As I drove to the Chesterfield Gorge catch and release area before dawn, I became more excited. With the lack of rain this summer, I’ve been staying away from our freestones. But, this morning, I was returning to my favorite river: the East Branch of the Westfield. I had looked up some nearby water temperatures
Category: Flies and fly tying
My Go-To Dry Fly Rig for the Swift River
I a few months ago started fly fishing with dries on the Swift. As you know, it’s known for its wily trout and technical fishing. I’ve been tweaking my approach and have settled on a set-up that has worked well overall. I’m sure you have your own preferences, but here is what has worked
Farmington River Report: My Prettiest Trout of the Year
I had an evening meeting in Connecticut and after a quick night’s stay, awoke at 4 am. En route to home, I swung by the Farmington. What a day. Landed 11: four browns, two rainbows, and five brookies. Even better was that six took a #16 Elk Hair Caddis with orange dubbing (to mimic October
Give the Herl a Whirl
To flash or not to flash? No, I don’t mean wearing a raincoat and running up to groups of women. I’m writing about whether flash should be added to flies, and, if so, how much. I read recently in Tying Small Flies that flash is a critical trigger for trout. That touch of shine to