Local trout rivers are finally . . . Trout Rivers!

I had heard that the trucks would be rolling this week to the Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers.  I couldn't find any evidence of trout on the Squannacook River yet.  It was running quite high, and there were no anglers at any of the early stocking locations in Townsend.  Either it hasn't been stocked or the locals are holding off until the water level drops a bit.  On the other hand, the Nissitissit was stocked yesterday, April 10.  There were plenty of people and trout at the Prescott Street bridge and the oil company.  I walked into Gilman's Pool in the FFO section and saw no trout or fly fishermen.  The only place I actually fished was the run downstream of the 111 bridge, along with four other guys.  I was too lazy to put on the waders, so that is a spot where I could cover a little water without wading.  Using a white clouser-bugger, I found a slot that yielded 6 strikes, with four landed - all nice, colorful, chunky rainbows.  The biggest was over 12 inches and the smallest probably 10.  Hopefully there will be a few fish still left in the water when it warms up next week.
Last week the Souhegan and Piscataquog Rivers were stocked. Both are running VERY high.  They should also drop by next week.  Finally, we will have lots of choices of where to fish.  In a couple weeks we should start to see some quill gordons and that will mark the real beginning of the fly fishing season on local waters. Get out there and educate those fish before they all get taken home as table-fare.
We still have a couple spots open in our May 4/5 fly fishing school as well as the Intermediate class. 

Fish still to be had

November has seen a real mixed bag of fishing. The Squannacook and Nissitissit were real low when the late September stocking was done and stayed that way most of October. The rivers settled down pretty quickly from Sandy, and I think the fishing actually improved a bit with more water.   I caught a few fish off and on, but my buddy Dick has done pretty well, with at least two or three fish on each outing the last week or so.  He and I had "sparse pickins" at the Cocheco and Lamprey last week.  The water was really cold and the fish had spread out from the stocking - at least that is the story I'll go with for now!
I have made three trips to the Swift River in central MASS the last couple weeks and each one has been terrific.  My orange size 20 soft hackle has been the real producer, but I tied up some other patterns that have turned out just as good:  size 22 gold-wire brassie tied with orange thread: size 24 black thread body and single turn of peacock herl collar; chartreuse soft hackle;  olive soft hackle. I use 7x tippet and a tiny pinch of tungsten putty about 7 or 8 inches above the fly.  If you use an indicator, use a white one.  If you watch the fish closely, they tend to move out of their feeding lane when they see any other color than white coming downstream.
Happy Thanksgiving!    

Whatta November!

Since I got back from the New York trip, I have been out fishing almost every day.  This amazing weather has extended the local fishing season beyond belief.  Most days I go to the Nissitissit River in Pepperell, which is only about four miles from my house.  Today I only got one fish, a surprising 13" brown without a mark on him.  It was surprising, because browns have not been stocked there since early June. This one took a bite of my rootbeer BH woolly bugger.  I lost about 8 or 10 flies, because the water level is now fairly low and there are lots of limbs and branches in the water from the storms of a couple months ago. The last few times I fished there I got at least 5 or 6 fish - all rainbows, mostly on some variety of egg pattern or a small softhackle.
Yesterday Jim and Dick and I fished the Sugar River in Newport, NH for a couple hours.  Nothing.  The water is still pretty high there - probably from snow-melt.  There is still 8 or 10 inches of snow on the ground there.  They were in the heavy snow belt from the storm last week and the warmer weather is melting the snow.  The water temp on the Nissitissit River was about 44 today and 40 to 42 most of the last couple weeks.  Pretty cold, but trout will still feed if you bounce something right on their nose. 
Another presentation is coming up Thursday evening at the United Fly Tyers meeting in Woburn, MA.  The topic this time is Fly Fishing NH.  Say hi if you make it to the meeting.

Anticipation is high and optimism reigns supreme

This is the time of year that often is most frustrating - the weather is great; stream levels are great; your gear is in order; and where are the fish?  The fun now is in looking for them.  Check the old standbys. Check the spots you were meaning to check, but haven't a chance to explore before. Look for some new spots.  Chat up the anglers you run into and see what you can learn.  But, get out there and enjoy the season!
Last week Dick and I hit the Swift River and found nothing below route 9 and very few above the route 9 bridge. It was great to be out and I hear through the grapevine that it has been stocked. Monday Jim and I hit some spots around Laconia and Alton, NH killing time before the NH Guides Association meeting. We saw a few swirls and talked to some friends fishing there who said one salmon had been hooked there earlier in the day and another landed off the docks behind the Opechee Trading Post in Laconia. We fished a little while on the Merrymeeting River without seeing evidence of any fish. The fish should be up in the river now and the ice is just about ready to go out on the big lake. Things should be popping off the docks and up the Merrymeeting River for a few more days.
Yesterday I made the rounds of a few local spots. Got my first wild brooktrout of the year at my local Wild Trout Stream. The yellow perch should be into the brook any day now, but so far just a few wild brookies. I didn't see many fish or talk to any anglers who had caught any fish in the local rivers.  There were still just suckers at the Prescott Street bridge in Pepperell and no trout evident at the usual stocking points at the bridges in Townsend.  On the Nissitissit River in Brookline I saw a couple trout near the covered walking bridge near the lake, and another at the bridge at the state line on West Hollis Rd/Brookline St. Not enough to entice me to break out the gear.  We have a Northeast Fly Fishing School class this weekend, so I hope we can find some holdovers to keep the students interested, as they develop their fly fishing skills. BTW, we have added an Intermediate class, in case anybody wants to sharpen some skills.

Typical spring?

Just when you thought we were having an early spring (early ice-out on the lakes; no nor'easters, etc) it up and snows almost 2-feet in the Whites! That should help the June fishing up there, maybe delay the May hatches a little. Around here the water levels are great and the bugs are starting to show, and although water temps are still in the 40s, we should see them go into the 50s this weekend.
Last weekend we held the April session of the Northeast Fly Fishing School. On Sunday we did the on-the-water guiding session on the Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers. Our students were able to fool a few fish - MANY "firsts" - first fish; first fish on a fly; first trout on a fly, etc. Here is a link to the pictures: Northeast FF School You notice there were four women in the class - three of them landed at least one trout. Also a couple young folks attended, all of which bodes well for the sport. We have two more classes (both full) in May. Now we are booking on-the-water private and semi-private lessons and guide trips.
Monday I took a family to the Contoocook River for lesson/fishing - water still a little high and cold. One fish caught in a couple hours of fishing. Not many insects around (the Squannacook was loaded with Quill Gordons and a few small caddis) but things should begin to pop as the water warms a bit. See you on the water!

Passing of a great guy

It saddens me to have to report the passing of Dan Duggan of Pepperell, MA last Saturday. Dan was a great guy, bamboo rod builder par excellence and a good friend. Dan was River Stix Custom Rods. Email me if you want to know of the viewing/funeral arrangements.

On a happier note, Dick and I made the rounds of the local brooks and rivers yesterday. All are still a little high, very clear and within a day of so of optimum levels. Water temperature was a balmy 55F, which is ideal for trout. In my local wild brook trout stream the honey-hole was full of yellow perch who have ascended from the Nashua River for their spawning run. They probably ate every young of the year brook trout in their path, but will be leaving a load of eggs and fry for the wild brookies to feast on. The Nissitissit and Squannacook Rivers should receive their first visit from the hatchery trucks this week. Stay tuned. I'll soon be out christening the River Stix bamboo rod Joanne got me for Christmas.

Prime time on local waters

The high water is rapidly receding and the hatches are starting to pop and the stocking trucks have made their appointed rounds. What are you waiting for?!?! The Squannacook River got a good load of fish last week and the Nissitissit should get theirs this week. Water levels are great on both rivers. Monday I made my rounds scouting water for upcoming guide trips and caught quite a few in the Souhegan River in Wilton and Greenville. Woolly-buggers with a soft hackle dropper did the trick - about 50/50 on each fly. Fished right where the fast water dropped into the pools. Need some weight to get the flies down to the fish in fast water. Contoocook and Pemigewasset Rivers are still a bit high for safe wading. Smith River has been producing along route 104. Probably the best bet is still the ponds. Jim and Dick reported fast action on Willard and Stonehouse Ponds. Ron's ant pattern has also been scoring some good fish on the ponds. Still no word from anybody getting any broodstock salmon. Looks like another dud spring season on the Pemi. Word is that they dumped them in at Sewalls Falls again, rather than Bristol, where the best fishing spots are. Get out and enjoy the season and let me/us know how you are doing!