Guide Owen Ward on Vermont’s White River

Posted on September 22, 2025 by Ed Mitchell

Guide Owen Ward on Vermont’s White River

Back in the spring, I took a float trip down Vermont’s White River. My guide was Owen Ward, who at the time was head Orvis guide for The Woodstock Inn. Ward is also a New Hampshire Licensed Guide. Since leaving the Woodstock Inn, he has joined TBC Guide service http://www.tbcguides.fish. You can also find Owen at 781-718- 2231 or on Instagram @freestone_fanatic. If you would like to read the full article I wrote for Estuary Magazine  click here. You can find it was well on my magazine article page.

The trip was postponed several times because of high water. Truth is in recent years flooding has hit Vermont often in the spring, but we finally got in the Owen’s white-water raft and headed down stream, starting in Stockbridge and fishing our way toward Bethel. It was a bright day, under blue skies, perfect for our angling adventure. The scenery was gorgeous.

While we caught small rainbows early, the highlight of the day was catching two big beautiful wild rainbows. Man, they fought like steelhead, jumping several times and making great runs. It proved to be a fantastic float on the White River. I highly recommend Owen Ward to you. Give him as shout.

 

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Striped Bass Public Hearing Old Saybrook 2025

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Ed Mitchell

Striped Bass Public Hearing  Old Saybrook, 2025

Last night the ASFMC held a public hearing in Old Saybrook on proposed regulation changes for 2026. The meeting kicked off at 6PM. Packed house, standing room only.  I’d venture there were about 60 people in attendance.  By the way, the man in the foreground with his hand up is legendary surfcaster Pat Abate. The first hour was a complete run down on the options being offered by the board. If you have been following this subject you know there is a good deal of complexity to these proposals. Many of which are likely unenforceable. The second hour was reserved for Q&A.

In Chesapeake Bay, there has been no meaningful striped bass reproduction success in 6 years. And 3 more years of failures in the Hudson as well. Damn! So the big bass we see right now, are all we have. Without them, there are no bass in the wings. Clearly striped bass are in dire straits, much like they were back in the early 198o’s, when all we have left was one year class…the 1982.  I remember that well. But we put aside our own self-interests and united behind saving striped bass from extinction.

And we did with Amendment 3 to the plan, which had only regulation north to south – a hook-and- release moratorium. Yes, we took the medicine and together became an unstoppable f0rce. Man we were High-Fiving at the docks and up and own the beach. Can’t tell you how proud I was to be part of it.  And best of all, it worked like black magic, sending the Spawning Stock Biomass soaring to over 250 million pounds.  Now we must do again, close ranks, put aside our self-interests, lock arms, and demand a moratorium. Striped bass are worth it! Striped bass deserve it!

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My Son Gets an Albie

Posted on September 14, 2025 by Ed Mitchell

My Son Gets an Albie

With the tuna in town, it didn’t take long for my son to nail a nice size ablie. Can you tell he is excited? Man oh man! Love that photo.

This a new boat for him. He got it in an online auction. Went to bed thinking he had lost, but the morning brought a different story. It’s an old 19-foot Seaway with a 9-foot beam. Needs cosmetic work, but overall it is in decent shape. And my kid is an excellent mechanic. As the story goes, this boat spent much of its life in Madaket Harbor over on Nantucket. The owner was likely a commercial fisherman, possibly working out around Tuckernuck and Nantucket Shoals. After he passed, the boat was returned to his native state of Connecticut and stored in a barn for a decade or more before it went up for sale.

Posted in Fly Fishing in Salt Water, Fly Fishing on a Boat | 1 Comment

Hardtails in Town!

Posted on September 14, 2025 by Ed Mitchell

Hardtails in Town!

After three poor falls in my neck of Long Island Sound, the tide has turned. We have both albies and bonito and in fair numbers. In prior seasons, the action during the best part of the year stayed offshore, often a mile or more from the coastline. This time it’s right inside where light craft and kayaks can get a shot. And yes, even from shore.

This picture comes my way from one of the most hardcore anglers I have ever known. He and his friend caught a number of tuna on fly. Great going.  Let’s hope this action hangs around for while!

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Photos are a Time Machine

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Ed Mitchell

Photos are a Time Machine

Credit Dave Beall

Can photos transport you back in time? Absolutely, taking us across the days, the weeks, the years and even the decades. And that is exactly why we love pictures of ourselves holding fish. We want to capture and save special events. But I have to admit sometimes it’s the shots without a fish, shots of a dawn or dusk sky, waves rolling down a beach, stars or clouds that really spark emotion. Yes these images are introspective. And in that lies their power. They reawaken a mood, a moment, or deep thought. Remind us of our lives.

PS Here’s another one to chew on

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