Westfield River 11-27 & 11-29

After eating more food on Thanksgiving than I thought possible, I felt a hike to work off the extra calories was well needed. Friday morning, I found myself alone on the Westfield River with a light rain, but very manageable flows. I fished pocket water created from large boulders and deep pools with little success. Hiking further downstream I discovered a large bend pool with a set of riffles at the head followed by a tight current that hugged the steep rocky ledge. I nymphed the riffles, and hooked a colorful rainbow retrieving an olive BH woolybugger. Unfortunately, this fish was caught before by a fisherman that did not use barless hooks. The fish suffered from a damaged lower jaw, however this happen to be the most fiesty fish caught that day, tailwalking like salmon. I fished my way down to the corner where the wide riffles formed a small feeding lane along the rocks, hooking another rainbow (~13 in). Strike indicators seemed to spook the fish in the crystal clear water, as most of my fish hit on the retrieval of the wooly bugger and egg double rig system. A large submerged boulder suggested a prime hiding place for a large trout. I dead drifted the nymph rig in front of the boulder and "BAM!", big fish on!. These strong fiesty fish made long fast runs, until finally brought to hand, where a quick release from barbless hooks left them swimming healthy back into the depths of the pool. As the rain continued and the afternoon sun approached, I worked my way back upstream to the head of the pool to cross back over the river. Slowly wading in the slippery fast current, I flipped a few casts along the riffles, when all of a sudden I feel a large thump and "fish on"! A strong fish and a strong current provided an entertaining fight with another large rainbow landed (~17 in).

This morning, my father and I fished a similar stretch of the river. Bright sun and temperatures hovering ~50F, brought trout to the surface, sipping tiny midges off the surface in the tailout of pools. Most of the rainbows caught today were on wooly buggers and egg patterns dead drifted in the current. Although many fish were rising, the gin clear water allowed them close looks at their prey, thus matching the hatch and absolute perfect presentation was needed.

An above normal warm day on November 29 was well spent and the surfacing trout was just an added bonus.

Deerfield River - 11/7/09

A scheduled canopy tour at New Englands' largest zip line park located at Berkshire East, Charlemont NH allowed for a couple hours of early morning fishing on my homewater, the Deerfield River. After a short hike, I arrived to a stretch on the lower section of the Deerfield around 0630 with temperatures hovering around a "mild" 25 degrees and flows at ~1500 CFS and dropping.
The mountaineous terrain prevented the early morning sun from melting the ice that filled my guides. I was even unaware of my reel iced over until I hooked into my first trout of the morning, when my line was frozen to the reel.
Patiently waiting for the water level to drop and expose the larger boulders that created the slack water and seams which eventually would congregate the trout, the morning silence was occasionally broken with the distant vocalizations of mallard ducks flying up the river. The dropping water level allowed easier wading to the middle of the river. I fished a two rig system: Copper John (dropper) followed by an egg pattern. A strike indicator was used to help keep the flies on the edge of the seam. After a few quick strikes, I hooked into a large rainbow, which took me a little ways down river, until i finally netted the fat 17 inch. Dead drifting the same run, I hooked into another nice rainbow. Although not as big, the very sharp shaped fins and distinct color patttern indicated a wild rainbow born in the river. A cold but exciting morning lasted until 0830 when I had to leave for the canopy tours.

Isinglass River - 10/30/09

Friday afternoon was an eventful couple hours fishing the Isinglass with my girlfriend, a "green-horn" to the sport. After describing the methods of correct casting techniques, she was quickly fishing a wooly bugger at the tail out of a pool. Multiple casts and a couple snags later she just wanted to see a fish. The unrehearsed back and forth motions chambered no previous muscle memory, so fatigue and impatience set in. I swung the streamer through a probable lie on the opposite side of the stream and with a few quick strips, a rainbow was hooked. This repeated technique landed a total of 5 rainbows and 1 brown, most of which were fought by my GF. The river has slowed down, but this cloudy afternoon still brought some eager fish to the net.

Lamprey & Isinglass Rivers - 10/22 & 10/25

Thursday morning I fished a lower stretch of the Lamprey near Newmarket, NH. A cool brisk morning with scattered clouds suggested excellent conditions for the newly stocked rainbows. Water flows were running ~130 CFS & 1.75 gauge height. When initially stocked, the rainbows prefer the slower moving water of pools as it takes them a couple days to acclimate to the faster flows in the head of pools. A green BH wooly bugger was the chosen fly as it was retrieved upstream or across the current. A total of 12 rainbows were landed in a 1.5 hr period, with hits almost every cast.

The annual fall stocking of the Isinglass River curtious of Waste Management (WM) stocked 500 browns and rainbows this past Saturday. The persistent downpours that day quickly rose water levels that I feel discouraged many fishermen. I arrived at the river at sunrise Sunday morning expecting more people would trickle in. Gray Ghost patterns found where the fish lay in a pool created from a large waterfall, but the strong current prevented solid hook-sets. Casting to the pool from a variety of angles and different techniques, trout finally started chasing large orange stimulators retrieved upstream just under the surface. Almost every cast resulted in a trout exploding over the fly. I took 3 quick rainbows until I switched to a muddler minnow. The sun poked through the clouds and the temperature rose.....The brown trout hammered that fly and just about every other streamer I could toss across current. They averaged 14-15 inches, with an occasional 16-17 usually lost at the net. Called it quits at 1100 with over 20 feisty fish landed and at least another 50 misses.

Three Rivers Stocking & Lamprey River - 10/17-10/19

Three Rivers Stocking Association is a private organization that has recently completed their first successful annual fundraiser to stock fall trout in the Lamprey, Cocheco, and Isinglass; three rivers which offer acceptional year-round C & R trout fishing in Southeastern NH. I had the pleasure of stocking these trout on Saturday with President, Jonathon Chorlian, a renouned fly fishing fanatic.
Many of the association members and other local fly-fisherman volunteered in the stocking of ~300 rainbows into the Cocheco, and 500 browns and rainbows (20 18"+ browns) in the Lamprey!!! Waste Managment (WM) has also donated 500 trout to the Isinglass, which will be stocked in the near future.

Fishing these rivers over the past two days has boosted (I would think), everyone's attitude on fall trout fishing this year. The Lamprey was hit hard Saturday evening through tonight, with reports of anglers catching upwards of 30 trout. Rainbows were hitting nymphs and egg patterns, but consistenly favored retrieving wooly buggers and big stoneflies. Trout have not moved far from their initial introduction to the water, but are quickly learning the locals' favorite patterns. The popular pools have seen a consistent 3-5 anglers, but everyone has willingly shared the water as there are plenty of fish still to be caught, and even caught again!
C & R is a wonderful concept!

Pemigawasset River & Sky Pond

The rain ended early sunday, just in time for the field trip session of the two day "Lets Go Fishing" fly fishing class at Plymouth State University. Located within minutes of the Pemigawasset, it seemed an appropriate place to start. Water levels rapidly increased due to the previous nights rain. Large boulders provided a variety of different water for the first timers, enabling them to experience different current speeds, seam and foam lines, and drag free drifts. After a couple hours of basic casting and learning to read the water, lunch provided a break for the students to rest their arms, and thus allowing the water to calm back down. After lunch, we lined the sandy shore and began to take a more serious approach, tossing a variety of flies that seemed approriate for the water conditions. Another teaching instructor fished the seam of a large pool and was rewarded with a nice brookie using a hornberg. Not long after, a second instructor reeled in another brookie downstream on a black woolly bugger.

Producing no fish for the beginners, we decided to switch gears and head to Sky Pond down the road. Upon arrival, everyone noticed the hungry trout exploding on the surface, offering everyone with some primer dry fly action. Dries were the ticket for the first half hour with elk hair caddis and beetles. Brookies were later brought to the net with woolly buggers. A very successful day for "first-time" fly fishermen!

Connecticut River, Pittsburg NH - 9/25-9/26

It took all summer, lots of pictures, and a few fish tales, but I finally brought my father up to the Great North Woods in Pittsburg to fish for trout and salmon on the famous Upper Connecticut River.

When making solo trips North, I usually splurge ($18) and stay at the Mountain View Inn campground, campsite #38 located in the far corner of the camping area. But to my surprise my father and had settled on a deal: I would guide him for the weekend on the water and he would reserve a stay at the no less than perfect Lopstick Lodge, offering very luxurious accomadations on 1st Lake.

The brisk Saturday morning (27F) started out very slow, with only light hits and dry fly refusals. It took the warmth from the sun and the small hatch of caddis to get fish active. A light hatch of caddis and skeeters below the 2nd lake dam produced 2 nice 16" salmon along with 4 native and stocked brookies that averaged around 12-13".

Sunday morning welcomed us with a light rain and warmer temperatures, so I headed down below 1st dam solo. Using a 2 nmpyh rig equiped with an indicator, I fished the pocket water on the outside bend of a section of rapids. First cast landed a colorful brookie (14"). Working downstream and hitting each little pocket water sunk my indicator with a salmon I assumed, as they took off upstream into the rapids preventing me from keeping them on the fly.

That wrapped up a short, but exciting trip to the North. Technical water fishing is tough, but rewarding when trout come out of the smallest holding spots on the river.

Tight Lines!

First Post

Welcome to Square-Tail Anglers Guiding Service!

This fall season is off to a great start; I will try and catch you up on the last trip to Pittsburg, NH.

River Reports:

Deerfield is fishing well now and I do have availability in the next couple weeks.