Random Stream in Nova Scotia

Hi,

Well, I've been waiting for quite some time for this. Have finally made it back to Nova Scotia and got out into some backwoods streams. Went with my Dad, Brother in law, nephew, and one of his friends out along one of the forestry roads about 30 km from town (18 miles or so). Took a small 3 weight rod with me. Here's one of the streams:

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...h_P1040359.jpg

I like this photo as you can see the ring from a rise. Nice. Anyway, the waters in the streams are very peaty (tea coloured) due, we think, to peat bogs. Anyway, there were all sorts of brookies around. I had about 5 or so strikes, and finally:

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...h_P1040371.jpg

Yes, there is a wee 3 incher on the end of the line there! ha! took one fo the flies I tied with wool I dyed myself! Great fun. Will be going out again pretty soon. I've been exploring around, and have cast a line before now, but this was the kind of thing I've been wanting to get back to. Really nice to see again.

- Jeff

Jeff -

Some pretty good looking water you guys were on. The first pic reminds me of the stream I was on today. And I had some cutthroat trout that were probably smaller than your wee brookie !!

John

Hi John,

I'm hoping to get out to them again. Bit of rain comming down this morning, but if it stops I may head out this afternoon. It's pretty close in work as the spruce trees come right up to the edge. Absolutely no backcasting here. Just little flicks of the line, and roll casting. I'm sure there are some bigger fish though. We were mostly exploring the area, and only fished for about 20 minutes. We did find two very good looking streams though, one which is just a long deep set of stills and the other a nice faster water. They are close to each other, so both can be targeted to see which is on.

- Jeff

JeffHamm, you have to know I'm sitting here with my mouth watering, I would LOVE to fish those streams... Streams that pretty in the middle of no where! With Brookies in them! Sounds like you have the best of company to be fishi'n them with too... LOL I'd be the type of guy that would come popping out of the woods from no where going, "Hey Jeff! I just had to be here!"...lol

Needless to say I'm looking forward to your report and pics...;)

Nice One Jeff, glad to see you have managed to get out.
Hope all is well with you and your family.
All the best.
Mike.

Well done, Jeff. Nice report especially that pic with the rise ring! Keep dry and have fun.

Kelly.

Hi Grubb,

It is a little piece of paradise out there. I've found though, in my travels, that little bits of paradise are scattered all around the world. Just a matter of getting out there to look. That being said, I didn't get out again today. Perhaps tomorrow, though I think we may be exploring another area this time? Will see.

- Jeff

Hi Mike,

Yes, it was good to get out. I've been looking forward to doing some fishing back here so this is a real treat. All the best to you and your family.

- Jeff

Hi kglissmeyer,

Thanks. That was a bit of luck as the rises were a bit sporatic. The rain was just sprinkles yesterday, today was a bit more opinionated though. But, it's cleared up now, so hopefully tomorrow will be good for it. It's been overcast and cool, so the time is right.

- Jeff

Jeff,

Good to see you getting out again. Great pics of some really nice looking water.

REE

Hi,
Made it out again today by myself this time. As rain was in the forcast, I fished a section of the stream near the highway. It's not very wide, but deep. I found a spot where I could cast from despite the alders and tall grass. There were a number of fish rising fairly regularly, and I took one on my 2nd cast with a size 12 Pop's Gnat (one of Bill Tagg's patterns, thread olive, tail is a mix of grizzle and brown hackle fibres, body fibres from a red body feather from a golden pheasant, twisted and wrapped, and the hackle is like the tail). This is a very smart looking fly, but the body is very fragile and after the first fish the hackle fibres were comming off. Might be worth putting some glue down when making the body.

Hooked two more on a blue dun dry, but both spit the hook. Neither was very large. I had a small black soft hackle tied on a dropper, and that was taken next. I worked my way up the edge as best I could, but it was not easy going (alder bushes, swamy ground, etc) and the clouds closed in and the rain started. The rise had ended a bit earlier as well. I made my way back towards the road, as the rain started getting heavier. It let up a bit, so I thought I would swing a New Zealand lure pattern through the pool, a size 8 Guardsman. It's basically, black body, black hackle, gold rib, and the wing is a red body feather from a golden pheasant tied in pukeko fly style: meaning take 2 of them, lay them flat on top of the body, and tie on the stems - like the side feathers on a hornburg but on top). Anyway, another small fish came to hand on that and I had two other failed hook ups.

By that time, the rain opened up and I made my way back to the truck. I didn't take the camera since it's not water proof and I was expecting the rain and given the state of my clothes, I'm glad for that! Of course, by the time I was 10 km from the stream on my way back home, the rain cleared up and the sun started breaking through. I'm sure there will be some larger fish in that stream though, but so far, all have been in the 3 to 5 inch range. Some haven't put a bend in my 3 weight, and it is pretty whippy! A lot of fun all the same.

- Jeff

Sweet Jeff.....very sweet....and yes, I'm envious.....thanks for sharing

Jeff,

Another fine day. When wrapping that red chinese pheasant tail feather as a body, why not wrap it around the tying thread, then wrap thread and feather around the hook shank. That would reinforce the feather quite well. That works with peacock herl and pheasant tail fibers.

REE

JeffHamm glad for your hook ups and good day on the water, I'm really still sitting here lol watering at the mouth thinking "yep I think your hunch is right Jeff, there are some nice ones in there" ...:)

Hi REE,

That might work. You only use about 6 fibres from the feather and wrap them like you would when making a PTN. Twisting them a bit before wrapping exposes the bright red and the underside, which is orangeish, and makes for a subtlely mottled body. Looks very nice when you can keep the fibres together and not break them! One would want to completely hide the thread when you wrap the fibres around it to keep this look, but if you use long enough fibres and can do this it would probably work. I'm sure counter-wrapping very fine gold wire would do too, but I like the look of the body so much that I don't really want to interfere with it. I realise that the fish, when looking up a the fly silohetted against the sky, can probably not see any of this and just sees a dark blob above an impression in the water surface, but hey, I spend more time looking at the flies than the fish do! :)

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. Will give it a try.

- Jeff

Hi Grubb,

Yah, there are some really nice woodland streams here. They are often quite deep despite being quite narrow, and given the stained water, it can be dangerous to wade them. As such, short rods are the call, and tree fish are the most common by-catch! You just gotta love it.

- Jeff

Jeff -

Sounds like you are feeding those fishies some fine looking treats. Really enjoy the descriptions of the flies you are using, along with the comments on the fishing and fishes.

John

P.S. Time to get a waterproof camera !! The Olympus 1050SW seems to be going for about $160 from several sources I've seen. It lacks a few features that the 850SW has, but that camera is still priced at about $250 when I've seen it listed. Or you could go top of the line with something like the 1030SW or one of the Tough Olympus cameras. I'm sure Vanessa would understand, and appreciate the better opportunities for pics of Genesta !!