The Calm Before the Storm

Hello Everyone!
     I had the pleasure of guiding a good friend, Steve, on Saturday and a return client, Bill, on Sunday.  Steve was a first time fly fisherman, though he is an experienced spin fisherman.  He made the transition from the spin caster to the fly rod look pretty easy and the day was filled with many hookups and even some trophy sized fish landed.  Not too shabby for a beginner!  Bill has been working on his technique and is really starting to see the rewards for his efforts.  He landed a half dozen large fish in a six hour session.  The numbers may not be high this time around, but the quality of fish we have been landing is just amazing.  I am really having a great time helping my clients land fish that I would be more than happy to catch myself.  It looks as though our rain dances might be paying off as it is starting to rain as I type this and is supposed to rain hard all night and into tomorrow morning.  We surely need this and I am certainly not complaining!  On a side note, I am starting to book up my Pittsburg summer trips, make sure to send me an email to reserve a spot if you are interested. In the meantime here are the pictures from this weekend!

Steve with his "3rd cast" Salmon

Bill with his 17" Bow

Low Water = Work Harder

The water levels are at an all time low for this early in the season.  We are in desperate need of rain or else our southern rivers season will be ending early this year.  I bumped into a Conservation Officer and after he checked all of our licenses we talked about low water conditions.  He offered that without rain it looks as though most of the fish designated for stocking in our rivers could be put into ponds and lakes instead.  Being a river guide, I am hoping for some real rain soon.  In the meantime, we will make do with what we have available.  In reality this has been one of the best early spring seasons of fishing that I have ever seen.  We are still catching lots of fish and some monsters at that.  I had two sets of clients this past weekend and there were some personal bests caught by some very well traveled anglers.  We had to really work for the fish and explore a decent amount of water, but there are fish to be had.  I am looking forward to guiding a bunch of new clients over my April vacation and my Pittsburg trips are starting to book.  If you are interested in doing a trip up in Pittsburg N.H. with me anytime from late June until the end of the season let me know.  I have many weekdays available as well as weekends.  Here are a few pictures of clients with fish from this past weekend!

Bob with a really nice salmon!

Steve caught this on a size 18 emerger!

Bob with the Bow of the day!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year??

There are many who would argue that early spring is the best time to find large fish.  I am one who considers the fall my favorite time to pursue the larger fish.  Well, I may be leaning a little more in the direction of spring after an outing I had this past weekend.  I had a few hours early in the morning and went to a favorite spot of mine.  I was there by sun up and started to fish some streamers in order to "search and destroy."  Well within the first 15 minutes I was having no luck at all and decided to change it up as I usually do when things aren't going quite right.  I switched over to my feedinators and a few other droppers and immediately started to hook up.  The fish were hitting hard and I was having a great time.  Overall two and a half hours of fishing and over a dozen fish landed... Mostly nice salmon and bows.  The moral of the story, when things aren't working, change.  As my good friend Tom always says, " If it's not working, change. It doesn't matter what you change.  Change tippet, change flies, change spots, change your underwear if you have to!  Do whatever it takes, change." As always, enjoy a few pics! 

19" 4+ lb Bow

23" Landlock Salmon

April Fool's Day

Well, I had my first few clients of the year this weekend and all and all the fishing gods were good to us!  Today was capped off by one of the most amazing stone fly hatches I have ever seen.  They were just everywhere.  All over our clothes, all over the water and the fish went ballistic for them!  We tossed on a black stone fly pattern and the rainbows did the rest.  One hour, 4 rainbows, all on drys, on April 1st.  The best part is, the fishing will only be getting better from here on out!  Ahhhhh.... all is right in the world again.... enjoy!

15" Rainbow
Size 14 Black Stone Fly