NH on fire

[uptonfloyd]

The water in the Lakes Region of NH is perfect this week.

My buddies and I have been taking turns running up to the Lakes Region chasing salmon and rainbows. And this week the place is on fire...

Don't ask for UDL. But know that if you want to catch a great fish (my friend landed five landlocked salmon yesterday -- including a five-pound plus monster with the smallest being 17-inches -- while I had to settle for three rainbows of 17- 21- and 23 inches), pick up your rod and get there. These fish will be headed for deeper water soon as, given the low water situation, the lakes will heat up pretty quick this spring.

And don't forget your bead-headed wooley buggers

[Jackie Chan]

Upton-
I know of what you speak- last week pulled a 5lb rainbow from there, only it was on a nymph pattern.
Jackie Chan

[uptonfloyd]

Good for you, J Chan!

I fish buggers because that is what I know how to tie. People see me catching fish and ask what I'm using. When I tell them wooley buggers, they invariably ask if the fish are biting on anything else. How would I know, I answer, I started catching fish on wooley buggers 20 years ago and haven't changed flies yet...

Scary how fast the times will change. I'm desperate to get back there because I know this season will be short...at least near the surface.

Best of luck...

[albacized]

I know what you mean. I started learning the true value of the wooly bugger two years ago. Prior to that, I had always regarded them as a panfish fly. LOL.

[Jackie Chan]

With high waters I find Woolley Buggers a necessity in the spring. I tie them with ALOT of lead around the body to get them down deep and for a fatter profile. Add a prince dropper off the back and hold on...

[NatickDave]

I invariably fish a wolly bugger (usually black) as one of my tandem nymph flies, and it is usually the one that does the catching. If I could choose one subsurface pattern to fish, and nothing else, it would be a bugger.

nd

[uptonfloyd]

My primnary colors are olive and brown. But I did catch one of my big rainbows on one that was red and white the other day...a recipe hatched when my pre-scholer came home with some arts and crafts thing that dropped colored feathers all over the kitchen floor.

And I have tied much bigger buggers in the past to catch schoolies in the rivers (white and gray)...

I tie two kinds of flies...buggers and clousers. And I make poppers for surface slams. I know the guys who are good can ie up just about anything...but with these few patterns, I feel I can catch anything...

[albacized]

That's my problem. I try to tie many patterns experimentally but always use the same ol' proven patterns...wooly bugger, clouser minnows and lefty deceivers. The only time I fly fish with another pattern is when I'm going after bones and albies at the Cape. And even then, a lot of times I still fall back to using a deceiver, although I make up some zonker/epoxy concoction that works well.

Those other experimental flies do make good bluefish flies, however ;)

[stingray]

Went to my local favorite trout pond on Friday in NH and was confronted by a fish and game warden who stated "the trout waters of the state are not yet open to trout fishing". :eek: He went on to say to check your fishing abstracts for further info. He was right, 2006 trout season does not open til April 22nd (the fourth Saturday) on state recognized trout ponds and lakes. This is the first year of the new rule. Bummer, had the whole place to myself to.... --124-3