One that got away

Sunday my youngest daughter got married and it is hard to say who was happier - her or her dad.  Great reception at Atkinson CC, and then back to work on Tuesday. 
Took out another beginner, solo this time - it was a birthday gift from her sister.  She finally caught on that you don 't have to overpower the cast to get the fly out to where the fish are. After sending her on her way in between a few raindrops, I checked out the FFO section below the lake dam on the Newfound River.  Got two LL salmon, about 10 inches, a brooktrout, rainbow and a smallmouth, all on nymphs.  Plenty of caddis, but no rises.  Hopefully the rain showers will cool things off and the hatchery truck will pay a visit this week.  Water temp was 66F, and should go a little lower with cool nights and rain in the forecast, although the water level is very low.

First among many

Many times I have remarked (both here and in the "real world") how lucky I am to share so many "firsts."  Yesterday was one among many, with each one even more special than the last. Sometimes it is a first fish, or a first trout, other times it is a first brown, etc. Yesterday it was all of those and more - the first fly fishing trip of many, many more to come between old friends.  Jeffrey, a long-time follower of this blog, wanted to spend a day on the water with me, but his real motive was to get his friend Matt hooked on fly fishing.  Mission accomplished! I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice to say Matt is a convert to the gentle art of the long rod.  Way to go, guys! 
The Hendrickson hatch is now history.  Now we have a few March browns; some BWO; plenty of brown, tan, black and green caddis; and one Eastern drake.  Most dry fly action is late afternoon, into the evening.  I hit the Farmington River in CT on Friday.  Another one where a regular client of mine wanted to indoctrinate his friend in the way of the long rod.  Mission accomplished, and after they went their way, it was time for the guide to take a few minutes to fish on his own time. 
Nice brown on a dry at dusk. Enjoy!
Now it is off to the Contoocook River with four more converts to indoctrinate! Tight Lines!
PS Here is one of the "converts to the long rod" with his first fish on a fly/first trout/first rainbow caught on a size 18 softhackle cast to a rising fish.  Way to go Tom!

Will fortune follow fame?

A couple days ago I was checking my webstats to see where people were coming from to visit my guiding website and I noticed hits coming from boston.com.  I hadn't placed any ads or directory listings there and had no idea why hits should be coming from that site.  I clicked the inbound link to see where it led and low and behold, we have been "discovered" as one of the top 20 adventure trips to take this summer in New England.  Pretty cool!

Sorry for the gap!

Gang, the good weather has turned on the early hatches and it seems like everybody has been anxious to get out on the water. Since my last posting in April I have taken more than 30 people out on the streams of northeast MA and southern NH to practice the art of the limber rod. If I count the 44 people we gave a casting lesson to on May 1 at the culmination of TU Learn to FF classes, the tally jumps to almost 80. And this week I start to get busy! So what has been happening?
The bad news first: I went to the Sugar River once on a scouting trip and once (foolishly for about an hour) with a client and did not see evidence of any fish. Beautiful water level, terrific hatch activity and not a fish to be seen. What the hell is NH Fish and Game thinking? They have a beautiful 2.5 mile FFO section in Newport and they don't stock it once as of late May?
Now you might realize why I took so many people to the Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers in MA. There have been two stockings of really nice trout in those rivers, while the Sugar is a river waiting for occupants. There is decent insect activity and the FFO section of the Nissitissit should hold fish well into June if we get a little rain in the next week or so. There were Quill Gordons a couple weeks ago and now we have Hendricksons and caddis. Bring your rusty spinners for evening and early morning dry fly fishing. But the meat anglers are out in force, so you better hit the Squannacook while there are still some trout to be had. Over half of the people I had out were via the Northeast Fly Fishing School that we operate in Pepperell, and those anglers had a blast learning to fly fish, identifying the bugs and hooking some fish in the process. Here are links to some of their exploits for May 8-9 and May 15-16.
I have also fished/guided on the Souhegan River and the Piscataquog River in the last couple weeks. We caught fish all over both rivers, except the Delayed Harvest Zone of the Piscataquog River in New Boston.  H-m-m-m-m, is there some kind of pattern here?  You have two of the best stretches of river with special regulations in southern New Hampshire and neither the FFO section of the Sugar nor the Delayed Harvest Zone of the Piscataquog have been stocked and it is beyond the middle of May.  No floods or other lame excuses can be blamed.  If this was the first year it happened, you could call it a fluke, but this is a pattern that has repeated itself for the last few years. No, this doesn't appear to be mere incompetence, as you might suspect.  Could there be some motive behind it?  What do you think it could be?  "Stick it to the elitists?" "Save the hatchery fish for the hook-and-cook crowd?"   If any of you happen to talk to those that call the shots in NH F&G in Concord, NH, ask them what the devil is going on.   Tell them that the sound they hear is the cha-ching of people buying a fishing license in MA to be able to fish for decent fish while the water is still cool and insects are still hatching.
The rest of this week I'll be guiding on local waters and then take a quick trip to the Farmington River.  I have been itching to get down there all spring, but other priorities have prevailed until now.

Let me know how you have been doing.  Matt gave me a call from Upstate NY with tales of great fishing on the W. Br. of the Delaware, some spring creeks and the Salmon River for resident trout, as well as some spring steelhead.  Feel free to email, call, or use the Comments feature of this blog.  Tight lines!

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!

Springtime landlocks

My buddy/guiding partner Jim and I gave a presentation at the Pemigewasset TU chapter meeting in Plymouth, NH Tuesday night and afterward drove north to fish the CT River in Pittsburg, NH. We spent a few hours each at the inlet to First CT Lake and inlet to Lake Francis. We hooked into a few fish at each place. Overall I was 1/5, 5 on and 1 landed. Jim was about the same, but his fish was a real nice (17-18 inch) fish. Here is a video.

Also, we have Jim's drift boat for sale on E-bay. in case anybody is interested. His new low-profile Hyde is a beauty, but the Tatum he has for sale is a sweet ride too, and a good price. eBay listing

Tuesday we stopped by the Contoocook in Henniker where I got a nice brown - the first on the bamboo rod Joanne got me for Christmas. Sweet!

Announcements of interest

The fly fishing entertainment opportunities continue:
Tonight (Tuesday April 13) at the Merrimack River Valley TU chapter meeting in Manchester, NH, we have Bill Thompson, proprietor of North Country Angler in North Conway and a friend of mine, who will be presenting on fishing the Saco and Ellis Rivers. www.merrimacktu.org

Thursday April 15 I'll be presenting Fly Fishing in New Hampshire at 7PM at the Salem NH Public Library. If you attend, please introduce yourself.

Thursday April 22nd at 7PM, in Concord, NH the NH Guides Association (of which I am a member)will be sponsoring a showing of "The Good Life" by Gray Ghost Productions. This is Gray Ghost Production's third film in as many years. Advanced tickets can be obtain from the Red River Theatre on line at http://www.redrivertheatres.org/ or they can be purchased at the door. Admission will be $10 per person. If you want to look at the trailer you can go to http://www.ggpfilms.com/ and take a look. This film is about fishing on the East Coast from Labrador to the Keys. Come and take a look at some great fishing. This is to benefit the NHGA scholorship fund. Come and enjoy "The Good Life".

The rivers are getting down to a very fishable level. Jim and I scouted a spots yesterday prior to the NHGA general membership meeting. We found a few mayflies hatches and a few sporadically rising trout on the Merrymeeting River in Alton, NH. We had a couple follows, but no hookups.

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.

Rivers flow and stocking trucks roll

Well, I got back to sunny New England in time for the rites of spring - floods and stocking trucks. Just as the rivers were starting to warm up and settle down to good flow levels and receive their annual planting of rubber-rainbows the skies have opened and put things on hold for a while. While you are waiting for things to settle down, you might want to check out some of the latest technology to enhance your spring fishing. There's an app for that!

Bottom of the 9th with two outs - Fish!

Stan and I made one last trip today - to the Orange River, where we rented a couple kayaks. About 6 weeks ago when we last came here we read in the paper that over 900 manatees were counted here. They like the warm water discharge from the power plant. This time there were no manatees - but we found a few fish.

In a couple days we will pack the car and head north, but today we caught some fish.

Better than TV - March 21 Presentation

This Sunday March 21 at 12PM my guiding partner Jim Norton will be giving a presentation at Evening Sun Fly Shop in Pepperell, MA. The topic is "Fly fishing the Rangeley Lakes area and Androscoggin River." Jim will be spinning yarns about our many trips to fish the salmon runs and wild brook trout on the great rivers of Rangeley: Magalloway, Cupsuptic, Kennebago, Rangeley, and maybe a few tales about the Rapid River. This entire drainage then flows out of Maine and into New Hampshire via the Androscoggin River, one of the great salmon and trout rivers of New Hampshire. Get there early to get a good seat.

New Show in NH

Just when you thought all the Fly Fishing shows were done, another one comes along. For many years the Country Pond Fish and Game club had put on a FF show. That is until about ten years ago. Well, they are back at it and it sounds like it could be another good one, similar to the FFNH show in Pelham. Next Saturday March 20 from 9AM to 5PM they will hold the show in their Newton, NH clubhouse. The Merrimack River Valley TU chapter will be exhibiting there, as well as my partner Jim at the NH Rivers Guide Service booth. Stop in at both booths and tell them Gerry sent you. They might be willing to share some fishing secrets with you.

Merrimack River Valley TU meeting 3/10

Tuesday night March 10 the speaker at the TU meeting in Manchester, NH will be fish biologist John Magee talking about stream restoration efforts on Nash Stream and about a project starting up on the Piscataquog River in southern NH.

Also, my buddy Jim said the Fly Fish NH show had good attendance and a lot of people stopped by our booth to talk fishing. Just curious if any of you guys hit the show this weekend.

Fly Fish New Hampshire Show

It is that time again - the Fly Fish NH Show is this Saturday and Sunday at Pelham Fish and Game club. Jointly sponsored by Merrimack River Valley TU and Pelham Fish and Game, there will be guides, outfitters, fly shops and organizations exhibiting and non-stop seminars on fly fishing topics. Click on the blog title for a link to more information about the show. Be sure to stop by the NH Rivers Guide Service booth and talk to my partner Jim.

Want to go to Montana?

Next Tuesday night Feb. 9 there will be a little bit of Montana in New England. My buddy Jim is presenting "Fly Fishing Southwestern, Montana around Dillon." The venue is the Merrimack River Valley TU chapter monthly meeting in Manchester, NH at 7:00PM. The location is the Sweeney American Legion Post at 251 Maple St.
The area around Dillon has some of the best fishing in Montana - Beaverhead River, Ruby River, Bighole, numerous tributaries, trout ponds and spring creeks (Poindexter Slough is right in the town of Dillon.) Here is a link to one of our trips (link) Jim has been there a number of times and will be sharing information on where to fish, where to stay, and what to expect in the area. There is no admission charge and you can even enjoy some adult beverages during the meeting from the adjoining Legion bar. Guests are always welcome, so get out and visit Montana next Tuesday.