newby looking for knowledge

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi KPH111,

Welcome to the group. You're really lucky, the Hammonasset river is a real gem for fishing and canoeing. I use to put my canoe in just below the the Connecticut Turnpike Bridge and fish all the way down to the start of the tidal zone. Lots of interesting pools and cover to explore. If you get down far enough into the salt area, you can have great fun with snapper blues later in the summer (were the river crosses under the route one bridge. I would suggest that you try a combination of flies, little clousers, woolly buggers and soft hackles. I'm also going to offer another suggestion that may bring gasps from purists in the group. Bring a spinning rod and a little bait (sand worms, squid etc). Test the river out with bait and find out where the fish are and what species are around. Then bring out the fly rod. If you aren't catching something in the Hammonasset (white & yellow perch in particular) you may be wasting your time on under productive water. Have fun! I love that river but it's been years since I've fished it. BTW, tide plays a major role in the fish activity in the whole lower portion of the river. 8T

[DShock]

If it's a wet pattern you want....how about a Brook's stone....

That's exactly the fly I was thinking of.
Doug

[kph111fisher]

Thanks,Eight thumbs thats the spinning rod is a good idea.I have a little four foot rod that will do nicely for that.

[Big Bad Wulff]

Work that wooly bugger. If they don't hit a wooly bugger, they aren't there!

[kph111fisher]

I have been working the wolly bugger,but i'm not going to bive up yet.I might be going real early in the mornig this week to try it.

[rizeye]

you may not be fishing deep enough. put enough weight on to bump bottom every now and then. for nymphs do a dead drip. cast 3/4 upstream, mend line upstream, let line catch up with leader, follow line with rod tip, when rod tip points 3/4 down stream hold there until line comes straight back. let fly hold in current for a minute, then slowly strip line in 3 - 4 inch pulls. every now and then stop tripping, allow fly to swim for a few seconds, you can even back it down a few inches at a time and strip back in as before.

[kph111fisher]

Thanks, I'll remember to do that.