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Thursday, August 26, 2021

New Hampshire and Maine Stream Tour

I thought I might drive to the White Mountains, but last night I found it's 86 miles to Mount Washington from here in Lebanon, Maine, and I just felt a two-hour drive a bit much. Especially since oil change appointments before the trip failed. I did further map research and headed out this morning to Milton, New Hampshire nearby. I was looking for Highway 75, and having not found it, decided to drive further up Highway 125, just in case I might find something else.

After two or three miles, I found the stream photographed above, and after a little doing, some access. Tannic water didn't surprise me. Nor did the temperature, which felt cool, but was probably 68 or even higher. Here in the south of both of these states, the terrain isn't mountainous, though there are some hills around Milton. The stream resembled the larger Salmon Falls River, where we caught smallmouth bass two summers ago. I cast a little beadhead on my two-weight fly rod, catching a chub. I found that floppy sole of my left wading boot dangerous, because when I waded upstream, it bent under.

Putting on my hikers as if I would go back down and wet wade in them, I thought it over. Prospects weren't good, and I don't fish trout when water temps get above 68, so I decided to continue looking for the smaller stream I had seen on the map. I did find Highway 75, but never found a steam crossing, driving on to Framingham. When I drove over a hillcrest, I saw a hill some three miles distant with a vertical elevation of about 800 feet, but I didn't find a road leading it's way, though I did find a stream similar to the one I had fished in Framingham itself. Eventually, access, too. It had flow but was flat and shallow. Water temp felt the same. I decided to pass on fishing it.

Things got interesting after I made a U-turn a few hundred yards after turning onto the road leading into Lebanon. I had noticed a little bridge over a side road to the right. I went down to the water and spooked a fish I thought was a pickerel, since it had been hanging out against the bank and slow-poked its nose forward. So I rigged up with my largest beadhead, which has a red head. A nice pool there below the bridge. I caught a chub, and then minutes later, hooked something that gave more resistance. At first I thought I actually had a brookie, though here, too, the water wasn't cold, and the stream slower moving on even leveler ground. A moment later it became clear I had my first chain pickerel on a fly rod. 

When my wife and I will be back up, no one knows. But I think if there's a next time, I'll head for the White Mountains. In 2009, Matt and I fished up there a gorgeous, cold, fast-flowing stream with deep pools--no tannic coloration, just gin clarity, full of brookies. I don't remember if we actually caught any and my fishing log is at home, so I can't check. Vaguely, I remember catching seven, though I would need to confirm that. Who knows what else I might find on the way there, and though I would pass on tannic streams like those I fished today, that was a real nice moment when I hooked the pickerel.  

The Stream near Framingham.

Near Lebanon, Maine

 

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Lake Hopatcong Report

Laurie Murphy:

Gabriel Kisiel while fishing with his dad had several nice hybrid striped bass, the largest weighing just over 8 pounds and a pickerel just under 4 pounds, caught on herring. Hybrids were also just starting to hit on liver. Knee Deep will be holding their Hybrid Striped Bass contest come Sept 18th & 19th. We saw some nice crappie this past week, hitting small rubber jigs or little herring. John Moran ended his week of fishing with a 3 lb 15 oz smallmouth bass. We are  open for bait, tackle and small boat rentals, 7 days a week from 6 am to 6 pm, and stocked up with shiners, fatheads, herring & worms should you need live bait. Have a great week ...


Sunday, August 22, 2021

Charter Cancelled


It did rain hard around 3:00 a.m., but it's not raining now after 5:00, and I feel disappointed that our Lake Hopatcong charter is cancelled. I was going to meet Brian Cronk just before 6 for some hybrid striper action. I would like to beat my six-pound best.

I did get out the other day. I don't always post after I go fishing, although usually I do, and in any case, every outing is marked in my private log. Fished the Passaic just after work before I drove home. Missed a pike up top, then after a few more pitches to the spot next to wood in the water, went on down below but not far from the bridge. When I came back, I twitched the #11 Rapala on top at the same spot again, and a little pike about 12 inches long leapt over it. Before I finished that retrieve, twitching it hard, a bigger one slammed it but I didn't get hooks set. Not a large pike but at least 18 inches.