Connecticut Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Season: Favorite Flies, Month by Month

A Green Machine, fished wet, accounted for three salmon in 30 minutes this October day.

     Following on the heels of last week's post, this week's post is about my favorite fly for each month  of the fall, plus a bonus winter and spring fly. I like tying almost as much as fishing, so it is difficult for me to narrow it down to one fly for each month, but I will do my best. Since fly selection is dependent on conditions, try not to think of these as the best flies to use as much as they're flies to always have on hand.

German Snaelda tied on a brass tube

September: My fly of choice is an unusual one for an unusual month. I have only experienced broodstock salmon fishing in one September (2013), but it was a great month. As expected, the water was low and relatively warm. As such, any angler would expect small flies to work well under those conditions. They did, but a surprising revelation was that a small German Snaelda, tied on a heavy brass tube, worked like a charm when the salmon wouldn't rise for the usual stuff. Since the fish were holding in the fastest water, a heavy tube fly got through the chop quickly and I hooked several salmon on the Snaelda that September. Actually, I got my clocked cleaned by one that took off like a banshee and cartwheeled all over the pool. It was one of three fish hooked on the tube fly that afternoon. Though I would always try a small wet fly first, I wouldn't be without the German Snaelda in very early season fishing.

Buck Bugs in various color schemes

October: It's a tough call, but I have to choose a Buck Bug, which is the most versatile fly of them all. Tied with a body of spun deer hair, a Buck Bug can be fished like a traditional wet fly, fished with the riffling hitch, or greased and fished as a dry fly. My favorite is the Green Machine with a white tail.  If you tie your own flies, make sure you don't pack the deer hair too tightly. 

Mickey Finn var. with fluorescent red bucktail

November: Now it's time for the king of all broodstock salmon flies, the Mickey Finn. Really, there is no bad time to fish a Mickey Finn. I could have made it fly of choice from September through December, but that wouldn't be much fun. I have had success on Mickey Finns from size 2 down to size 14. My favorite sizes are 6 and 4, particularly the latter for fishing in November. I like to tie it with a couple minor variations. I use a flat braid for the body. I find it holds up better than flat tinsel because it shreds rather than breaks. Sometimes I use regular red bucktail and red Krystal Flash, other times I use fluorescent red bucktail without Krystal Flash. I am particularly fond of the fluorescent red variation. It's almost a magenta color. When in doubt, use a Mickey Finn.

The Gold Body Willie Gunn is a great big fish fly

December: Early December is a great time to target big salmon. Without a doubt, my favorite fly for these big brutes is the Willie Gunn, tied with a gold body. In late November and early December, large fish might still be holding near the heavy current. Tied on a copper tube, this fly gets down fast. A sinking tip or line helps keep the fly down. It is an aggressive presentation, but it often times effective. One of the largest broodstock salmon I've ever landed took a gold Willie Gunn, one of three fish on that fly that December day. It is a very easy fly to tie and a good one for those learning to tie tube flies. 

The Grape tube fly, tied with lots of flash

Winter (January-March): This time of year is all sunk line work with a slow, mobile, aluminum tube fly. What is more mobile than marabou? The lethargic winter fish usually follow a fly from behind and nip at its rear end. Because of this, I like to use an exceptionally long piece of junction tube with the hook extending beyond the back end of the marabou. It helps to hook the "nippers". Other color combinations work well, but I have caught most of my salmon with the Grape. Any big, fluffy fly should work, but keep that hook way back.

The Sugerman Shrimp, my all-time favorite salmon fly

Spring: Now it's time for my all-time favorite salmon fly, the Sugerman Shrimp. Honestly, I've had plenty of luck with it in all months. I like a big size 2 or 4 Sugerman when the water is cold, but the air is warm, fished on a floating line. The largest broodstock salmon I've ever hooked took a big Sugerman Shrimp variation. Like the Grape, it's mobile, but the fish will nail it with more authority in the spring, so there is no need for a hook set way in the back. In the spring, the salmon are hungry and a big Sugerman Shrimp looks like a yummy meal. It is definitely one not to be without. 

Brilliant colors, both fish and fly

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     Hopefully this gives you some non-Mickey Finn options, even though the Mickey Finn is as good as any and better than most. Most eastern fly fishers are intimately familiar with this iconic bucktail pattern. The rest of the flies might not be as familiar, especially those tied on tubes. There's no reason to be scared off. All these flies, and many more, can be found in my ebook "Flies for Connecticut Atlantic Salmon: How to Tie and Fish Them," available for both Apple iOS devices and in universal PDF form. Get tying, fall is almost here! 

Fit, Finish, and Glossy Heads

Cary Grant, showing how it's done

     I remember being fitted for my first suit when I was 18 years old. I buttoned both buttons on the jacket. The tailor mumbled something along the lines of, "Two button suit, top button only. Otherwise, you'll look like a hillbilly." It doesn't matter how much a suit costs. If it's not tailored well, it's not going to look good. Even if it is well tailored, there are plenty of other things to mess up. Fortunately, I had an older sister who looked out for me, so I was rarely a total mess at the school dance.

     A well tied fly is like a suit with the perfect fit and just the right touches. A well tied fly is proportionally balanced to the hook on which it is tied. The components of a fly should work together in perfect harmony, just like the combination of suit material, dress shirt, and tie. Little touches are nice, such as a pocket square, cufflinks, jungle cock cheeks, etc. As far as men's attire goes, the fit and finish is in the shoes. They should be well made, compliment the outfit and, most of all, be as shiny as they were when they were new. The head of a fly is the dress shoes of the outfit. A head should be sized in proportion with the rest of the fly. It should be durable and well shaped. Lastly, it looks better when it shines. 

     One of my favorite angling books is Fishing Atlantic Salmon by Joseph Bates and Pamela Bates Richards (Stackpole 1996). Michael Radencich's photography is superb. There is a staggering amount of information to digest in that book, in both text and images. The first time I read it cover to cover made me feel like I was drunk at a wine tasting. Subsequent reads allowed me to see the subtleties I missed the first time around. One of those subtleties was the way certain tyers finished the heads of their flies. To me, the most intriguing heads were on Keith Fulsher's flies. They were just the right size and their finishes were striking. They were glossy and bright, like patent leather. The heads looked like they virtually melted right into the eye of the hook. 

     At the time, I didn't know Keith, so I was unable to ask him about his methods. I decided to figure it out on my own. After a bit of trial and error, I settled on a method that provides me with similar results. Since then, I have become aquatinted with Keith. Because I found my own solution, I haven't bothered to ask him how he does it. 

     I don't finish every single fly I tie with a mirror-like head. In fact, most of my flies are not finished with this level of detail. I don't polish my dress shoes every time I wear them, either. When I want a fly to really sparkle, however, I have a process that is the fly tying equivalent of professional shoe shine.

A clean, nicely shaped head is the punctation at the end of a sentence.

Glossy Heads: Step-By-Step

(click images to enlarge)

Fig I: Staggering the cuts to make a tapered head

     The first step to getting a glassy, mirror-like head is the most crucial. A thread head should be well shaped and relatively smooth. Because we tie a head over uneven surfaces (such as hair and/or feathers), it won't be as smooth as underbody thread wraps. 

     The key to a good thread head is proper planning. For a head with a long taper, cut your winging materials with a long taper. Look at the Magog Smelt in Fig. I. The red throat hackle and the white layer of bucktail extend out the farthest. The second layer of bucktail (yellow), extends to about the midpoint of the head. The final layer of bucktail (purple), along with the peacock herl topping, is cut relatively short, to the 1/3 point of the head. The cuts form a natural taper. A smooth thread head can be formed by tying over the staggered wing butts. For a more blunt, round head, simply cut the butts at a less of an angle.

Fig. II: A neat thread head

     The procedure for feather wing flies is not much different. If the wing is tied in multiple stages (e.g. flies with an underwing or a built wing), leave the bottom materials long and cut the butt ends of subsequent winging materials progressively shorter. When tying a fly with a mixed or married wing, I either use a razor or fine scissors to trim the wing butts. With the former, I make an angled stroke through the butts. With the latter, I shimmy the tips of my scissors through the wing butts to cut the butts a couple feathers at a time. 

     However you choose to cut your wing butts and taper your head, the final result should look fairly neat without any lacquer (see Fig. II). Thick lacquer can fill in small spaces, but not big gaps or lumps of thread. Take your time and plan ahead. 

Fig. III: Cellire (thin) first coat

     The first coat of lacquer or head cement should be thin. You want the first coat to penetrate the thread wraps and add strength to the fly's head. I prefer to use Veniard's Cellire, but any thin head cement should work well enough. If your head cement is getting thick, make sure you thin it enough for it to penetrate the thread wraps easily. Look at Fig. III. The head has one coat of Cellire. See how the micro bumps are still visible? They will disappear in later steps.

Fig. IV: Black (thick) second coat

     To achieve a glassy head, it is important to let each coat of lacquer dry completely. I do not know exactly how long it takes. If the fly is meant for display or publication, I don't take any chances. I will let each coat dry for at least an hour. Apply the lacquer, then walk away and find something else to keep you busy for a while. 

     For a presentation quality head, it is helpful to boost the thread color. For a black head, my second coat is black nail polish (Sally Hansen's). It is a darker shade of black than black thread. If wax was used to help the thread adhere to itself, black lacquer will help remove the color inconsistencies. Black lacquer gives a fly a much deeper color and boosts the glassy effect in the finished head. A similar effect can be achieved with other lacquer colors (i.e. red, yellow, etc.). 

     Be extremely careful when applying any lacquer, particularly colored lacquer. One slip of the fingers and your beautiful wing can be ruined. The safest way to apply lacquer is in small amounts and with a fine needle or bodkin. Sometimes I use an applicator brush that has been cut to a fraction of its original width. It's much easier to make a mistake with the brush than with the needle, so proceed with caution. Fig. IV shows the head with one fully dried coat of black lacquer.

Fig. V: Clear (thick) third coat
This is my preferred stopping point.

     After the black lacquer dries, I add a top coat of clear lacquer (as shown in Fig. IV). I prefer a thick lacquer, as opposed to the thinner Cellire used in the first step. My favorite clear lacquer is Sally Hansen's Advanced. I've found it to make a slightly glassier head than the standard Sally Hansen's clear nail polish. Even though it's thicker than head cement, make sure your thick clear lacquer maintains its original consistency. From time to time, you might have to add a few drops of nail polish remover to prevent it from getting too viscous. 

     Notice how the small thread dips in Figs. II and III have been completely concealed by the thicker lacquers. If this head started out messier, more coats of lacquer might have been necessary to fill in the spaces. With every coat of lacquer, we run the risk of messing up the fly. Also, the head will get bulkier with each coat of lacquer. The shape can distort if too many coats of lacquer are used. Less is more. If the head of the fly is clean to begin with, three total coats should be enough (one each of thin/clear, thick/colored, thick/clear).

Fig. VI: Two coats of Cellire (thin)

     For contrast, look at the head of the fly pictured in Fig. VI. This head was finished with two coats of Cellire only. Notice the how the small thread bumps are still present. They wouldn't be nearly as noticeable if the fly wasn't magnified by the camera lens. Also, it doesn't have that deep black glossy look. I't's not a bad looking head, but it lacks the fit and finish of the head shown in Fig. IV. On most of my fishing flies, I omit the colored lacquer step and use either two coats of Cellire or one coat of Cellire and one coat of clear Sally Hansen's Advanced. 

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you might have! 

Magog Smelt

Two slightly different flavors of Magog Smelt

 
     With most of my fly tying orders completed, I'm beginning to focus on tying for a June trip to two of Quebec's finest salmon rivers, the Bonaventure and the Grand Cascapedia. My first Atlantic salmon fishing experiences were on New Brunswick's Miramichi River. Years later, my fly box still leans heavily towards Miramichi patterns. At one time, I was inclined to fish these flies in any salmon river. They have worked most places I have fished them. Despite my success with Miramichi flies, I began to feel like I was missing out on the overall experience by not devoting more time to tying patterns that are more often used in other parts of the Atlantic salmon's range. For this trip, I decided to tie a number of patterns that are commonly used in the Bonaventure and Grand Cascapedia.

      I was most excited to tie flies used for fishing in high water. A lack of snow will probably result in lower-than-normal rivers for the time of year I will be fishing, so I anticipate using mainly smaller flies. Snow or no snow, rain can happen at any time. Instead of being caught with my pants down and not having enough high water flies, I decided to tie them anyway, even if I don't use them.

     I have been told that Magog Smelt is a popular high water fly on many Quebec Rivers. I am very familiar with this classic bucktail, having fished it for trout on many occasions, though I have never fished it for salmon. I have confidence in the pattern, so I wouldn't hesitate to try it under the right conditions.

Smelt snout brown

     My most memorable experience with the Magog Smelt was during an early spring trout fishing trip to Vermont in 2010. My friend Bobby was my guide and we were fishing an area not known to harbor many brown trout. Unlike many surrounding waters, the fish in this particular stretch of river are not stocked. Bobby stressed that we after quality, not quantity. Most of the river's inhabitants are wild rainbow trout, with a few native brook trout scattered about. Though we didn't find any monsters, we caught several fiesty rainbows and brookies in a few different streams. Brown trout are not often seen in the rivers we fished. After fishing a fast run in a large river, we moved to a slower stretch of water upstream. It wan't long before I felt something slam my bucktail. The fish was a strong fighter, but was eventually brought to hand. Bobby was shocked to see a brown trout. I was just happy to have caught a nice fish. Shortly thereafter, I landed a nice rainbow trout on the same fly.

     I'm not sure why I never bothered trying one for Atlantic salmon. I had a few in my salmon fly box for several years. They had been gathering dust, so I made a place for them alongside my trout streamers. If I have the chance to fish one in June, I will. If not, I've heard they make terrific striped bass flies.

Magog Smelt var. (sz. 3/0)

Magog Smelt (variation)

Hook: Alec Jackson 2062 (Steelhead Iron - nickel finish)
Tip: Oval silver tinsel
Tail: Teal flank fibers
Rib: Oval Silver tinsel
Body: Pearl flat braid
Throat: Red hackle fibers
Wing: White, yellow, and purple bucktail with UV pearl Krystal Flash; topped with peacock herl
Sides: Teal flank feather
Cheeks: Jungle cock
Head: Black

Gray Ghost Bucktail & Good News! (re: Kensington Hatchery)

Blasphemy, perhaps, but it works 

There's not much to say about this one. The Gray Ghost is a classic New England streamer we all know and love. This rendition liberally substitutes both natural and synthetic materials. The way I figure, if you're going to tie a big streamer, it might as well be flashy.

This fly is a small piece of a project I have brewing. I'll post more specific news about that as it takes shape. Until then, here is the recipe...

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Gray Ghost Bucktail

Hook: Daiichi 2271; sz. #1-#2 or Mustad 9672 (R74); sz. #2-#6

Thread: White 6/0 & Black 6/0

Tag: Silver mini flat braid

Rib: Oval silver tinsel (wide)

Throat: White bucktail and yellow hackle 

Wing: Grey bucktail with UV Pearl Krystal Flash (optional); topped with peacock herl

Shoulder: Silver pheasant body feather

Sides: Jungle cock (optional)

Head: Black with red thread band (optional)

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Good News!

Autumn can't get here soon enough

Yesterday morning, I checked the Connecticut River Salmon Association's website like I do from time to time. They are a great organization and I high recommend browsing their site and learning about all the great work they do. Anyhow, I noticed a headline about how the Kensington hatchery has made it back into the state's budget. There is more information about the recent legislative session on the CT River Alliance's website. 

This is great news! Thank you to all who wrote letters, emails and made phone calls on behalf of the Kensington hatchery, its staff and its trout and salmon. It looks like we'll have another salmon season in Connecticut in 2015. Start tying flies now. Fall will be here before you know it! 

Native New England Salmon Flies - Part I: Northern New England

Historic Atlantic Salmon Rivers of New England
(courtesy of NOAA)

At one time, all six New England states had runs of Atlantic salmon. The northernmost U.S. salmon river is Maine's Little Madawaska River, a small tributary of the Aroostook River. The Aroostook is a tributary of the once ultra-prolific St. John River. The southernmost river with a (long extinct) salmon run is Connecticut's Housatonic River. As far as I know, a recreational Atlantic salmon fishery never existed in any New England state other than Maine. Most stocks of New England salmon were either heavily depleted or extirpated before sport fishing became a popular pastime in North America. As such, sport fishers had to travel to Maine or Canada to pursue Atlantic salmon. However, the lack of New England salmon did not stop fly tyers from experimenting with flies or developing new patterns. In this series, I will feature one Atlantic salmon fly created in each of the six New England states.

Despite a lack, or absence, of Atlantic salmon in rivers with historic runs, there are viable landlocked salmon fisheries in all but two New England states (Connecticut and Rhode Island do not have runs of landlocked salmon). While investigating native New England salmon flies and fly tyers, I noticed a common theme. Many flies were designed for trout or landlocked salmon, but have been repurposed for Atlantic salmon fishing. Ultimately, several flies became more popular with Atlantic salmon anglers than with trout or landlocked salmon anglers. Of the six flies featured in this series, two fit this description, both northern New England patterns.

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Atlantic Salmon Flies From Northern New England 

Maine: "The Chief" (Chief Needabeh)

The fly we now know as "The Chief" is a reduction of a Rangley-style streamer created by Chief Roland Nelson, also known as Chief Needabeh. Chief Needabeh, a member of the Native American Penobscot Tribe, was the proprietor of Needabeh's Shack, at tackle shop at Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine (Bates, 372). The original fly was called the "Chief Needabeh Streamer." This streamer fly was originally intended for brook trout, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass. Atlantic salmon anglers discovered its value when fishing for autumn salmon. It is particularly deadly on territorial male salmon, who likely consider the fly a potential intruder. Though its still effective when used for its original quarry, the fly is more commonly seen on Atlantic salmon rivers nowadays. In recent years, the fly's dressing has been simplified and its name shortened. Like many Atlantic salmon flies, the dressing constantly changes and evolves. Below is a composite dressing for "The Chief."

The Chief

Hook: Daiichi 2271 (sz. 2)

Tag: Oval silver tinsel

Rib: Oval silver tinsel

Body: Chinese Red Uni-Stretch

Wing: A pair of yellow saddle hackles inside a pair of red saddle hackles

Sides: Jungle cock (optional)

Collar Hackles: Red over yellow

Head: Black

New Hampshire: "Dragon" (Fran Stuart)

Like many other salmon flies conceived in New England, the "Dragon" was tied for the Atlantic salmon of Maine's Penobscot River. In terms of a sport fishery, the Penobscot has always been America's top Atlantic salmon river. Fran Stuart, creator of the Dragon, is from Peterborough, New Hampshire. The fly was first tied in summer of 1988 during a long, hot, dry spell on the Penobscot. Stuart first tied the fly "In a tent, by the light of a Coleman lantern." (Stewart and Allen, 42). It is a very simple, minimal fly that is most effective in low water. The Dragon is more of template than a rigid fly pattern. Though black, green and silver is the most common combination, floss and wire colors can be easily changed to suit the whim of the tyer. Unfortunately, the Penobscot is now closed to Atlantic salmon fishing. Hopefully, the Dragon will once again have the opportunity to swim in its native river. 

Dragon

Hook: Sprite Low Water Double (sz. 10)

Tag: Fine silver wire

Underbody: Flat silver tinsel

Overbody: Fluorescent green floss

Rib: Black ostrich herl, counter wrapped with fine silver wire

Hackle: Webby black hen saddle

Vermont, via Massachusetts: "The Notion" (Shields & Marbury)

A very unique fly concludes Part I of this series. The "Notion" was created by John Shields of Brookline, Massachusetts. However, if not for Manchester, Vermont's Mary Orvis Marbury, the Notion would have been lost in time. Marbury's greatest contribution to fly fishing was her book Favorite Flies and Their Histories (1892). The book was written based on submissions by North American anglers of the era. Each angler submitted a list and description of his favorite flies for the fish species found in his respective region. Marbury showed no preference for flies tied for a certain species, as flies for salmonids and non-salmonids get equal representation. 

There are no formal fly recipes in Marbury's book, however there are 32 color plates which show 291 different fly patterns. There are three plates of salmon fly illustrations. All but two salmon flies shown in the plates were created in Europe. Most were the standard salmon flies of the era (i.e. Jock Scott, Silver Doctor, etc.). The Notion was one of the two American flies included in plates of salmon flies. Like the Chief, the Notion was a repurposed fly which happened to be quite versatile.

The Notion was first made and named by John Shields, the veteran fly-maker of Brookline, Mass. It was intended for land-locked salmon, but we hear of it as also successful for salmon, trout, and black bass. Dressed on a large hook it is very beautiful, the gilt and golden brown harmonizing perfectly; it can also be adapted to a small hook. It is a fly that many anglers "take a notion to," and value for the good it does as well as for its beauty. (Marbury, 63)

Technically, the Notion is a Massachusetts creation, however, I've never seen the Notion mentioned anywhere Marbury wasn't also mentioned. Since the fly has been so closely associated with Mary Orvis Marbury all these years, I've decided to use it for the Vermont fly in this piece. Marbury is the certainly the most iconic fly tyer to come from Vermont as well as one of the most iconic of all American fly tyers. The dressing below is approximate, as no complete salmon fly dressings are listed in Marbury's book.

The Notion

Hook: Mustad 3370 (sz. 2/0)
Tag: Oval gold tinsel
Tail: Golden pheasant crest (long) and blue/yellow macaw
Body: Rear half-embossed gold tinsel; Front half-fiery brown seal fur
Hackle and Throat: fiery brown
Wing: Pair of golden pheasant tippets, back to back; veiled with strips of yellow and blue swan, dark turkey, and teal
Cheeks: Kingfisher
Head: Black ostrich herl

Click to download a detailed map of New England's historic Atlantic salmon rivers

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Bates, Joseph D. and Bates Richards, Pamela. Fishing Atlantic Salmon: The Flies and the Patterns. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 1996. Print.

Orvis Marbury, Mary. Favorite Flies and Their Histories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1892. Print.

Stewart, Dick and Allen, Farrow. Flies for Atlantic Salmon. Intervale: Northland Press, Inc. 1991. Print. 

Gray Ghost Variant Tube Fly

A pair ready for alewife-rich waters

Until this season, I had only fished very small Gray Ghosts and not too frequently at that. I don't think I ever hooked a fish with one. While fishing Connecticut's Farmington River this past spring, I tried a larger (sz. 4) Gray Ghost and did quite well, landing several respectably sized holdover brown trout. It was in between a Hendrickson hatch and spinner fall, and it seemed like many of the larger trout preferred the larger meal.

I have a few friends who swear by this fly, so I figured I should give it a go. I wanted to tie some even larger than what I had, but was not crazy about fishing a 10x long streamer hook. I decided to convert it to a tube fly and substitute some more "modern" (read: flashy!) materials.

I have plans for these tubes...Primarily, I want to use them to target landlocked salmon this fall. Also, there are a couple of lakes nearby (one really close to home) with large seeforellen brown trout coupled with a population of landlocked alewives. I've done well fishing one lake's spawning run, but have yet to take a trophy seeforellen brown. Time to get cracking on that...

A classic Maine streamer, converted 

Gray Ghost Variant Tube Fly

Tube: 1.5" aluminum 

Tag: Flat silver diamond braid

Rib: Oval silver tinsel

Body: Flat orange Diamond Braid

Underwing: Yellow bucktail

Wing: 1. Silver fox tail w/polar ice Angel Hair

             2. Silver fox tail w/pearl Krinkle Flash

             3. Black temple dog or arctic fox, topped with four strands of 

                  peacock herl

Throat: White bucktail topped with yellow Fluoro Fiber 

Cheeks: Silver pheasant and jungle cock

Head: Black w/red thread band

CT Salmon Fishing News - Late November

Yet another victim of the infamous HM Sunray Variant 

Warm, cold, warm, cold...I think we've about seen the last of the warm weather until April or so. Fishing, however, has been red hot. My last day out saw four hooked and all four landed, the smallest being around 7# and the largest a hefty male in the 16-18# class. Three of the fights were nothing to write home about, but the big boy fought well, jumping over 10 times. I saw four other fish hooked that day, three of them landed.

Fly wise, it was a day of stark contrast. My first fish was caught on a small #10 wet fly called the M1 Killer. I was fishing a very shallow riffle, so I decided to go small and subtle. The next three fish came from a deeper run with a much heavier current. The two middle fish (including the big guy) were taken on a Gold Bodied Willy Gunn tied on a brass tube. The total length of the fly was about 3.5"-4". The fourth fish took the orange HM Sunray Variant, a tube pattern which has been one of my top two salmon flies this fall (as well as being one of my top trout flies this past spring).

The other fly which has produced quite well for me is the venerable Ally's Shrimp. Still nothing on the Sugerman Shrimp since Russia, but I haven't been fishing it much this season for some reason. When I've needed a dark fly, I've been fishing the Same Thing Murray. Flies with orange in them have been producing so well, it's hard for me to fish with anything else.

Between playing gigs, teaching and fishing, I've been burning the candle at both ends lately. In between the insanity, I've been busy at the vise, tying flies for custom orders. As it gets colder, the less I fish with conventional flies and the more I fish with various tube flies. As far as single hooks go, I've been really happy with the Owner SSW straight eye hooks and I have been including them on all my tube fly orders lately.

Get out there and make sure you try some orange flies/tubes!

Expanded Naugatuck River Fly Assortment

Ransomes Elver (experimental post from new iPhone 4S)

Ransome's Elver #2, iPhone 4S photo (size reduced)

Here's a pic of an unusual streamer-type pattern tied for U.K. salmon and sea trout fishing. It is supposed to represent an elver (juvenile eel), which the salmon and trout eat while at sea. I've never heard mention of it being a particularly productive pattern, but that might have something to do with the scarcity of the materials needed to tie it. Not every tyer has easy access to jungle cock, let alone vulturine guinea fowl (used for the wing and hackle).

Once this post has been published I'll check it out on the computer. If it looks okay, I'll try more mobile posting, perhaps even stream-side. I'll try to post at least once from the upcoming CFFC&M Arts of the Angler show next month in Danbury, CT.

edits: Apostrophes don't work in the titles?? The Blogger app is definitely kind of quirky. If I use it for mobile posting, it's going to be quick and dirty. The camera on this phone is pretty impressive, though it is hard to hold still when taking a pic.

Favorite Flies for the Naugatuck River

Clockwise from top left: Same Thing Murray,
Sugerman Shrimp, Mickey Finn, Claret Shrimp

That's right, it's almost time to fish for those dirty water brutes again. These are my four favorite flies for Naugatuck River broodstock Atlantic salmon fishing. The Mickey Finn (#4-#6) works well for me while there are still leaves on the trees. Once the leaves fall, I see more action on the Same Thing Murray(#4-#8) or the Sugerman Shrimp (#1/0-#6). I find the Claret Shrimp (#2-#6) works well in the last hour of daylight. Maybe it's the high contrast between the front hackle and the dark body?

Honorable mention goes to Ally's Shrimp. The trout like them, too. I didn't hook a Naugy salmon on one last season, but I caught a good sized holdover brown with a big kype.

Honorable, honorable mention goes to the Sunray Shadow, which seems to be a good fish locator, and the Butterfly with a red butt (which I caught a Naugy salmon on my first day of fishing with a two-handed rod).

UPDATE - 9/4/2013: Since originally posting this, my tastes have changed a bit. The Mickey Finn and the Same Thing Murray are still at the top of the heap, no doubt. For some reason, I do less and less with the Sugerman Shrimp every season (for CT broodstock fish...it's still my favorite fly for wild salmon). The Claret Shrimp has moved down to honorable mention. Moving up the list are the Sunray Shadow and the L.T.Special. Ally's Shrimp is a solid fly and I always have some with me. Some fles are hotter than others certain years, but the Mickey, Murray and Sunray have become my mainstays.