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Housy Smallie fest

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  Smcdermott 
#1 ·
Well, I finally did it - gave LI Sound the miss and headed North. Had an absolute blast nailing bronzebacks all day from 06:00 a.m. 'till 6:00 p.m. :D

Lots in the 9 - 12 inch range - bigger ones tommorow?

Now I am fried but can't wait to get back up there.
 
#3 ·
Quentin

Popular wisdom taked about wooly buggers, rabbit tail coneheads and all sorts of other specialities in brown, olive and especially chartreuse.

I tied on one of my Monomoy stealth clousers and they ripped it to shreds :D I guess they get selective at times but right now they'l hit anything.

What I did discover is that you really only get one or two shots, then they rapidly lose interest in your offering. I noticed this behavior with other species.

The power company has a release schedule set for low water morning and evening for the fly fishermen and high water during the main part of the day for the paddlers. The water does color up when they release so that may explain why chartreuse is such a popular color.

I saw very few fishermen on the water before 09:00 a.m. but that may change once the trout fishing gets going again.
 
#5 ·
1st Timer!

Adrian,
Some friends and I are thinking of going camping along the Housy near the fly shop in West Cornwall. I have never fly fished in freshwater. I have a few questions:

1. Would my medium action 8wt be way too much rod for the smallies? I could probably rent a smaller setup if need be.

2. Are there any quick tips you could offer in terms of how to present your offering. I would think I would stick to sub-surface patterns being a beginner?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sean
 
#6 ·
Sean

Your 8 weight will be fine for smallmouths. Also I've been using 10lb flouro. Smallies remind me of Mnagrove Snapper and they're one of the hardest orbery fighters I've ever come across :D

I've thrown all sorts of big flies (wooly buggers, bunny tails etc.) but they don't seem too fussy. In fact my best results have come from one of my Monomoy clousers:

Size 1 Dai-chi
Copper body braid
Real eyes
Single bucktail wing - blended Olive with a little root-beer and yellow bucktail then add a couple of fluro pink and tourquise hairs as cheeks on each side. Works at Monomoy and the smallies go nuts for it too!

There's not much hair left on the fly but they're hitting it harder than ever. The river is full of crayfish - some quite large - don't be afraid to fish big flies!

The camp site has some good pools and there is great fishing within walking distance upstream and downstream. There is an excellent guide produced by the Housatonic Fly Fishermens Association - any of the fly shops in the area will have it. All the major pools on the Northern TMA are described and all hold smallmouths.

I've had best hook-up ratio by casting upsteam and keeping in contact with the fly as it tumbles down - try to 'swim' it down between the boulders. You will lose a few flies to rocks - if you don't then you're not fishing deep enough! Strikes are fast and furious. It seems like they have less time to inpect the fly as it comes into view.

In between the major pools you'll find lots of pocket water - if its knee deep or deeper there will probably be fish there - some surprisingly big. Lob the fly downstream and across - less than a 10 ft cast. Lift the rod to slowly swing the fly across the pocket and hold on! :D

If you're not hooking up or getting strikes - move on. No matter how tempting a pool may look. Even after catching a couple, if it goes quiet move on - there's a lifetimes worth of water to fish! Sometimes the smallest holes can be most productive.

They'll rise to whatever is hatching too. If you're there for the whitefly hatch then Dun patterns in size 12 & 14 and spinners in 10s & 12s. Popping bugs are also popular but I've had my best results sub-surface.

If you are there over the week-end let me know and we'll hook up!

Have fun!
 
#7 ·
Adrian,
Thank you very much for all the info. It would be great to get together but I am not sure I could commit to a time and place given a couple of different factors.

1. My sister is due to give birth to her first child any day now so I might have to run at any given moment.

2. I will be the only fly fisherman among my friends so I will probably be sneaking off to get a few casts in in between hanging out with them.

As we get closer to the weekend, things may be more clear so I will be sure to get in touch then and let you know. It looks like Jeff B. may be thinking about taking a trip as well.

Thanks again,
Sean
 
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