Memorial Day Weekend... Rain, Flooding, Salmon, Wild Brookies and Snow?

 

What a weekend!  Sometimes all you can do is just make the best of the hand you are dealt.  Well, we were dealt temps falling through the 40's into the 30's and pouring rain, then temps hitting the upper 20's and snow/sleet and eventually, just as it was time to head for home, 60's and sunny!  That is Pittsburg for you!  The toughest part for us was just the amount of rain we had and how high the rivers eventually became.  I could have headed over to some ponds and went for some stockies, but I had the day off from guiding and decided to do what I enjoy the most:  Explore for wild brookies and salmon!  The choice was confirmed correct as I was able to land one of my largest wild Pittburg brookies as well as about a dozen 15-20 inch salmon. (Insert "I got lucky" cliche'. "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut", It's better to be lucky than talented"... etc.)  The conditions in the river will continue to be very tough over the next several days as the flows are completely out of control right now.  I have added a couple of pictures and a video for those of you who are familiar with Pittsburg.  Can you say high water!? 

 

Patrick@fishstoryguideservice.com



 

20" LEAPER!

14" Wild Brookie... Been eatin' well!

About the average size of the dozen or so landed... Sometimes we get real lucky :)

First Lake Dam overflow! 

Trophy Stretch BLOWN OUT!

Lots of water!

Murphy Dam Spillway!

Backwoods Gems

It is starting to feel like we are truly on the doorstep of summer and all of the wonderful things that summer fly fishing in Pittsburg has to offer.  I have been up north quite a bit lately and though the fishing has not been predictable, it has had it's moments of glory.  I found some salmon and wild brookies in a few hike in only spots that always seem to produce in the early season. 

I have a lot of people ask me what it is about Pittsburg that makes it so special for me.  To be honest it is a lot of different things.  I have a sentimental attachment to the whole area as it is where I learned to fly fish when I was six years old.  We had a camp on the first Connecticut lake when I was young and it was there that I really felt the draw of this wild area.  I learned the majority of my outdoor skills in the area and I still have the same sense of comfort in the woods and rivers of Pittsburg that I did when I was exploring as a teenager.  I think what I enjoy the most is that even though I have been all over Pittsburg for many years, I still know that it has so much more to offer than I will ever have time for.  My goal for this summer is to get to as many unexplored areas as possible when I am not guiding and add to my Pittsburg knowledge.  I look forward to getting back out with return clients and very much look forward to all of my new clients who are already in the books!  Feel free to shoot me an email if you are interested in my availability for the summer months!  The best is yet to come!

Patrick@fishstoryguideservice.com

"Wild Gem"

The Past Few Weeks...

Nice fish!

Even nicer fish!!!

     Well, things have been moving along nicely.  Fish have been showing themselves regularly and have even been willing to bite most of the time.  Early season is fun mainly because no one really knows how the fish runs will be.  Based on what I have experienced so far this year in the southern and middle parts of the state, I would rate the fishing as "expected".  There have been some slower days mixed in with some spectacular ones as well.  At the end of April some salmon spots were past prime and some where just turning on and off.  I had a client land a 23" salmon that we were able to sight fish together.  I had a new client land an 18" rainbow that was topped a few casts later by a 20"er out of the same pool.  I do enjoy guiding for the lake run fish, as these memorable trips make it worth while to deal with the occasional tough outing. 

     As we moved on to Pittsburg at the tail end of April and over the past couple of weeks, the search for "monsters" continued and was closely followed by the first few salmon.  Two weekends ago I put in a lot of hours and was rewarded with some monster bows.  I just returned from Pittsburg about an hour ago and can say that I had a lot of fun fishing with my dad this weekend instead of actually guiding.  Even though sometimes "guiding" my father can present its own set of interesting adventures.  The largest salmon we saw in Pittsburg this weekend was right about 18" or so and the average fish to net was 12-15 inches.  Not monsters, but for their size they fought harder than the 20 inch fish we have been catching in the central part of the state.  I am really excited for the start of the guiding season in Pittsburg and want to thank all of the clients who have already booked trips for the summer.  June is fully booked and the beginning of July is getting packed as well, but I do still have days available in mid-late July as well as August.  Please let me know if you are thinking about coming up north and would like to give Pittsburg fly fishing a try!

 

patrick@fishstoryguideservice.com

 

 

Torpedo Salmon

Football Bow...

 

And So it Begins...

Yes sir.  It's that time once again!  The fish are where they are supposed to be and we have been finding them on the ends of our lines as well.  This has been a long spring for me personally as I have been bouncing back from a knee surgery.  I feel great and am getting stronger by the day.  I have been lucky enough to have some repeat clients who eased me back into guiding nicely and boosted my confidence by telling me I haven't missed a step.  My southern NH days are all booked at this point, but Pittsburg is open for mid July into August and beyond.  Feel free to email me for information on trips this summer up there.  As for me, I am off to sleep as the fish will be calling my name once again in the morning.  Here are a few pics from the start of another wonderful guiding season!

-Patrick

Nice Bow

Way to go Jaci!

I think he ate a baseball!

Honker...

Rested and Ready....

I got out for the first time since my knee surgery this past weekend.  The month of March was really crazy for me as I was not able to get out and fish at all.  I have never felt more anxious in my life.  That being said, the knee is healing daily and I am chomping at the bit to get going.  I fished for a few hours Saturday and Sunday in hopes to do a little scouting for some upcoming trips and just get back in the flow of things.  Well it was not hot and heavy, but there were fish caught and I had a great time.  Things seem to be about two weeks behind last year at this point in terms of water temps and fish starting to run up rivers, but there is some nice weather on the way and within the next few weeks things will get better.  I am booked up at the moment for southern New Hampshire, but have many slots left for Pittsburg in July and August.  If you are thinking about getting out for a trip in Pittsburg this summer let me know and we can make it happen!  Thanks to all of you who helped me out during my knee surgery!  I am very thankful to have such great friends!

-Patrick




"5 Tips for Early Spring Fishing"

1. PICK AND CHOOSE YOUR DAYS
     A very important piece for a successful early spring fly fishing trip is to pick a good day to go out.  If you have the leeway, try to pick a day where the air temperature may climb above 40 degrees.  You have already spent too many mid winter days freezing you face off where the temperature struggles to hit 20 degrees.  Enjoy the springtime sun and let it not only warm you, but the water a few degrees as well!






2. THINK LIKE A FISH
     With the snow still on the banks, but beginning to melt, the water temperatures can still be in the low thirties this time of year.  Fish really don't like to waste energy in order to gain sustenance when it is this cold.  I tend to think like a fish myself most of the time: "If it is in front of me, I will eat just about anything, but if I have to go to the store to buy it, I can go without." That being said, if someone tells me they are going to cook me up a venison steak and all I have to do is drive to their house to eat it.... I'm there!  In other words, a fish might move a few inches to grab that little nymph, but if you toss out a big honking woolly bugger, you might just get them to move a bit farther as their reward is worth their effort.



3. DRESS IN LAYERS

     I am a small guy.  Along with being a fishing guide, I am also a long distance runner.  I have no meat on my bones.  It is because of this, that dressing correctly can make or break my whole day.  Very often the warm spring sunshine and temperatures in the 40's or even 50's can trick me into thinking that I do not need to dress as heavily.  As I always tell my clients, dress for the WATER temperature not the air temperature.  If I under dress and find myself shivering in the first hour of fishing, I know that it will be a long day ahead of me.  The best way to dress is in lots of layers.  As my father always taught me, "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it!"  You can always take layers off.  Just remember, it is really tricky to tie small knots when you are shivering and can't feel your fingers!



4. LOOK FOR WARM SPOTS
     No, not the warm spot that happens when you can't quite get out of the river and get your waders off in time....
     There are always spots on a river that are just a few degrees warmer than the rest of the water.  This could be an area where a spring pops up or a spot where a small stream, just a bit warmer, flows in.  I had a cool experience about a month ago on a local river.  I was wading in and checked the water temp.  35 degrees.   I wasn't catching much and eventually moved over to a sandbar and began casting.  Immediately I was into fish.  I landed 3 or 4 fish and then started to wonder.  I took another temp in my new location and was intrigued to see 37 degrees on my thermometer.  What I came to conclude was that the bright sun was warming the sand bar and creating a little bit of extra warmth in that area.  The fish could feel it and that's where they all were. 


5. If all else fails.... Try a Feedinator! :)

-Patrick

Pelham Fly Fishing Show

So the Pelham Fly Fishing Show is this coming Saturday and Sunday and I have stocked up with some new stories, videos, pictures and flies to share.  As I have done in the past, I plan to have a Pelham Show Deal.  My plan is to take $25 off of any trip that is booked with me during the Pelham Show.  SO if you are thinking about going on a trip with me this year, you can save a few dollars and a date in my book, by letting me know at the show!  I hear there are a lot of great presenters as well this year.  Tom Jutras will be giving casting lessons once again as well as sharing a booth with me.  Stop on by and we can chew the fat for a while!  I still have openings for the the last full week in April and that is my school vacation, so I have a few weekdays available as well!  See you all at the show! 
-Patrick