Despite this spring being the third wettest on record as well as being relatively cool until this heat wave, Eastern CT streams still become too warm for trout by mid-June. That is not to say that you can’t find trout or catch them, but I prefer to avoid targeting them.

It really is not an issue for me this season since I have had some setbacks from knee surgery and haven’t fished for over a month and probably won’t be able to for another month?

My last outing was on a local stream not far from my home.  I decided to try it after my first clearance from surgery before some setbacks happened.

This stream is very dependent on constant water and gets warm rather quickly.  I knew that.  I chose it because I still had some driving restrictions,  and I didn’t want to try and wade anything too rough.  In most cases, you can wet wade it or use hip waders if you still have a pair. 

Wet wading Eastern CT streams have their merits, but in my case, I still couldn’t have my bandages or sutures wet.

So,  I took the added step of wrapping my knee with an ace over my bandages and donned full chest waders just to be certain of any accidents.

Overall,  wading was very easy, as is a lot of Eastern CT streams. Most are a mix of fine gravel and sand, which makes for easier wading.

I needed to get out somewhere, and I needed to practice my skills. They are perishable!

I started off with a #10 deer hair ant. This particular pattern is quite effective,  particularly in central Pennsylvania.

I wanted to use a larger pattern to avoid catching the dinks.  Fallfish are abundant and readily hit flies. They take flies very similar to trout as well, although there are some subtle differences. 

I started in some slow water, focusing  on plopping the ant along the banks, and edges of seems close to the bank.

A common mistake is to drift them long distances.  You still should attempt to maintain a natural drift with a slack leader cast and a properly constructed leader.  However,  your drifts should be short! I learned that the hard way on Spruce Creek with Joe Humphreys one summer. 

I kept my drifts short with Slack and tried covering water as I slowly moved upstream. 

I still caught dink-ish fallfish, but they were big enough to take the larger pattern.

Another hard lesson learned with Joe was the fact that I wasn’t paying attention to how the back of my ant looked.  I started taking fish with him on Spruce, but soon was getting refusals even though I had the right cast and right leader. In that lesson, I discovered that the trout was turned off from the pieces of hair sticking out the back. As soon as I cut them,  I was back into big Spruce browns and rainbows !

This lesson readily transfers over to the fallfish as well !

When they stop taking on top for whatever reason,  go underneath for them with  splitshot.  You will be amazed at the results!

Another benefit of fishing a marginal stream is that you can practice casting weights and flies under tree limbs,  etc., and not worry about blowing a cast over a big holdover or wild trout. As I mentioned before, fly casting and fly fishing are perishable skills, and you need to be fishing constantly! On a marginal stream,  you can build that muscle memory and eye hand coordination before you go on that epic trout trip!

While you are out there,  practice managing line, whether it is a strip, hand twisting,  or just piled underneath you.  You should only have the amount of line out of your reel that you need – anything more a distraction or wose – a future tangle!

Every stream has prime areas like this pocket/run. It has depth. It has cover.  It has extra oxygenation.  Do not pass them up even if it is a harder cast or you risk tangling.  You can always wade over and retrieve it or tie on another fly.  In this case,  it was easy and open, but the point remains.  If you saw this on a stream that supports trout year round, there should be a decent fish there.

Fish your ” junk ” patterns. Typically,  you don’t need specific flies for any of the Eastern CT streams. General fly patterns are all that you really need. You still might need specific patterns during a hatch,  but more often than not,  something like this will do.

As for the Green Weenie being a junk fly? I still consider it to be, but that doesn’t stop me from fishing it. It is also semi impressionistic for a caddis worm and a green oak worm. 

Use this time to get comfortable fishing around debris and wood.  There’s always some species of fish in, around,  and under it!

Finally, you are apt to be completely alone while you practice your skills or experiment with new flies and techniques and not waste your precious time on pressured and technical waters.

I hope someone gleaned some new insights with this post.  I hope your next fishing trip is more successful because of this post.

As always,  I urge you to carry a thermometer everywhere and avoid fishing over stressed trout.  Also,  I encourage you to join your local Trout Unlimited chapter,  particularly Thames Valley # 282. Conservation groups,  like TU, help protect and restore trout streams all over the country.  And, they are also a voice to preserve public lands and water rights.  Even marginal streams are getting increasingly posted!

I recently required knee surgery to remove glass from my knee,  which has sidelined me for a little while.

However,  I have been making good progress with mobility and  range of motion.  Today,  my wife , our labs,  and myself  hiked over 2 miles with good results!

This evening,  I was able to skate a stimulator to catch a couple of fallfish  while remaining on the bank of a local river.  I’ll take it even though this particular river has some of the biggest fall fish around! It might even hold a future state record?

Since more rain is coming tonight, I’ll consider today a little win!

I’ll be up and wading  very soon,  hopefully,  fingers crossed! This spring has been very favorable for Eastern CT streams – cool weather, especially nights, and lots of rain! Hatches of everything are ongoing. I hope this gets our streams through later June for safe trout fishing.  It is definitely a benefit that the state  finished up spring trout stocking a little later than usual in part due to the same weather delays that benefit Eastern Connecticut. 

Another little win! I’ll take every little one I can grab!

Spring, also known as springtime,  is one of four temperate seasons,  succeeded by winter and preceeding summer unless you are in New England. 

Spring also reflects the ideas of rebirth,  rejuvenation, renewal,  resurrection, and regrowth. 

Springtime is a fantastic time to capitalize on fishing eastern streams that become marginal by summer as well.

This spring has proven correct so far for all three of the aforementioned statements.  For me,  it has been a good time to shake off the rust from a lack of fly fishing and tying – my career has assumed a tremendous amount of time and energy. Now, it’s time to add some work/life balance!

Fishing Eastern streams this time of the year certainly gives you a great opportunity to  sharpen your skills on stocked trout.  Many people bash them,  but without them,  most people wouldn’t be able to fish for trout locally or without spending a tremendous amount of traveling to other places.

Fishing Eastern Connecticut streams often provide opportunities to fish for a variety of stocked trout.  In this picture, it is rainbow.  The previous one was a brookie.

On many occasions,  you can catch all three: brown,  brook, and rainbow. 

Eastern CT streams can get you into a variety of other species other than trout on the same day as well. 

Don’t knock suckers. They are filters,  will take flies,  and fight hard!

In typical New England fashion,  upcoming ” Opening Day ” looks to be cool and rainy.  But,  next week promises to be warmer! Some caddis,  midges,  olives, and early stones have been most productive for ” insects. Streamers and “junk flies ” have also been very productive as well.

Junk flies work! Trout and every other species that swims will take them as well. Don’t be shamed. In fact,  eggs and sucker spawn type flies are more difficult to drift correctly because they aren’t alive and have inherent motion to them. 

So… Good luck this spring, and good luck this Saturday if you celebrate ” Opening Day. “

As a PSA: please consider joining Thames Valley TU Chapter #282 if you live in Eastern Connecticut. We are in dire need of new members and active membership!

Let’s talk about staying physically fit for everyday fishing or, perhaps, an upcoming trip this spring or summer?

Having a career in emergency medicine for over 30 years, I  can tell you I have seen tremendous changes over those years. Overall,  advances in prehospital care and many other disciplines have made unbelievable strides for the better, even though the entire industry remains in a crisis as it changes post COVID pandemic.

What hasn’t changed is the need for you to take some responsibility for your own health.  No one owns it, but you!

So….isn’t being able to fish for decades a good motivator?

I haven’t been on the stream that much this winter, but the cold and snow hasn’t kept me from remaining physically fit for my career or my fishing. 

Daily and weekly hikes with my labs keep my lower body and core accustomed to long sustained walks sometimes needed during a full day guide or fishing trip.

I have a bunch of different kinds of routines for strength training,  but none are more versatile or enjoyable than using a TRX suspension system.  It is portable, very user-friendly, and provides an untold amount of possibility. 

In terms of targeting exercises for fishing,  I like HIIT routines, sprinting with my labs as they fetch,  and using TRX to target  legs,  back,  core, and shoulders- all of which you use for flying fishing whether it is wading a river or casting a fly rod. 

A device like the TRX can help you with stretching and balance,  equally important for longevity, especially if you are outdoors often.  As you can see,  this particular day was cold and windy!

I can go on and on….

Now that it is March,  we are in meteorological spring.  Daylight Savings happens this weekend.  True Spring arrives later this month on the 20th. If you haven’t been out much this winter,  get out now and get some physical exercise so you can have a season of fishing without injuries. 

I’m not a certified trainer, but if you focus on some long walks,  biking, or runs, that will increase your cardio and leg stamina for hiking and wading.  Focus on some stretching and balance exercise for strength and injury prevention, particularly for your knees and shoulders. 

For strength,  lifting some weights and doing some body weight exercises will help as well.

And by all means,  get out as soon as you can and practice casting the fly rod for 15-20 minutes a few times per week so you are ready for better days!

This year’s traditional ” Opening Day ” was a bit special for me because it was the first year Jacob really wanted to go fishing without me dragging him along.  He’s always been a good sport about it, and he’s always enjoyed Opening Day traditions or just fishing with me. However, this year, he has taken up the interest of fishing on his own more.

Our traditional Opening Day spot is a private club that I have belonged to for years and years, and he is a junior member of. 

Ironically, the weather, other commitments, and poor timing hampered some of the fun, but we still caught trout and took one home for our special feast. 

Aside from the fishing,  the highlight of our Opening Day tradition is actually what happens afterward….the feast!

I would have liked to have a little more fish and a little more Filet Mignon, but it can’t be perfect all the time!

Even though it wasn’t quite like we hoped,  the food was good, and we got another Opening Day together, which is the greatest reward for us!

https://go.tulocalevents.org/thames-valley-sweepstakes-2022/Campaign/Details

Thames Valley TU Chapter 282 is one of the largest chapters in this state and covers most of Eastern Connecticut.

We use this sweepstakes as one of our main revenue sources. TVTU would greatly appreciate any size donation. Please consider entering our sweepstakes.

Thames Valley is also seeking additional membership help with upcoming conservation projects, Board membership, and general participation.

Help us end 2022, which has been a rough and chaotic year, on a positive note and set up 2023 to be a better one for Chapter 282.

Fall 2022 is slowly getting better in terms of water levels. We still need more but it is certainly better than 2 months ago.

Fall is a favorite time of mine to fish river and streams in Eastern Connecticut. DEEP has concluded its fall stocking so many popular fishing spots have been refreshed. The TMA’s received their fall stock as well. Temperatures are back in trout friendly ranges and fishing pressure is generally lower.

Although we are past peak and much of the foliage is down, there still is some beautiful colors out there. My Galvan Torque adds to it. As you can see, this is a holdover rainbow with its darker colors.

More fall colors in this photo. This bow is a stocker from this fall with its silvery colors.

The TMA I hit today was stocked earlier in October so even stocked trout get wise with time- they didn’t hit my flies very hard. Fortunately, I felt the ” takes ” nicely with my ADG Titan fly rod. The titanium wire inserts throughout the rod helps transmit every little ” tap” of a leaf, rock or in this case, another trout.

November is a great month to be out there. You may still battle the ” leaf hatch ” a little longer, the rivers may be a little lower than they should be but, there are fish in them and they are still willing to cooperate with the right presentation and flies. One caution is warranted though. Be careful around spawning trout and their redds. Personally, I do not intentionally target them and I am always very carefully where I wade from mid October into the winter.

Happy fall fishing. I hope it is as enjoyable for you as it is for me.

This weekend a new client of mine, Joe, worked on honing some fundamentals of fly casting and fly fishing in general. He is in his second season as a fly fisher and he recognized the need for some instruction and pointers.

We spent the day working on casting with a shorter and more efficient casting stroke.

Afterwards, we tackled some basics on wet fly fishing, nymphing and streamers. Despite seeing some caddis and mayfly activity, we really couldn’t work on the dry fly game- at least not this time.

We were fortunate to connect with a couple good fish like this bow. Joe missed a few more but learned valuable lessons and experience playing and landing trout.

And another….

Overall, it was a good day. We both felt he was starting off well and gaining experience and confidence. Most of all, he was practicing mastering the fundamentals.

No matter what type of fly fishing techniques you end up enjoying the most, you can’t get away from learning the basics. You truly won’t be the fly fisher you want to be until you decide to focus on that first.

Joe, I think you are starting off great and will become a fine fly fisher!

DEEP is doing what it can to adjust to the new legislation but, I can’t help but feel awkward about it. Add to the fact that practically every river and stream has been changed from last year’s historic flooding to some degree or another, it just adds to the strangeness.

I guess we all are going to have to adjust and relearn our river systems, adjust to the new legislation, as well as the craziness of social media and its adverse effects on fishing pressure, poaching, etc.

Change is always a tough thing to swallow. I admit, I don’t do well with it but I think most people fall in that category as well. I am going to do my best to embrace the new challenges but I can say I don’t feel really good about it. Time will tell and I hope that my attitude will change as the season unfolds and be able to post a happier thoughts- oh wait- there is no more ” seasons ” – my bad !

The pandemic has been distressing to say the least for a multitude of reasons. On one hand, I am glad that people have rediscovered the great outdoors. It has helped procure more business for me and given people a reason to learn fly fishing. However, this rediscovery has shown it’s ugly side and how the pandemic has also hurt the environment.

Today I fished a local TMA. I know it has been stocked several times since last year. I also know that it has been poached heavily. For the life of me, I can’t understand people’s mindset when it comes to illegal fishing, breaking the rules, and outright destroying a fishery. Why do you have to litter as well ?

Clearly, bait fisherman have been in the Fly Fishing Only section of this river. The pictures are damning evidence.

Everywhere I turned, there was evidence of this. I don’t have anything against anyone who wishes to fish conventional tackle and bait. My son still prefers his spinning rod over the fly rod and I embrace that but, when you constantly see trash left behind by careless individuals with no regard for anything, it kind of gets your blood boiling.

The larger early stone flies were out and in sufficient numbers to get trout looking up, yet run after run, pool after pool, very few fish were caught and released. I was wet fly fishing and covered a lot of water, I should have hooked up more than I did !

Another stocked brown fell to a pair of wet flies.

Three stocked fish for the entire day on a river that could and should have been much better. It has improved in water quality over the years and as a result, improved hatches. You know the water quality has recovered when you have hatches of stone flies, Quill Gordons and Hendricksons !

Somehow, I don’t think this year’s Quill Gordon or Hendrickson is going to be fun and rewarding. In fact, everywhere I have fished, I have seen evidence of damage to streams, increased litter and depletion of trout populations, especially on TMA’s and wild trout streams.

I’m sorry to post such a distressing blog this time. I try and stay positive and encouraging with them, but today was a bit of a bummer ! I’ve seen the destruction of lives, families, and our economy from COVID-19 on my career side. Now I am seeing the devastating effects on the environment. It was present last year as well but I feel it has been compounded even more this year. I hope things turn around. I pray that it does.

Please, please, become stewards of our environment and join Trout Unlimited or some other conservation group and help protect and restore an already damaged and fragile resource even before the pandemic started.

When you are fishing, pick up after yourself. Bring a garbage bag with you and pick up what others have not. Catch and release more fish safely. And, call out poachers and those who openly and wantonly disregard regulations.

My bitching is done for now. Opening Day is this weekend. I hope that it is a fun and rewarding day for everyone. It will be if we all do our part. Good Luck & happy fishing !