Fun with hoppers
 

My wife and I were on a rock-hunting expedition Saturday, and almost every
rock I turned over sent five or six crickets running for cover. Hmmmm. . . .

Early Sunday I went out with the trusty KPOS 3wt and some various hoppers. I
tied on one that I know I received during one of the roff swaps, kind of a
Madame-X looking thingy with the bullet head, chenille body, and green
striped rubber legs. It was the only fly I used for the next three hours,
and I thank whoever submitted the fly to the swap. For those in the know
(you know who you are), I was fishing in very clear water about a mile south
of the the "secret spot", walked into the water at the southern most
"artificial lures only" sign and fished down from there. I was in the water
all the way down to where a downed tree blocks further progress, which is
about 3/4 of a mile or so. It's probably a good thing the tree was there,
because it was getting mighty cold in that water. Incredibly fun fishing
from one side or the other to the opposite bank, and relatively few casts
without some action. Lots of healthy, small brookies, many small 'bows, and
enough larger ones to keep it interesting. Not one to count, I won't bore
you with the details, but I *did* catch more than my spin-casting partner,
which is all that matters. ;-)

BTW, whoever tied that hopper, please send more. The one I have now looks a
bit ratty.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Fun with hoppers
 

Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Fun with hoppers
 

Tim J. wrote:
Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Tim,

Try tying up a few Madam X's about size 10, all black. I would guess
the fish think they are crickets. Over the past 10 years, this is the
most productive late summer/early fall pattern I have used.

Fun with hoppers
 

George Adams typed:
Tim J. wrote:
Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg

Try tying up a few Madam X's about size 10, all black. I would guess
the fish think they are crickets. Over the past 10 years, this is the
most productive late summer/early fall pattern I have used.

I'll do that. IIRC, we had the same discussion last year at this time. I
always forget about hopper patterns for some reason.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Fun with hoppers
 

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:53:17 -0400, "Tim J."
wrote:

George Adams typed:
Tim J. wrote:
Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg

Try tying up a few Madam X's about size 10, all black. I would guess
the fish think they are crickets. Over the past 10 years, this is the
most productive late summer/early fall pattern I have used.

I'll do that. IIRC, we had the same discussion last year at this time. I
always forget about hopper patterns for some reason.

This time of year, banging big dries off the bank can be a lot of fun in that
river. *Far* more fun than the alternative of fishing the fricken' minutiae
that's carried under the dam.

It appears there's very little water coming over the flashboards now
(finally!) Did you happen to get the temperature of the river while you were
shivering in it? ;-)

/daytripper (thinking I might chill in it on Wednesday)

Fun with hoppers
 

daytripper typed:
On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:53:17 -0400, "Tim J."
wrote:

George Adams typed:
Tim J. wrote:
Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg

Try tying up a few Madam X's about size 10, all black. I would guess
the fish think they are crickets. Over the past 10 years, this is
the most productive late summer/early fall pattern I have used.

I'll do that. IIRC, we had the same discussion last year at this
time. I always forget about hopper patterns for some reason.

This time of year, banging big dries off the bank can be a lot of fun
in that river. *Far* more fun than the alternative of fishing the
fricken' minutiae that's carried under the dam.

It appears there's very little water coming over the flashboards now
(finally!) Did you happen to get the temperature of the river while
you were shivering in it? ;-)

-1" (that's about where it resided)

/daytripper (thinking I might chill in it on Wednesday)

Mmmmmmmm. . . . Wednesday. . . . I might be able to swing some time off in
the PM, 'tho Thursday PM would be better. 'You wanna see about getting
together to talk politics and religion? ;-)
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Fun with hoppers
 

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:44:09 -0400, "Tim J."
wrote:

daytripper typed:
On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:53:17 -0400, "Tim J."
wrote:

George Adams typed:
Tim J. wrote:
Tim J. typed:
I was
fishing in very clear water about a mile south of the the "secret
spot",

Here's what this area looks like:
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/Swift030603%20004.jpg

Try tying up a few Madam X's about size 10, all black. I would guess
the fish think they are crickets. Over the past 10 years, this is
the most productive late summer/early fall pattern I have used.

I'll do that. IIRC, we had the same discussion last year at this
time. I always forget about hopper patterns for some reason.

This time of year, banging big dries off the bank can be a lot of fun
in that river. *Far* more fun than the alternative of fishing the
fricken' minutiae that's carried under the dam.

It appears there's very little water coming over the flashboards now
(finally!) Did you happen to get the temperature of the river while
you were shivering in it? ;-)

-1" (that's about where it resided)

/daytripper (thinking I might chill in it on Wednesday)

Mmmmmmmm. . . . Wednesday. . . . I might be able to swing some time off in
the PM, 'tho Thursday PM would be better. 'You wanna see about getting
together to talk politics and religion? ;-)

Thursday might work. We'll see how it goes.

Fun with hoppers
 

Just to close the sub thread, Tim and I played hooky on the Swift this
afternoon, and bumped into George Adams in the bargain. It was a perfect 10 of
a day, the river was back to its usual "sure looks just like a western spring
creek" self now that the flood waters have finally run off, and the trouties -
brookies, browns and bows today - were accommodating.

Some *real* nice fish in the river today. We landed some nice strong rainbows
pushing 15" and real thick through the middle, and with the water around 60°
they weren't coming to hand quickly, and were more than ready to shoot off
once released. Good stuff.

Mostly dry fly fishing today, I used one #18 parachute BWO for most of the
fish caught. Very satisfying to take fish in this river on dries when it's
down to its historically normal thin, slow, and gin-clear condition. I also
took a new-to-me nymph tie out for a test drive and caught a half-dozen fish
on it pretty quickly - reassuring, as I had already tied two dozen of them in
a couple of sizes and hate wasting vise time on dud patterns.

Finally, as I am apparently the first roffian to witness Tim actually catching
a trout, I feel compelled to mention I saw him catch at *least* four trout
today, including two very handsome rainbows that he must've put fifty casts to
before getting that perfect drift...

/daytripper (That's dedication! Or compulsion :-)

Fun with hoppers
 

daytripper typed:
snip
Finally, as I am apparently the first roffian to witness Tim actually
catching a trout, I feel compelled to mention I saw him catch at
*least* four trout today, including two very handsome rainbows that
he must've put fifty casts to before getting that perfect drift...

Hey - I saw that, too! And, for George, they were caught on that Ultra
Fine 2wt so it has now been properly broken in. That rod is a real kick
to get a decent size fish on, and casts like a dream, especially for a
sub-par caster like me. Mine were all caught on this E.C. Caddis:
http://gula.org/roffswaps/detail.php?page=FS2004&id=8 - thanks, Svend.

/daytripper (That's dedication! Or compulsion :-)

I just figured after fifty casts, those freakin' fish were bound to
think the hatch was on. :)

It was great getting together with both of you fine companions (I can
say that now that we all caught some decent fish) on one of the finest
New England days we've had in a long time - barely a hint of August.
--
TL,
Tim
---------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/

Fun with hoppers
 

"daytripper" wrote

Finally, as I am apparently the first roffian to witness Tim actually
catching
a trout, I feel compelled to mention I saw him catch at *least* four trout
today, including two very handsome rainbows that he must've put fifty
casts to
before getting that perfect drift...

so, you're saying that the swift is a trout zoo?

yfitons
wayno(there must have been something in the water...)

Fun with hoppers
 

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:37:18 GMT, "Wayne Harrison" wrote:


"daytripper" wrote

Finally, as I am apparently the first roffian to witness Tim actually
catching a trout, I feel compelled to mention I saw him catch at *least* four trout
today, including two very handsome rainbows that he must've put fifty
casts to before getting that perfect drift...

so, you're saying that the swift is a trout zoo?

Think Hazel, but wider, slower and clearer, with a *lot* more and larger
trout, guaranteed minimum flows of outstandingly clear cold water, a
year-round food supply that at times puts rafts of bugs at the head of the
river - and relatively easy access.

It's fished hard, obviously, and it doesn't take long into the season for the
trout to refine their ability to ignore pretty much everything going on around
them - at least for 49 casts ;-)

yfitons
wayno(there must have been something in the water...)

Generally, there's always something in the water ;-)

/daytripper

Fun with hoppers
 

Tim J. wrote:


I just figured after fifty casts, those freakin' fish were bound to
think the hatch was on. :)

Sounds like fun. I believe that was my strategy a few years back, except
multiple the number of casts by 10 and subtract the "catching fish", bit.

Thanks for sharing Tim/Tripper and making me envious.

Gary

Fun with hoppers
 

GM typed:
Tim J. wrote:

I just figured after fifty casts, those freakin' fish were bound to
think the hatch was on. :)

Sounds like fun. I believe that was my strategy a few years back,
except multiple the number of casts by 10 and subtract the "catching
fish", bit.
Thanks for sharing Tim/Tripper and making me envious.

So. . . where were you? . . . and Stan - what have you people done with
Stan?
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Fun with hoppers
 

Tim J. wrote:
Where were you? . . . and Stan - what have you people done with
Stan?

Finishing off a big project in NJ, which is going to kill me if'n it
don't make stronger. Anyone know of good fishing in NJ near Warrenville?