Random Stream in Nova Scotia

[JeffHamm]

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

[Mike Ormsby]

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

[Ron Eagle Elk]

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

[Grubb]

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" ...

[JeffHamm]

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

[JeffHamm]

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

[JohnScott]

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 !!