September 2004 Flyfishing
Newsletter
Labor Day has come and gone (so soon?) and
summer will soon be over. If you haven't done as much fishing as you'd like
to have done this summer, now is the time to store up some memories for the
winter ahead. Speaking of memories, I've recently returned from a trip out
to Montana, where I had some exceptional fishing on almost all of the rivers
and streams I fished--except for some of the more drought-plagued parts of
the state, where some of my favorite little streams held very little water
and regretfully few fish.
I bounced around a bit on this trip.
Bozeman-Livingston-White Sulphur Springs-West Yellowstone and thereabouts. A
few days here, a few days there, visiting old friends, revisiting streams I
hadn't fished fished in yearsas well as some "old faithfuls" that I fish on
every trip out West and at least one or two streams that I've never fished
before. A very interesting mix of settings and fishing experiences.
Hopper Fishing
As some of my regular readers know hopper fishing
(the artificial kind, natch) is one of my very favorite fishing activities.
There's nothing quite like reading and working a stretch of water with
quick, short casts, splatting the hopper down on the surface and watching it
float downstream towards me. If I've read the water correctly and get a
drag-free float I'm often rewarded with the sight of a slow-sipping brown
rising up to inhale the hopper or the faster take of a rainbow, truly a
visual thrill.
I had my best hopper fishing on the lower
Madison around the West Fork and also on the Gallatin in the Canyon, as well
as on the Smith River up near Clyde Park. Oddly enough, the most productive
afternoon was one on the lower Madison on a rainy and very windy afternoon
when I wouldn't have expected the fishing to be as hot as it was. In the
space of three hours I caught over two dozen rainbows and five fat browns, a
sure sign that the rainbows have recovered from the whirling disease that so
plagued the river a few years ago.
A Few Tips on Hopper Fishing
Cast a short (thirty foot) line and a longish
(12 foot) leader, which allows you to get a good drag-free float with
relative ease. Minimize your false-casting (just pick it up off the
water and throw it back upstream into a likely lie). Most fishermen waste
far too much time false casting back and forth, back and forth, many more
times than is ] necessary. This is not only wasted motion but with each rod
movement you're much more likely to spook the fish.
Fish the likely lies very quickly. I rarely cast
to the same spot twice but I cover the water thoroughly, generally casting
to the edge of the faster water first, the middle of the stretch next, and
my last cast will be to the edge of the bank. If I raise no fish, I simply
move on upstream thirty or forty feet, not lengthening my casts but moving
with my feet, to cover as much water as I can in the time I'm on the water.
On a typical day of hopper fishing, I'll cover several miles of water, not
every inch but only what I consider to be productive water or likely lies.
Pace is very important if you want to be a successful hopper fisherman.
Too many people flog a small stretch to death. My
experience tells me that if the fish is there and wants a hopper it'll take
it readily if the imitation is attractive and the presentation is proper.
Challenging Fishing
When I wasn't hopper fishing, I spent many
delightful early mornings and late afternoons on the Gallatin and some of
its smaller branches fishing over constantly rising fish sipping tricos or
small baetis, challenging fishing that demanded the tiniest imitations, the
longest, finest leaders, and the most delicate of presentations. . In my
haste to pack for the trip, I had left my boxes of wee ones back home but
fortunately I had brought my tying gear and after a session of tying at the
home of my friend Bob Ostrowski in Bozeman I managed to tie up some lovely
and sparse little trico imitations in sizes #20 and 22 that were a cross
between a dun and a spinner (why take chances?) and these worked out very
well when the tricos (either dun or spinner) were on the water. The curseof
fishing very small flies is of course that they're darn difficult to see
when they're in the water. To make them easier to see I added a highly
visible "cap"of fiery orange Glo-Bug yarn just in front of the wing and
behind the head. What a difference that made! Now I could actually see these
little buggers from more than twenty feet away. Same with the little Baetis
(#18, 20). I tied these lovely little mayfly imitations in a parachute style
around a post of the same "hot" yarn--and with the same hot results. After
a few days of fishing tiny flies and 8x leaders I began to not only raise
fish regularly but learned to become quite a bit more delicate in my
striking and to actually land these fish instead of breaking them off.
(Remember, I had been used to the heavier leaders and generally less
delicate considerations of striper fishing, which I had been doing just days
before).
These experiences with tiny flies were not only
interesting from a fishingpoint of view but from a tying standpoint as well.
To tell the truth, I had neglected small-fly tying for much too long in
favor of the larger flies used in salt water (they were easier on my eyes
and fingers to tie). Since returning from Montana, however, I've found it
difficult to stop tying these little midgets, requiring as they do a whole
different perspective, proportion, and delicacy. Re-discovered joys that I
had too long put on the back burner. And so now I have an abundance of
Jassids, Trico, Firefly Baetises, and other tiny flies that I found
effective not only on my recent trip to Montana but which I've found
effective over the years in all parts of the country, wherever and whenever
trout are focusing on tiny flies. If you're interested in trying some of
these, read on; I've put together an assortment of the more interesting
flies.
Lake Fishing
In addition to fishing larger rivers and
smaller streams, I also spent several days doing some lake fishing, wading
the edges in the early morning or late afternoon in search of rising fish.
Hebgen Lake, Quake Lake, and some smaller lakes in the White Sulphur
Springs-Harlowton areaLake fishing presents some interesting challenges,
with hatches often sparser and more widely dispersed than in rivers and
streams and the fish thus less concentrated as well. If no rising fish are
visible then it's legwork and (educated) guesswork that pays off and a lot
of blind casting.
When no hatch is visible, I generally prefer to
fish either a streamer (Soft Hackle Streamer or BeastMaster) or if I want to
fish the surface or near the surface, a Trout Gurgler or a Gartside Bug. The
Gurgler, fished with short, quick movements will often attract trout from a
good distance and provoke some savage strikes when you're least expecting
them. I took many nice rainbows and browns on a Black & Tan # 8 Trout
Gurgler. When fishing the Gartside Bug I usually cast it to a likely spot
and slowly crawl the fly back to me across the surface or if that fails I'll
pull it under and then let it rise back up to the surface, a sometimes
deadly method to use whenfish are for some reason averse to taking a fly off
the surface itself.The Gartside Bug, by the way is tied in many colors and
sizes, but the sizes and colors that seem to work best for me on lakes are a
#8 or a #10 in black or tan & black, while the smaller bugs (#14-#18) seem
to work best in moving water.
Fly Tying Class
In addition to fishing while I was Out West, I
also conducted a fly tying class at the Trouthunters Fly Shop and Lodge on
the banks of the Henry's Fork in Last Chance, Idaho. It was a perfect day
for tying--torrential rains and high winds--and the class was a lot of fun,
with many fine tyers participating, including some guides who were off the
river because of the bad weather. Even had a chance to visit with two of the
world's best fly tyers and old friends, Bonnie and Rene Harrop, who stopped
by to say hello. What a special couple they are! Older fly tyers are well
aware of their contributions to the art of tying but for those of you who
are new to the sport, take this opportunity to familiarize yourself with
some of their interesting designs (and also some of Rene's unique art work)
by logging on to www.trouthunt.com
and if you're ever out that way, I heartily recommend stopping by the
Trouthunters Fly Shop and Lodge. It's a classy place run by classy people.
Tell 'em Jack sent you.
Boston Harbor Fishing Report
I wasn't back from Montana more than an hour or
so when my friend Dave Skok called and said "Let's fish." It was getting
late and I was tired but what the heck. And off I went to join him. Truth to
tell, I was too tired to fish for more than a half hour, just long enough to
watch Dave break his rod on a fish. Since then I've been fishing
pretty hard for the past few weeks in the waters around Boston Harbor. All
in all, the fishing has been a bit slower than I would have liked to see on
my return but there have been days when the fishing has been quite good
(it's most often a matter--as it usually is--of being in the right place at
the right time). While numbers are still down the size of the fish being
caught is certainly up and with Fall rapidly approaching the fishing should
really pick up. There's no lack of baitfish around (mostly silversides and
small bunker with some herring thrown in) and it's only a matter of time
before the stripers find them. Bluefish are plentiful right nowand are
busting up bait in many areas of the harbor: Quincy Bay, Dorchester Bay,
Winthrop, and around Constitution Beach in East Boston. I was out last night
(Sept. 7) and found numerous blues in the Court Road Channel, nothing big
3-4 pounds but lots of fun. Later as the sun was setting, my friend Mel
Harris, fishing in the inner harbor, started to connect with stripers,
catching them on almost every cast. His arm was so sore from fighting fish
that we left feeding fish shortly after nightfall to return another day.
This is a good sign that fish are starting to become active again after a
relatively slow couple of months. So, f you've found the fishing a bit slow
in certain areas, hang in there--good times are just around the corner!
ATTENTION CLUB MEMBERS AND CLUB
PROGRAM CHAIRMEN
Prime dates are going fast for the coming
Fall/Winter/Spring 2004/2005 schedule of club programs. If you or your club
is interested in having me put on a program or tying class, now is the time
to book it--while I still have some dates open. See website:
www.jackgartside.com for programs and rates.
NOTE TO FLYFISHING QUIZ ENTRANTS
The September/October Flyfishing Quiz is up on
the website. If you haven't entered before, give it a go. It's lots of fun.
And the prize, as it often is, is a set of five original fly patterns tied
by Jack Gartside.
Two New Classes Added in October!
Beginner's Class
I've had numerous requests to add a Beginner's
Class to my schedule of classes on Striper Strategies. The first one will be
held in Winthrop on Saturday, October 9 at 11 a.m. This class is designed
for beginners who are new to flyfishing or new to striper fishing in
general. Some casting ability--but not much--is required and personal
coaching will be an important part of the class. The focus of the class will
be geared towards improving existing abilities and to bring the participant
to a new and higher level of proficiency and understanding of the skills
necessary to become a successful flyfisherman. This class will be limited to
four people,first come first served. All you need to do is show up with your
gear and be prepared to learn--and to have fun. The cost is $150.00 per
person, with a $50.00 deposit required to register.
Flytying/Fishing Days
I've had several requests to combine in one day
a session of flytying followed by a striper outing, fishing the patterns
that we've just tied and so I've added a few dates in October to accommodate
anyone interested in participating. The flytying session will focus on
salt water fly patterns that will be particularly useful in the late
season:e.g. BeastMaster, Baby Bunker, Gurgler, etc. As many as we can tie in
what will be approximately a three-hour session, followed by a session of
striper fishing in the waters close to my home in Winthrop.This will be an
unusual opportunity to hone your flytying skills, learn a few new patterns
and techniques, and--who knows?--maybe even catch a fish or two. The class
will be open to beginners as well as the more experienced. Come one, Come
All! Just bring along your tying tools; I'll provide the materials.
Classes are limited to five people. The cost for
this day will be $150.00 per person, with a $50.00 deposit required for
registration.
Saturday October 16 Flytying/Fishing
Winthrop 12pm-6 pm
Sunday October 31 Flytying/Fishing
Winthrop 12pm-6 pm
Lessons in Successful Striper
Strategies
Striper Strategies/Tying Classes for
September/October, 2004
September, 2004
Saturday September 11
Winthrop 1.00pm-6.30pm
Tuesday September 14
Winthrop/Revere/Beaches 3.30pm-8.30pm
Saturday September 18
Winthrop 7.30am-12.00pm
Sunday September 19
Winthrop 7.30am-12.00pm
Saturday September 25 Winthrop/Revere
Beaches 12.00pm-5.00pm
Sunday September 26 North Shore/Ipswich
Bay 1.00pm-6.00pm
Wednesday September 29
Winthrop 3.00pm-8.30pm
October, 2004
Saturday October 2
Winthrop 7 am-Noon
Sunday October 3 Winthrop/Beginner's
7 am-Noon
Saturday October 9 FlyTying/Fishing
Winthrop 10 am-5 pm
Wednesday October 13
Winthrop 2 pm-7 pm
Thursday October 14
Winthrop 2 pm-7 pm
Saturday October 16 Flytying/Fishing
Winthrop 12pm-6 pm
Sunday October 17 South
Shore/Quincy/Weymouth 7am-Noon
Wednesday October 20
Winthrop 8 am-1 pm
Saturday October 23
Winthrop 11 am-4 pm
Sunday October 24
Winthrop 12 pm-5 pm
Sunday October 31 Flytying/Fishing
Winthrop 12pm-6 pm
About the Classes
Lessons in Successful Striper Strategies will
focus on how to consistently find fish; when and where to fish with the most
consistent results;understanding tides, currents, and structure and using
them to your advantage; finding the food that stripers feed on and
understanding the feeding habits of stripers throughout the season;
choosing--and using--the right fly; varieties of effective retrieves, as
well as many other practical and unusual tips for successful striper
fishing. In addition to learning a many useful tactics, you can also be sure
that we'll have a lot of fun in the course of the outing--and (who knows?
maybe even have an adventure or two. These lessons--unless otherwise
noted--are designed for anglers with some flyfishing experience, either in
salt water or in fresh. Participants should be able to cast a fly at least
40 feet, have some basic knowledge of equipment and terminology and be
comfortable in various wading and walking (and climbing) situations.
Although classes are held on the shore and on the water at a time when fish
should be rather plentiful, these are NOT to be considered guided fishing
outings as such but rather instructional sessions geared to help the angler
become more regularly successful as a striper fisherman.
The cost per session will be $150.00 per person and
will be limited to four anglers per session. $50.00 deposit required for
registration.Send check to Jack Gartside 14 Beach Road, Winthrop, MA 02152
PS I've been thinking of holding one of my
Strategies classes down on Cape Cod in October or early November. If anyone
is interested please email me and I'll set a date if enough people are
interested.
Boston Harbor Guide Available
My friend, Phil Klug, one of the best and most
knowledgeable of the Boston Harbor guides, informs me that he has a few
openings coming up in the next few weeks. If you want to be put into fish,
email Phil. His address is captklug@aol.com
NEW FLIES ON WEBSITE
We'll be putting a new article and some new
flies up on the website shortly so be sure to check out the latest additions
to www.jackgartside.com
Special Selections for September &
October
New Selection! Spring Creek/Small Trout Fly
Selection
This unusual, effective--and relatively
easy-to-see--selection of twelve small flies will appeal to those
hard-to-fool trout that often drive you crazy when they're feeding on
insects so small that you can hardly see them. This selection is especially
useful when fishing spring creeks or in low water conditions.
This selection includes:
2 genuine jungle cock Jassids, #20, #22
2 Original Hi-visibility Trico Spinnerduns, #20, #22
2 Hi-visibility Parachute Blue-wing Olive, #18, 20
1 Hi-visibility Gartside Elk Hair Caddis #18
1 Original Olive Sparkle Chironomidge Pupa #22
1 Griffith's Gnat #18
1 Original Gartside Bug #18
1 Original CPF Caddis/Mayfly Emerger # 18 or # 20
1 Orange/Grizzly Soft Hackle Fly, #18
Price: $30.00 plus $3.00 S&H Individual Flies:
$3.00 ea.
Trout Gurglers & Gartside Bugs
This selection is for those who dare to be
different--and want to catch fish when nobody else can! Try these on trout,
steelhead, salmon, bass or bluegills Fish them on lakes or ponds or
rivers--and watch the fish go bananas!
Each selection contains 3 Trout Gurglers and 3
Gartside Bugs in assorted fish-catching colors and sizes.
Price: $21.00 per selection plus $3.00 S&H
Individual Flies: $3.50 ea.
Seafood Salad Selection: Crabs, Shrimps & Worms
Here's a selection I'm offering for the first
time on an introductory basis. This selection contains imitations of three
delectable food types much sought-after by stripers, bonito, albies and
other gamefish.
Selection includes one Floating Crab, one
fast-sinking Crab Monster, two Crystal Shrimpies, one Shworm Worm, and one
Floating Worm or Worm Gurgler.
These flies should be part of every salt water
flyfisherman's repertoire. If you haven't tried these flies before, now is
the time to arm yourself for action!
Price: $27.00 plus $3.00 S&H
Fall Salt Water Selection (Northeast)
This special selection contains five original
patterns that are especially effective when fishing for stripers, bluefish,
albies, and bonito in the fall.
Each selection contains: 1 Soft Hackle Baby Bunker,
1 Gartside Gurgler,
1 Soft Hackle Herring Streamer,1 Secret Silversides,
and 1 small Floating Crab (especially effective on bonito and albies).
Price: $24.00 plus S&H
Gurgler Mania Selection
This selection contains a variety of Gurglers in
various sizes, shapes, and colors. Fish these for stripers, bass, salmon,
steelhead, tarpon, snook, redfish, or just about any other fish that will
take a topwater commotion fly. Each selection contains five
fish-catching Gartside Gurglers,including 1 Standard Gurgler, 1 very
slender Sand Eel Gurgler, 1 Soft Hackle Gurgler, 1 Crab Gurgler, and 1
standard-length Double Gurgler.
Usual Price per selection: $ 24.00 This month
only: $21.00
North of Boston Selection
This selection contains five original fly
patterns especially useful when fishing the waters north of Boston.
Each Selection contains
1 Blue/White Gartside Gurgler, 1 Soft Hackle
Mackerel Streamer,1 Gartside
Sand Eel,1 White or Chartreuse/White Soft Hackle
Deceiver, 1 Gartside
FishHead, and 1 small Crystal
Shrimp.
Usual Price:
$25.00 Price this
month only: $22.00
Bass & Panfish Selection
This unique selection contains 2 original (small)
Gartside Gurglers,
2 original Gartside Bugs, 2 Lollipop Bugs, and 2
Wooly Buggers in a
variety of sizes and colors that will bring in the
bass and panfish
when nothing else will.
Price: $20.00
plus S&H
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Selection (New
Selection!)
This selection contains five original fly patterns
(plus one Wooly
Bugger) sure to please even the finickiest
bass. Selection contains:
2 Bass Gurglers, 2 Gartside Bugs, 1 Secret Baby
Baitfish 1 New Wave
Soft Hackle Streamer and one Wooly Bugger.
Price: $23.00 plus S&H
Terrestrial & Bug Selection (New Selection !)
East or West, these original patterns really
come into their own
when the water is low and the hatches are rather
sparse. Each selection
includes a variety of useful and very effective
patterns plus three
fish-catching "bugs." Great for trout and smallmouth
bass and for any
fish that swims.
Each selection contains:
1 original Gartside Pheasant Hopper,1 Gartside Hi-Vis
Foam Hopper,
2 Elk Hair Ants, 1 Genuine Jungle Cock Jassid, 1
"Secret"
Foam Beetle and 2 original Gartside Bugs, one large,
one small.
Price: $25.00 plus S&H
Wooly Bugger/Sparrow Selection (New
Selection!)
Included in this selection are ten great subsurface
flies; five Wooly
Buggers five Sparrows. Tied in a fish-catching
assortment of sizes and
colors.Try one of these on your favorite stretch
of water.Guaranteed to
catch fish anywhere.
Price: $28.00 plus S&H
All-American Flies STILL A FEW LEFT !
Over the Fourth of July weekend I tied up a few
dozen flies to
commemorate Independence Day and gave them to some
friends to fish--
just for the fun of it. I have about six or seven
left of each. If you're
interested in obtaining some, let me know. I may not
be tying these
again until next July. These are not only great
fishing flies but are
also certain to become collector's items. Below is a
description
of each fly.
The All-American Gurgler is tied with three
layers of foam, one each
of red, white, and blue, with a white tail and
hackle palmering.
High-floating and high flying--a great surface fly
to use all the year
round--in fresh water or salt. Fresh Water Gurglers:
$4.50 ea (sizes 2
and 4 only). Salt Water Gurglers: $5.50 ea (Sizes 1
and 1/0 only)
The All-American BeastMaster General is tied
with a fluorescent
Silver Doctor tailwing, palmered white marabou
hackle (six feathers in
all), a collar of red deer hair, and a head of
clipped white deer hair.
This
lovely fly (without the red collar) has accounted
for most of the large
fish
Iıve caught so far this season. Itıs a fly with lots
of built-in,
fish-tempting
action that can be fished in a wide variety of
ways. Skitter it across
the
surface, pull it just under and let it swim back up
to the surface or add
a
split shot to your leader or use a fast-sinking line
to fish it deep.
Fish
it fast or fish it slow--it's almost impossible to
fish wrong. Sizes 1/0
and
2/0 (long shank) only. Price: $6.50 each
Add $3.50 S&H for any amount of
selections ordered.
BOOKS FOR SALE
The Flyfisherman's Guide to Boston Harbor (2004
edition)is now back
in print.
To order yours, please send a check for $29.95 plus
$3.50 S&H to Jack
Gartside
14 Beach Road, Winthrop, MA 02152 and I'll send it
right along.
Autographed, of course.
For my e-listers, I also have the following
books available at a
discount.
Fly Patterns for the Adventurous Tyer, Vol. I
and Vol. II $ 8.00
ea.
(Usually $10.00)
Flies for the 21st Century Usually $10.00
Your Price: $8.00
Scratching the Surface Usually $14.95
Your Price: $10.00
Striper Strategies Each $14.95 (I'm
running low on these
so I can't
discount them)
Striper Flies Usually $24.95
Your Price: $20.00
I've also discovered some first editions of The
Soft Hackle Streamer
pamphlet (only 500 printed). Yours for only $5.00
each (while they last).
Total S&H is $3.50 no matter how
many you order.
Well, I've come to the end of the page and my
fingers are getting
numb so I think I'll give the computer a rest for
awhile and go fishing.
So, until the next time,
Cheers--and Happy Fishing!
Jack Gartside
If you have any friends who might be
interested in receiving this
newsletter, please feel free to forward it on to
them. Or simply send
me their email addresses and I'll add them to my
mailing list.
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This newsletter comes to you directly from Jack
Gartside, 14 Beach Road,
Winthrop, MA 02152 Tel: 617-846-5984
http://www.jackgartside.com
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