Post by jlibs on Jul 30, 2007 9:32:42 GMT -5
Well, I have always wanted to fish the Battenkill for the experience and for nostalgia. AGMD was generous to guide me on a successful fly fishing outing and he graced me with interesting conversation and perspective.
I was immediately impressed with the river and the scene in general. There's something special about dirt roads, wooden covered bridges and a particularly wild place. The Battenkill seems to have it all.
I was concerned at first when we first got on the water when the thermometer read a warm 70 degrees on the surface in calf-deep water in direct sun. However, once we rounded the corner to shade and we fished the deep (did I say deep?) and very long ledge rock channels where there was no sight of bottom, the trout had excellent refuge.
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
AGMD's first trout of the day caught on his bak-o-lite impregnated 1950's (SWEET) Orvis boo rod and swung emerging traditional wet fly
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
A semi-closer shot of that first fish of the day.
We landed some browns and bows of smallish size. The fish fell off of our barbless hooks at our feet and swam away aggressively with no harm. We caught fish on nymphs, dries and wets. Most of the bugs were tiny, but not as small as on the Deerfield. I even caught a trout by accident with AGMD's boo while just holding the rod with a little line out down stream while engrossed in a conversation. The trophy brown of the day (long teens in inches) was caught by me on a size 12 2x long hare’s ear light tan dead drifted with a strike indicator.
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
JLIBS and AGMD taking a load off after a long afternoon/evening of fly fishing
We ended the day about 9:00pm. Ironically, I accidentally killed a bat flying overhead while casting (on the Bat-in'-kill). The bat hit the tip of my rod, fell in the water and drowned. Oops.
For those who have never experienced this river, it's worth the price of a license and the gas for the drive. Keep it wild!
JLIBS
I was immediately impressed with the river and the scene in general. There's something special about dirt roads, wooden covered bridges and a particularly wild place. The Battenkill seems to have it all.
I was concerned at first when we first got on the water when the thermometer read a warm 70 degrees on the surface in calf-deep water in direct sun. However, once we rounded the corner to shade and we fished the deep (did I say deep?) and very long ledge rock channels where there was no sight of bottom, the trout had excellent refuge.
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
AGMD's first trout of the day caught on his bak-o-lite impregnated 1950's (SWEET) Orvis boo rod and swung emerging traditional wet fly
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
A semi-closer shot of that first fish of the day.
We landed some browns and bows of smallish size. The fish fell off of our barbless hooks at our feet and swam away aggressively with no harm. We caught fish on nymphs, dries and wets. Most of the bugs were tiny, but not as small as on the Deerfield. I even caught a trout by accident with AGMD's boo while just holding the rod with a little line out down stream while engrossed in a conversation. The trophy brown of the day (long teens in inches) was caught by me on a size 12 2x long hare’s ear light tan dead drifted with a strike indicator.
Shot with C3100Z,C3020Z at 2007-07-30
JLIBS and AGMD taking a load off after a long afternoon/evening of fly fishing
We ended the day about 9:00pm. Ironically, I accidentally killed a bat flying overhead while casting (on the Bat-in'-kill). The bat hit the tip of my rod, fell in the water and drowned. Oops.
For those who have never experienced this river, it's worth the price of a license and the gas for the drive. Keep it wild!
JLIBS
