I am working my way through the withdrawal that challenges each autumn, taking small steps toward some kind of normalcy. I began the long overdue process of reorganizing my tying room for winter yesterday, by getting rid of some of the accumulated non-fishing materials. There is a lot more work to do.
I sorted through some of my hooks, hoping to order a substantial re-stock of the Sprite dry fly hooks I have used over the past few years. It seems my only choice is to place an international order and the shipping aspect makes it less than feasible.
I have been thinking ahead, intrigued by the success of the A.I. flies I tied and fished this season, I am planning to expand the idea into a series of patterns for several hatches. My Translucence Series will get some adjustments as well, including some refinements to a few of the silk dubbing blends. Experimenting with trout flies is always a big part of my winter sustenance for the soul.
This was my second season tying and fishing the smallest 100-Year Duns, sizes 16, 18 and 20. The design has proven itself to be highly effective in taking selective trout, in fact one of the most impressive tests came during the peak of the Hendrickson hatch. There was one fish sipping in a nearly impossible lie that wouldn’t look at a Hendrickson. I calmed my enthusiasm enough to take note of the fact that I had not seen that trout take a live Hendrickson, despite their predominating numbers. There had been a couple of brief appearances of blue winged olives during the day, so I offered that trout a size 18 100-Year Dun and landed the best brown of the spring!
Ah experiments! What to do this winter: a size 22 100-Year Dun? No, I think 20 is the practical limit for a wood duck feather wing. Perhaps a minuscule Century Dun? There is no telling what the Winter madness might spawn!
Bright Waters Catskill 