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Streamside Notes
Did you miss any of my earlier Newsletters? Check out the Shadcreek Flies Newsletter Archive.
Random Thoughts:
Here are five things that are very important to me when out fishing on a stream.
1. Polarized glasses- the underwater world opens up to you.
2. Magnifying glasses- I just can't tie those little flies on anymore without them.
3. Wading staff- My rock hopping ability started to change about 20 years ago. The wading staff is now essential
4. My sweat stained, fly dope stained fishing hat- gotta have it!
5. My LL Bean pocket knife- I don't bring a fish home very often, but having that old knife in my pocket just feels right.
The season is here now- get out and enjoy.
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 Shadcreek Flies
"Fishing with Multiple Flies"
Let the fish tell you what they want!
When fishing for stripers in the estuaries and along our coastal beaches, I often fish with three flies at a time. I used multiple flies when staying at the Battenkill Lodge in Shushan, NY a number of years ago however, my real education in the benefits of this approach started when I became exposed to the thinking of Kenney Abrames and the Rhode Island fishermen of Striper Moon. Ken quickly convinced me of the benefits of fishing with multiple flies and taught me that with a little common sense, it was easy to cast a rig set up this way. The results are worth it!
Instead of tying the dropper to the hook bend of the lead fly, as is common when adding a nymph dropper to a dry fly in fresh water, Ken's approach uses a surgeon's knot to add the droppers to the leader. I tie one dropper about 24" above the end of the leader and another dropper 18" above that. I generally start off using flies of different colors and sizes so that I'm offering the fish a "buffet" from which they can pick what they want. If I start to see a tendency for the fish to take one of the flies and not others, I'll make changes. This approach enables me to try a variety of flies in a much shorter period of time than simply using one fly at a time.
Remember to slow down your cast! With three flies you do not want a tight loop. Slow the cast down, open up the cast and you will be casting multiple flies with very little difficulty in a very short period of time.
The results?? I often catch two or three fish on one cast. Sometimes, I will find only one fly is being taken but it is not unusual to have one fish take a 6" #2/0 Grey Ghost Flat-wing, another take at 3" #2 Ray's Fly and a third take a 1/2" #8 General Practitioner. Give it a try. Having two or three fish on at the same time can be a lot of fun!!
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 The Fly Tyer's Bench
One of my favorite flies for trout fishing in New England is the Henryville Special. This dry fly is an excellent "all around" caddis imitation and is very effective on rivers like the Upper Connecticut, Androscoggin, Rapid, East Outlet, Moose or West Branch of the Penobscot. This fly was described by Doug Swisher and Carl Richards as "...the greatest hackle pattern we have ever used and can be fished drag-free, skittered, or even wet and dragging." While the original pattern called for a green floss body, I generally use green or orange dubbing instead. This fly was developed in the Pocono region of Pennsylvania in the 1920's. In my opinion, it is a "must have" for the New England trout fisherman.
Henryville Special Pattern (as adapted)
Hook: Standard dry fly (Mustad 94840, sizes 12 - 18)
Thread: Olive 6/0 (or brown, tan, grey, or orange)
Body: Green or Orange dubbing (original calls for green floss)
Ribbing: Grizzly Hackle
Underwing: Wood Duck flank feather fibers
Wing: Pair of duck primary feather sections
Hackle: Brown or Brown dyed Grizzly hackle
Free Shipping on All Orders from April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2009
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Shadowbox Memories
Carry a camera when you're outdoors.
The pocket size digital camera has become a standard part of my fishing equipment over the past several years. Small enough to carry in a shirt pocket and with enough capability to take quality pictures, a pocket camera can capture pictures you will want to keep and remember from every trip. Whether you are spending a day at a favorite local spot or traveling to a far-away adventure, each outing offers opportunities for great pictures.
During my trip to Labrador and Quebec in 2006, the postage stamp sized memory chip in my camera held over 800 pictures. Back home, I could pick and choose the ones that captured the memories of that adventure.
With the price of digital cameras and memory cards now very low, this is definitely something I would recommend that every fisherman carry. You'll capture everything from the catch of a life-time to the beautiful scenery of a local brook.
Send me a picture and a favorite fly and I can give you a quote on a Shadowbox that will be much less expensive than a trip to the taxidermist.
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Upcoming Events: Please stop by our booth at the following events-
Wenham, MA
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Practical Flies for Real Fishermen-
I enjoy flies that catch fish. I also appreciate the history of our traditional New England flies, and offer flies and selections that are generally not available from the larger catalog companies. If you are interested in hand-tied quality by a local craftsman, an appreciation for our Northeastern traditions and flies that catch fish, you will appreciate flies from Shadcreek Flies.
Please click here for a partial list of Streamers and Bucktails.
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Contact Info:
Shadcreek Flies- 6 Tewksbury Road, Hampstead, NH 03841
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Free Shipping on all orders from April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2009
Purchase any flies, Special Fly Selections or Shadowboxes between April 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009 and the shipping is FREE. This offer applies to all products offered by Shadcreek Flies.
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