We cherish the Good Old Days. by Kyle Schaefer. Red River Camps, for example, located about 25 miles south of the Canadian border in the public Deboullie Preserve, contains 20 trout ponds within a 10-mile radius. There is no easy way to determine the amount of nutrients present in water. This is a factor that I think makes fall fishing so exciting. Other times, the spinner looks like this Green Drake Spinner, with their wings stuck together. This pattern was created by Randall Kaufmann and is taught in his book the American Nymph Fly Tying Manual. My flies are like my babies sending off to a new home when I am done. I found this pattern in the book Go-To Flies by Tony Lolli. It was created by Pat Bennett a fishing guide from Island Park, Idaho. Estess Alderfly imitation combines the distinctive profile of the deltashaped wing with the high flotation of a palmered body. Adult flies reach up to three inches long and are imitated by extended-body patterns with large, upright wings. Growing up here in the beautiful state of Maine and fishing its beautiful waters is truly magnificent. Charlie Craven is giving step by step instructions for tying the Perdigon Fly. This is a versatile fly that can fool fish in a variety of situations. This Month's pattern is the FemaleAdams. Paste as plain text instead, When you look for Maine brook-trout water, there are several factorscold water, sufficient food, limited competition, and trout geneticsthat can help you determine if a body of water can support big brook trout. Bean, Kittery Trading Post, Maine Professional Guides Association, and Moosehead Lake); and Fly Fishing in Maine, www.flyfishinginmaine.com (includes guides and fly shops and fishing advice). The Silver Shadow. Deliver the fly ahead of where you observe bass and try some different retrieves until you come tight. With our 10 foot tide in southern Maine we are constantly adjusting to the massive waxing and waning of the tides. In places with an overabundance of spawning habitat, for example, too many brook trout severely limits the size of individual fish. Fall dry-fly fishing is good, but sporadic. The flatwings above were tied by Joe Cordeiro and range from 7 to over 12. Stripers can be picky when they are keyed in on sand eels so its important to closely match the hatch. Learn to tie the Sparkle Caddis Pupa with master tier Charlie Craven. My Dad loved to fish and I loved to tag along. I can't find much background info on this fly. In April and early May, the best time to fish is during the comfortable part of the day, between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. Smelt are the main forage for early-season fish, especially on the larger waters. This dry fly can be tied to match any mayfly. But trout do not need large volumes of cold water to survive. . It was given to me to copy by a customer who raved about its fish catching ability. Every so often he would bring the bucktails and hides to local tiers and I would tag along. In 1998, she won first place in the Northeast Fly Tying Competition in Wilmington, Massachusetts. They do just fine on out-of-state fish like rainbow and brown trout too. The Royal Wulff is one of the most popular flies of all time. The main characteristic to identify the spinner phase of a mayfly is the opaque or transparent wings. Striped Bass Movement Patterns. Whatever your needs are I've got you covered! I fish these flies at a length of about 6. So about 50 years ago he invented the Nearenuf, and most of his fishing partners (including me) adopted it and found that it worked. Between myself and clients, this exact fly has caught many fish and its still in awesome shape. The Stories Behind Five Classic Maine Fly Patterns. This fly was created by Nick Yardley of England. I first used it many years ago but had forgotten about it until recently seeing it in a tying book. Top water can be one of the most fun ways to catch almost any species on the fly. Yet my Dad always told me they were beautiful when I'd show him. Thats exactly why I have chosen the career of being a full time, professional fly fishing guide. This is a pattern that I have come to fish often, almost all times of the year. It was created as a caddis nymph imitation. How to Remove Wind Knots and Snarls from Leaders and Tippet, Managing Menhaden: The Most Important Fish in the Sea, 2021 Fly Fisherman Father's Day Gift Guide, Temps for Trout: How to Catch Fish that Behave Hot n Cold, 8 Best Fly Fishing Knots You Should Know How to Tie, Costa Films Presents Hooked On: Bonefish, Pharmaceutical Pollution Threatens Florida's Shallow-Water Fish. During the summer, I use it in smaller sizes for tan Caddis hatches. If you know me or have spent time on my boat, then you know my favorite element to catch any fish is sight fishing in shallow water. However, it has been found that even if a push of water gets the fish to enter the river, if the water temperature is not to their liking, it's probable they will recede back to the lake/pond/deep water holding lie until the water indeed cools down further. As the name implies, this is a caddis imitation most plentiful in the fall months. Ben Whalley tied this one, as well. I started using it many years ago and quickly found it's worth a space in my fly box. Thes flies are tied and tried in Maine and all over New England. But there is no denying its success. Anglers driving up from the south can get fishing or camping gear at the Kittery Trading Post (Kittery, [888] 587-6246) or L.L. Developed by Bob Popovics, these baitfish imitators very closely resemble spearing (silversides), small anchovies, and can even get by as a sand eel. It is well known for its effectiveness as a Drake or Hex mayfly nymph. In 1992, during her last year of college, she watched the movie A River Runs Through It and was inspired, like thousands, to fly fish. Wherever he went I wanted to go . Match the size of the bait as best you can and remember to pause on your strip and keep tension on your line throughout the presentation so you dont miss the strike. In general, I try to keep my sand eel patterns very realistic, sparse and seductive. I loved helping my Dad in his butcher shop from a young age . The latest Costa Film "Hooked On: Bonefish" explores the pursuit of this prized gamefish, which requires expert marksmanship and delicate execution to be successful. This months fly is the Slumpbuster. We are proud of our roots. The initiatives placed fly-fishing-only, catch-and-release, or slot-limit regulations on wild-trout ponds to curtail the number of fish killed by anglers. And you should read Al Raychard's guidebooks Remote Trout Ponds in Maine, Fly Fishing in Maine, and Flying in for Trout (all Northcountry Press). Pollock and Mackerel Fly fishers can catch these species with a 5 weight and some small streamers, even just a simple white Woolly Bugger. The Maine regulations booklet is now full of fly-fishing-only waters, and each are categorized by county. Beetle 4-12. Whether that's my advice on flies I use in Maine during a certain season or a custom pattern you've dreamed up that you want to see come to life! This month's fly is the March Brown dry fly. It is well known for its effectiveness as a Drake or Hex mayfly nymph. I purposefully tie these patterns all a little differently so I can pick and choose the one that seems most appetizing on any given day. The pictured beast fleye above is roughly 12 long with a 4 profile. Box 421, Ashland, ME 04732, (207) 435-6213. This is a high floating and versatile pattern. Tuesday - Sunday, 10am to 4pm, Winter The use of pine squirrel strips gives it real life in the water and the shiny body gives it just enough glitter. I end most seasons either searching for that elusive five-pound brookie around the inlets of large waters such as Allagash or Chamberlain lakes, or fishing one of the dozens of ponds reached from Hal Blood's Cedar Ridge Camps in Jackman. My Cart. Before Spring fishing season opens we highly recommend to get your orders in by March 1st! There are many different versions going back to the early days of fly fishing but I think the Art Flick version is the most popular today. Another great Ben Whalley tie, the tinker mack hollow fleye. It was in a small fly shop the following year that Dumaine noticed a photograph of the famous Maine fly tier Carrie Stevens alongside a Stevens . This fly hits the water for me when striped bass are actively feeding on a school of pogies. Carrie G. Stevens (who didnt use a vise) tied the worlds first Grey Ghost on July 1, 1924, to imitate the smelts that were (and still are) the primary forage of salmonids in coldwater lakes. Rabbit-foot emergers, flush-floating CDC patterns, and sparsely tied, low-riding dun patterns work well for these spooky fish. Tyers like Joe Cordeiro continue the flatwing tradition because these flies move and hover in incredibly realistic ways. Originally tied by Rim Chung, I believe its original intent was to be fished just below the surface as an emerger. This months fly is the net spinning caddis larva. The next best time to fish the Rapid is between the first week of September until the season closes on September 30. Pull out the surf candy in the blitz, while fishing beaches, and in elements when you are sight fishing and the stripers are on bait. The fly was originally just called the Yellow and Red Bucktail streamer, but was later changed to the Mickey Finn in relation to film star Rudolph Valentino who was killed by the drug mickey finn. Thats a pretty good list. When you are pausing, this fly it will not hover and flutter, it will drop slowly in the water column. Watch the current and adjust your strip accordingly. Each pond is now managed individually, based on its ability to produce trophy fish. He always believed in me.. This month's fly is the Mop Fly. It can be fished in different sizes and colors for whatever you are matching. Once you have selected an area to fish, your two options for lodging are to camp or stay at a lodge or commercial sporting camp. . Maine's recent brook-trout population turnaround was aided in 1993 by a set of Quality Fishing Initiatives implemented by former Department of Inland Fisheries Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen. Dad tied scores of Tigers every winter for us and his friends trout-size ones for brookies in small streams and beaver ponds, and longer ones to troll and cast for salmon, togue (lake trout), and squaretails. November - May One of the most endearing attributes of striped bass is their variety of preferred feeding habitats, from deep rips, to rocky structures, and sandy flats. It started out as a popular fly in the Rockies and is now being used all around the world. This month we are featuring the Bugmeister which was created by John Perry, a fly fishing guide from Montana. In similar fashion to the RS2 mentioned above, I tend to fish smaller sizes of these in the fall. Over the years, New Englanders have created and adapted scores of fly patterns for our native brook trout and landlocked salmon. The coastal ponds are the first to ice-out and warm up, usually around April 1. A perfect imitation of the ubiquitous dragonfly built with a compelling yet simple approach. Invasive European green crabs and Asian shore crabs have inundated our waters. Theres something for everybody, and most of us treat it like a buffet and sample everything. He is my sweet boy! Streamers catch trout feeding heavily before winter. And so we bushwhack into boggy beaver ponds and troll streamers around the rims of big Maine lakes, the way our fathers and grandfathers did. This month's fly is the Red Fox Squirrel nymph. Black Dace, Nine Three, Yellow Wiggle, Damsel Fly Nymphs, Dragon Fly Nymph, Light Hendrickson, Light Cahill. Here is a list of 5 flies that I would highly recommend fly fishing anglers have in their fly box this coming fall: The Mickey Finn is an old New England staple. Key water temps for trout spawning activity will be at oraround 55F. May 13, 2014 By Brian Irwin. Most of these flies are weighted, with a length of .5 to 1.5. Suggested Selected Fly Patterns. This month's fly is the Peeking Caddis. The striking Parmachenee Belle is designed to imitate a brook trouts ivory-edged pelvic fins and reddish underbelly. The Gray Ghost is the Tom Brady of fishing flies, says Bill Pierce, executive director of the Outdoor Heritage Museum, near Rangeley. I got a vise and materials from a friend that just so happened to be getting out of tying . They are just as good fished off the back of a dry fly as they are dredged along the bottom of a nymph rig. My favorite line is Scientific Angler's full-sinking Hi-Speed Hi-D that I use for streamers, which is 90 percent of the fishing. Dan and Lee Wulff were good friends that fished together often. Youll fool more fish with a correctly presented bad fly than you will with a bad presentation of the perfect fly. It can pass for a caddis or terrestrial. My most effective way to Puterbaugh Caddis The Puterbaugh Caddis was developed by Don Puterbaugh, a long time guide on the Arkansas river in Colorado. I tie mine with a small bunch of deer hair, flash, then finish with a rabbit strip. The fly worked so well that Cooper applied for a patent. So the additional theory that trout only takeflies out of aggression in the fall I think is also ill-founded. Northern waters in higher elevations offer better fishing during the hot summer months. Custom orders are all flies hand-tied by Jesse Rochester (Mainely Outdoors) using the highest quality materials and hooks. "kiss & release" the fish. Nobody knows who was the first angler to wrap a feather around the shank of a hook and catch a trout with it. These baitfish all range in size from 2.5 to 4. Clear editor. Tail - yellow calf tail. I use this fly in a similar manner to the hollow herring above. Nearby Nesowadnehunk Lake is also worth a visit. The story goes that one day he was fishing on an area river andhe found a fly wallet. This very simple fly can imitate a large variety of different types of bait it all depends on your presentation and retrieve. I was asked to tie some for a customer and decided to Not generally a fan of synthetics, Sue recently discovered Pseudo Marabou while trying to copy a fly for a customer and has enjoyed tying little baitfish flies with it. Maine, the home of Carrie Stevens and the flies she designed and made famous, is one of thefew places in the Eastern U.S. that offers a chance to pursue trophy brook trout up to four pounds, but few anglers outside the state know it. Adams 12-16. Whether that's my advice on flies I use in Maine during a certain season or a custom pattern you've dreamed up that you want to see come to life! As soon as the fly hit the water the smaller 40 bass beat a much bigger fish to the fly and the fight was on. What makes a flatwing is that the long hackle feathers are tied in flat on top of the hook. Over the next several years, Dumaine guided in Maine during the summer months, taught music, and started a tying business. Not only filling a void with my tying, but with all the fisherman & women I have met & I speak too. I look for two indicators to determine if a water is healthy and has fish-producing potential: the tall, broad-leaved water weed called Potamogeton and tiny, shrimplike scuds called Gammarus. I find it also can work during caddis hatches. Sculpins abound in the tumbling, boulder-strewn rivers of northern New England and are the number-one forage for big river-dwelling brook trout and landlocked salmon. The beast fleye is an innovative Bob Popovics pattern; its essentially a supersized version of his hollow fleye with a long piece of stiff mono coming off the shank of the hook so that the profile and length of the fly can be extended. Some important early-season mayflies include Hendricksons, March Browns, and Blue-winged Olives. The Tom Brady of fishing flies, an overachieving underdog, and more. Maine Fly Fish is the premier Maine Fly Fishing resources for fly fishing in Maine. In my opinion, there are three specific characteristics of this fly that make it stand out: its great shape and profile whichis a spot on imitation of a mayfly, the wing encasement which gives off an airy/glowy look which is prevalentwith emergers and nymphs, and lastly its weight which gets the fly down quickly. Stevens created the Grey Ghost and other popular fly patterns. Guides like Matt Libby, (207) 435-8274, Jack McPhee, (207) 528-2855, Hal Blood, (207) 688-4169, and Steve Coleman, (207) 668-4436, are either pilots themselves or have direct access to a float plane and can usually provide you with the best opportunities to catch quality trout. The biggest reason that this fly is in the box is because it pushes lots of water. Both can be sampled by towing a mesh net hung from a weighted line behind a paddled canoe. As the fall spawning period approaches (October into November), many of the larger trout become aggressive and respond to bright flies (Pink Lady, Mickey Finn, and Light Edson Tiger) fished with a fast, erratic retrieve. From August through the end of the season, sinking lines and big, ugly flies take the most fish. You can post now and register later. The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (DeLorme Publishing, (207) 865-4171) is the best resource and will help make sense of it all. The Copper John was created by John Barr of Colorado in the early 1990s to be the dropper fly below a dry fly on a rig called a hopper-dropper. The Good Old New England angling days focused on brook trout and Atlantic salmon, the only salmonids native to our waters. This month's fly is the Emergent Mosquito. This 3 or 4 fly might come out of the box when stripers are feeding deeper. This fly has turned out to be one of the most effective attractors on the water by many accounts. I want to leave behind something for generations ahead to enjoy . Basically wherever I am he is! Dead drifting and a slow retrieve is my go to as a starting technique but every situation is different and it all depends on how aggressively the bass are feeding. Flatwings were popularized by Ken Abrams and his book Striper Moon. This is not a very well-known pattern, but was very popular in the decades following its creation. With the approach of September and October, the water cools and fish emerge from their summer refuges. In fact, according to Rick Estes, its the only hatch that dependably brings every trout in the river to the surface to feed. When the water is covered with flies, trout often lose interest in the adults but will take a yellow Hex wiggle-nymph fished slowly a few feet below the surface. Hatches & Hints. The Nearenuf imitates no particular mayfly perfectly but its, um, near enough to most New England mayflies to catch any trout that are eating them. When it became a Wulff pattern I do not know. These flies fall into the medium sized baitfish category and may imitate river herring or young mackerel. We New Englanders value our native fish. Keep in mind, however, that all "trout-only" waters do not produce big fish. This months fly is the Maple Syrup. Understanding the time of year and the location youre fishing will help you to tune your sand eels to fool the most finicky stripers. He said he couldn't find the patterns anymore and wished he could. All traits I hope to carry through life & pass on to my 4 Sons. Starting with early season smelt runs, followed by the sucker spawn, then major mayfly, caddis and stonefly hatches culminating with the . Not open to foot traffic. I would certainly tie up some of the original colored versions, but don't be afraid to experiment a little! It certainly has all the necessary elements to make it a good attractor Free shipping on orders over $45. Also, the book Carrie Stevens: Maker of Rangeley Favorite Trout and Salmon Flies (Stackpole, 2000) is a must-read that profiles not only one of Maine's most well-known fly tiers, but the Maine fishing life. Kevin Tracewski is a biology instructor at the University of Maine at Orono. I have been using this pattern for a long time. These flies are durable, very lifelike, and an easy fly to cast and present. Try to find a natural sand eel, and as closely as possible, match your find. It is a very attractive Marchs fly of month is actually a fly combination in celebration of the coming of April. Each of these flies will hover in the water. Leading up to the 1990s, Maine's native brook-trout populations were on the decline. All trophy ponds are fly-fishing-only and have increased size and reduced bag limits. This months fly is the Pat's Rubberleg nymph. This month's fly is the Lightning Bug. This version is actually named the Flick's American March Brown. Rabbit is a favorite material of mine it dances in the water and is very durable. This pattern was created by Dave Whitlock. If you fish sandy areas for striped bass anywhere on the east coast youll want to keep a couple sand eels on hand. Bob Elliot, for decades the official spokesman for Maines angling tourism and an expert on eastern brook trout, gave a handful of Coopers bugs to my father. Only 6 or 7 in length, this fly gets it done. Most patterns are original designs crafted with a wealth of knowledge & and artistic talent. After he passed I created more and more . He always makes sure to This month's fly is the Guide's Choice nymph. . Avoid having slack in your system when fishing crab patterns. Ill throw this fly at our rocky Maine coast, estuaries, drop offs, and to busting fish. Try a pause in your strip to trigger a following bass to strike just be ready on the strip set. The olive grizzly hackle on the upper wing helps to color this mackerel imitation in a natural and realistic way. Thursday - Saturday, 10am to 4pm. And even when the fish don't cooperate, the spectacular colors and absence of blackflies makes late September an ideal time to be in the Maine woods. Among his revolutionary inventions are the Gurgler and the Soft-Hackled Streamer. Some will fish this streamer all season, but I have found it is most effective during the fall. Display as a link instead, The key is to narrow your approach to a manageable area, then search for the signs of brookie habitat. Smelt can enter the river in many different ways, including getting tossed through dams, so they can be ever-present in many different areas in rivers, lakes . This fly was created by Bill Edson of Portland, Maine in 1929. This pattern was designed by the Greater Yellowstone fly shop in Montana. This streamer was originated in 1930 by Maine Game Warden Joseph Stickney of Saco. You aren't necessarily fishing to hungry and energetic trout and salmon that have been sitting under ice for months, but are more so trying to tap into the behavior/mental state of the fish. This fly isnt used very much, but when you need it you should have it. Being that fishing "season" is opening soon and smelt patterns are the choice for most anglers I figured you guys may want to tie up some smelt variations that I have a . . Also, working variations of emergers and nymphs can also be productive, but I have found most success actually with dry flies (not the usual here in Maine!). Along with all the classics we have many of the patterns designed by the legendary tier Carrie Stevens. Learn to tie Harrop's Hairwing Dun with master tier Charlie Craven. Thank You for your patience & understanding. The small B.W.O. Some larger fish (up to 16 inches) are taken in late evening when the Hexagenia limbata (Hex) hatch is on. Maine's new regulations have made it possible, and for the do-it-yourselfers, there's no better place to get a trophy of a lifetime. After I bought the shop a customer came in looking for this color of Bugger as it was his favorite at the time. Last season, this fly caught me a 40 bass that was laid up in 3ft of water on an oceanside beach. He taught me so much and instilled in me a great passion for the outdoors. Studies show that wild trout grow faster, live longer, and deal better with the rigors of life in a harsh environment than hatchery trout. They all still work as well as ever, and many of us prefer to use them. One, if not the main, motivating factor of trout in Maine starting their fall behavior is water temperature. The fly that landed her record brook trout quickly evolved into a more refined pattern, the Gray Ghost, and was the most requested of Stevens's work. Pull this fly out when you want to let the fish know your fly is there. This month's fly is the Blacknose Dace streamer fly. The are the top 5 flies for fly fishing in Maine during the fall. Here are ten favorite New England trout and salmon flies: Grey Ghost. Cahill, Light and Dark 12-16. Adapt your tie to what the fish youre chasing are eating and this hollow fleye will quickly become a favorite of yours. Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy your flies!. Our shop mascot, he never misses a fishing trip with us ! The rest are solid staples. I was a Daddys girl right from the start. It was created by Lee Wulff. Twenty-five of the park's 100 ponds contain wild populations of large brook trout. Photo: Joe Klementovich. and spending time at our family camps. The construction of this fly is a combination of marabou and bucktail for the wing - redand blue bucktail is mixed and tiedunder white marabou. Try this, sonny, an old-timer told me in 1974, watching me cast unsuccessfully at the outlet of the Kennebecs Wyman Dam. Rabbit strips move fluidly in the water and give the fly a ton of life. The Brown Owl was created by Bob Broad of Wentworth location New Hampshire. The flats and shallow waters of Maine hold a plethora of crabs. Whether or not cannibalistic brookies mistake it for one of their cousins body parts, who can say? Dad gave em a try and declared the Cooper Bug his favorite all-round searching fly. Lee Wulff's signature fly patterns utilize hair instead of feathers for wings and tails, thus creating a much bushier, higher floating, and much more durable fly. The best fishing is during the calmer early morning and evening hours, and crayfish patterns fished deep at sunup can take a trophy. Remember to be patient on the hook set. We are approaching one of the best fishing times of the year! This month's fly is the Brown Owl. When you catch a trophy brook trout, keep it in the water and revive it if necessary before releasing it unharmed, according to proper catch-and-release practices. In the early spring, smelt are spawning. Im going to post a pic of 8 or so different smelt patterns of mine that I prefer to fish with over "traditional" patterns such as the Gray Ghost (which I do fish a lot though). In 1972, Solon tackle-shop owner Bob Bedell created the Bingham Special, this writers favorite trout fly. Incorporate a long hard strip every now again while retrieving this fly to make some extra noise. If the fish picked up on your subtle presentation and is swimming to your fly and turns down, be ready to set when you see the basss gills flare and the fish turn. At our shop we stock over 70 different streamer patterns in a wide range of sizes. These orders are intended to get you exactly what you need! He was also passionate about family, honor, integrity, hard work & self worth. This months fly is the Wardens Worry streamer. This month's fly is the Grouse and Flash. Dumaine tied this Gray Ghost, a Carrie Stevens pattern, to be featured in a 2003 "Fly Tyer" magazine article. Because of the larger size, orange Stimulators can also be a great option. She was intrigued and decided to pursue fly tying. To help you prepare for your next striped bass mission in Maine lets decipher which flies are essential and which ones you can keep on the bench for the season. Sometimes top water flies can also draw aggressive fish to feed on the surface even when there are no signs of surface action.
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