Summer Solstice June 21, 2011 1:16pm EDT

There are two days each year that get me going.  The first is the Winter Solstice because I know when that day comes and goes I can start the count down till Spring.  I fish all winter long, here in New England, and notice when it is still light out at 5pm.  I notice that when I travel in the morning those days in February that the sun is coming up as I rush to my destination with sugar plums dancing.

The second, and most important day, is the Summer Solstice.  The longest day of light, and in the season of Salmo Salar, represents the start of the most important fishing period possible.  Yes, I do angle in late May and early June for the big bright hot springers, but the Solstice starts the days of plenty.   There are certain rivers like Matane and Moisie and a number of others that run later into July and August as the best time.  For most of North America, excluding the fall run rivers, the end of June and early July is prime. 

There is only one last thing that makes the Solstice ever more special.  That is when a full moon coincides and  creates the perfect alignment and experience.  The attached photo was taken on June 21 on a full moon Solstice at 10 pm.  We were just finishing the day at Toms Brook on the Restigouche.

If you are working on plans for this year or next, these earth science dates are what you need to offer yourself a better chance at a successful trip.  If the full moon is on the 15th of June, then you might see a few early fish, but you would still be better off to push your dates forward a bit.  If the full moon falls on the 20th or later then go for that time and you should be golden.  There is something very special about June 24th for me.  I think it might be that I have been successful on that date more than any other.

Location, location, location is a times old truth but timing, timing, timing can turn the location into a beautiful day.

William

Below Then Above The Bridges Of Matapedia

I love fishing from a 26 foot or larger Gaspe Boat.  The secure feeling and ease of river placement makes the experience a real thrill. Your guide has the ability to point out exactly where the fish will be and you can cover a great deal of water while moving from pool to pool.

My first endeavor into this style of Salar angling came in 1985 on the Matapedia River in Quebec.  The river was not new to me but hiring a guide with a boat was.

The lower river was very different back then. What has happened over a short period of time is mainly the result of clear cut logging. When you remove the trees, sometimes within a short distance from the river bank, a number of bad things happen.  The major problem is that the amount of water, after a heavy rain, that rushes into the river flow is accelerated to the point that the hydrological effects are far greater than these rivers have ever naturally experienced.   The water in flow in harder bringing extra sediment.  The forest does not act as a sponge releasing the water slowly so the river is then subject to low and warm periods during late summer.  The extra sediment is carried down river and causes the lower stretches to fill in and widen.

Let's just say the lower pools of the Matapedia are not what they used to be. Some are completely gone and reside only in my memory.

During those days, Atlantic salmon were in a downward cycle.  The North Atlantic Oscillation was severely positive and the result was you could only catch and release one fish per day by law.  I met my guide and we started below the bridge within sight of where the Matapedia meets the Restigouche. By 10AM I hand tailed a twelve pound bright June salmon just down river after a few drops.  The problem now facing me was what am I going to do for the rest of the day.  I felt lost and needed to fish.

The next morning we road the boat up river to a pool just above the bridge in Ste. Alexis de Matapedia.  This morning was not going to end early and I chose to use an eight pound leader.  I don't understand the logic, but it is what I did.  On cast number four I received the jolt of my salmon life.  This pool is the place where the largest Matapedia Salmon was angled at fifty six pounds.  Now, I didn't have a fish of that size on my line but what I had was at least twenty five and more like thirty.  The first charge was up river to the right of the boat and the line was throwing a wake and splash that I had not experienced before.  It looked like a rooster tail behind a speed boat.  Then, a sudden burst of added acceleration and , SNAP!

I fished all the rest of that day and the next and the next without another take.  I fished hard and felt so stupid.  A world famous Matapedia guide I met many times, the late Richard Adams, would have been very upset with me for using anything lighter than twenty five pound test in June.  Had I not been so brash to think that this was an easy game and I could temp the fate of the river, I would have had a fish that would be most anglers top trophy.

Today the catch limit is two salmon released for the day on the Glenn Emma water.  Or two grilse and a salmon should the grilse come first. This is not the law. but is the chosen rule of sportsmen in Quebec.  Personally, I have had a number of three and four fish days in my life.  Mostly in New Brunswick where there is a four fish limit by law.   I have had far more zero fish days, just for the record.

So what is the point of this story?  I think it is that I should never take a fish for granted.  Treat every precious moment as if it could be your last and savor in what is, and forget about what might be.  Always do what is right..................

William

Figuring Out The Key To A Successful Day

Sometimes a good quality fishing day takes going through each learned possibility until you hit the right combination.  This year though,  it has been a bit harder than having the luxury of making a good guess.

During the past month, I have been fishing one of our spring run landlocked salmon rivers.  Twice a year these fish will move out of the lakes, and up the tributaries, making runs for different reasons.  In the spring they are targeting spawning fishes eggs and roe.  They also will feed on the smelt that are spawning.  In the fall they make their own spawning run.  This can be exciting fishing and I wait in heightened anticipation for these brief days of plenty.

This year has proven to be one that has my thirty seven years of spring river experience a bit mystified. I would have thought by now that we would be deep into the season.  Yet a mere trickle of fish have moved up from the holding water in the lower river.  The suckers have made their way in good numbers yet the salmon and trout have hung back.  There is a mysterious lack of lake rainbows that should be spawning as well.

When things seem out of timing, I always look to nature for the reason.  Sure as can be, man can play a roll in a disruption of nature and with that possibility ruled out nature is the key.  It is not a matter of going through the fly box with proven winners or changing line or weight or anything we have power over.  You must look to a deeper reason.  You must understand and go to where the fish are comfortable by nature.

 Rainbow trout will make a spawning run when the water is approximately 42 degrees Fahrenheit.  Smelt will want to have the water over 39 degrees and according to my observation they wait until the water is in the 45 degree range.

What does this have to do with it?

As most of us will agree, winter just does not want to flip over to spring this year.  The nights have been cold and the days moderate at best.  There was a good quantity of ice and snow and everything has been moved back.  The river, I have been fishing, has just hit 44 degrees for a day time high and is dipping back each night.  I expect things will change as they always do according to this simple fact of science.  Everything revolves around the food source for the young that are to be born and the perfect temperature that is needed must be met for nature to allow the progression to begin. Last year was equally as strange as the fishing started a month earlier.

The river is high, the comfort zone has been met and I expect to be into some great fishing in New England over the next four weeks. 

The fish know when it is right............I'm still learning!

William

Fly Tying Tip #111

Although this might take some time, the time saved overall is enormous.  For what seems like forever,  I have been keeping all my materials in bins, draws, poly bags, plexi glass containers,  and jars.  I had no system for knowing exactly where a certain item is stored and I spent a great deal of my precious tying time just looking for that exact item needed.  I would do a lot of, "Oh yea, I remember that stuff".

So, start to name and number each and every storage container .  Then make a list in category, then name in alphabetical order then by bin and bag.

Something like.......
Golden Pheasant Crest - Draw 1, Jar 2
Natural Pheasant Tail - Bin 10, Poly 14
Peacock Herl - Draw 1, Box 4, Poly 3

Oh, that's where I put that roll of Angora yarn.  You get the drill!!!!  No need to do this all at one time.

Indicators Need To Travel With The Brakes On

Many of us are nymph fishing with the added use of indicators and weight.  I see many fly fishers incorporating this set up, yet I have never noticed one with ideal weight distribution.  I have seen the center pin boys on the Salmon River in New York using the right stuff.

First, let's understand that in any river the flow speed at the surface is very different from the flow speed at the bottom.  If you are fishing with an indicator in moderately fast water and have your first weight three to four feet from the float then you are dragging the weight.  The reason is that the surface current is faster than the bottom where the flow meets resistance from an ever changing path.   You have added weight, to get the fly down, and that causes the place on the leader where the weight is located to move slower than the bottom current.  This is a matter of physics and the energy necessary to push the added weight. Let's use the physics and understand what might happen if the heaviest weight was placed three inches below your indicator?  Then a few more, that are progressively lighter, were placed in intervals down to your fly.  Do you think that you could cause the indicator to move slower than the fly?

This is but one way you can use weight distribution to enhance a certain river situation.


Dead drift, or a drag free presentation, is considered the most appetizing to trout.  I like to call this a natural presentation.  The fly does not move faster or slower than the waters current column, nor does the fly swing and move side to side.  For me the indicator has two main purposes.  The obvious is to show a take.  The less obvious is to always have your presentation moving in straight lines down river.  The ideal situation is to feed the fly directly into the fishes mouth making sure that the leader is not in the fishes face first.  The only way this can be accomplished is to have the fly be the lightest part of the set up and moving in front of everything else.

Your weight choice should be a non toxic egg shape design without the easy removal ears.  I like the dark green color.  The added ears makes it easy to remove the weight, but will complicate your presentation because of spinning.   A well rounded collection from medium to very small sizes is desired.  You can use a small drop of Crazy Glue to make placement positions on your leader.  This will help keep the weights from slipping and not have a need to smash down the weights. 

Each situation creates a different choice you must make.  The faster the surface water the more weight that should be added just below your indicator.  Slow current might require light weight under the indicator and a long tippet from the lowest weight.   Each segment of river is totally different from another and if you want to maximize your day you will need to make choices.  The most important part of this puzzle is to equalize the speed of your indicator and fly. 


Do not confuse indicator float fishing with indicator Czech Nymph fishing.  They are completely different in structure.  I will have another post ready soon to go into that important topic. 

William 

Fly Fishing And A Need For The Connection

For me, the moment of connection has all the magic I need.  If you were to go through an entire day on your favorite water there hopefully will be a total of two or three seconds that give that ultimate angling high.

Every aspect of our preparation and execution is based on achieving those few seconds.  Many years ago, growing up in a Northern New Jersey town, I was active in the local fishing Club.  Even as a teenager my dues gave me a part ownership in a cabin with land that lie a very short distance from the finest Catskill trout waters possible.  I saw my first Aurora Borealis  from our front porch.  An amazing movement of greens, reds and purple.  I can close my eyes and still see that mind expanding glow, the river from the porch, the smell of the fire and a feeling of joy from fifty years past.  My point is a bit vague, but real none the less.  


Those moments.  Those moments that time stands still and we are pinned to the memory of our Fathers, and there is no way you can lose it's grip.  No way.  No way.... 
So, during your next day of angling, as time moves between moments, and moments to possible connections, this is the time we must pro actively direct our mind to do what that moment is demanding.   The Northern Lights demanded I stand and watch in amazement.  The river called upon me to stand in it's waters.  The choices made at that moment determines what doesn't happen by chance. 


If one of the many things in your checklist is not perfect then make it so.  Never leave a wind knot in the middle of your leader.  Change the fly, lengthen the leader, change the weight or the line or whatever your mind commands it will take.  Allow yourself to be the master of the level you have achieved.  You have studied and learned and this precious day in your life just might be the one you were waiting for.  The one where your skill moves from luck to ability.  No matter what your, or my, ability there is always, till the day of days, more to absorb.


Tomorrow, I will cast my line with a heightened sense of purpose, as the waters of my youth demanded, and I will hope to capture but a few of those special seconds.


Tight lines......


William

Fly Tying Tip #110

Having bead heads to weight flies creates a front loaded and diving presentation.  Having weight distributed under the tying of a pattern can offer an even presentation or back weighted possibilities, especially on streamers.  Color coding with subtle differences in thread for the head of the fly offers the ability to tell heavy weighted flies from lightly weighted.  Create your code and just stay within a patterns range.  Red head left, Orange head right Aleene's Fusion Grubs.

Salmon River & New York Creek Steelhead In March

(Addendum)  March 20, 2011

When I wrote this post below, earlier this week March 16, it just was not making any sense to the reality of what was happening in New York.  I thought the snow pack and the warm days were changing what I knew from history.  

I wake up this morning checking reports and gauges and exactly what I know to be true is happening.  For safety sake I checked myself and held the post till today.  

During March, as we have seen over the last week or so, the steelhead rivers of New York State often swell with a pre-spring increase in flow.  Most anglers shy away from the big rivers and stay home.

This is a big mistake.  Now before you say how hard it is to fish on the Salmon River with flows in Pineville at 2000cfs and above, please consider the following.

The SR has so many places where islands and sharp turns create back eddies, slow deep holes and moderate flow locations close to the shore.  I emphasize "Close To Shore"  as the Salmon River is a dangerous place and has taken more than one life.  It is not a place to wade or cross in high water. When the multitude of anglers are enjoying a warm fire, and a wee dram, the steelhead are in mass moving to these easy to reach locations.  As soon as you get a falling river you seek out and fish these places. You will be doing a bit of walking and it might not be easy depending on the snow pack.  The trails should be well worn making some places easier than others.   I would not recommend this if it were in the fall.  The reason is simple.  The maximum number of Steelhead that the river will hold, for the entire season, builds during the month of March.  The fish are gathering to spawn and will need to find quite water close to the areas that are best to build their redds.  Bright ones are also coming every day as the river drops.

As soon as the river goes back to 1500cfs at Pineville, and the crowds start to return, you run as fast as you can to the creeks.  The high water creates March Madness in these places and will fish very well so long as additional melt doesn't cause the river to run cloudy.  The run is guaranteed and the pressure is light.  You will see other anglers and a few drift boats, but nothing like the crowds on the big river.  The biggest problem is the possibility of slush ice in the morning should the weather turn cold.  Hit the upper Salmon early if the night has been very cold and then make the drive after 10am.

Creek Steel in March is upon us now.  Don't spend a lot of time in one place and take advantage of this wonderful spate fishery.  You will be back on the SR and the crowds soon enough during early April for drop back season.

William

Fly Tying Tip #109

When I tie dry flies the last step is to soak them in a dry fly solution and hang to dry completely.  I string them on fine wire.  A good one is made by Loon and is called Hydrostop.

The advantage is that each fly is given the time to dry thus eliminating the need to slop on chemical stream side.  My fly change is faster because there is no application of floatant, no rapid waving line to dry the fly spooking fish and no tell tail oil stain around the fly on landing.

Big Atlantic Salmon dries float like corks!!!!

The Restigouche River Life Experience

The Restigouche River between Junction Pool(Kedgwick River)and the mouth of the Upsaquitch is one of the deepest secrets in the world of Salar. All private, very exclusive and for the most part extremely unavailable. Today however, there are a few camps that accept paying sports. Mostly these available times are shoulder dates, but if you try hard you can get some good quality time be it at a fairly substantial price.

Large, and I mean very large bright white salmon start to run the river in middle May. Many of these fish are headed straight to the headwaters. They are a special family of fish that are in every way as perfect as those of the Matapedia’s main tributary called Causapscal. Even some members of ‘The Club’ are now braving the elements at a time that was accustom to seeing only those hearty souls who fish the Kelts. This feast or famine early period is followed by a bit of a pause and then an increasing quantity of fish of all sizes will run from mid June through the weeks of July. So that forty pound white hot beauty is full well possible from mid May through the end of June.

I always believed the secrecy of the Restigouche was that the fishing was so prolific the rich and famous just didn't want to let us know about the rivers bounty. Maybe for fear the public will put extreme pressure on the great province of New Brunswick to open more of the water. Maybe because they just have no need to talk about it. In any case I played in the garden and fell in love.

Starting this past June 19, I had the great privilege to spend six days in "the zone". Our group of three released salmon every day. We were told the numbers of fish were way down and all the usual suspects were to blame. In the face of high water, a late season, nets and cool temperatures, we had some fair to good sport. They came in waves through out the day opening a window of anticipation that could last as little as ten minutes. We found takers in pods that we could get ahead of before they went by. The fish were on the move and were not resting for long periods of time. It reminded me of an October many years ago on the Nashawak River just on the edge of Fredericton, New Brunswick. We fished from the east bank of the Pig Farm Pool. This pool has a sharp bend that flows into a very long glide. Under the right conditions you could sit on the shore looking down river and when you saw them coming you made your casts. When they were past, you took a seat. And it was just that way fishing through the days of the Summer Solstice on the mystical Restigouche. We fished and watched the full moon rise over the waters and the feeling was that our time was passing far too quickly. This the longest lit day of 05’ was the turning point in a thirty six year life with Salar.

It took me until that moment in the week to realize that the true secret of this river of fingers is not only the magnificent fish. For sure pools like The Junction, Patamajaw, Pine Island and Home are some of the best fly water in North America. Put that together with all the splendor of some of the largest fish in North America and the package might seem complete. Yet there is something else that this mighty river offers. Something that relatively few anglers have felt. It is a higher power than mere fishing that the water, hills and sky whispers. Fishing is only one part of The Restigouche Life Experience. Without hesitation, I can tell you that this valley is one of the finest examples of river scenery and abundant wildlife I have ever seen. My experience is based on visits to public and private waters of over fifty rivers worldwide and includes some of the best pools on earth. I am certain the inner peace of this valley is what club membershave been so silent about. It is something more valuable than fish. It is serenity that I paid for.

A growing problem to a very private life.

The Restigouche Life Experience until recently was a very secluded and private adventure. The designation as a Canadian Heritage River seems to have opened the door of availability to many non fishing visitors. Although holding great similarities in the love of sky and water, this has become a substantial issue from the salmon anglers point of view. Over the last ten years, angling in seclusion is no longer a weekend sport. With no restriction of access, canoeing, kayaking and camping takes center stage each weekend, and encroaches increasingly throughout the week as the weather improves in July and August. The general public runs the river with as many as 300 boats that will pass through the hallowed pools on a Saturday or Sunday. The travelers we did see while fishing Sunday night through Friday, were courteous and respectful passing on the directed side. There was none of the excessive noise, oar banging or splashing that we feared. The jet boats and motor traffic is a far greater annoyance. Remember this was early season and the armada had not set sail. This inevitable future will change the angling environment forever. As more and more people realize the splendor of the Restigouche, and outfitting companies make access easier, the result will be less and less private time with the salmon.

If you are looking to catch fish alone, then the lower and upper Matapedia or Bonaventure in public sectors can be just as productive as the majority of the available water on the Restigouche. These and a number of other Canadian rivers in public, private and ZEC waters can offer you that 30 pound bullet you dream about. No need to spend such great sums for mere fishing. There are pools on other rivers that are just as wonderful and available through the November lotteries.

Then again, if your desire is to immerse yourself as I do in a magical playground, and you don’t mind sharing, then The Restigouche Life Experience might just be what you need. You will not be disappointed.

Looking forward, I hope my life will honor me with another trip to the River of White Light. A river that has taken hold of me and I pray will never let go.

Ask about the Restigouche River at flyspoke@gmail.com

Fly Tying Tip #108

Get one of these!!!!!!  It's called an Opti Visor and is made in the USA.  I was talking one day with one of my local tackle shop owners who happens to be a great salt water fly tier.  The discussion went to the Opti Visor and his comment was that after giving the Opti Visor a try he realized that the flies that he was showing proudly were not as high a quality as he thought.  Your tying will improve instantly when you put one on your head.  Get the highest magnification and it will be all you need.

Fly Tying Tip #107

Come on baby, let's do the twist.  Yea, let's think about thread control.  Not just the gauge but the way we use the thread.  First twist counter clock wise and see if you can find where the strand will be fully open.  You will find your thread to be wide and flat.  If you twist clockwise until it is tight you will find the thread to be narrow and taller.

Think about things like making the thread tight at the tail so unraveling can't happen.  Loose and flat through the middle of a body or when dubbing.  Thread can also make a fine looking rib on small flies when twisted tight.

Be creative with the style and size of your thread, there are so many choices to explore. Think floss.............

Are Strike Indicators Fly Fishing Equipment?????

Back in September I traveled to the Great North Woods in search of Landlocked Salmon and Brown Trout.  This is a wonderful time of year to be an angler of the fly in New England.  But a deep seated addiction has kept me from the purity of fly fishing and a solid member in the fraternity.

Just prior to the trip I made the conscious decision to kick the habit, go cold turkey, get on the wagon, put out the fire, face the demons and get straight.  Yea, that's right, I gave up using a strike indicator.  There, I said it.

Not long ago a number of parallel events happened that gave me the feeling that the indicator is just not fly fishing.  I did my best to change the old style of "chuck & duck" by developing a fly line that would have the inertia to propel the indicator and weight thus fitting a proper definition.  My CRO Nymph Line works great and does meet the criteria.  The first was in talking to line manufacturers and a discussion about my line with Jim Teeney.  The next was a video of a western river guide that said " I would rather %^^%  ^## with 50 grit sand paper than watch a bobber float down the river all day and you are not getting in my boat with that thing".  Next it was a conversation with a good friend who told me that the feel of the take is so much more rewarding.  It just all made sense that I was lowering the bar by using the float.  Please do not take what I am saying as a judgment. I am not trying to change laws and regulations.  I am only talking about me.

Some anglers think that indicator fishing is Czech Nymphing.  It is not.  The only indicator used in the Czech style would be a change in color at the end of your fly line.  In some cases though it is more like running line.

I did find myself wanting to step back when hours went by without a hook up.  Lucky that I left my complement of indicators at home and was not able to fall to temptation.  What I found was I needed to be more attentive and far more focused.  Feel was as important as sight, I was successful and I felt good.  So, it seemed, unless some event were to change my mind, I am going to stay with the program.  That event happened.  When the water temperature dipped to below 39 degrees the takes were lighter and hardly detectable.  And when the water hit 36 degrees the catching pretty much stopped.  I did go back to the indicator over the last few weeks with success.  I am now convinced that we should use an indicator as the tool that it is and keep it away when not needed.

William

Fly Tying Tip #106

I recently read a post on a local chat forum about a new product to use as a substitute for epoxy.  I tried it and it performs really well.  Copper Johns and Hard Heads can be finished easily using Aleene's Fabric Fusion.  Dries hard and clear.

No Mixing Necessary!!!!!

Giant Tuna $526.00 Per Pound

I do love the taste of fine quality Tuna.  Maguro, o-Toro, seared or right out of the can in a sandwich.  It has seemed reasonable to me until I saw this photo today.

This hedonistic slaughter is insanity.  There are but a few of these monsters left in the ocean and the numbers are dwindling.  Certainly, it is not necessary for a fish like this to be targeted for profit.  The fish was sold for $396,000.00 and purchased for consumption in Japan and China.  Japan now accounts for 80% of the worlds catch.  A single piece of Sushi smaller than the size of your thumb will sell for $24.00. 

I'm trying to make sense of it all.  Reductions in catch limits have been put in place but I just don't see how the Giant Tuna's demise can be averted.  It seems to be a case of supply and demand in hyper mode.

William

A Day Of Tradition

January 1st has become a day of tradition for me thanks to a dear friend.  It is a day to fish and start the year in good company.  January 1, 2011 was like no other with the high temperatures over the entire Northeast.  I still felt cold even though the thermometer read well above freezing. We arrived riverside in the dark at 6:30am and were not the first kids on the block.  Our number one location was open and we moved in quickly.

Hours went by without so much as a showing fish.  We were about to give it up when my buddy started to throw a few casts into the rapids below the pool.  He has done this year after year without result.  Like I said this was not a typical year.   One, two and three came quickly to hand falling for his Smelt pattern. The largest was a beautiful 21" bow.  The forth came a bit later and took a black leech.

My day ended with two fish hooked and none landed.  Not exactly what was imagined.  Even so, I love January first because it is a beginning of a New Year as well as the start of my twelve month fishing cycle.  I can also reflect on 2010 with great fondness as many of my days were used in the pursuit of the catch.  Much was learned in a sport where the knowledge is never ending.

William