Yes the broodstocks are still here on the Pemi. Despite a "not so great" season so far, because of changing weather and water flows, this one reminded me of the good old times. I started with nymphs and wet flies and that brought me a few regular size trouts.
Then I switched to streamers, as the sun was going down. A few rainbows gave me some thrills, as they were hitting the light streamer right at the surface, with splashes of their tails. Finally a big whirl and the back of the salmon breaking the reflection of the clouds stopped the time. I didn't feel the hit and I knew it didn't take the fly. The next 0.2 went by as I was begging for a second chance. Then came the shock in my line and the fight started.
The fish made back in the water I was thinking about how awesome would this be if the Merrimack and the Pemi were free flowing rivers, without the dams that killed the natural migration of the atlantic salmon....
I didn't have to much free time to go fishing over the past weeks. Finally, today I was able to get away for a couple of hours. Yesterday's rain didn't help too much, the flow on the Pemi being HUGE. However, the fish were there, waiting for me. As I was expected, they didn't go for the pink or orange, preferring more natural colors like yellow and olive.
The trip I'm gonna present now happened a couple of weeks ago, before the rain hit New Hampshire. I always wanted to fish the Pemi in Bristol area, I've heard about some big fish being pulled out of there. Also the area is stocked with broodstock atlantic salmon, and that is a fish I don't mind encountering.
I was surprised that despite a ton of bugs flying, there were no raises at all. The first fish I've caught was a fat rainbow that was hiding under at least 1o feet of water. I needed a tungsten BH nymph to convince it to bite. It looked like it stayed in the river for at list a year since it was stocked.
I moved a little bit and found the second rainbow, smaller but determined to fight for its life.
Than I hit the fallfish school. They were taking everything, including streamers, and were not shy at all.
I finished the night with a double, first of this year. Then I looked at the sky just to find another reason why I enjoy being outdoors.
As I was saying a few posts ago, the area below Eastman Falls Dam in Franklin is now fly fishing only. But guess what, wormdunkers are among us, they don't just break the law, but they litter too. I would love to here that one of this guys is paying a fine. So if you here about it, give me a sign, it will make my day.
Now back to fishing: first victim of the day was actually fall fish or chub as it's called in Europe. It took a decent size streamer.
The salmon came a little later, probably one of those stocked recently by Fish and Game. Nice fish, great fighter, 22"+. Untagged, and if they decided not to tag the fish anymore, I agree with it. Less harm to the fish.
After I released it, I noticed something weird to my line. At a closer look, I realized that the connector loop was actually destroyed in the fight. Now that is how an atlantic salmon fights!
I couldn't miss fishing in the first REAL day of spring. It's been more than 3 painful months since I had the last fish fighting at the end of the line. Hopes were up for today, as the temperatures climbed up to 64F (approx 18 degrees Celsius). Snow is still melting and the little brook coming off Chance Pond in Franklin looked huge. I'm surprised Pemi was not as high as I thought, and the water was pretty clear. But coooold!!!!!
I attacked the water with a couple of nymphs that worked pretty well last year. I usually combine a natural color with a flashy one. This time was an orange caddis with a hare's ear. I started to use a slighter longer leader, so the fly line doesn't even come out at all, which improves the contact with the nymphs and makes it easier to feel the strikes. First 2 casts I only hooked a branch on the bottom and then I had a surprise: someone was there today.
The piece of night crawler was still fresh and the hook was in perfect state. On top of that, there was a lead sinker hangin' in there (for the people that don't know this, using lead sinkers with a weight under an ounce is prohibited in NH waters since 2005). I'm not surprised anymore that someone is fishing with live worms in a salmon water where natural bait is strictly prohibited. Last year I fished there quite often and I've seen a lot of people breaking the law on that section of the Pemi in Franklin, fishing either with natural bait or with treble hook lures. What I haven't seen yet is a fish cop in the area. In my opinion, especially after the salmon is stocked, law enforcement should be really tough.
The next hook-up brought me a piece of wood from an underwater log. There was an entire sunken world on that piece of wood. I wasn't thinking that hydropsychidae larvaes are so active already.
As a result, the hare's ear gave its place to another BH nymph that imitates this bug closer. Good pick!!!! Just a few minutes later I feel the smooth take, I set the hook in a reflex and the game begins. I found myself playing my first fish of 2009, which happened to be an Atlantic salmon. Here is a little movie, with fragments of the fight and release.
The fish was in excellent shape, strong, and surprise: didn't have a tag!!!!! I don't think this makes it a wild one, but if it ever had a tag, it was gone and the skin healed without a trace.
I took a few pictures but I tried to limit the time this fish was handled as much as possible. However, the water is very oxygenated right now, especially right below the dam and the fish was quite fat, so I think it had a very good chance to survive. Once I put it back in the water it took off slowly. I returned to fishing with a big smile on my face. No more strikes, so I switched to a streamer, with no further success. I didn't matter. Now I can declare the 2009 fishing season is officially open for me!!! Not too long ago I was still thinking that I will have to wait until I go to Romania in May to catch some fish.
