Worse Season Kickoff I can Remember

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Ed Mitchell

This is the worse  season kickoff I can remember. Damn it has been weird. And after a mild winter I didn’t expect that. Not one little bit. In some good part it has been the virus and the stay-at-home deal we all face. But there is more to it. My local beaches are closed. Wow. On top of that mess, the weather has been a real rollercoaster ride. And the long range forecast is more of the same.

My Son’s Striper

Just got a fishing report from my son, however. He got a striper out of his kayak in the Connecticut River one evening. Glad he did. Nice, although he is making dad look bad. Ha.

Dusk on the Connecticut River

Finally got a flat bed extender for my pickup. Now I can put my old kayak back into action. It is an Adios. A hybrid critter. Part Sit-on-Top, part Standup-Board. Got my fingers crossed the yak changes my luck. Hell it can’t make things any worse. I’ll give the Adios a go when this weather pattern straightens out.

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Review: Gamaktsu G Series Fly Boxes

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Ed Mitchell

Gamakatsu is well known for their excellent hooks, but recently I came across some nice plastic boxes also offered by them. Since my saltwater fly boxes badly needed to be replaced, I took a chance and ordered two from Bear’s Den.

Made in Japan, they are available in a couple of different sizes and two styles – with slit-foam or adjustable dividers. They appear to be rugged and well made. The latch and hinges seem fine too, although at this point I can’t say how they will do in the long haul. Another issue I’ll be looking out for is whether the plastic lid scratches up badly. Not a fan of that. We’ll see down the road or should I say down the shore.

Now I needed boxes that easily fit into the pockets of my Simms foul weather jacket. Based on that, I picked the model 3200. The dimensions are 8.1″ x 5.7″ x 1.6″ deep. Did I go with the slit- foam or the dividers? Actually I opted to get one of each. The one with dividers retails for $7.75. The foam model is almost double at $13.50. A little surprised by that. Still both are affordable.

As you can see above, my jacket will hold two boxes, although I doubt I’ll ever need both for a day on the water. Now that I have them in hand, I like the adjustable dividers better. It is a more versatile box and cheaper. I made compartments for flies from 7″ on 3/0 hooks, down to size 1 flies. The slit-foam is best suited to smaller flies such as sand eel or crab patterns. And it will made a nice storage box for flat’s flies. Overall I’m pleased with both boxes. Keep Calm and Carry On

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First Day on the Water this Year

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Ed Mitchell

Like nearly everyone else, I’ve been doing the stay-at-home routine. Yeah, yeah, bouncing off the damn walls. But the cabin fever was building something fierce, so yesterday I took a shot. Threw my gear in the truck and headed to a beach I figured would be deserted during the week. Had to get out. Had to.

In New England, the best early spring conditions for striped bass are as follows: water temperature 45 degrees or higher, southwest wind, falling barometer, and the threat of rain would be a help too. Honestly, snotty, cloudy weather is a plus.  Yesterday I had the right water temp, but that’s where the good news ended. Wind out of the  northwest, rising barometer, and clear skies. Hence my expectations were not riding high. And good thing. After an hour and a half of casting –  no hits, not runs and even a few errors. Ugh. Oh well it was great to be on the water. Amen brother.

On this particular beach there is a sundial built into the side of a shed. It consists of Roman numerals painted on a south facing sidewall, and a stick that casts a shadow. Does it work? Check out the photo below. I snapped it at 12:56. How’s them apples? Whoever made this knew what they were doing. Tip of the hat.

Here’s one more thought. As I get older climbing in-and-out of stocking foot waders has become more of a hassle. Much of it has to do with reaching down to lace up those boots. Its a pain in the arse. On top of that my Simms waders are cut very tight and that adds to the problem. (see older post) So yesterday I brought along a folding chair. Man it made life a bunch easier.  Going to do this all the time.

PS My day on the water reconfirmed my opinion of this Scott Meridian 7-weight. It’s a great rod. I was alone on the beach. But I just learned the beach will be closed starting on Saturday. Glad I got out!

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Small Clousers

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Ed Mitchell

Just whipped up some small Clousers. Now when I say small I don’t mean micro; these are size 1#. But by saltwater standards that is on the smaller side, unless you’re thinking bonefish ammunition.  Heck here in the Northeast, 1/0 and 2/0 Clousers do the yeoman’s work. Probably whip up some of those critters next.

So why did I do size 1#? Well right at the moment there aren’t gobs of giant bass around. At least in Long Island Sound and its surrounding waters. So this is primarily a schoolie fishery and smaller flies and small rods are the best medicine. And  if you hit yourself in the head a size 1#  doesn’t hurt near halve as bad as a bigger one. Ha!

For these flies I’m using a Mustad C70SD Big Game hook. If perchance a monster munches on one, these hooks will hold. (Not sure these hooks are still available. Hell I wonder from year to year whether Mustad will make it.) I opted for no tail. The body is Bill’s Bodi Braid with a thin coat of clear UV acrylic. Medium dumbbell eye. Yes I could have used a smaller dumbbell, but the power of the Clouser lies in two factors. The ability to get down and the ability to “jig”on the retrieve. The medium dumbbell will do both better. Sea green bucktail wing. Flash on top, in this case pearl Mirage.  Whole deal is about 2.5″ long. Very simple and yet very effective. And easy to deliver on a 7-weight fly rod.  Hope you’re well. Keep Calm and Carry on.

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Fishing from Afar by Stephen Johnson

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Ed Mitchell

This small but fascinating book was written in a prisoner of war camp by an RAF pilot shot down in December of 1942. There in Stalag Luft III, Johnson spent his long lonely hours penning a book of remembrance about fly-fishing for sea trout and salmon in Scotland’s Highlands, and the Isle of Skye. At one point he nearly threw the manuscript out before his release in 1945. Thankfully that didn’t happen. 

While there is adequate attention to tackle and flies, the beauty of this book lies elsewhere.  On these pages we get a glimpse into a time and place that can never fully return.

All anglers have a special spot where they feel most at home. It might be a quiet pool, a river bend, a lake deep in the woods, or a beach kissed by a turquoise sea. But beyond such waters, we also hold in our imagination places we have never been. Perhaps we read about them in a book, or saw a picture or a video that grabbed our attention. And we couldn’t help but feel drawn to these location. For they seem like angling edens, creating dreams we hold deep inside of us and can never forget. For me Fishing from Afar supplies that kind of magic.

The Author in tweet jacket, shorts, heavy woolen knee socks and brogues.

Johnson relays tales of fishing lochs and rivers both in Scotland and abroad. But the best chapter, to my liking, is entitled Sea Trout at Sea. Here Johnson tells of camping at Camasunary Bay on the Isle of Skye, where he and his friend fly-fish both day and night for large schools of sea trout holding just off the beach. These fish are staging to ascend the Coruisk River. So the anglers wade the shallow bars casting to the schools. While nearby a wooden rowboat awaits incase a large sea trout is hooked and must be chased out to sea, sometimes under the stars. I would have loved to been there, fishing alongside them. What a wonderful angling adventure, chasing beautiful, strong fish with a fly rod, and then sitting on the beach eating fresh sea trout, and rabbits and raspberries from the wild mountainsides.   

Packing into Camasunary Bay where the Coruisk River enters the sea

Fishing from Afar was first printed in 1947 by Peter Davies of London. Where it sold for the princely sum of 12 shillings 6 pence. It is 156 pages long 

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