A Day on the Connecticut’s Salmon River

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

A Day on the Connecticut’s Salmon River

Newer Link https://edmitchelloutdoors.com/2023/04/11/a-day-on-the-salmon-river/

Last week we had a few warm days. Naturally I took advantage of them to do some trout fishing. The closest trout water to me is the Salmon River. It is only 30 minutes from my front door, so it was clearly my destination of choice.

The Salmon is a small river, running through the Salmon River State Forest on the Marlborough, Colchester line. Upstream of the covered bridge is a trout management area with a fly only section. And that is where I usually fish.

Regardless what stretch you visit, however, the Salmon is an attractive  freestone river. I first fished as a kid. So it hold fond memories as well. Fishing-wise, this is primarily a “put-and-take” fishery, although I bet there is some natural reproduction in the tributaries which include the Dickenson, the Blackledge, the Jeremy, and Fawn Brook.

With some snow still in the forest, water temperatures were likely in the low 40’s. That immediately suggested nymph fishing as a good choice. On my initial outing I went with a “Euro” nymph setup. For my second outing I switched to “indicator” style nymphing, just for a change of pace. But my best results came when the nymphs went back in the fly box and I tied on a soft hackle. Surprise, surprise. Didn’t expect that.

On the second outing, I fished my Kabuto. I’ve owned this sweet rod for 15 years. On small streams like the Salmon, its fantastic. In fact fiberglass fly rods in general truly shine in such locations. Man I love them. Not only are they a joy to cast, with a fish aboard a “glass” rod will have you smiling from ear-to-ear. See newer Post

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Tying an Anchor Fly on a Waspi JHCN

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

I mentioned this Waspi hook back last post. Designed for Czech style nymphs, it offers a lead body molded on the shank, a down turned eye, a 2x short shank, and a wide gap. Will it ride hook up? We’ll see.

Waspi JHCN Czech Hook

Anchor Fly on a Waspi JHCN

To form the body, I employed a green vinyl rib. It is a bit stretchy which made it easier to tie in. I like how it looks too, but the “sprue” on top of the hook proved to be an obstacle going forward. So I stopped the rib just behind it and then dubbed in a hare’s ear head. Added a few legs too. Overall it made a decent looking fly. And it was quick to tie. See the finished fly below.

Anchor Fly on a Waspi JHCN

 

 

 

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Thought on Matching Green Caddis Pupae

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Thoughts on Matching Green Caddis Pupae

In the previous post we took a quick look at “anchor” flies used in “Euro” nymphing. And I mentioned that perhaps the most productive “anchor” flies is the green caddis pupae. Green caddis pupae (Rhyacophilidae) are found pretty much everywhere across the country. And are very easy to match with a fly. Lets get started.

Here’s an excellent green caddis pupae “anchor” fly. It is a Rock Candy tied by noted fly tyer Richard Stolis. It has both a lead wire underbody and a tungsten bead. A very heavy and very  effective fly, which I purchased directly from him.

Rock Candy by Rich Stolis

Size-wise Rhyacophilidae pupae are about 1/2″ to 3/4″ in length, varying in color from light green to olive green, with darker shades being a bit more common. There are a slew of pupae shaped hooks on the market. One of most popular is the Tiemco 2487; I’ve used it successfully for years. It is a light wire hook, however. Fine in shallow runs, but for general use as an “anchor” fly should be heavily weighted. Tungsten beads are the way to go.

Given that “anchor” flies sink deep, they can snag on the bottom. It happens. To lessen this problem,  many anglers now prefer “anchor” flies tied on jig hooks. Riding hook point up, they are less apt to snag, which means you lose fewer flies. A major bonus. Appropriate jig hook offerings fare available from Daiichi, Hanak, Mustad, Partridge, Umpqua, Wapsi, and beyond. Waspi also sells a special leaded body jig hook for Czech nymphs. It is JHCN. Perhaps in the next post we’ll take a look at it.

Green Caddis Pupae -with Tungsten bead

The body of your fly can quickly be made in many ways – chenille, floss, natural dubbing, Antron dubbing, thin plastic tubing, vinyl ribbing, latex strips…..etc. Below is one I tied with green flash material, and one with green copper wire. Both are on size 10 hooks with tungsten beads.

Important Tip: Green caddis pupae become most active in spring through early summer. They are found primarily in fast, broken water, however. So be sure to concentrate your angling efforts there!

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Getting Ready for Trout

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Getting Ready for Trout

Well its finally time to get ready for trout. Yes I know, some anglers here in the Northeast fish right through the whole winter. God bless them. I did a bit once upon a time, but frankly lost interest. For this angler its the approach of spring when the fishing begins in earnest.

Yesterday I started digging out the gear. Typically the trout are deep at this time of year. Hence nymphs are the right medicine. So the first thing I did was open the fly boxes and look at my nymph selection. In years past, I fished them on an indicator rig, but I have a nice  10 foot 4 weight someplace ready for Euro nymphing. It is a very effective angling method. I’ve a little experience under my belt. This season I want to improve my Euro skills. No that doesn’t mean I’ll totally be giving up indicators. In some situations they are still the best way to present a nymph.

No doubt I’ll need to build a new Euro style leader or two. And I may tie some more “anchor” flies. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, an “anchor” fly is the heaviest one on your leader, the fly that keeps the rig deep.  Most often it is the point fly, although there are occasions  when it is best as the dropper. This is particularly true in very shallow stretches of the stream.

This time around I want to try making them on jig hooks.  It has become very popular. So popular in fact its hard to find quality jig fly hooks. Believe me some brands are out of stock everywhere.  Still I found a few. Probably make them into green caddis pupae. Its a safe bet, as my streams are loaded with green caddis.

Getting Ready for the Season

Need to stretch and clean some fly lines. Clean and oil the reel. Check all the gear. Find my tippet spools, nipper, forceps, hook sharpener. Straighten out the fly boxes. Look over the wader situation.  And oh yeah, get a license.

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Fly Fishermen and Women need to be in Good Shape

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Ed Mitchell

Fly Fishermen and Women need to be in Good Shape

Too many fly fishermen, and women, don’t think they need to stay in shape. Well if you’re under 30 or do your all fly fishing from the couch watching YouTube videos, I’ll let you off the hook. If that is not the case, listen up. You’ll fish better, longer, and with less injury if you spend time keeping in shape. I’m in the gym 3 times a week for that very reason.

The three most typical injuries faced by fly anglers are: tennis elbow, shoulder issues, and low back pain. All three can be quite painful. Ouch! And all three can knock you out of the game. But all three can often be prevented by keeping in shape.

Preventing Tennis Elbow: The repetitive motion of fly casting can tear the tendons in your forearm, especially with fast action rods. To avoid this injury you need good muscle tone in your forearm. One of simplest way to go about it is squeezing a rubber ball. Do it palm up and palm down. Not only is this method cheap and easy, it can be done anywhere, even at work. Believe me it works. **** Here’s a tip. Between casts, loosen your grip on the rod. This gives the muscles in your forearm a chance to rest. They’ll thank you for it.

Preventing Shoulder Issues: Not only is casting a repetitive motion, it asks you, at times, to raise your arm upwards. Both movements put stress on your shoulder and can lead to pain or even a serious injury called a torn rotator cuff. Very bad news. To prevent it, build your shoulder strength now. A simple exercise with a resistance band is useful. Here is a link Be sure to watch this video too!  It will offer better insight into how the shoulder works. 

Preventing Low Back Pain: Low back pain is a real nuisance, especially if you like to fish from a kayak. Typically this type of pain is caused by being overweight, or having weak abdominal muscles, or both. Losing weight is the key first step for many anglers. Diet and exercise will do that. But strengthening your “abs” is critical too. Crunches and planks are effective, but an “ab” roller is even better. They are cheap ( I got one for $10 from amazon). Be aware that the smaller the diameter of the roller’s wheel, the harder you’ll work. And avoid rollers that come spring loaded; they quickly fail. But whatever one you get, it will work far better then either crunches or planks, but you must use it properly. Do not do full rollouts at first! Hell no, you’ll hurt yourself. Halfway is plenty until you are in good shape.  

Warning: The above advise is not intended for people who already have tennis elbow, or shoulder problems, or a bad back. If that is you, consult your doctor first, especially if you have swelling, serious aches, pain raising your arm, or a preexisting injury.

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