On Mon, 6 Apr 2009 11:21:48 -0400, "Robert11"
wrote:

Have read, somewhere, that Smelt flies are very effective on the surface
also.
Funny way to fish a true Streamer, but...

Hi, Bob

Any of the Carrie Stevens flies would work well in the Wachusett.
Grey Ghost, Black Ghost (not a stevens fly), etc., or any of the
Zonkers. There are other smelt patterns that should also work well.

Fish them with a floating line. This will put them on the "surface"
(actually just a foot or so beneath the surface if you strip slowly).
However, the best way to fish them is to get them deep using either a
sink tip or full sink line. Don't want to change reels or spools? Go
to Orvis in Concord and buy a 7 foot sinking leader with loops at
either end. First loop it to your fly line, then run a 3 foot piece
of tippet (3X) off the other end. This will get the fly down. The
longer you wait before stripping, the deeper the fly will get.

If you are in moving water, you can control the depth of the fly by
mending upstream. Each mend will allow it to sink deeper. Stack
mends (3 or 4 mends performed one after the other) will get it even
deeper.

I last fished Wachusetts about 12 years ago. Never did have that much
success, but it was an easy place to get to. Have you tried White's
Pond in Concord (just around the corner from your house)? It is well
stocked and the fish come easily to a nymph or streamer. If you have
access to a canoe or float tube, get down to the west end of the
"pond" and fish along that shore. White's used to be a trophy brown
and rainbow water. I took a 20 inch brown by dragging a wooly bugger
off the bottom using a full sink line. If I had to choose between
Wachusetts and Whites, I would go with the latter. However, parking
could be a problem at Whites. Get there early before the bait boys.

Dave