Monday, January 11, 2016

New stream and a favorite fly

A friend of mine works for MassWildlife, and in talking about streams that have been sampled for cold water fish, he noted one surprisingly close to me, that, embarrassingly, I'd passed many times but never thought to fish or explore.

This is the time of year to check it out.  It's a short stream running into a reservoir, and a good chunk of it's short run is through a pretty nasty overgrown meadow/swamp.  After my quick recon mission Saturday, I can see that there are three times of year to fish this stream: mid-late fall, winter and early spring.  

It's sort of fishable in summer, but cross referencing mental images of the area in full bloom with the foliage types I found... ooph, not going to be enjoyable come summer.

That said, it's a great looking little stream.  Mostly 2-6 feet wide.  gravel bottom.  A bit of weed in places, lots of woody debris making deep scoured out holes and cover AND lots of great undercut banks.
First view of the stream.  A nice run.

Here is where the stream shifts from woods into that swampy overgrown area.


Hemlocks - always seem to be around wild char streams!  The side I was on had a bit of an undercut and good depth - maybe a foot.
Many of the deadfall - and some standing dead spruce in the area were just choked with amazing lichen.  Super pretty - my pic does not do it justice.

After my walk on the stream - and skunk number two of the year :) - I hung with the kiddo's and we all made a home brew Pizza for dinner.  Always good to see 4 year olds build anything, but especially something they get to eat.  Ha!  Once they went down, I pondered flies that I had to restock.  With school starting up again, my vice time is likely to get short here for a while...

Then a fly hit me squarely - the Telico nymph.  If you have never used this little Appalachian creation, you should.  I've tied simpler versions using peacock colored wire vs peacock for the rib, and using nymph skin for the back vs peacock, but either I dont have as much confidence or pleasure in fishing them... or they dont work as well as the original.  Regardless, this fly is awesome.

Decades (ouch) ago, a friend introduced me to this fly when we were fishing a local pond that was home to some wild (it's a centuries old stone dam on a stream which has wild trout) and stocked trout. He was fishing the fly and catching, and gave me one and I started to catch fish as well.

Since I've always carried them, and fished them.  They have caught trout, small mouths, all kinds of sunfish and chubs for me.  Plus, the fairly dense body, sinks pretty well even in unweighted versions.  I've tied it in bead head for larger sizes and that's worked too.  In the end, it's just a great little fly worth adding to your arsenal.


This is a little one, #16 standard nymph hook (Tiemco).  I most often fish 12-16, but carry a few long ones - #10's or 12's but on 2-3X long curved nymph hooks (think heavy stimulator hook - but any longer hook would work).  I have not fished a "big" one on a small stream, but on a few larger local rivers the big ones work great.

Have a super week!
Will

10 comments:

  1. That stream looks familiar! It's one of my favorites. You're right about the swamp being unfishable in the summer, but the forested ravine upstream of there is good all year. There are also a few pools up by the next road crossing. Next time you're in the area check out the next named brook that flows into the reservoir south of that one - it's as good, if not better.

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    1. Wholly smokes Coleman - I figured I was the only person alive that would even try it :)... The next named one north is a major river that gets lots of pressure... To the south is a half mile up hill to a high school... Oh wait, if I keep going, and get onto the next road, then behind the police station there is a little stream that's good - but only legal when the res is open I think (is that correct?). That one I've fished a bit... sound like the same spot?

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    2. Yeah behind the Police station is the one I'm thinking of. I didn't know of any rules about fishing when the reservoir is open... I've definitely fished it in winter.

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    3. Just looked at the regs - I don't see anything about fishing tributaries to this reservoir out of season. It looks like that's true only at the Quabbin. Let me know if you know otherwise though, as I don't want to get in trouble.

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    4. Coleman good to know. I've been unsure. I grew up near quabbin and knew that anything on the res side of the major roads is off limits outside open season on the res - which is to bad, there are a few streams on the western side of quabbin that are a blast :). I've wrestled with the other res and understanding the rules. Clearly the two major tribs seem open given the salmon fishery roles into early December. I just have never pushed it on the smaller ones, just figured why risk it. Feels like we are talking in code, but have you fished the first major tributary of the major river north of this spot. It's a solid stream, and while the fishing is good near the major, it can be real good above the first road and the public picnic area...Thanks for the intel!

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    5. I think I know the stream you're talking about. I've had surprisingly negative results there - one time was not the best time of year, but another time I was there in mid-May, which should be primetime, but I got nothing. That was closer to the bigger river though. I'll have to give it another shot. I've explored most of the small streams in that area - we should share some more intel some day if you're interested. I'm moving to Wisconsin in late June, so I'll glad you leave you with the info I have.

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  2. Looks like you have a nice little stream to explore! The pictures look very promising. Have fun!

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  3. Will,
    That stream shouts wild trout. Your statement about hemlocks and brook trout is spot on.
    The overgrown swampy area is probably worth a check.
    I have never fished the Tellico.

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    1. Hi Alan -
      Try the Tellico. It's an old southern Appalachian pattern. Simple, and just good.
      Will

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