Monday, November 9, 2009
Another bonus day!
Today was another one of those bonus days - unexpectedly warm, river flows at a good level and a few bugs buzzing around. The real bonus was the two rainbows I caught this afternoon on dry flies. Stan and I arrived in Henniker around 12:30PM to fish one of our favorite rivers, the Contoocook. We saw one other fly angler sitting on a log across the river from us studying the water (and probably hoping to see some rises!) Stan and I rigged up and moved down the river to a couple spots that Stan wanted to show me. For years he and I have explored this river and developed our own favorite spots. Out of habit and necessity, I usually hit my old favorite spots. It was a treat to have Stan show me a couple new spots, along with a description of which are the best hatches and where in the pools the fish usually hang out. To that knowledge I added some of my own, such as where in the pools rainbows feed on dries on November 9! Both fish were real dark and their fins were long and flawless - no nubbins rubbed by concrete raceways. One took a size 16 BWO parachute and the other a size 16 Royal Wulff. We saw a few mayflies (probably BWO), a couple caddis and a few yellow stoneflies the size of hummingbirds. Overall, a tremendous couple hours on the water. Better than anything I could hope for until next May. A well-appreciated bonus day!
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Gerry,
ReplyDeleteYou know that you make all of us that have to work on beautiful days like that jealous...
I am hoping to get out Sunday for a couple of hours. Will probably be hitting the Pemi, but we shall see. I may try Sewall Falls too depending on the weather and how ambitious I get after a day of drywalling on Saturday.
Any comments on either spot?
-Eric
Yesterday Ron, Burr and I went to the Pemi in Bristol and fished a couple of my late-season secret spots and got skunked - although Ron got one small rainbow on a woollybugger. Sewall's Falls is probably as good as any place right now, although I am partial to the Contoocook in West Henniker, now that the season there is open until the end of November. Actually, if you really wanted to catch a fish on a fly, I think the best place is the Swift River in MA. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info Gerry,
ReplyDeleteI have never hit the Contoocook, may have to give it a try. If I get another fishing license this year- I think my wife will kill me. My NH, NY, and Vermont licenses set me back enough... I may do my Mass license next year instead of getting my full season license in NY since they doubled their rates. It is worth it just to get my 7 day instead of a season license for my trip there in September every year.
That stinks about the Pemi... but that is why they call it fishing, and not catching right?
Now to figure out how to quit my job and fish full time... :)
Eric,
ReplyDeleteFormula for fishing all the time: Work hard, marry well and get old. (If all else fails, just get old!)
Off to the Farmington on Monday - stay tuned for the report
Gerry,
ReplyDeleteThey never taught me that formula in college, and I even have my degree in mathematics...
I am working on the get old part... And I definitely married well. She has kicked my butt on more than out occassion out on the lake with a fishing rod. The work hard piece though... It's more like getting worked hard nowadays.
I didn't make it out this weekend- drywall and joint compound won out.
But good luck in Farmington. I think I may get out around Thanksgiving- I have a couple of extra days off then. If not, I'll have to wait until next year and a couple of trips to Pittsburg.
-Eric