Diary of a Dirty-Water Salmon Fisherman

A hefty male salmon, caught today on a #4 Mickey Finn

The Connecticut broodstock Atlantic salmon fishery certainly has its share of detractors. Yes, I would much rather be chasing salar in Canada, Russia, Iceland, etc. Sadly, time, money and matrimonial duties will not allow unlimited jaunts abroad. I recently purchased Atlantic Salmon Magic by Topher Browne. Near the end of the book, Browne gives a brief summary of many of the world's most important salmon (fishing) rivers. I was struck by his introduction to Russia's Ponoi River:

"The prolific Ponoi River enjoys a sterling reputation as an exceptionally productive fishery. Few (if any) rivers match its exciting ratio of salmon to angler. If you are new to the sport of salmon fishing, there is simply no better place. It is difficult, after all, to cut your teeth in the sport when you receive two or three pulls per season on rivers closer to home. If you are an old hand, the sheer numbers of fish allow you to experiment with flies and techniques that might not see the light of day when the fish are hard to come by."

-Topher Browne (Atlantic Salmon Magic, p. 411)

The sentiments expressed in the third and fourth sentences are my main motivation to fish for these broodstock salmon. Since the Ponoi is not a viable option at the moment, I will both cut my teeth and experiment close to home, where the fishing is free and the salmon are willing to take a fly swung just below the surface. 

Grilse; #4 L.T. Special

After a (very) high water skunking last week, the past two days on the Naugatuck River have been exceptional. Yesterday, I hooked and landed three salmon and one grilse-sized fish. Today, I hooked/landed one, but it was quite large for the river. So far this season, here are the flies which have caught fish:

Butterfly (w/green & red butt) #4

L.T. Special #4

Same Thing Murray #6

Claret Shrimp #6

Mickey Finn (variation) #4

Four of these five flies are mentioned here. 

First of the season; #4 Butterfly

Stay tuned...

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.

Bo Peep

Bo Peep, dressed on a #4 hook

Kelson's Bo Peep is a sort of derivative of Major John Popkin Traherne's Blue Boyne. A bright fly, the Bo Peep was meant to be fished on sunny days. In its time, the Bo Peep was considered a low water fly and was tied on hooks size 7 and smaller (!). I don't see why it wouldn't work in higher water and have tied it on a size 4 hook.

Bo Peep 
(Kelson)
Tag: Silver twist (plenty)
Tail: Toucan* (three) and two small Chatterer* (back to back)
Butt: Black herl
Body: In three equal sections of silver tinsel (oval, the finest): No. 1, butted with Toucan* above and below, followed by black herl. No. 2, butted with Indian Crow* above and below, followed by black herl
Throat: (or No. 3 section)-Double Chatterer* feathers (back to back) on off and on near side
Wings: Ibis* and red Macaw in fibres, and three toppings. 
Horns: Amherst Pheasant
Head: Black herl

*subs used

Fly Box, new

A Chinese-made C&F knockoff, not yet overflowing with flies

Well, here she is in all her glory. Even though it's a phony C&F waterproof box, the insert is the genuine article! Actually, the stupid name brand  insert costs more than the box itself. The box was a $13 eBay special. The swing leaf insert was a little over $20. I think I paid roughly $35 for the used Wheatley swing leaf box. We'll see how this one fares. I am optimistic. There is still room for more flies! Let the tying of obscure patterns (that won't catch fish) resume...

Fly Box, old

A classic Wheatley fly box, overflowing with flies

This Richard Wheatley box has served me well over the past two seasons. It has always felt a little crammed, however. It isn't a particularly good box for storing Butterflies. I am going to try out a C&F knockoff-style box and see how that fares. It's bulkier than the Wheatley, but the wings on the Butterflies won't get crushed and it should do a better job of holding large streamers/bucktails, as well as larger shrimp patterns. Of course, the new setup is much less elegant than the old one, so it won't be photographed surrounded by rare and expensive feathers. Seeing as how it's not even a genuine C&F box, maybe a pic on a dirty sidewalk, surrounded by pigeon feathers would be more appropriate?

Wulffs

A handful of Wulffs; Grey, White and Royal

It seems as if there are more varieties of Wulffs than a fly fisherman could shake a stick at, however, it all started with the Grey Wulff. Tied to imitate the Isonychia mayfly, fly fishing and tying legend Lee Wulff realized how valuable this fly could be for Atlantic salmon fishing. The Grey, White and Royal Wulffs are the grandparents of the Wulff family of flies. Of all of the Wulffs in use for salmon fishing, it seems as if the White Wulff has best stood the test of time. Believe it or not, Lee Wulff used a 1/0 White Wulff that he nicknamed "the seagull". I have no idea where one would find hackle large enough to tie such a fly!

Below are the instructions for tying the Wulff series of flies, given by the man himself. The instructions were originally published in the United Fly Tyers of Boston, MA Bulletin (issue #68). Give it a try sometime. It is a bit different than the modern method and is quite a challenge!

The original Wulff series, tied by Lee Wulff

“In tying a Wulff dry fly I still prefer to use bucktail, the original material, although calfʼs tail is somewhat easier to use since it doesnʼt take the extra time to match up the hair ends and and is just about as effective. Tying them in my fingers, my first step is to pick up the hook and start the dinging [attaching thread to hook] with a piece of thread long enough to tie the fly. For these flies the thread should be fairly strong as it takes a firm pressure and a small wall of thread around the base of the wings to hold them in position.


I hold the eye of the hook between the nails of thumb and first finger of the left hand, doing the winding of the thread with my right. When the shank is wound I can either hold the thread in place by pressure between thumb and finger below the eye of the fly, or take a couple of half-hitches to hold the thread in place.

Next I cover the wrapped shank with lacquer. I like to feel that the flies I tie will stay together for catching a lot of fish and so want the solid body permanence lacquer gives as well as the security against twisting. I use unwaxed thread as waxing prevents the lacquer from penetrating into the thread. The tail is cut to length and wrapped to the shank. I like a good thick tail to hold up the heavy end of the hook and having the bucktail run the length of the shank [1X long hooks preferred] starts building up the body as well as making the tail more secure.


Again the thread is clamped between the left thumb and finger, or the head of the fly may be put between my lips to keep the thread from unwinding while I pick up the Angora wool, or roll rabbitʼs fur around the thread to make the body. Normally, I use wool as itʼs easier to handle and, seemingly, just as acceptable to the fish. I wind the body from head to tail and back again, shaping it into a natural insect form, and winding over it with thread near the head.


The fly at this stage is either held between the lips or the thread is given two half-hitches to hold it while I cut the bucktail for the wings. I cut it long and then pull out the longer hairs and reset them until all

the natural ends are approximately even and the hair is matched up. Then itʼs cut to length which is about 1/8 inch longer than the wings should normally be.


The hair is placed, facing forward, at the right place at the head of the body. It is wrapped tightly with several turns of the thread about 1/8 of an inch or less behind the winding. Then the hairs are lifted and thread is wound in front of the vertical hair until it stands upright and can be split by winding around the shank and a figure eight or two. The butt ends of the hair, protruding behind the first windings, tend to give a natural humpbacked look when the fly is finished.


Next, two saddle hackles are set in with two winds of thread. They face forward, on top of the hook, their bare butts fitting in between the rising wings. The fly, in all this tying, is still held between the nails of the left thumb and forefinger. A big drop or two of lacquer is then put on the base of the wings to penetrate well and set everything up when it dries. While it is still wet the two hackles are wound. The first wind is through the top between the wings, then two or three winds behind the wings and a wind back through between the wings. The tip is gripped between finger and thumb to hold it until ready to tie off. The second hackle is wound entirely in front of the wings and its tip secured along with that of the first hackle. Now the final wind or two at the head, three half-hitches to secure things, and a drop of lacquer goes at the head and the place where the tail joins the body to make everything secure.” 


-Lee Wulff

Tidal Pool grilse taken on a #6 White Wulff

Blue Flies

Top to bottom: Blue Bomber; Big Intervale Blue; Smurf Variation

Recently, I read an online article by the late Len Rich. The article was about how and why he created the Big Intervale Blue. While autumn may be the prettiest time of year on the eastern seaboard, the October angler must deal with the annoyance of fallen leaves. At least consciously, it never occurred to me to try a cool colored fly to stand out against all the warm colors floating downriver. A couple of Octobers ago, I hooked a salmon on the Priest, an all white fly. Maybe that fly was extra visible at that time of year? This season, I will try blue and white, as the colors will contrast with the leaves, as well as with each other. I've had luck with high contrast flies just before dark, so I hope these flies can serve dual purposes.