Spring Tues

With a bit of a memorial day hangover I got to the river a little late. I fished down stream to the pine's pool with no luck and decided to head up stream.  I was fishing a soft hackle in front and a small bead head flashback pheasant tail trailing.  Since the trip down was uneventful when I jumped to the other side of the river I tied on a grey scud and another beadhead pheasant tail trailer a little bigger then before and with no flashback.  The walk up river was also uneventful until I hit the brook pool. This is where everyone fishes by evidence of the equipment left in the newly fallen tree and the worm box trash left streamside.  Intending on heading up above to the run I just couldn't resist the begining of the big pool.  Since I had to cross over to get where I was planning on fishing there was no harm in casting a line before wading across.  Fortunately for me the dace were in the section of the stream.  After playing with them for the better part of 10 minutes I finslly managed toy get one of the hook.   The little bugger managed to get it all wrapped up into a mess so in order to save time I cut the flies off.  What to tie on.  Well the water was perfect for that soft hackle that I was using before and the pheasant tail was smaller so the dace would be fun.  Tied it on and on the second drift through something slammed it hard.  A nice 8" brown who thought he was a flying fish repeatedly launching himself from the water.  Once to hand he was released unharmed. Another drift or 2 and something big thought my float looked appetizing.  Two strikes later and it was time to head to work....never did get that fish to come to an actual fly.

Fri return

Well I had to take Friday off for some family commitments but those didn't begin until 10. So what was I to do. Easy talked my Dad into a trip to the Q for a fly fishing trip.  Figured I had the fish patterned after Tuesday but unfortunately NO.  The hairs ear brought nothing to the net. All that was managed was a small brown on a pheasant tail?!?! Fish haven't been hitting that all season.  Did manage a stock bow in one of the deeper sections of the river on a black cone head woolly bugger.  He pulled a steelhead trick and came shooting out of the water to the head if the pool only to come back down and head to the back of the pool where he lost me.  A nice size fish with a well executed plan on how to loose a fisherman.

Tuesday at the Q

Hit the Q this morning before work.  River is running around 140 cfs today. Fishable but hard wading.  

Managed to find a nice bow and a pair of browns.   Lost a good fish after a few aerial displays in my favorite hole on the river.  A flash back hairs ear was what they wanted probably due to the slightly off color or the water. Also needed some weight to get it down. Couple of pics.

The Bow:

One of the Browns:

This is the only river I have ever caught all 3 species of fish on.  Today it was not meant to be...perhaps another day.

West river

West river...a former top 5 wild trout fishery of Massachusetts.   Every year I try and fish this river with my Dad. You see this is where I first learned to trout fish.  My Dad lived near one of the tributaries when he was a kid a he used to know this river like it was his back yard - mainly because in that day and age it was. Anyway the last couple of years have been hard in this river as the beaver have moved in and dammed what was a nice free flowing river into at best a warm water pond.  Dad and I made the yearly trip to the river with the promise of trout. Unfortunately the only fish willing to cooperate were the ever present dace and after catching enough to loose track of how many I had enough to carry me through till next year's pilgrimage. Hairs ear ruled the day.  Size did not matter.

Q in the am

Decided to try some exploring on the Q today.  Went down one of the more famous tributaries.  It's really nothing more then a trickle but today it held fish.  Caught 8 on an even mix of a elk hair caddis and a bh hares ear.  All browns but non the less it was some fun. Hopefully the coming rain won't blow things out.