09.18.09 Chalky West Branch sends us to the Mainstem

Today I met up with friend and fly fishing writer Chris Roslan and we headed up to fish the West Branch of the Delaware. 

09.06.09 Adirondack fly fishing legend Fran Betters dead at 78

On September 6, 2009 Fran Betters, founder of the Adirondack Sport Shop and creator of the Ausable Wulff and Haystack series of flies, died at the age of 78. 

08.29.09 Fishing the West Branch hard, in hard rain

After a quick home inspection on the future lodge, I went fishing.

08.14.09 Making an offer for future-The Average Angler Lodge

Today we visited the Collins house once more and made an offer. 

08.12.09 Trip to the Adirondacks

Well, spent a great week up on Lower Saranac Lake. 

07.03.09 Finally fishing again, on the Willow

Finally the rain has stopped and some of our favorite waters have settled down a bit. This weekend I loaded up the gang and headed to stay at Creekside Cabins on the Willowemoc in Roscoe, New York. 

06.22.09 Rain, rain, rain

So much for trying to get out to fish or try the new drift boat. It looks like most of the waters that hold trout from New Jersey, to the Catskills, and even up to the Adirondacks are way up or unfishable. I have been watching the flows on Delaware system and the West Branch of the Ausable (WBA). The West Branch, which was at 260 cfs when I fished it in the beginning of May, hit 6,000 cfs on June 20th, and today is running 4,350 cfs at Hale Eddy. The WBA is high and a bit dirty but there are Drakes around and recent reports of Coffin flies at night. That will probably be my next trip, hoping that maybe this weekend I can get up there.

6.16.09 Joined up with Trout Unlimited, Jersey Shore Chapter

Tonight I was able to attend the last meeting of the year of the Trout Unlimited, Jersey Shore Chapter. It was held down at L&H Woods and Water in Wall. I met some of the members, had some pizza, and was able to cast for FFF Master Casting Instructor Jim Valle. Of course I was a little nervous demonstrating my home grown casting techniques of 18 years. After a few casts Jim was able to pick out some bad habits I had developed and in a few minutes was able to correct some things. I will most definitely be taking some private lessons with him in the near future.It was amazing to see and realize how many things I don't know about casting a fly rod. 

06.15.09 Gotta' love Simms !!!! I had too

Alright, this isn't the place where I will talk about products or services for free. If they want to advertise or be a sponsor, fine, BUT, and there's always a but. During our Willow weekend my brother Ryan used by Simms bootfoot waders that I bought a few years ago. Anyway, while he used them left sole fell off. No big deal. I sent it via the USPS figuring they would charge me whatever for the repair. Well today I got a call from the lovely Renee who told me the repair techs looked at it and decided they'll REPLACE IT. And that they'll REPLACE IT with Headwaters waders with the

 Muck boot foot. That's about $ 400.00. For that I am grateful, very grateful. And I am a Simms wader user. I currently use the Guide waders with the stocking foot boots. The news ones will be for the beaches and jetties. Thanks Simms!!

06.15.09 Giving the drift boat some love

After I got home from the SBR I had a few hours before I had to take care of some business, so I decided to give the drift boat a look over. There was water in the tubes inside the pontoons so I broke them down and got the water out and cleaned them with soap and water. Inflating the pontoons isn't that bad, the pump is dual action, so the air goes in when the plunger goes up or down. So I got it all together and it looks good, for sitting in a driveway! But I think the maiden voyage will be this weekend on fathers day. I am taking my brother and the girls and the kids to Prospertown Lake for some fishing. " Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip..."

06.15.09 Lots of rain = lots of water

I was up early this morning and figured I head up to the South Branch of the Raritan to give it an early morning shot. I ran out of tapered leaders last week on the Flatbrook so I planned in making my first trip to Shannon's Flies in Califon and check it out. I got there about 6:40 but he doesn't open till 8, and after looking the river from the bridge in town it didn't seem to be worth the wait. The river was up and stained. I headed to the Ken Lockwood Gorge to see what that looked like. There was a bunch of guys in the water on the lower stretch so I made my way up to the bridge. I had about a 4x tippet on an old leader I found in the bed of my pickup so I used that. I tried a hares ear below and then above the bridge, I had two flashes at the artificials but no takers. While there I met a couple of guys and we talked about the KLG, past and present. They weren't top happy with the road replenishment project that was just starting. Years ago a flood knocked out the dirt road that paralleled the river, since then it's been blocked off to vehicle traffic. I knew something was up when I pulled up and saw the big 

mounds of stone in the parking area. Allegedly, they are taking down trees in the parking area, putting down a gravel bed, and then paving the whole road along the river. These guys said the insects got much better when there was less traffic. A new macadam road won't help. It will increase water and dirt runoff, increase the silt build up and thus decreasing the insects, or they said. After a hour or so of fishing and shooting video I decided to make my way down to my favorite spot on the river. As usual I was the only one there. Here the river was up a bit and a little dirty. The birds were swooping down across the river taking caddis flies from the air. There must have been a half a dozen different caddis flies, in different sizes from 22's to 16's. I did find a lone isonychia- no doubt-because I bought it home and gave it the Caucci/Nastasi "Instant Mayfly Identification Guide" test. I usually carry it with me, but I'm always afraid I drop it in the drink and ruin it. Large hind wings, dark forelegs, pale middle and rear legs- isonychia! I am checking most of the bugs I find now because this is one area where I- 1) need improvement and 2) will really need to nail when I start guiding. I turned over some rocks and found some grannon larva in their neatly built chimney like houses. I fished for a bit with the hares ear and then switched to a sulfur emerger when I found that sulfurs, size 18's, were around.  My first one I lost on a poorly tied 7x tippet section. Next time I just tied it into the 4x or whatever it was down to and gave that a shot. I had another strike and then a few minutes later I released a healthy 12 inch brown. The bite must have been on because his belly was full, you could run your finger along it and feel it's stomach contents inside. The only other thing to say about this day was, I broke my ass falling down a stone wall built along the bridge. I mistepped and fell from the top about 15 feet down, hitting every rock on every bone in my body. Luckily I didn't have rod it hand! 

06.12.09 So many flies...so little time

I realized some things the other day while fishing the Big Flatbrook. I have way to many flies, not the right ones, and, my fly boxes are a mess. Why do I carry Hendricksons, every which way, when the Hendricksons are long gone? I figure the next big hatches I will catch are the sulphurs and isonychias, but those flies are in a separate storage container. So I've decided to empty my fly boxes and separate them putting them into a bigger plastic box ? Basically I am looking to sort the flies by their hatch schedule and keep them there until I need them. I'll see if that works. Funny thing- at one point- I had a small pile of flies- most of them size 12-14- that I still don't know what they are, or why I bought them. But I do know, on that day, before that hatch, that's what I was told or thought was going to work.

06.10.09 My inner boat captain comes out

So I guess after my drift boat purchase I was motivated to visit a purchase I made in 2003. During a tumultuous year back then I made a quick emotional purchase. I bought a 20 foot 1986 Marathon cuddy cabin. I used it for a season docking it in the Tradewinds Marina on the Shrewsbury River in Sea Bright. We did some fishing, cruised the rivers, and always hated coming in and trying to get it in the slip. The wind blows one way, the current the other, it was always hard. So the boat has sat in the elements for since 2004, and it wasn't pretty. The wood had rotted, there was standing water, and the tires were flat. So today my first mate, Erin, and I took the tires off, cleaned them up, and put them back on. We emptied the tons of pine needles, dead mice, and acorns that filled the interior. Lastly, we pulled her up and gave her a much needed bath. Surprisingly she cleaned up nice. My father has a mechanic that works at the shop where the boat is sitting and he has experience with marine motors. He helped me today and pulled the battery and placed it on a slow charge. Hopefully a new battery won't be the first buttload of money I'll have to spend to get her sea worthy. Even though I am a diehard trout fisherman, it seems silly not to expand a little and start to learn fly fishing in the bays and ocean. So it's been a week of boats, and tires- with the van known as Bertha gettting new rims and tires all the way around. I found a guy looking to unload the rims and tires- all four 100 bucks. I switched them out and then the old pitted rims and balding tires to a local recycler, he gave me 32 dollars. So Bertha got new kicks for a whopping $ 68.00. We'll see if the boat tires hold air when I go back tomorrow!

06.08.09 " Is that a shad?"....Nope

That was the question Tom asked me as he tried to focus on the large fish that swam in front of us in the Big Flatbrook. I could see a bit better then him as I was looking through my camera with a zoom lens with a polarizing filter attached. Throughout the day it was spotted throughout the pool, but it never seemed to be taking any insects. Judging by the other fish in the frame I'd say it's over 20 inches, maybe 22. It was a target to aim for. MORE TO FOLLOW

06.08.09 Now I am a guide..well sort of

So I went and bought me a 2 person pontoon guide boat, well it's really for Cindy!  I couldn't resist. After my latest trip to the West Branch of the Delaware when the river was running at over 2,000 cfs, I saw the need, well want, that I had. Not knowing pontoon boats, I gave my Dave Choinard down at The Tampa Angler the details for his opinion. At 630 am he wrote me back and gave me the thumbs up. So by 1030 it was loaded on the back of my pickup and heading to Nutley, where I was picking up Tom for a trip to the Big Flatbrook. 

06.06.09 Picked up an Orvis Silver Label TL 9' 5wt

I recently looked at my fly rod that I use most of the time. It's the one Fran Betters made me a few years back. Funny thing is I never really paid attention to the size, it's a 4/5 weight 7'6" mid flex. No wonder I have such a hard time making long casts on the West Branch of the Delaware. Last weekend I spent some time at The Beaverkill Angler looking at the new Orvis Helios. Nice rods, nice and light, out of my price range.  No fishing for me this weekend, it's been pouring the last few days, and now today it's bright sun and 150 degrees. I've just able to spend some time surfing the web. So I checked out Craigslist and searched New Jersey for fly rods. I found a woman in Matawan selling three Orvis rods, one a Clearwater, the second a Superfine 9' - 6 weight, and the last the 9' 5 weight. I picked up my reel at home and lugged Cindy and the kids up to check them out. After casting them all I decided to buy the 5 weight, for 100 bucks. Hoping to run up to Deposit tomorrow and hit the West Branch and use a new underwater housing I just bought for the Sony HDR SR-12 video camera. 

06.04.09 Here's "The Average Angler" logo !!

Well, here it is. After hours on Photoshop I think I have drawn up a logo for our company. Check. So the domain name is registered. Logo done. Time to go fishing !

06.03.09 Went for it in the rain

Another day, another shower. After a day of dad duties and some office work I decided to head to the South Branch of the Raritan for a little evening fishing. Yesterday my trip started out heading to the Musconetcong but we abandoned it halfway there due to the rain. Well, today was more of the same. While stuck in Route 287 rush hour trafffic the heavens opened up. This time I continued west. I got there about 630 and it was raining lightly, the water was a bit up and slightly stained. Birds were swooping down over the river taking march browns and sulfurs. The fish were busy also. I tied on a new leader with a 7x tippet and put on a light cahill. After a few casts I caught a nice healthy 10' brown at the start of some fast water. While moving downstream I took the temperature of the water, 62 degrees.  One of my casts was into the trees, but I still had my fly. Fish were working steady taking duns off the water and emergers in the faster water. The next fish I got destroyed the fly, so I went with a size 18 light hendrickson emerger. That was the fly of the evening. Cross current cast, proper drift, raise the rod at the end with a slow strip. Bam after bam. The birds were busier over the riffles so I worked there for awhile but had no takes, and didn't see any fish working. As the light disappeared I headed back up to the slower, wider water. The area where I had just caught a half dozen fish was alive again. I changed flies and went with a march brown wet. Same presentation, same results. They couldn't resist once that rod tip was slowly raised. I caught a bunch more until 830, then it got dark. I lost my way for a minute and paid for it by putting it in the tree behind me and then knotting it all up pulling it free. I tried to get the knots out to no avail. I cut my 7x tippet down to about a 4x and scrambled to get another emerger on. Forget it. I couldn't see it yet alone thread it. Shame on me, I always carry a light. There was enough light to see the fish turn it up a notch but not enough to continue fishing. Anyway, nice night, glad I came. Landed about 10 fish, one maybe 13 inches, missed about a half a dozen. Another lesson learned. If you're going out on the river after 6, make sure you bring a light!

06.02.09 Headed to the Musky but wound up at Sandy Hook

So after early morning school dropoffs my new fishing partner, Erin, who's been fly fishing for, say, two weeks, and I packed up and headed out to fish the Musconetcong. In doing this I would have had to blow off her swimming lesson at the local YMCA. As we approached the Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway it started to rain. A quick glance over to the western skies showed an ominous dark cloud filled sky. So we decided to put a fork in the trip out west and headed to the y for swimming. After the lesson we headed outside to nearly 80 degree temps and a blue sky. We stopped at home and made the switch from a 5 weight rod for trout to a 9 weight outfit for stripers and blues. I decided we'd hit Sandy Hook to see if any fish were in the surf. After a quick picnic, we headed out over the sand and picked a spot where people were fishing with clams and bunker. It has been a long while since I opened my fly wallet and put together my 9 weight Orvis rod. It was a beautiful day on the hook. The ocean side was clear and flat, with hardly any wind. There weren't any birds or fish in sight. I didn't even bother to tie on a fly, but I some time practicing my cast. I handed the rod over to Erin who practiced

 

stripping in some line. Luckily a couple next to us landed a 7.5 pound bluefish who took the front end a bunker. Erin was amazed and couldn't figure out why they just left the fish to flop

on the beach. She mustered up enough courage to touch it's tail and asked about the gills on the fish. It was fun. They also caught a spider crab that we checked for a bit before throwing back into the surf. This is a fishery I must start to investigate regularly. Even though I am a devout trout fisherman, the opportunity to catch big fish on a fly rod in my back yard shouldn't be wasted. I am only a few miles from the ocean, and it's easy enough to just take a quick drive down to see what's happening. Really, the first read is the parking lots, if there're full, then there's fish. So today I continued "guiding" my three year old in fly fishing in New Jersey, I guess she's my first client. After a few pics we headed out, surely to return. 

05.31.09 Wrapping up the Willowemoc weekend

I woke up this morning and found my brother had already left to go fishing. I went over to the Hazel Bridge to see if I could find him and if anything was going on. The birds were dancing in the air as tiny pale morning duns were providing a small but plentiful breakfast. I still didn't see any fish working. Last night a bunch of guys came to this pool and waited, and waited. A few drakes, some sulfurs, and march browns here and there, but no fish to be seen. On Saturday I did one at the start of some fast water on a hares ear, but that was it. There have been a few, very few, fish taken, and almost all on nymphs. The water on Friday was high, cool, and dirty. Saturday a bit less, still cool, and tea colored. Today, Sunday, the river dropped again and was clear, but still cool. It was perfect for a bird watcher. I have to say we enjoyed picking out mayflies coming off the water and getting picked off by the barn swallows. My brother fished the early morning downstream in front of the Creekside Cabins. He did get one on a brown stonefly nymph fished just outside the fast water. At the bridge I spoke at length with Gary, a New Jersey transplant, and seven day a week Willow fisherman. In short time he told me about the river, past and present, and about the fish, bugs, and fishermen who visit. He said when the fish are on it's possible to catch, he said, 40 fish on good day when the bugs and fish are on. Ryan and I gave it another shot before noon to no avail, but it's always nice to fish with my brother. He's six years younger than me and we have been fishing together since birth, starting on ponds in the Millstone of our youth. As our sibling reunion came to a close, we met at the bridge for a few pictures and to say our goodbyes.  My brother and his wife headed back to Jersey and my sister and her man back to Saranac Lake. This trip was a Christmas gift to my brother and I from my sister. What a great present it was. It's always nice to spend time with them. Life just goes so fast. Hopefully this will be the start of an annual tradition. But we did all agree, that next years trip wouldn't be held on the banks of a trout river. After the goodbyes Cindy and I spent some time in Roscoe before heading back to Jersey. We stopped in to say hello to Mary Dette and pick up a few flies. I always like to support her shop. On the way out we stopped and fished at Covered Bridge in Livingston Manor. Like downstream, there wasn't a fish working. I ran a nymph through the fast water but had no takers. This weekend we caught the rain just wrong, but it is good to get water in these rivers. I just wish it wasn't so much and so quick. Even though it was a tough few days fishing, I did learn some things; a wading stick and a belt are a must on unfamiliar high water, I shouldn't blow by the Willowemoc on my way to the West Branch, and how much I enjoy spending time with my brother and sister and our mates.

05.29.08 Lotsa water on the Delaware and whitecaps on the Willow

Today Cindy and I headed for a weekend at the Creekside Cabins on the Willowemoc Creek in Roscoe with my brother and sister and their better halves. We traveled up early so I figured we would check out the West Branch of the Delaware before checking in. On our way up it was obvious the area had recently seen some hard rain, more then we saw in New Jersey. The Willow and Beaverkill were up, way up, and clearly unfishable. A few dedicated, or desperate, anglers hugged the banks just trying to wet a line. The West Branch was up to 1,800 cfs, and there was more rain on the way. We stopped by the West Branch Anglers resort to see how things have been and to get a few flies. Larry said things had been pretty good before the hard rain the last two days. He said Wednesday the 26th was one of the best days he's had on the West Branch in some time. Green drakes were coming off, and big fish were on them. I picked out some March Browns and a few Sulfurs in hopes that the water would settle down and clear up while we were up for the weekend. Larry, being the good salesman, got me for five drake patterns, just in case. Cindy and I went up to Deposit and checked out the no kill at Route 17. Again, there was lots of water. Between the rain, runoff from Oguaga Creek, and spillage over the top of Cannonsville the water was way up. Some float boats were camped in the area of the water treatment plant throwing wooly buggers and muddlers, but we didn't see any fish caught. There was a sporadic sulfur hatch, and there were a few fish taking them. We drove up to Stilesville and found the bulk of anglers that were on the river. Of course being above Oguaga, the water was a bit lower. We pulled into the parking area and just as we did the skies opened up. Great-more rain. We took a quick tour through Deposit and headed back down 17 and pulled into the Gamelands to see if we could catch some drakes on the water. There were a few cars in the parking area on the other side of the railroad tracks. Some boats were in the water anchored in the tail of the large pool there. From a distance we could see them casting to rising fish. We tried to get over and around the beaver pond but it was flooded out. I set up my video camera to watch as they fished the pool opposite the trailers, but when I looked up the rain that was coming down in Stilesville had made it way down to where we were. So much for that, and the drakes. The skies were clear as pulled off of Route 17 and into Roscoe. We drove over to the Beaverkill and found a few brave souls throwing metal at the Junction Pool. It was unfishable. High, fast and dirty. We made our way to the Creekside Cabins and found our stretch of the Willowemoc at the Hazel Bridge Pool in the no kill section. When we first got there it looked like it might be okay in a few hours if the rain held out. It was up, cool, and tea colored. Then the rains came, and came. That last bit put a fork in it for the day, and for Saturday- but we hoped that we might get a shot Saturday night and into Sunday. 

05.27.09 It's raining trout

"when the rain comes, they run and hide their head, might as well be dead" those are the lyrics to the Grateful Dead song, "Rain". That song came into mind today while fishing the Gray Rock Road bridge on the South Branch of the Raritan River. 

05.25.09 Cleaning up my computer on Memorial Day

First, today is Memorial Day, a sincere thanks to all who have died while serving in the United States military. Their selfless dedication and sacrifice for our country make it possible for me to sit here and think and write freely about whatever and when ever I choose, even fly fishing. I am sitting here in my home office trying to find an image file on my desktop. Forget it. I can hardly see the screen behind the folders and invoices and images. I did find a folder titled Minipi. Inside are the pdf's from the article Chris Roslan and I did for Eastern Fly Fishing magazine that ran in September 2008. Chris is a regular contributor to the magazine and in July 2007 we traveled up to Labrador Cananda to fish the Minipi System for monster brook trout. We stayed at Cooper's Minipi Camps and experienced big fish, in big water, on big flies. Here's the how story and images ran-

                                                          

  

  

   

 

05.24.09 My thoughts as "this thing of mine" begins

     Well during my down time, outside of kids, work, and my woman- I have been researching and trying to figure out how to get this thing of mine going. First, I need to define what "this thing" will be. My goal is to become a fly fishing guide- concentrating on the waters in New Jersey, the Catskills and the Adirondacks. There's no rush, there's more that I don't know then I do. But I would like to think I can take small steps that will eventually lead me to my goal. This blog is a small step, but one that I am enjoying. It would just be like me to drop everything and dedicate my mind and body to it around the clock. I have done it before, with the kids, with work, and in relationships. It's that balance, like a good fly rod and reel, that I need to find. I usually try to plan and rush things, focusing on the end instead of enjoying the moment. Focusing on the take and the catch and release-rather then the correct knot, fly and perfect cast. I am that type that will find a fish working, and stay on him for hours- throwing everything I have at him-instead

of picking my head up to enjoy the scenery or even  acknowledge another fish working at my heels. I love to fly fish, I don't even need to catch. On my last trip to the West Branch Matt Batschelet of the West Branch Angler Resort put it best, " As long I have targets to cast too-I am happy". That was well put and true as we discussed the sporadic rises during a heavy caddis hatch. 

     In my professional life as a photographer, technology has changed it all for me, maybe even ruined it. With point and shoot cameras, ease of transmitting pictures, and the web changing the rules of engagement, I have started to loose the confidence in my abilities and the industry as a whole. The newspapers are on life support, budgets are tight, words and images have lost their monetary value in this free information age of linking, sharing, and networking. I know it's changed everything, not just journalism. My friend, Dave Chouinard, who opened The Fly Hatch in Red Bank in the early nineties, can attest how technology has hurt the local fly shop industry. The internet and ebay was a double edged sword. It changed businesses and the men and women who worked them. Dave is a fantastic caster, fly fisherman, shop owner, and guy. During the years the shop moved to Shrewsbury, and it was a great place. Stocked to the gills, with everything you needed for the stripers at the Jersey shore, bonefish in Andros, trout in the Adirondacks, and every possible material you needed at the vice. The only thing missing was a blue ribbon fishery in the backyard. Around here the stripers, blues and albies come and go. The regulars and fans were just that, but guys are guys, and consumers are consumers. They appreciated the shop and the staff, but still surfed the net for a deal. Money is money. I worked there on and off for a few years before he closed. You could tell the guy that was coming in to test a Sage rod before he bought it online. He acted funny. Non-committal, maybe even a little guilty. But it was what it was. And so eventually he closed. He packed up his wife and two kids and moved to Tampa, and opened The Tampa Angler. A year round fishery consisting of reds, snook, and tarpon. I hope to visit him this year. We haven't fished together for two years, our last outing was a day trip to the Black River in New Jersey in the waters of a private fishing club he belonged to. We had a great time, and lost count of the fish we caught that day. I am sure he will be a huge success down in Florida, and I always wish him well. 

     On a different note, I was saddened to learn earlier this year that Fran Betters was not doing well. I know he has been sick the last couple of years, but now he is on hospice care at home. I read a letter he recently put out looking for someone to buy his shop. It was a sad read.  I remember talking with him at his old shop about passing on the torch. How he needed to find a young apprentice and pass the legacy on. He asked if I wanted to buy it- that he would stay teach me until I was ready to go at it alone. I was humbled and honored, just at the thought of it.  The Ausable Wulff, the Haystack, the Irresistable, and so much more.  Has anyone done more for fishing the West Branch of the Ausable than Fran? Maybe there is, but I don't think so. Sadly I think that Wulff will sink forever when Fran makes his last cast into his favorite river, and it is his river.

05.22.09 Assunpink Creek-and a bag of corn

I was on my way to shoot an assignment at Mercer County Park when I saw the stocking signs on some trees along Old Trenton Road. After shooting the job, high school crew nationals, I stopped by to take a quick look. It was kind of a neat setting. A small parking area surrounded by tall pines and a path that led down to the water. As I made way down I saw a bright bag sitting on the banks. Before I approached to check it out further I waited a minute to see if there was any sign of life above or in the river. I watched the water, but couldn't help trying to read the writing on the bag- then I got it- cut corn. I guess that's what gets them here. The water was stained and dark, with no signs of life. It was a pretty setting- but I

                                            

couldn't get into it, the bag of corn ruined it for me. As I walked a little bit downstream a large crane took off from the shallows, startling me for a minute. There were trees alongside the stream and their branches hung over the water. I trained my eye on a branch and saw what could be a tasty meal for any trout set up underneath it. A large fat gypsy moth sat motionless on a bare branch. 

                                              

Now that is a terrestrial! But I guess this water is typical of New Jersey and put-and-take trout fishing. I can't imagine any trout surviving a low-water high temperature summers day here. There is plenty of cover, but between the cranes and the corn, I think holdovers are out of the question.