All Things Fly Fishing Archives - Page 2 of 2

Peace on The Mad

Polar Parachute Caddis Fly hook in a brown trout mouth.

Going Mad

Like two kids, Buck Juhasz and I were looking forward to the possibility of dry fly fishing on the Mad River in the Fall. October caddis was probably going to be the last opportunity for rising brown trout on the Mad in this bizarre year of 2020. That being said, we took it seriously as we scouted various spots on the water starting in late September. After some absolutely beautiful October days filled with wading, watching, casting, and catching, early November rolled around and it was time to reflect on what we found as we re-discovered the wonderful trout stream that is the Mad River.

We made notes and discussed all things related to life and fly fishing and we found one thing for sure, fly fishing for trout can bring clarity when everything else seems so uncertain. At times, fly fishing is the only thing that makes any sense. The following notes represent some thoughts we explored and what we discovered in regards to trout fishing. The conclusions we came to in regards to the rest of the crazy world will remain between two old fishing buddies, the rocks we turned over and walked around, the wind we battled, and the trees we leaned on for rest. Who are we to tell the rest of the world how to live, right Buck?

Stream Conditions & Insect Activity

lower than average flows and gin clear water
Mild water and air temperatures throughout the month
Windy afternoons consistently had the entire water column laced with leaves and other floating debris
Caddis larvae and what appeared to be BWO nymphs moving around and under the river rocks
Observation of adult insects during hatches and remains left in spider webs strategically built in the branches of streamside trees
Splashy rise forms indicated trout were chasing Caddis Emergers and slower more deliberate rises from more experienced holdover browns in feeding lanes slurping adult resting caddis and floating olive adults

Finding Fish

low flows forced trout to populate in the deeper holding water
Stocking added to the holdover population and increased competition for food
Trout remained in holding water due to minimum fishing pressure and very few canoe hatches

Equipment

debris on the water called for longer rods (9’-10’) for proper line management
Low clear water called for light lines and long light leaders (3 or 4 weight floating line coupled with 12’-15’ 6x or 7x tippets)

Fly Patterns

Adult Caddis

Polar Parachute Caddis

Leaves and debris on top of the water column made visibility of the fly imperative for the fisherman to execute cast and drift
3D posture of this pattern helped separate from flat floating leaves
Color and size based on observation of naturals and enhanced visibility from the trouts perspective to allow for the fish to pick out the imitation of the natural from other floating objects (tan, light brown, yellow, caddis green, and UV olive)
TMC 102Y size 17 and TMC921 size 14

Elk River Caddis

Pattern design allows for natural movement of fly mimicking adult caddis escaping from river film
Natural colors of tan and brown
TMC101 size 14 and 16

Immature Caddis

Caddis Emerger with wing case

Effective when conditions allowed for dropper to be presented without fighting debris
When rise forms became more steady and less splashy, dropper became unnecessary
Caddis Green and Tan
TMC2488 size 16

Buck and I spent many hours chasing the elusive brown trout on The Mad in October this year, 2020. We were able to find and net more 8”-15” butter colored Salmo Trutta than we could have hoped for. The river truly owes us nothing! We started the month with the hope that a fish would rise and at the end of this particular adventure we found trout and I guess what we were really looking for, peace and contentment.

Tradition and the Green River, NC

Fly Fishing Soul

Tradition can be defined as a handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice. I love this definition and I believe it starts with family and is what gives fly fishing a soul.

Two of my business partners, Andy and Eva Baker recently moved to the mountains of North Carolina in the middle of some great southern trout streams. I have had the great opportunity to fish the Davidson River on many excursions over the last twenty years. Truthfully, that was the extent of my local knowledge of the area, not much in the way of tradition to pass on to my Son-in-Law and granddaughter. However, a quick search for traditional North Carolina trout fly patterns turned up a few possibilities. I needed to tap into tradition and trust the fact that fly patterns developed many years ago, can and do still catch trout. The three patterns that intrigued me most and appeared to be patterns our nine year old Eva could learn to tie would be the Sheep Fly, Yellow Hammer, and Tellico Nymph. All three patterns could be used to swing downstream or be perfect for some tight line nymphing. I tied a few of each, a little rough, or as my fine artist wife Melanie would call, Artist Proofs.

Putting Experience to the Test

The Green River is a twenty minute drive from the Kid’s house and is a beautiful hatchery supported trout stream, plenty of fish! Andy and I bought some nice maps, opened them up on the hood of the truck and began to start a tradition of our own. I must admit that I am responsible for the first coffee stain on the brand new map. Hopefully, he can share the map and the adventure with my daughter Sarah and the two girls, Eva and Lila, on many excursions for years to come.

We scouted and found a few spots that were young family friendly in regards to wading. The time had come to put tradition to the test. The look of the stream was familiar to me, plunge pools, flats, riffles, pocket water, long runs, etc. Andy wet waded into position armed with a Yellow Hammer tied to the bend of the hook on a Sheep Fly. I watched as he found the feel for swinging a fly where he wanted it to go. I must admit I felt a little guide pressure to put him on and land a trout, any trout. The pressure escalated within ten minutes as Andy hooked up his first North Carolina trout. In retrospect, I was hoping it was a stocker that would come to hand without much trouble, it would still count. Instead, he hooked up a holdover with good sized shoulders and the fight was on! As he fought the fish, I remember telling him to enjoy the tussle, probably because I wasn’t sure the three of us were going to meet at my net. I cannot remember feeling so satisfied with any trout I have landed as when I looked at Andy’s face as he admired his beautiful rainbow trout resting in the cool water, safely in the net. Not a monster in size, but a giant in terms of what that trout meant to both of us. The Yellow Hammer was secure in the side of the trout’s jaw just as it has been on many trout over the some seventy-five years since first tied. I would imagine, if you run into Andy on the stream he will have a few Yellow Hammers in his box. The tradition continues.

The Origin Story

Artwork above created by Morrett Fine Art. View full piece.

1965-1981

Dad gave me the ability and access to fish freshwater ponds and lakes in Northern Indiana and Wisconsin while on our yearly fishing vacations. Patience, focus, and stealth are what I take from my early training watching dad wield his cane pole filling the fish basket with bluegills and perch for the table.

Uncle Rex was a little more exciting when it came to fishing. Fly rods, bait casters, and spinning tackle were all part of his arsenal. I learned to take care of your gear if you wanted it to last. The smell of muscelin today takes me back to stretching the wet fly line from the day across the clothes line in his back yard to dry before treating with a fine film of muscelin for flotation. Uncle Rex seemed to think like a fish and doing things the way he instructed seemed to work. I was always impressed by his Northern Pike mounted heads on the side of his work shed.

My brother Jeff and my Aunt Chris imparted upon me the fact that hunting for big fish is worth getting dirty and wet while in pursuit, or in Aunt Chris’ case, actually dying for, when the day is won.

1981-2000

Moving south after graduation from the PGA program at Ferris State College and nothing else to worry about except golf and monster southern black bass, I dove into both with both feet. From 1983 until we moved to Ohio in 2000, Melanie and I hunted farm ponds and bays across southern Alabama and north central Florida looking for that legendary 10 pound largemouth bass. While on our adventure, both Ben and Sarah developed a love for fishing and all that it entails,and that is being spread down to another generation of extended families today.

Big Gene and Mel reintroduced fly fishing to me on our bass pond around 1989. I enjoyed the whole deal except I didn’t think it was enough ammo for my ten pounder. I stuck with bait casters until I was able to check the big bass off the board in a small lake in the Ocala National Forest. Where do you go from there? The pursuit of catching wild trout on a fly rod and all the shenanigans that go on during the journey!

2000-Present

Todd wanted to go trout fishing at his Grandpa’s cabin on the Tellico river in Tennessee. We used corn and rooster tails and caught enough stocked rainbows to burn a hole in Grandpa’s deck with hot cinder blocks while cooking. Needed tools, the hippy over the hill hooked us up. Trout moved up to number one on the fish totem pole.

Family vacation to Jackson Hole, Wyoming started a new lifestyle for Mel and I. I think we both became trout bums right there on the Snake river trying to cast further than 25 feet without killing someone in the wind. The first truly wild trout I believe I caught was a Yellowstone Cutthroat with all the cool scenery everywhere.

Moved to Southern Ohio and met Tom Frick, owner of the Rusty Drake Outfitters in Dayton. Through the shop, Mel and I were able to meet and become good friends with the lead instigators in our trout adventures. Bill Loveless, Howard Parks, and Buck Juhasz. The sum total of what these guys know about all things trout fishing is really amazing. I paid attention while fishing and tying with these gentlemen and I like to think I picked up a few things along the way.

Jeff Cagle led us through the woods of Tennessee looking for native Brookies. Walker Parrott showed us the trophy waters of the Davidson in North Carolina. Young guides out of the Holston River Fly shop put us on rising tail water brown trout during one of many sulfur hatches on the South Holston in Tennessee. Bill Loveless took us to Pennsylvania for rising brown trout on the Little Juniata and introduced me to Steelhead on Lake Erie tributaries. Buck introduced us to the history and soul of fly fishing on the Cumberland Valley limestone streams home of Vince Marinaro.

Michigan waters have been shown to us by many individuals over the last twenty years. Tom Frick, Howard Parks, and Rusty Gates welcomed us to the Holy Water of the AuSable River. Bob Linsenman personally showed me how to streamer fish on the Big Water below Mio, also on the AuSable. Of course, the legendary Matt Supinski netted my one and only Atlantic Salmon on an unnamed river in Michigan. Matt also introduced us to first class accommodations and food during super hatches of various mayflys during spring and early summer on the Muskegon.

My western water experience is very limited but most memorable. James Whitescarver gave us a full detailed accounting of all things outdoors in Montana. Melanie’s 21” loch leven brown trout and my 25” Bull trout are totem fish with memories unto themselves. I could certainly get used to drift boat fishing along as James manned the oars.

New friend and fishing partner, Jim Oates teamed up with Buck to show Mel and I the Driftless Region in SW Wisconsin. Truly native brook trout and wild brown trout all caught on either a purple hopper or a hippy stomper is a tough act to beat. New favorite place to go for terrestrials.

Every April for the last twenty years has included our pilgrimage to home waters, the Mad River. Hendrickson hatches spent with my family and closest of friends pulls me to Old Troy Pike early every Spring. I have had epic days as well as scoreless days in regards to number of fish caught or even seen on the Mad. The boys at the fly shop always used to tell me. “If you can catch a trout on the Mad with a fly rod, you can catch fish anywhere”.