Welcome to Summer Solstice and the beginning of that grand old season of long, lazy days and soft, warm evenings. I am more than pleased to be here to enjoy it! This is actually my sixth summer here in Crooked Eddy, though 2018 was the year without fishing. I think of the milestone more appropriately as my fifth summer of stalking wild trout as a Catskill resident. I had no clear idea how long I would be around when I retired and am grateful for each of these little mileposts I pass. Living amid these mountains and their rivers and fishing and hunting has proven to be far better for my health than working ever was.
I was at my tying bench come half past four this morning. The flies have been tied and the tackle has been prepared for the day ahead. Just about now, one of my best friends is making sure his truck is loaded before turning the key and heading north to our meeting on the river. It looks to be another beautiful 75-degree day, the winds blessedly down: a fine day for stalking trout and sharing memories!
The rod I have chosen for this first day of summer is all Catskill, by way of Maryland and Montana. During the lockdown of 2020, I corresponded with Jerry Kustich about a couple of ideas I had for the perfect summer fly rod. We both have a fondness for pents, five strip bamboo rods that have a somewhat unique casting action. Jerry is just the man to put those thoughts into action. One of the founders of Sweetgrass Rods with Glenn Brackett, Jerry has been designing five strip fly rods for a couple of decades. He told me that a great eight-foot four weight taper was an admirable goal and accepted the challenge of designing a pent to fit my casting and fishing preferences. He did an admirable job! Glenn finished the rod at the shop in Butte, Montana and I have enjoyed the fruits of their labors thoroughly for the past two summers.
I trust that JA will be carrying his own eight-foot four weight, another amazing rod split, planed, glued, and wrapped by his own talented hands. The brownies don’t have a chance!
We are hoping that a few mayflies will make their appearance during the course of our foray to bright water. Bugs seem to have been pretty scarce on some of our rivers here of late. If they don’t oblige, we both have a bit of Cumberland Valley experience to fall back on.
Maybe I will tie a few more flies just to be sure…
Bright Waters Catskill 