Friday, October 14, 2011

Putting it all together...............

I recently was reminded by a posting by Alan (aka brktrt) that I still have much to learn. I am still a newbie and catching a couple of rainbows doesn't change that fact. It would be foolish to think (although I almost fell into that trap) I am competent at this stage. What is that saying...."you don't know what you don't know"?

As a result, I have to go back and start to assemble all the invaluable information I was given to my questions since this blog started and tie it all together. I will be reading and in some cases re-reading about techniques, strategies, etc. about fly-fishing.

While the season technically has no end in MA it seems to be winding down. Only some streams have been stocked and they aren't close to me (think Berkshires). Ponds in this area get most of the stocked trout and while I could fly-fish them I want to be on a river or stream.

It also appears that holdovers from the spring stocking on my local rivers are hiding from me or were all caught. There are a couple rivers that are about 60 minutes or so from me that I have heard hold fish year round; however, pheasant season starts tomorrow in MA and most (depending on weather & family obligations) of my Saturday mornings will be walking the fields and woods nearby. Of course Sundays are filled with football so that pretty much puts me into the week after Thanksgiving.

If anyone has any tips that you think a newbie should know, then please pass them along. Don't concern yourself that they are basic because I may have "missed that class" or someone else will answer the question (because they might not) because duplication is not a problem.

As always, I appreciate any feedback.

8 comments:

  1. Carry a fine side by side, shoot straight, field dress those birds right after harvest, and enjoy a wild dinner.

    Then watch "The Cowboys"

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  2. Hi Alan,
    That is the plan..........I'll have to check out The Cowboys. Thanks.

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  3. Mac, if you're going to send anyone feathers from a successful hunt, just send feathers, not the whole body. (stripped of meat, of course) It will stink by the time it gets there.

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  4. Hi Howard.....if we are successful, then I will let people know. If anyone wants pheasant feathers, then let me know. We can work out the logistics.

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  5. I used to be a river and stream guy, but I saw the light. Actually what I saw was not a little 6" fish, but a a 3 lb 6 oz Rainbow out of a lake. Now I fish all of them. Don't discount lakes even from the shore.

    Mark

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  6. Hi Mark,
    I fish ponds and lakes too but I don't fly fish them. I use Powerbait, shiners, lures, etc. on those bodies of water. Although the last time I went to a pond near my house I saw a guy fly-fishing there.

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  7. Keep some of the pheasant feathers for yourself. The pheasant tail nymph is a great pattern to learn if you want to pick up fly tying. Also with the body feathers you can tie the sparrow. I caught my first landlocked salmon on the stillwater with that fly....I probably don't fish it enough.

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  8. Hi Mike.....no takers yet on the feathers so I may end up learning how to tie flies this winter.

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