat. Had a raise but no take. After adding a little 6x to my leader I tried again and wouldn't you know they were eating gnats too.
Dry flies in February - what a great way to start the year. Maybe I was too quick to claim this coming year 'the year of the bass'. This trip really got me excited about spring fishing. 

Well - back to the tying vise for now. I'll try to post soon on some of my new tying adventures.
Bruce

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Owl Jones's tying contest

I don't often do this but I think I'm going to enter the first ever Owl Jones fly tying contest. For those of you who don't run in the outdoor blogging circles or don't read fishing blogs you probably do not know Owl Jones. He is the writer of the blog OwlJones.com and yesterday posted this post OJDC’s First Annual Fly Tying Competition. The honest truth is I don't read every post he puts up (Owl seems to have more time to blog then the average bear) but yesterday I finished my lunch early and read his contest announcement.

At first I shrugged it off and thought I don't have anything to offer, but tonight while I was at the vise I decided to go for it. I have two very different flies I'm going to send. So now I need to sit down and make them. Look out Owl here they come!


-Bruce