Fall Colors

Forget the foilage , this is what fall colors are all about!

The Buffalo Bug

While fishing the Gardner River this summer in Yellowstone National Park I observed a lot of buffalo under fur in the sage brush around the river.  When I returned from my trip and was putting away my gear I observed a small amount of this fur jammed into the corner of my pack's waist belt.  It must snagged there while we were busting through some heavy brush on our way down to the river.  This particular area was loaded with clumps of fur hanging off the brush so I am guessing that is where it came from.

I was just about to dump it into the trash when it dawned on me to try and use it in a fly pattern.  The fur in its original form consisted of long crinkled hairs with a light brown color.  I don't know if this the original color or if it was bleached out somewhat by the sun.  I raked out the bits of debris that where present, gave it a course chop with a pair of scissors and through it in my fur blender (AKA my wife's missing coffee blender) and gave it a whirl.  I threw it in a tiny baggie and forgot about it until it resurfaced a few days ago.

My original thoughts were to mix it with another fur since it did not look like it would dub very  well on its own.   I tried it straight up and discovered I was dead wrong, it goes on thread (even unwaxed thread) like a dream.  It produced a very buggy looking thorax on the first fly I tied.  I liked the way it came out but I'm not the one eating it.

I had an opportunity to fish it this past weekend and it performed like a champ.  I tied the pattern in two versions, one for clear water and one with a splash of color for off color or high water conditions.  Flows were running a little high and clear and takes by the fish were about fifty/fifty, so they are both keepers.

The Buffalo Bug


Hook:  TMC 100SP-BL
Bead:  Montana Fly Lucent 7/64" Coffee
Thread:  Uni 8/0 Camel
Tail: Wood duck flank feather fibers
Ribbing:  Fine gold wire
Abdomen: DK Quill Body 02
Thorax:  Gardner River Valley Buffalo underfur dubbing
Hot Spot: Optional - band of hot orange thread behind the bead

I'm now experimenting with the addition of wing cases of different types.  So far a pearl and green flash material is showing promise.

My only dilema is the miniscule amount of material that I have.  I'll be lucky to get a couple dozen flies out of it if I'm lucky.  When it's gone it's gone!

New Jersey's 2nd Annual Fly Fisherman of the Year Competition

New Jersey Trout Unlimited (NJTU) is celebrating 40 years as a State Council. 

 

On Saturday, November 12, 2011, NJTU along with Shannon's Fly & Tackle

Shop and the Raritan Inn in Califon will be hosting the 2nd Annual New Jersey

Fly Fisherman of the Year Competition.  A banquet will follow follow the competition in celebration of NJTU's 40th Anniversary.

 

Come out for an evening of fun, auctions and tales of lore as we celebrate the 

winner of the one fly contest review 2011 fly fishing year or the 

"rain / water year" as we have come to know.

 

Tickets are $60 (and strictly limited to 60 people) and available at Shannon's

 

Fly & Tackle - 908 832-5736.  www.shannonsflytackle.com

 

Details available at www.njflyfisherman.com and www.njtu.org

Hope to see you there!

IF4 is coming to New Jersey

The International Fly Fishing Film Festival is joining ranks with the Fly Fishing Show at various venues in early 2012.  For those of us in the tri-state area, Somerset New Jersey appears to be on the list.  According to Ben Furimsky, "Film Festival screenings will be held immediately following the conclusion of the Fly Fishing Show, about 6:30 p.m. depending on the venue. There will be separate admission charged for the films, but will be discounted for those attending the Fly Fishing Show".    It looks like the date for the New Jersey Show will be Friday January 27, 2012.

According the producers of the film festival.  “The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) consists of 16 short and feature length films produced by professional and amateur filmmakers from all corners of the globe, showcasing the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing. From steelhead in Northern BC to chasing multiple species in Costa Rica, the variety of films will pique the interest of all anglers. IF4 contains exclusive content not available in any other fly fishing film event.”

I had the opportunity to attend one of these festivals a few years back in Denver and I can attest that they are a great time.  I'm looking forward to attending this one.

For you folks on the other side of the Deleware River the show will also be coming to Pennsylvania on February 18, 2012 after the Lancaster show.  I just may make that one too!

New Jersey's Fall Trout Stocking Began Today

For those local followers of this blog, New Jersey's trout streams recieved a fresh influx of fish today.  Fall is the perfect time to get out and enjoy some quality fishing without the crowds of spring time.  Below you will find the stocking schedule for the rest of the year.

Tuesday, October 11

MONMOUTH & OCEAN COUNTIES

• Manasquan River - 650
• Metedeconk River, North Branch - 150
• Metedeconk River, South Branch - 240
• Tom's River (including TCA) - 360

SOMERSET COUNTY

• Raritan River, North Branch - 920

SUSSEX & WARREN COUNTIES

• Paulinskill River, and E/Br and W/Br - 1,720

Wednesday, October 12
HUNTERDON, MORRIS & WARREN COUNTIES

• Musconetcong River (including Point Mt. TCA, Hunterdon County) - 2,820

SUSSEX & WARREN COUNTIES

• Pequest River (including TCA, Pequest WMA) - 1,550

Thursday, October 13
SUSSEX COUNTY

• Big Flat Brook - 1,620
• Wallkill River - 470

MORRIS COUNTY

• Black River - 330
• Rockaway River - 1,290

WARREN COUNTY

• Pohatcong Creek - 800

Friday, October 14BERGEN & PASSAIC COUNTIES

• Wanaque River - 330
• Ramapo River - 880

HUNTERDON, MORRIS & SOMERSET COUNTIES

• Raritan River, South Branch (including TCA, Ken Lockwood Gorge) - 2,570

Week 2, October 17-21, 2011

Monday, October 17 - No stocking
Tuesday, October 18
ATLANTIC & CUMBERLAND COUNTIES

• Giampetro Park Pond - 170
• Hammonton Lake - 340
• Mary Elmer Lake - 170
• Maurice River - 400

BURLINGTON, CAMDEN & GLOUCESTER COUNTIES

• Crystal Lake - 170
• Grenloch Lake - 170
• Oak Pond - 170
• Sylvan Lake - 170

Wednesday, October 19
GLOUCESTER & SALEM COUNTIES

• Greenwich Lake - 170
• Iona Lake - 170
• Schadlers Sand Wash Pond - 170
• Swedesboro Lake - 170

MIDDLESEX & MERCER COUNTIES

• Colonial Lake - 170
• Farrington Lake - 340
• Roosevelt Park Pond - 170
• Rosedale Lake - 170

Thursday, October 20 - No stockingFriday, October 21 - No stocking
UPDATES
10/10/11:
The access road through the Ken Lockwood Gorge in Hunterdon County that parallels the S/Br. Raritan River was heavily damaged by record flood waters. The Gorge will be stocked and fish will be distributed along the entire river stretch. However, the entire road between the lower parking lot and the upper parking lot is now closed to vehicular traffic. Anglers can park at the upper and lower parking lots and walk into the Gorge to fish.
The Big Flat Brook in Sussex County was severely impacted by heavy flooding in August that eroded stream banks and washed out access roads. In Stokes State Forest, the Crigger Road bridge and several stops within the public campground immediately adjacent to the Big Flat Brook will not be stocked due to flood damage.
A section of National Park Service Rt. 615 (Walpack-Flatbrook Road), from south of Haney's Mill down to the bridge in Flatbrookville, is currently closed to the public and fish will not be stocked in this stretch. The transfer truck (a pick-up truck with a tank on the back) may not be able to access some stocking locations in the Walpack area due to road closures and saturated grounds. Trout not stocked at traditional locations on the Big Flat Brook will be redistributed to nearby locations on this stream. Anglers are reminded that even if a location is not stocked, they can be successful targeting trout stocked last spring that held over in these areas.
Anglers who fish Lake Iona in Gloucester County may be aware this lake has been partially lowered for emergency dam repairs. However, at this time it is anticipated that the repairs will be completed and lake refilled in time for fall trout stocking.

Yet Another Reason To Fly Fish

Apparently all those styrofoam containers littering our stream banks can do a lot more damage than fouling the environment.

Earthworms...An invasive species


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fly Shop Owner Mauled By Bear In Bow-Hunting Incident

Fly Shop Owner Mauled By Bear In Bow-Hunting Incident

I was shocked to learn about this incident.  We spent a lot of time at the Trout Hunter Shop this summer during our annual pilgrimage out west.  I hope Rich heals up real quick.  He is a very luck man!  Things could have turned out much worse the way the bears have been chewing on folks out there this year!

All may not be lost...

Photo from NJ Fish and Wildlife website

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife have been working hard to salvage the fish from the draining lake in my previous post.  Still no word on what the eventual outcome for the lake will be but the division is working hard to save as many fish as possible.  

Here is a report on the situation from their webpage:

September 21 Update:

An additional 1200 fish were removed from Prospertown Lake on Tuesday, September 20. The fish were relocated to Pemberton Lake WMA. The lake will be monitored over the next two weeks to evaluate if any additional removal/relocation is required.

September 16 Update:

An additional 2000 fish were collected from Prospertown Lake and relocated to Turnmill Pond on Thursday September 15. A total of approximately 3000 fish have been relocated thus far. The lake water level will be monitored over the weekend. Another day of electrofishing is planned for early next week.

September 15, 2011

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has been performing a fish salvage operation at Prospertown Lake (Ocean County) since the outlet structure failed earlier this week resulting in the lake's water level dropping substantially. The lake, a popular fishing destination, is located within the Prospertown Lake Wildlife Management Area.

As of Tuesday, September 13, 2011, approximately 1,000 black crappies, bluegills, yellow perch, brown bullheads and largemouth bass have been collected by Division Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries biologists and Bureau of Land Management personnel. The fish have been have been relocated to Turnmill Pond located on the nearby Colliers Mills WMA. Two electrofishing boats are being used to stun the fish, allowing staff to net and transfer them into a nearby hatchery truck.

The failure at the 80-acre lake in Hornerstown is believed to have been caused by the deterioration of the lake's outlet valve coupled with the additional flows from recent storm events. The exact cause of the failure will be determined once the lake drains and a thorough inspection of the outlet can be made. The lake is managed by the division.

Death of a fishery...

Hurricane Irene hit the northeast pretty hard.  Two of my local warm water haunts were destroyed by the storm. Both impoundments suffered a catastrophic dam failure and subsequently bled out.  What happened to the pictured lake left is a bit of a mystery.  The dam looks intact, but it appears that the floodgates may have ruptured.  Water is still rushing out at an alarming rate from the base of the dam but the waterline is no where near the dam at the current time, so I have no idea where the water is coming from.  The coves and shorelines are littered with the remains of fish.

On the back side of this high and dry island (to the right of the egret) Icaught my largest NJ bass of 2011, a spawned out female that pushed the scales to the seven pound mark. This was a favorite place to fish. I could be on the water in minutes from leaving my driveway. It was a convenient place to drown some flies after work and still be home in time to put kids to bed.

I saw NJ Fish & Wildlife in there during the week trying to rescue fish from the receding waters. I have no idea what the future holds for this lake. Will the dam be repaired, the lake restocked and restored to it's former self? Or, will it slowly dry out and return to a meandering stream.  Only time will tell...

Grayling In the lower 48

Grayling are a species of fish that have always intrigued me.  Usually associated with the far north and Europe, they are an exotic fish for a fellow that hails from New Jersey.  On our recent trip to Yellowstone Country we had an opportunity to fish for grayling in the park.

Grebe Lake has a healthy population of both grayling and rainbow trout.  The lake is an easy 3 mile walk from the road, the trail is as about as flat as they come for that part of the world.  Roughly three quarters of the shoreline is fishable, the rest of it is a tangle of deadfall from the big fire.  The lake once served as a hatchery for the park in the early days but any traces of that operation are long gone.  If you make the trek you will be rewarded with fine fishing in a wilderness setting. There are a couple of primitive campsites on the lake as well, if a overnight stay interests you, The walk is easy enough to consider packing in a float tube. Just be sure to check with the park on regulations concerning camping and watercraft.

My trips to this water usually occur in mid July and on every trip I have been blessed with blizzard like damsel fly hatches.  This year was no exception.  As a bonus, the fish showed no preference between the nymph or the adult fly.  Top water or down low, it was all up to the fisherman to decide!  Last trip out the adult damsels were a subtle olive color and this year they were a brilliant blue.

For nymphs a basic olive damsel pattern would work as good as anything else.

The highlight of the day however, is when we switched over to tenkara gear to take these fish.  Fishing with a tenkara rod proved much more effective and a hell of a lot more fun on these chunky, little fish.

Even a ten inch grayling would give you a run for your money, as the bend in my buddy Rick's rod clearly demonstrates.  Grebe Lake is a place I find myself coming back to year after year.  Its not a place your going to catch a wall hanger, but you will certainly experience quality fishing!