Red Butt

Simple but effective

The Red Butt...aka Black Bear Red Butt...aka Red Butt Bear...aka Bear Hair Red Butt...whatever the name is, it's as good a fly as any other. Of course, the same can be said for it's more famous sibling, the Black Bear Green Butt, but I prefer the red butt in the fall. I tie mine in a predominantly North American fashion, but with a little European touch for the tail.

Red Butt

Hook: Any single or double salmon iron
Tip: Oval silver tinsel
Butt: Red floss, yarn or stretch nylon (Gordon Griffiths red floss shown above)
Tail: Red Fluoro Fiber
Rib: Oval Silver tinsel
Body: Black floss, yarn or stretch nylon (black Uni-Yarn shown above)
Throat Hackle: Black hen
Wing: Black bear
Head: Black

M1 Killer

M1 Killer - tied by Dave Goulet

My first trip to the Miramichi River was during an autumn plagued by low water. I was fortunate enough to hook a dark, multi sea winter salmon on my first evening of fishing. Long story short...I blew it and lost the fish. I sweated out the next five days without a pull. Fortunately, hurricane Kyle was just about to blow into town and a good shot of rain got the fish moving. I hooked three grilse (one landed) the next morning, which was a relief, but I was disappointed that my two sea winter salmon had escaped.

In terms of weather, the next year was even worse. It was a very dry summer. I remember it was an easy summer for mowing the lawn. I barely had to do it past June. My friend and salmon fishing and fly tying mentor Dave Goulet, former owner of New Hartford, Connecticut's Classic and Custom Fly Shop, saw the writing on the wall and warned me that we both would be facing difficult conditions that fall (he arrived at his camp near the end of my week). Earlier that year, Dave gave me a list of eight fly patterns he recommended for autumn fishing on the Main Southwest Miramichi. Around the beginning of September, he amended the list with three additional flies, all specifically for challenging low water conditions.

The one he had the most faith in was a fly known as the M1 Killer. According to Dave, the M1 was created in the early 1990s by his friend Steve Messier. It was loosely based on the Supervisor, a classic Maine streamer pattern. Originally, the M1 Killer had a green throat, but they ultimately found a light blue throat to be more successful.

Dave instructed me to tie some M1s on size 8 and 10 double hooks. I did as I was told and had a couple of each in my fly box when I arrived at camp. The water was much lower than the previous year and we were not optimistic. I remember asking our guide if he knew of any golf course ponds we might be able to fish instead.

On the second day of the trip, just before it was time to come in for lunch, I decided to give the M1 its first swim on the end of my line. I was fishing a gravel bar on the near side of the river under a bright midday sun. I reached the end of the run and said to myself, "Ah, just one more cast." That was the one! A shadowy fish plucked my #10 M1 Killer from just under the surface and we were off to the races. I hollered for our guide to bring the net. The salmon was neither huge nor was it fresh, but I knew it wasn't a grilse and I didn't want to lose him. The Miramichi hookbill was safely landed, photographed and released. I was both excited and relieved.

My first msw Atlantic salmon - M1 Killer #10 double

Little did we know it was the only action anyone in camp would see for the entire seven days. It was a tough week for fishing. Even heavy midweek rain didn't raise the river enough to bring fish in. We really should have found those golf course ponds! It didn't matter to me though. I might have only caught one salmon that week, but I was still sitting pretty, especially given the state of affairs at that time. Since then, I'm never without a few small M1 Killers, just in case.

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M1 Killer (as tied by Dave Goulet)

Hook: Single or double salmon iron
Tip: Oval silver tinsel
Tail: Golden pheasant crest
Rib: Oval silver tinsel
Body: Flat silver tinsel
Throat: Light blue
Underwing: Pearl Krystal Flash
Wing: Black squirrel tail or black bear
Head: Black

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My version of the M1 Killer - Tied on a #10 Partridge Code M

I tie mine a with a couple of material substitutions. The body of mine is flashier, but is offset by having less flash in the wing. To help reinforce the body, I often take more than the traditional five turns of ribbing when tying over tinsel (à la Belarmino Martinez) or braided body materials. I have found the flat braid body to be very durable.

M1 Killer (variation; as tied by me)

Hook: Single, low water or double salmon (typically sizes #8-#12)
Tail: Golden pheasant crest
Rib: Silver wire
Body: Silver Lagartun Mini Flat Braid
Throat: Light Blue
Underwing: Pearl Krystal Flash (midge size); two or three strands
Wing: Fur from a fox mask, dyed black (sub black squirrel tail or stoat tail)
Head: Black

Naugatuck Report - September 28, 2013 - Ugly Beauty

Low & warm - this is the type of water you'll want to seek out

Finally! I had the whole day to fish. I think this is my fifth trip to the Naugy this season. Three trips were very brief visits. They were productive visits, but I don't like feeling rushed. Fortunately, that was not an issue today.

I've said it before...the water is just too low. It's still pretty warm, too. I started fishing around 11:00am and the water was around 60ºF. I checked periodically throughout the day and the highest I recorded was 66ºF. Conditions are pretty tough. Be prepared to work for your fish. A lot of the usually reliable pools and runs just aren't holding fish. If they are, the fish aren't taking. 

For my money, the best bet has been to try to find places with strong push of water with as much depth as possible. There is plenty of fast shallow water. I haven't found fish in that water. There is plenty of deep slow water. Those pools are better suited to the spin fisherman (and indie nymphers). 

My first pass through spot #1 yielded no fish. I switched to a #6 Mickey Finn for my second pass and caught a salmon of about 5lbs. It was a very handsome fish, with a nicely shaped tail. The fight was OK. Subsequent passes through the pool produced no action. 

I moved around quite a bit after leaving spot #1. I fished some areas downriver, but a 12" brown trout was all I had to show for my work. After a few hours, I was ready for a nap, but I decided to forge on...

I moved to a popular pool which I don't often fish. At this water level, I can't say it looked very good. I noticed some interesting water in the distance, however. I've said it here before...if you have a hunch, it pays to act on it. I don't always follow my own advice (I actually ignored it earlier in the day), but I figured I'd take a walk this time. 

I came upon a very nice run. It had all the attributes I was looking for. It was also the filthiest pool I've fished on this river and that's really saying something. I counted four shopping carts, a child's bicycle, remnants of a leaf blower, several tires and tons of other debris. The run itself was beautiful though. I ran the Mickey Finn through, but nothing was interested. It was a good push of water, so I figured I should get down a bit. I tried a small all-black Snaelda (.5" copper tube - about 2" total length). That was the ticket! I had an awesome fast water grab. It was the type of take where you fear you might have to swim after your rod (perilous in this debris-laden pool). After a couple strong runs and several urgent jumps, I brought salmon #2 to hand. It was a small fish, probably 3lbs., but it was a much more exciting catch than my first of the day. 

I wish I could say I found more salmon in that run, but I didn't. My first pass through a new run isn't always the most well thought out. Now that I'm familiar with it, I can strategize better next time. 

I continued to fish until sunset, but had no further action. 2 for 2 isn't bad, but I had expected more. The truly odd thing is that those two fish landed were the only salmon I saw all day. I didn't see one fish jump or roll the entire time. Like I said, conditions aren't exactly ideal. They're actually quite poor, so I am happy to catch any at all.

What has been working so far this season? Pretty much two approaches...relatively small flies wet flies (sizes #8-#12) and getting somewhat in their faces with Snaeldas. I don't think its "getting in their faces" so much as it's getting down a little in fast water. Plus, I think it's a fly that gets them riled up a bit, though I'm not sure why. That said, the small flies have also been working in fast water, so go figure. Atlantic salmon are strange creatures who tend to follow their own rules. The last two seasons, the Sunray has been killer for me, but I think this low water is making them shy (though my first fish landed this season took one). 

I used an intermediate polyleader on one of the colder mornings, but everything else has been on a mono leader so far. I'm making a lot of very short casts and I've found a single handed rod easiest to use given the nature of the water I'm fishing. The best runs have been pretty narrow with a highly concentrated flow. 

I promise to post some fish pics soon. I have been waiting on a new net and haven't taken many this season. I usually don't carry a net while salmon fishing, but most of these fish are too small to tail. Plus, the water is fairly warm, so I have been try to get the fish on their way as quickly as possible until it cools down a bit. 

This might be my last report for the next couple of weeks. I am supposed to chase landlocks the next two weekends, but the lack of rain might mess that up too. Keep me posted...please let me know how you do!

Naugatuck Report - September 27, 2013 - A Brief Morning Jaunt

Albeit brief, the most exciting moment of the day was
a result of this Green/Brown split-wing Bomber

Junior was on a overnight trip to Grandma's house, so I got up early and fished for a few hours. As a professional musician, I'd much rather sleep in the morning and fish the afternoon-to-evening shift. Sometimes it has to be a morning affair, I guess.

I fished from 7:00am to 10:30am. As always, the water was really low. I started in a fast run, first with a Blue Butterfly. Nothing wanted the Butterfly, so I went small again with a #10 Almost. I had a strong pull about midway down the run. The fish didn't get hooked and I couldn't get him to come back...game over...I tried a few other flies and presentations, but that was the end of the action here. 

I moved to a slow pool, sort of dreading what the water was going to be like at this level. I knew there would be fish there, so I figure it was worth a chance. This is a strange pool. It's pretty deep in places and can be difficult to fish and wade. Actually, I find it more difficult to fish in low water than in higher water, despite the potential wading hazards. Then, if you can hook a salmon, the next hurdle is landing it, which is not always easy to do while fishing this pool alone. 

I saw a fish roll and I moved down the pool to target him. The fly was the ever deadly #10 M1 Killer. I had another strong pull, but no hookup. Again, I couldn't get this fish to come back. Damn! 

The highlight of the day occurred moments thereafter. I saw a different salmon roll, but this fish was closer to me than the last one. The flow was so slow. Fishing a wet was difficult, so I might as well try a dry. It would be a difficult task given my poor position, but none of my options were very good ones. I pitched a #6 split wing Bomber (green w/brown hackle) towards the lie. The fish immediately rolled for the dry. And that was the end of that...another one who wouldn't come back...

I moved to a pool which was very good to me last season. This pool is not stocked, so I was hoping to find some fish who might have moved in with the last raise of water. I didn't find them. 

Then it was time to go home. Oh well...no fish hooked despite some interest. I just tied up some very small low water flies to deal with the sluggish flow and the reluctant takers. Hopefully I can give them a shot tomorrow.

Announcing "Salmon School" Guided Tutorial Program & New Flies Available

A salmon, a Mickey Finn and a happy angler

I'm happy to announce I will be offering guided salmon fishing tutorial sessions on the lower Naugatuck River this season from October to December. These are not conventional guide trips, per se. They are an on-the-river extension of my "Traditional Methods for Broodstock Atlantic Salmon" presentation. It is a thorough and comprehensive introduction to Atlantic salmon fishing, mainly intended for the trout fisherman who wants to become a more knowledgeable and proficient salmon fisherman. Weekdays and weekend bookings are available. For details, please visit the "Salmon School" page on my website.

In other news, the Fly Shop page on my website has been revamped with an expanded selection of my favorite flies for Connecticut's broodstock Atlantic salmon season. I am offering several patterns (conventional as well as tube flies), tied in the size or sizes I have found most effective over the years. If you want flies which are not in the Fly Shop, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to accommodate you.

Thank you for your support and I hope you have an enjoyable and productive season!

Naugatuck Report - September 25, 2013 - Small Guy, Small Fly

The M1 Killer - a new favorite "toy"

Cabin fever in September? With an 8 month old baby boy at home it certainly is possible. I decided to do something about it. I found a used Kelty BackCountry Child Carrier on Craigslist for $50 and I thought it would be a good investment for the both of us. It's a beefy backpack style carrier with a canopy, used to keep the sun and the rain out, but also flies I suppose. After a day of testing it out and getting the right fit at home, we decided to head to the Naugatuck this afternoon.

I had two runs in mind, both with little-to-no wading involved. With help from my Echo switch rod, the little wading we did was no more than ankle deep. Less than ten minutes into the trip, before I even had a chance to process any thoughts about the usefulness of the carrier, we had already hooked and released a 6lb. salmon. I wish I could have seen the little guy's face when a fish almost as long as himself jumped out of the water a half dozen times (I need to buy a rearview mirror). Unfortunately, I couldn't get a pic of the fish and release is safely, so I opted for only the latter. We'll have to persuade mom to go with us sometime to act as camerawoman.

The salmon took my favorite low water fly, the M1 Killer (#10). My first multi sea-winter Atlantic salmon took an M1, tied on a #10 Sprite double, in low, clear water under a bright noontime sun. Conditions were pretty similar today and the M1 worked its magic again.

After a little while, I stopped hearing the rustling of toys and the back of my hat was no longer being pulled. That little turkey fell asleep! I certainly could have used my guide's expertise. I had two pulls on a small, all-black Snaelda, but I couldn't get the fish to come back. I think it might have tasted a bit too much of the hook on the second pull. Oh well...

I think I needed a break before he did, so we went back to the car. After our 90 minute fishing session, a fresh diaper and lunch was in order. He enjoyed a refreshing stretch and a ripe banana mush lunch. The lunch break recharged his batteries and he was ready for more.

We moved to our second spot of the day, but not much was happening. He managed to unfasten his teething ring and drop it into the river. I retrieved it with the bottom handle of my switch rod. That was the extent of the action for the next 45 minutes or so.

I decided we had a good enough day and it was time to head home. Actually, I didn't expect it to go nearly as well as it did, so I was very pleased at the outcome.

Fishing is nice and peaceful, so it was time to release a ton of pent up energy by the time we got home. He was totally hyper for the next couple of hours, but I figured he earned it. I tipped my guide by letting him rip up a Carter's Catalog on the floor of my fly tying room, which he did with gusto.

It was fun day, though I have to say I enjoyed interacting with him during lunch more than the actual fishing, so we probably won't make this a regular thing...at least not for now. I think I'll be more inclined to use the Kelty pack for walks and/or short hikes. Also, I think it will be more fun with mom around so someone can see how he reacts to all these new sights and sounds.

Naugatuck Report - September 23, 2013 - Snaelda Time

Snaelda fish #1

With the water falling and clearing, I thought today would be an ideal day to go. I dropped off the little guy at mom's work and got to the river with just under three hours before sunset. I usually like to have a little more time to work with, but I felt lucky to even go at all today.

Pool #1...no fish showed and nothing moved for my standard flies and presentations. I moved quickly and thoroughly, but didn't move a fish. It was a bit frustrating, but you can't make the salmon react if they don't want to.

Pool #2...I thought I'd finish the evening here. It's a popular pool, but I'm not used to seeing it that crowded on a weekday. The spin fishermen occupied their normal spots in the slow water. One fly fisherman planted himself 3/4 of the way down the run and never moved. Further frustration ensued...please refer to several previous posts where I stress the importance of mobility. I fished as far as I could go and headed back to the top of the run only to get low holed by another fly angler (click for definition). Given that a decently function rotation has seemed to establish itself at this pool over the past few seasons, tonight was disappointing, though not surprising. Well, that was enough for me. Getting pinned into one spot while fishing for non-migratory salmon does not interest me.

Quickly back to Pool #1...which I ended up having to myself save for a few spectators. I tried a Red Butt, but no dice. Fish still weren't showing, which is rare for this pool. The air temperature was a good bit cooler than the water temperature and that can make salmon fussy. With time running out, I decided to get in their faces a bit. I don't normally fish this way until later in the fall, but watching Henrik Mortensen fish a Red Francis to reluctant salmon on his DVDs made my gears turn a bit. The Francis isn't one of my "confidence flies," but the German Snaelda is. I tried a Snaelda (.75" copper tube) I had just tied, substituting arctic fox for bucktail in the rear of the fly.

Fishing deeper and more slowly paid off within a few minutes. The fish pictured above came to hand after several jumps and a couple modest runs. After releasing the fish, I went back to it and hooked another, more spirited fish within ten minutes or so. The second fish was a leaper and a runner. My reel was screaming and I had to run downstream after it. I didn't realize how far it ran until it jumped further away than I expected it to be. That definitely increased my sense of urgency. I fought this fish for a few minutes before the hooked pulled loose. Oh well, I'll take 1 for 2 just about any day, especially given how this evening started.

The second salmon made me realize my Vision 9' 6wt. rod is not totally up for this job. It was fine with all the salmon I hooked this season prior to this one. Who knows, that might have been my toughest scrap of the season, but I'd prefer a bit more ammo in case I tie into another hot fish. Like I said, hook enough early season salmon and you'll get some that fight pretty damn hard. I know it's sounds hard to believe, but it's true. Anyhow, I think it's time to go back to the Sage Z-Axis 11' 6 wt. switch rod and the Sage Graphite II 9' 7wt. single hander (ol' faithful).

Remember, keep moving and always enter a pool or a run above the rest of the anglers!