Snow Geese and the bad rap

With most days spent in the field pursuing waterfowl this time of the year ,there is one bird that will always give me a huge rush of adrenaline, the majestic snow goose. Unfortunately many hunters choose to bash these birds before they even get familiar with them.Yes these birds can be tricky compared to any other waterfowl, however the rewards of laying in decoys with a tornado of thousands of these birds wanting to land on top of you will leave you speechless. I have heard many negative comments from these birds wont decoy, to they taste awful. I can tell you after spending many years pursuing them these comments are completely false. Most often the sources of these comments have very little or no merit to base this on. A couple of reasons these birds can be hard to fool is the fact they stay in huge colonies most of the time, also their age some living 20 years one old wise bird in a flock is all that's needed to make the rest of the flock steer away from your decoys.

Many non hunters are quick to ridicule the very liberal bag limits. Ducks Unlimited biologist have been studying these birds on their arctic breeding grounds for years, and the damage they have done to their own habitat being a root eater is incredible. They are destroying there own breeding grounds. So get out and hunt these beautiful birds to avoid having the extremely low populations of the past,due to a population crash,and why not its fun.

For you do not  need hundreds of decoys to fool these birds I have used hundreds and often  use 50 or less.Below I will list some important details for decoying these birds successfully.

1.Scouting
2.Wind, and cloud cover
3.Concealment
4.Decoy variety, silhouettes, landers, movement within decoys (example) windsocks
5.Flagging (essential)
6.Focus on small flocks singles, doubles
7.Read your birds (example) Single vocal bird circling your spread when he talks you talk back with  your call.
8.Have patience

I hope these tips help lead you to successful days afield.Checks snow geese pics post to add some fuel to your fire.

Snow geese pics

More puppy pics,enjoy.

What about the puppy?

We will be trying to post pictures of our now 15 week old Labrador retriever puppy Mel on here.Mel  is coming along well,and should be a wonderful hunting retriever.

Mel is crazy about retrieving frozen birds, bumpers,likes water, sits well,and has built a very strong bond with me.

Enjoy these pictures for I am sure this puppy was enjoying making them possible for you.

 All great puppys deserve a mouthful of Chukar partridge.

 Mel in hot pursuit of a flying Chukar,that did not get far with her on the chase.

The second season report.

Take a kid hunting,and someday they will turn into something kinda like sasquatch walking through the woods.Pass it on.

With the second parts of our duck and goose seasons having begun,also chasing upland birds most days of october,I cant help but count my blessings.

The hunting has been wonderful,I have felt very fortunate to be able to hunt with many special people,great dogs,and also have some productive hunts.

Now that I am getting much better with all this technology,I will try and share some pictures of what were up to these days.Here are couple from past summer,guiding,retriever training demos,and also my Labrador  retriever Chase with a mouthful of Mallard to keep him happy.

Cast and blast

With the start of many hunting seasons opening this past week,and many more to come,we are pulled many directions as trout fishing opportunities exist,and landlock salmon have started there journeys upstream.

Weather is quite mild past couple days, off and on showers high 50's air temp,water levels med to a med-high in most waters, with water temps in high 40's to low 50's.

Landlock salmon fishing is very good in many waters now such as the Boquet,and the Saranac rivers.I have found  streamer fly patterns such as Mickey Finn,and Magog Smelt in a rather large size to be very effective on fall landlocks,maybe #2 #4.

Whats next?

With past couple days getting cooler with either showers or drizzle water temps dipping into mid 40's,has not seemed to affect angler enthusiasm.Many of  us just do not know what to do first,fish or hunt.Why not both?

Are work is never done

Last 2 days , evenings not to cool,a little splash of rain last night,mostly cloudy today unlike yesterdays bright day.River temps still mid 50's to low 50's.

Fishing is very good in the West Branch of the Ausable as we speak.Lately in between training retrievers,preparations for the hunting season,and guiding anglers on the rivers,I have been enjoying some of the fall brook trout fishing, as these fish start to wear there fall colors so brightly.

The season of the olive

Rivers are cooling to a mostly constant temp throughout the day,temps around mid to high 50's.Partly sunny, cool breezy today, air temp high 40's to mid 50's, river level up some from yesterdays occasional showers.

Lots of caddis,and blue wing olives,with blue wing olive nymphs being a good option lately.You also will find big stonefly nymphs,isonychia nymphs,and big streamers to be a  good choice.

Cool fall day

Dry day today air temps in mid  50's,water temps the same as air,mostly sunny,a few clouds.River is running high,off color  today,should drop down a good bit by tomorrow.

Rainy days

With bright blue day yesterday, low water again,nice to see some rain and,cloudy skies today.Water temps back into low to mid 60's tomorrow  is supposed to be the same weather,good rains to fish in.

Myself personally love to fish in warm rains like this,most often in these type of conditions,sub surface fishing is fantastic.

Puppy Time

As many of you know I live a  24/7 sporting life,and feel very blessed for this.With fly fishing being 1 of my 2 major components that make this wonderful life up, the other being dog training with a passion for retriever training for hunting,hunt test,and field trials.With winter putting me on xc skis 6 days a week coaching,and mixed martial arts year round,I find it necessary to have dogs in my life to balance things out.

This is why I have a new  female black lab puppy,she just turned eight weeks and is adjusting very well to this 24/7 life.As I always enjoy reading pedigrees,following field retrievers all over the country,I am very confident in my choice, I am excited to have a new student, and she seems to be excited too.

She is showing great qualities already,loves to be with me,loves birds,loves retrieving,and loves everyone.I have gave her the name Mel,she should be a great companion,hunting dog,hunt test dog,and field trial dog.I will keep you posted on her progress.


For those of you looking for a purebred sporting breed, for a companion,hunting,hunt test,or field trials,I would be glad to help you in selecting the rite breeders for you.I am very well connected with  many breeders,trainers,and have a good handle on what many are breeding.Feel free to call or email with any questions.

Many fish stories

Past two days much cooler air, water temps dipping into  mid 50's again.

As I continue to enjoy wonderful fall fishing,I have been fortunate to take some large colorful fish,the past week.Talking to many other local anglers I am repeatedly hearing the same,this is fall when big browns are ready to fight.

Get out and enjoy some of these final months of fishing on Adirondack waters.

Fall colors

With past couple days humid,no rain, river is at a low level,and water temps in the low to mid 60's.Strong Isonchyia  hatches on many parts of the river last couple of days.

Browns are coloring up nice in there fall spawning colors,some beautiful colored up fish the past couple days being taken.

Cool Down

With river levels dropping so are temps, river temps now from mid 50's to low 60's,fishing can be good all day.Air temps dropped considerably past 2 days,with today's high temp in mid 50's, and air temps in the 30's tonight , starting to feel like fall.

Up and down

River levels were up again this morning,after last evenings thunderstorms.Cooler evening last night,bright dry day,less humid than past few days.River is dropping,comfortable wading though.

Streamers great options under current conditions.

Like new

River is in very nice shape for wading,and fishing.River levels have dropped considerably,with a afternoon thundershower having rolled in as we speak.Water temps mid to low 60's,and air humid temps 75 degrees.

Good soaker last night

Finally some good heavy rains last night,bringing some cooler air temps with it, water temps in the low to mid 60's.River levels are rising and off color as we speak,and should drop considerably by tomorrow.


Great day for stonefly nymphs, and streamers with today's conditions.Tricos are starting to taper off now, with the past week showing much  more Isonychia activity,this rain  should really help these bugs to be plentiful in weeks to come.

Who stopped the rain

Very warm week,with rivers begging for rain although last night,and today a little cooler.Fishing best in am.

Lazy days of summer

With heat having set in over past couple days,early morning fishing best again,water temps have reached upper 60s by later day.Some rain and cool nights would be welcome.

Tricos in am,flying ants,hoppers,streamers,will be best fly choices.




       

Predators

With water temps in high 50's to mid 60's,browns are starting to aggressively attack streamers.Rivers are a little low,however getting a few good showers today.

Flying ants in big numbers

Lakes, ponds,rivers starting to see big numbers of flying ants.Today's bright sun should really get flying ants active, these bugs seem to be very dense under these conditions in early evening.Trico spinner falls lasting much longer most mornings,with spinners starting to fall around 7 am and lasting at least a couple hours.

Water temps still holding in low 60's to mid 60's,water levels very comfortable for wading.

On the rite track

With days and nights gradually getting cooler,temps holding in mid 60s most of the day.Starting to see a few more isonychia mayflys each day,lots of hoppers,and plenty of tricos.Overcast days to complete this wonderful picture.

Happy fish

With past days scattered showers water is starting to penetrate river well,a few less sandbars visible.Fish seem to be very active not only with more water,more comfortable temps,also warm rains,conditions I find to be very favorable.Water levels are very good for wading,water temps low 60s to mid 60s.

Good soaker,not much sun

Temps becoming more comfortable each day,browns getting more aggressive.Water temps low 60's in am to mid 60's,water temps did not warm up too much today.Good hard thunderstorm this afternoon dropped a good deal of rain quick.

Keep your nose of my trico

Very warm again,however I am noticing fish poking there nose up to eat trico spinners for longer periods of time in the morning,over the past week.

Will see what next couple of days brings.

Nice and cool after some Dog days

After a weekend of constant heat woke to a very cool morning, dropping temps in the rivers,this as well as yesterdays late thunder showers, will hopefully bring us closer to some more common late summer conditions.

Flying Ants starting to show up,these insects can be very abundant during early evenings on bright days.Trout love them windshields do not,they can be like peanut butter sticking to your windshield as you drive alongside stretches of the Ausable in the early evening.Fishing a flying ant pattern next morning after can be very productive,or even a ant fished as a nymph

Hunting Retriever training demo With Ken Kalil this Saturday August 4th at the Adk Mueseum in Blue Mt Lake/ fishing report

I will be doing 3 hunting retriever training demos about 20 to 30 minutes long this weekend August 4th at the Adirondack museum in Blue Mt Lake New York.This event is part of the museums Dog Days of Summer event,with many dog related activities throughout the day for all dog enthusiast.We feel very fortunate to have another time slot this year.10:30am,1:30pm,3:30pm

Hopefully goes as well as last year for us,with last years highlights not only were we able to display what a well trained hunting retriever can do.We also were able to take a younger dog and teach him hand signals for the first time in the water,and this young hunting retriever did awesome.Both Chase,and Benny loved the work,and drew many applause.

 Fishing Report

Fishing has not changed much since last report,with early morning Trico spinner falls consistently.

For catch & release fishing,being off the water by noon is smart for just hooking, and fighting fish can kill them in water temps of afternoon.When fishing under current conditions it is wise to use the heaviest tackle possible.Many times changing  your approach while presenting your fly will allow you to get away with heavier tippets,and leaders than most are using.Fluorocarbon leaders,and tippets are great for this,being not as visible to the fish.Streamers have been good option this time of the year and allow you to fish 3 and 4x tippet sizes.

Been fishing trout myself this week very early,however getting some great reports from some close fishing friends,of incredible Smallmouth Bass fishing on the Saranac river system this past week.

little more rain/nights getting cooler/brown trout coloring up a little

Daytime heat still a little strong,occasional showers last night, water temp 60s in morning are keeping trico hatches at a reasonable am hour.Most days to be in river by 7am is good,spinners seem to be falling on the water between,7:30 and 8:30am.

Starting to notice color on some brown's  slowly coming out more,being fall spawners we should see them slowly brighten more, and get a little more aggressive over next 3 to 4 weeks.

Keep your eyes open for some of the the best insect hatches of the year should be showing,towards last half of August.

Rains were helpful

 Temps in high 50s to mid 60s.

 Fishing is good all day with terrestrials,stonefly nymphs,olive caddis pupa,and streamers being good fly patterns                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

River report/ Lake Champlain Retriever Club AKC Hunt Test tommorow through Sunday

For those of you interested in hunting retrievers,or just love dogs this is a event to see.This event will be located at the Dead Creek WMA in Addison Vermont.With many of the best handlers,and dogs in the country,in attendance should be a great event.

This weekend I will not be running a dog,as I have in the past.These events require a extraordinary  amount of work to put on,I will be taking on some of this effort,with the help of many other dedicated club members,and volunteers.

I am sure some dogs that are not running,such as mine will find a way to sneak a few ducks for themselves.Were there is a will  there is a way,for this is all these dogs can think about in between retrieving ducks,were is the next retrieve.

Please feel free to contact me in anyway regarding this event,as I will be at this event this Saturday,the day of most activity.This event will begin  Friday the 27th of July and runs through Sunday July 29th.

Fun times Great people.



RIVER REPORT

Nice rains have shaped up fishing well river temps in high 50's to mid 60's, river is rising still very nice level for wading.

Feeding frenzy

With no rain since last Tuesdays raging thunderstorms,Ausable could use some water.Morning water temps in mid to high 60s, making early morning best time to be on the water.

Fish are consistently taking Trico spinners in the morning.These spinners tend to be very dense on the water,particularly in the flat water, bringing up many fish to feed.

Lake Placid Ironman Triathalon closing roads Sunday

Just a quick reminder to folks thinking of heading to Lake Placid this weekend.

The Ironman Triathalon will be closing roads to and from town this Sunday  July 22.From the town of Jay and Ausable forks too Lake Placid both route 86, also route 73 will be closed all day, and also you will find the River rd just outside of Placid and portions of route 9 also.

Please feel free to contact me in anyway with any questions.

What a night

Last nights rains raised the level on the Ausable nicely,still in very nice shape for wading,dropping as we speak.Early morning fishing still best with  the water temps in the mid to high 6o's,and air temps in the 70's.

Stonefly nymphs are a great choice for nymphs,after a rise in water.Stonefly nymphs are poor swimmers, after a rise in water level many get washed off rocks,and struggle in the water column.Fish often respond well to them when rivers rise.

Good rains today make for better fishing tommorow

Good hard scattered downpours starting late this afternoon,continuing into the night.Just what we needed, levels should go up on rivers finally,and river temps should cool.

The showers are welcome

Scattered rain showers today were very welcome, hopefully more to come.


Grasshoppers starting to accumulate,on the banks of the river.After a few windy days of getting blown into the river, fish tend too race to after these big tasty bugs.Hopper season I love,cant wait for the weeks to come.

Did someone say trico

Well folks starting to see some tricos on the Ausable.These tiny mayflies tend to come around in big numbers, and definitely get the fish looking up.

Fishing is still best from sunrise to 10 am, with the water being low and warming up quick.

Saranac suprise

With water levels low on the Ausable, and early morning fishing being best, have been taking advantage of many warm water opportunities later in the day.

One river with many options I have spent much time on over the years, is the Saranac when the trout take a nap on this river the bass, and what ever else is around usually become active.

Many different fish occupy these waters.The variety of fish in this river has always amazed me, and often in the same stretches of water.Some of the fish you will find are brook, brown, and rainbow trout, landlock salmon, also smallmouth, and largemouth bass, pike, walleye,and many more critters with fins.The variety of fish is due some too the many dams that occupy the different branches of the river all the way to mouth of Lake Champlain.

Trout in the am / Bass in the pm

Past days humidity, have gave us a shower here and there.There has been a few more showers in high elevations, which has helped keep some water in the river. Cooler air temps today, with early rising anglers  seeing the best fishing period of the day, with morning water temps in low 60s.

For those of you that just cant stop fishing, bass fishing is excellent as we speak.I find humid days to be particularly good for these fish.

Lots of spunk these fish have, and are lots of fun to catch with a fly rod.

Surface poppers are excellent choice for flys, when waters surface is not to choppy, and lots of fun.

Green and olive pupa

Past couple days have bought warmth, however not the hot temps that many parts of the country have felt. Cool evenings and a brief shot of rain between sun, have kept water temps in the 60s, and fish active.Morning still the best time to be on the water.

Green and olive caddis pupa variations, great subsurface patterns this time of the year.

Rise and shine

With past couple days heat, fishing has slowed down.Those who are on the water at sunrise,will find the best fishing of the day.

Here comes the heat

Very warm up here again in the north country today.

This heat is pushing best fishing times to the morning.Fishing has been very good last few days,I expect it to slow as temps get warmer.Finding most productive flys being either very small,or very big.

Drying off

After a good solid shot of rain Tuesday night, river levels are dropping and clearing.With past few days being overcast cold and rain, fishing is set up nicely as we head towards the begining of July.Water temps on all regional rivers are in a comfortable range,with water temps on Ausable in the 50s.

Streamers producing most fish as we come off  a raise in water level, also big Stoneflys both nymphs, and drys.

Feels like winter

Past couple of days have consisted of much cooler air temps, and scattered rain showers.With daytime air temps in the 50s, water temps are very comfortable for trout, and water levels very pleasant for the angler.

Many Blue Wing olives past couple of days,also noticing rocks in pocket water starting to accumulate a heavy amount of Stonefly shucks.

No longer gasping for air

With evening air temps in 30s,temps in rivers have gone down considerably.Conditions now are much more favorable to trout fishing,as water temps are back in mid 50s to low 60s,and water levels up a little.The next couple of days should be good,as air temps become more stable.

Cool rain

With past week being extremely hot,river fly fishing for trout came to a brief  pause.Both air and water temps are dropping as we speak,with this afternoons showers being very welcome.These changes in the conditions will make things much more comfortable for both fish,and angler.

Heaviest leaders and tippet possible

With water temps being very warm,best fishing is very early in morning,and fishing slowly should end with water temps later in the day almost to warm for fishing Trout.

While fishing during these warmest days,I would suggest using the heaviest leaders and tippets possible, for fighting a fish to long can kill them.

Who turned on the heat?

Sorry folks for not keeping you posted some days we will always strive for better,I assure you.

With past 2 days being very hot,best fishing will be early morning.Most productive patterns seem to be either very big or very small.Last night was a little cooler, however water temps by late morning are in the high 60s.We would welcome some rain,not desperate though.

Great weekend ahead

As we head into weekend, another cool night,and a bright blue day to greet us good morning.River levels in the region very comfortable for wading,with  temps in most regional rivers including the West Branch of the Ausable in high 50s to mid 60s.

Fishing is great rite now, with most insect activity happening at nite,though with cool air rolling in as nite falls,flurry's of insect activity will many times start early evening, and end early.Even with the bright sun, water temps are good for feeding all day,however changing game plan a bit with bright sun,may be necessary.

All the rite stuff

Two cool nights,beautiful day,and good fishing today.With temps back in low 60s,fish should stay active under these conditions for at least the next two days.

With cool evenings,it is always best to let the air warm a couple of degrees above the water temp before throwing dry flies around.This being said,a great time however to take advantage of lots of nymph movement on the bottom,that fish will tune into under rite conditions.

Cooling off

With past couple days heat,best fishing time will be morning, river levels very nice for wading,water temps from low to high 60s.As we speak air temps are cooling, with off and on rain showers throughout day.These cooling conditions should set us up for some very good fishing in days ahead.

Stone em

Past two days bringing a little more sun,warmer air, and water temps.Fishing continues to be very good,with best times having switched to morning,and evening.

With some of the best dry fly patterns being big Golden Stonefly imitations,such as Stimulators.
Folks trust me, these intimidating looking big drys,you wont regret fishing.The last couple days much like every season they are tuning into these well,and a great way to pull big fish rite off the bottom.I have said this before,and I will repeat this again Stoneflys are were most Trout get 75% of there protein source from.Yes lately there are many large adult insects such as Green Drakes floating over there head,however these are larger than the Green Drakes,and these big Stoneflys are no different than throwing a steak in front of them.

Dont forget your bug dope

Nice day some clouds,sun,no thundershowers today.River temps in high 50s low 60s, setting up for another great weekend of fishing,with a variety of bugs to keep them looking up,

Green Drakes,Sulphurs,Stoneflys,Caddis,Craneflys,Dragon Flys,and many other wonderful creepy crawly things to fill there bellys with.

The heavyweights

The heavy weights are showing themselves,running into Green Drakes,and some bigger Stonefly adults lately.

With the river temps ideal later in the day,awesome conditions,for incredible spinner falls of Coffin Flys.To set yourself up for these magical spinner falls,the most ideal river type will be sandy bottom flats,after that its a matter timing.These may fall in large numbers in one flat and a quarter mile up or down river you may see only a couple handfuls in the air.This spinner fall is quick so be in the water early,it will fall the last forty five minutes to a half  hour into dark.

Careful of the sudden brief thunder showers.

Droppers

Partly sunny with some clouds is what we awoke to today,air temps still in 50s,river temps in 50s as well,and level of waters are ideal.

 Fishing seems to be best now in later day,with dry fly action being much less due to cooler air.Nymphs fished on Droppers either off a big dry,or two nymphs have been most productive over past few days,with pheasant tails and cream caddis larva taking many of the fish.

The 50s

Another cool night in the region,has taken regional rivers well into the 50s.Air temps a little warmer today.

Dry fly fishing has slowed a little due to the cooler air,however fish are responding well to nymphs.

Bugs in bed / Bed bugs

After of and on showers last night,air temp and water temp cooler.

Fishing seem to be best under the surface today,although not surprised with air temp being cooler than water temp,which is not ideal for insects hatching.However this cold air will keep fish active as we get into summer.

Good time to fish

Air Temps cooler today in the 50s to highs 60s,cloudy skies,with water temps holding between 55 to 65 degrees.Rain is expected over the weekend,which should help hold conditions favorable to the angler.

Good fishing on top and below.

Comfortable for fish and angler

Much more comfortable air temps past 2 days have made river temps drop back in to lower 60s,and past weeks rain have kept water at a nice level.

March Browns,Gray fox,tapering off in abundance, Sulphurs,Light Cahill,Stonefly adults,Blue Wing Olives on gray days,and plenty of caddis.

Lite show

With past couple days being very hot and humid,water temp are in high 60s,and hatches have slowed down some.Thankfully evening showers have been good at keeping things somewhat comfortable for Trout.Today started with early morning bangs of thunder and lighting,with sky continually bringing the same threat so far all day.

Morning sun

With past couple days being in the 80s and bright sun,water temps have warmed up and the best fishing seems to be in the morning.With evening sprouting some insect activity to waken the fish.This warm weather will usually earn some good Adirondack wet weather,and cooler air.

Brook Trout fishing not a bad option.

Have a great Memorial weekend

Just came away from the West Branch of the Ausable temps in low to mid 60s. level is nice,March Browns,and Grey fox still very strong in abundance. Morning fishing seems to be most productive fishing time,at the moment.

Always something happening

Just stepping off the water I can tell you many things happening out there,lots of big fish being caught this year,plenty of bugs,and we are just getting started.Can hardly wait for whats ahead.

March Brown spinner falls have been excellent last couple nights on the Ausable,with water temps in high 50s to mid 60s,and water levels excellent.Other regional rivers, Saranacs to use as a great example, keep your eyes out for Strong Caddis hatches,and a dense abundance of Sulphurs at times.Definitely starting to move some big bruisers in the pocket water with big foam hoppers and stoneflies in size 6,and8.

Food for thought for those of you that tend to stay away from big drys,the Ausable tends to be more of a big fly river,and these big monster drys have proven there worth, after many years, and many happy clients.For those of you fishing the Saranac river,these Trout tend to eat many more Crawfish than most stream Trout,that being said I have found certain Brown Stonefly nymphs to work well,Teds Stone being  one of them.

Sulphurs

Sorry to keep you wondering current conditions,pretty crazy here.Try to to keep you updated with the most honest report,thanks for your patience.

Last couple days have been most cloudy humid off on rain with brief periods of sun.These conditions have kept fishing great,with hatches in full abundance,on all regional rivers.

March Browns,Grey fox,on Ausable some Sulphurs showing on lower Ausable,Sulphurs are very abundant on Saranacs and other regional rivers as we speak.Many other insects have come into play as well, which at times can be more important at times than your Mayflies.For example Caddis flies on the Saranacs are of major importance and dictate how many fish in this river system take flies.

River temps high 50s to mid 60s,wading is comfortable,and the fishing is perfect.

Always the perfect day

Beautiful day on the water, temps holding nice thanks to the clear cold nights, water temps holding in mid 50's to low 60's.Should see more rising fish again as river continues to drop.

Keep your eyes out for March Brown's,Caddis,Sulphur's,and Little Yellow Stone's.Best  piece of advice Keep your eyes open for anything this time of the year.

Cool and brite

Beautiful day, air much cooler,rains have ceased,and the rivers levels are dropping.As river levels drop things should set up nice again for dry fly fishing,as of now Streamers and Nymphs should be best bet.
I have found when fishing nymphs this time of the year sizes 10 through 6 to be best producers,as is the case now.

While looking on some of the rocks in faster water you will notice the shucks of Stonefly Nymphs to be rather large sizes now.

Some rain to keep the fish wet

As the warm rains descend on us,Streamers and Nymphs will become more productive.With today set up for awesome Streamer fishing conditions.

I have found warm rains,humid air,and some water in rivers to make the bigger fish come out of hiding with much less caution.

Plenty of bugs

Party time on all the West Branch of the Ausable for all you Dry Fly fanatics,and no lack of bugs that is for sure.

During times of no surface activity Streamers seem to be best to make them lively.

Water temps between 54, and 62 degrees.

Rite on track

Water temps on the West Branch reached as high as fifty eight,thanks to the sunshine.

Things starting to move along here,as more Tan Caddis filled  the air today.Whe should start seeing some March Browns anytime now on parts of the river,also starting to notice a few of the bigger Stonefly nymph shucks on the rocks in the lower river.

Here we are

With a sunny warm day at hand,and the rivers in region at a good level.Things are set up well for a great weekend of fishing.Water temps rose into a nice comfortable range,and dry fly action should start gaining some momentum.

Brrr

Today air temps were much cooler than past few days,with temps holding in the 40s.River level is a little flush,and dropping.Starting to see some Tan Caddis mixed in with the Hendricksons,fish starting to look up and eat em.Should see this happen soon on the upper West Branch of the Ausable,as most of the rising fish will be found below the Wilmington dam.Water temps still holding in low 40s pushing just short of  50 degrees.

Big fan of the rains

After a couple beautiful days,the West branch of the Ausable is rising again.This constant up and down level is quite common around this time of the year.Water temps still holding high 40s to mid 50s.

Good conditions for subsurface fishing as we speak, humid,some water in river to make the fish less wary,and push the big fish out of hiding.Love these conditions,maybe little warmer water.

Always grateful just to be on the water though, I will take it.
 
  

Pike season/Ausable note

With this weekend being the opening of  Pike season,decided to spend some time chasing these freshwater predators on a couple of local lakes.

With these fish being in the shallows in many cases now,always get a huge rush viewing these toothy predators ambushing the fly.

As the West branch of the  Ausable sets up for probably one of my favorite Mayfly hatches,the Hendrickson.This hatch under good water levels and water temps should have a good number of fish looking up by end of week.One of my favorite Dry Fly's for this hatch is the Red Quill,in addition to this fly I always have a emerger for this hatch.Many times on cooler days these insects tend to have a harder time leaving there nymphal shuck,this is when a emerger pattern shines.

Heading toward end of week we will see many new insects start to show,Blue Wing Olives,numerous Caddis,Little Yellow Stoneflys,March Browns,and Gray Fox.

Stay tuned.

Hendricksons waking up

With the West Branch of the Ausable coming down from a couple days of high water,and temps hovering in the low to mid 50s.

Hendrickson Mayflies began to awake in good numbers for the first time this year on the upper West Branch.No fish taking them with the high levels now,and this being the norm the first few days to a week from  the time they first show in any abundance.Stay tuned,wont be long for all you Dry Fly junkies.

Fido in the field = Rolling Thunder

With winters grip holding tightly today and water levels very high, we opted to do some work on the river. I'm not sure how smart this was but we did save some work for a day with lower water levels.

As the weeks have past, most of my days have consisted of fishing, dog training and all of the other healthy stuff that makes up the wildlife.

Dog training and dogs is something we live here, with a focus on the Field Retriever and Flushing Dog training.

With air temps nice and cool for running Retrievers on long retrieves, I contemplate the option of running a wonderful k9 companion at my feet. These retrieves will be put on by the Lake Champlain Retriever Club (LCRC) and hosted by Peaceable Hill Pheasant Preserve and Hatchery. Both the club and the preserve are on my links page at www.adkwildlife.com. This event is the annual LCRC singles competition and the event is a lot of fun and judged on the dogs' ability to remember were a single retrieve fell, regardless of distance. Retrieves can end up falling at distances as long as 400 yds.

I always love the people and the dogs in the field dog world. The bonus is the location, as I am a dog handler at this top notch preserve, owned by great people.

Whether your a hunter or just a dog lover, check this stuff out at LCRC. These dogs cant do anything but think about retrieving 24-7.Great stuff!

Good fishing /Good weather

Now that the mix of snow,and rain has stopped.River levels are now much more stable,and temps are starting to rise.

As the past few days fishing has been good despite cold water temps, it will still be a few days at least before any Dry Fly opportunities on the Ausable again.

The past couple of days I have had my best luck fishing Stonefly Nymphs deep in size 10.

Back on track

As the region continues to see off, and on snow flurries or rain for the third day.River temps have dropped back in to high 30s on some waters,as we seem to be now back on are typical North Country spring schedule.

Fish Eyes

With snow blanketing the banks of the West Branch of the Ausable,the Fish seem to have moved closer to the bottom and tighter to the banks.This I would attribute to water temps having dropped into low 40s,and air temps having dropped into the30s.Yesterdays off, and on showers have raised the water a little.However  wading levels  are still very comfortable.


Through many seasons, I have come to prefer the most high quality polarized glasses I can get my hands on,and for  most Guides are #1 piece of equipment are polarized glasses.For spotting Fish,and also safety.


Now as the water has warmed, and Fish have been more active this past week, I have spotted many Fish suspended in the water column with today that not being the case.I find many times when I do not see any Fish suspended in the water column or any other activity,this is a good indicator of Fish having stopped feeding.This being usually due to drastic change in weather.

Dont forget your rain gear

As the Clouds thicken, with an occasional sprinkle showing up, the Rain to be expected this weekend  is very welcome. Although fishing has been good this week, a good shot of rain should get insects a little more activel which should equal fish being more active.

With the West Branch of the Ausable water temps running between the low 50s to 60 degrees and the Saranac Rivers running 60 to 65 degrees, things are setting up nicely for fishing in the region this weekend.

For those of you hesitant to fish in the Rain, consider this. I have had many very successful days under rainy conditions, especially warm Rains; more then I can possibly remember.

Fish under these conditions tend to be much less wary and even more so with a rise in the water level.

Enjoy your weekend.

The Mighty Saranac

With things very dry, a shot of rain before the weekend would be very welcome. Now that air temps have stabilized, fishing seems to be getting active again in most places.

I have been receiving reports from many other waters, while expanding my operations to some of the other major rivers in the region. That said, my main focus throughout the season will still be out my backdoor; the West Branch of the Ausable and the Saranac Rivers.

For those of you not familiar with the Saranac Rivers, they are fishing quiet well as we speak. This river is well spoken of in many well noted books on Fly Fishing. I highly recommended considering my fishing guide services for the Saranacs, as this river system is Black and White and much different than the Ausable. One thing that stands out  most is the feeding habits of the Trout. What they eat and how they eat in the Saranacs can be very different than many Trout rivers.

On the West Branch of the Ausable, both water and air temperatures have been cooling the last couple days, driving fish deeper. Water temps are holding between the high 40s and low 50s. Insect activity and fishing seemed to slow with the cooling weather.  The river is a little low and a good level for wading.

Temps Rising/Fish Rising

With today's air temp in low 80s, I found the first few rising fish this year on the upper West Branch of the Ausable.While more and more adult Insects fill the air each day, these few fish seem to be rising sporadically and to nothing specific. River temps having climbed now to around 55-60 degrees and air temps may drop overnight and are expected to be around 55- 60 degrees tomorrow. This should result in cooler water temps tomorrow.Viewing these rising champions that survived the winter will always make me feel on top of world; no matter how much they are a part of the cycle of  seasons.

JUST FISH

Temps of  rivers in region have warmed nicely in last couple days and it showed that on West Branch today, with early Black Stoneflys sporadically flying in the air. It's still early to fish the Dry Flies on most waters in region.

With flooding last year and a mild winter,  winter survival rates seem to have been very well, as there are plenty of fish out there.


Often it will take many natural insects on the water to bring up the biggest fish.That being said, just get out and fish.

T.G.I.F.

With air temps as high as the mid 60s and sunshine all day, the West Branch of the Ausable was in nice shape for the weekend.

Many others waters in the region should shape up nicely for the weekend, as water temps rise after today's beautiful weather.

Enjoy  your weekend.

Bertha

With a tale of a giant Fish entertaining my thoughts, I stepped into the Ausable under nice easy wading levels again mid 30s to mid 40s water temps; only a little more sun and less weather than day before.

After hearing a  Fish story from a very credible source not to long ago, I was awed again with not only the size of the fish nor the story itself. It was the location of where this took place that got me. It has always amazed me how some of the least likely looking spots are fish magnets for years, unless habitat is altered, not to the benefit of the watershed.This being said, it would be wise to fish thorough, especially water your unfamiliar with.

Knowing that the fish in this story attacked a 17 inch Brown Trout while the Brown was hooked and could have swallowed it, I went looking for a fight.

Tough it out

The West Branch of the Ausable was still holding steady water temps from mid 30s to mid 40s. With 3 days of snow and rain, the river is up a little higher.                                                                      

For as cold as it looked, I was very comfortable; no wind and 5mm Neoprene Waders, air temps between 40-45 degrees, could not pull any excuses for whining of being cold today. A key element to comfort on the Ausable this time of the year is a whole Fly box dedicated to Streamer Flys of sizes #4 through 2/0 and a Sink Tip line. Sink Tips are not a great option for Nymph fishing in my opinion, so stick with the big gaudy Streamers. Even though it may pain some of you, the rewards can be wonderful.
     

Labradors and Leeches

   After another night of mix precipitation, as the idea of Brook Trout along the edges of a quiet small pond had been fresh in my head. How these ideas become has always amazed me. This comes after long conversation with another fishing guide the night before. Not being able to take it any longer, I jump out of bed and throw a pair of boots on, grab the closest fly box and a favorite k9 friend. Stepping into the woods to take a short hike to this hidden Brook Trout pond, I can't help but notice how the forest looks so much more alive with the much needed moisture. With my Labrador Retriever friend running himself silly, I tell him to heel and have him sit on top of small beaver hut next to me. Lowering my profile so as not to spook any fish, I know pursuing Brook Trout  without a boat is short lived. However, when water temps are between the mid 40s to low 50s, they can be all over ponds and many times along shorelines and near structures.  Fly selection can be rather simple with a couple of favorites occupying  most of the space in my fly box; one that I turn to all year, whether pursuing these fish in ponds, or small streams is the Hornberg.   

 One thing that I notice often with Brook Trout in ponds and streams is once water temp is above 45 degrees, they usually prefer a very active fly; not active in one location though, stripped away from them fast is preferred.

With water temps in these ranges on many ponds, fishing these waters can be a great option and even better with a big ol Labrador Retriever by your side.

I would love to know how many leeches per square foot can be found in this pond. You won't find me swimming in this pond and yes if you show me a leech, the Mouse comes out.

Weather Watchers

While many of us locals are embracing the early spring weather, the sign of snow and rain in some locations is much needed. Grounds have been very dry in the North Country and over the weekend a couple of small brush fires broke out in the Adirondacks.

A little wind, snow and rain are some of the important elements to successful Landlocked Salmon fishing. I have mentioned this in the past and these elements are all in place today. With two freshly tied Magog Smelt flies in my hand, I shall live the wildlife!

See you on the water.

Happy Easter

On this wonderful Easter Sunday (like most Easter Sundays for me) I spent most of the day fishing.

What a great time to introduce fishing to some one new. With kids being very abundant during these family gatherings and in most cases quite enthusiastic, they can be great fishing partners. While early season fishing trips with kids may not always be blessed with sunshine and 80 degree temperatures, they can be comfortable and most of all fun.
              
TAKE A KID FISHING!

Thanks Mom and Dad for the gift of fishing.

Happy Easter 

Loss of a Saltwater Ambassador

I was saddened to hear of  the sudden death of well known fishing show host Jose Wejebe, who died in a plane crash on Saturday, April 7, 2012. Wejebe was host of the popular fishing show 'Spanish Fly.'

As a kid, I always preferred to watch fishing programs over cartoons and other kids shows. There was nothing like finding a program that focused on the education of the sport, as opposed to strickly fish catching. Jose always put on a good show, demonstrating enthusiasm toward the sport, while educating viewers. We have lost one of the great saltwater fisherman and you will be missed. R.I.P. Jose.
                     

River Change

With water temps in the mid 30s and 40s on the West Branch of the Ausable, the levels are nice for wading. It is also a great time to learn the river again, as there are many changes. Such changes are obvious every couple of years. For me as a guide, this means identifying new dangers, both on the land and water; safety is my #1 priority.

I have noticed that many fishing spots on the local rivers have a depth no greater then 5ft at this time of the year. While these places may be appealing to trout at various times, the deep, slow pools tend to be my first choice during this time of the year. These pools often hold giants and may be of more importance on the West Branch. Why? Stay tuned.
               
Note: Watch out for Thornapple bush on the river. It loves waders, as I sit here and pull a 1 inch thorn from my hand!
                  

Where to Fish Today

With a thin coating of snow on the ground, I awoke to the always tough decision of where to fish today.  The weather has been rather mild and sunny but snow squalls, while brief, are still common for this time of year.

For those seeking  throwing, streamers such as Magog Smelt and Mickey Finn's are not bad options; preferably with a long shank streamer hook for a bigger profile. Landlocked Salmon can be a good option when the weather is not so mild. These silver bullets tend to hit quite well in foul weather, such as wind,snow,and rain.

Adk Weather

Sporadic weather and an immediate snow squall, combined with wear on my fingertips begin to push me off the West Branch of the Ausable. I am left with a common early season strike but it feels like my line got hung up on the bottom. One cannot be fooled by these subtle strikes, which are most likely Browns on the West Branch. Many believe Browns do not jump. While true to an extent, I have witnessed early season giants come clear out of the cold (35 F) water on multiple occasions. This idea is not a rule, as there are no rules here in the Wildlife.                                                                                  

This time of year is a great time to hone those streamer fishing skills with a guided trip, while also getting what many believe is the best opportunity to catch the biggest Browns. With over 20 years of guiding experience, I am able to offer clear and professional instruction and would be happy to provide you with guiding services. Whether a tune up in a particular skill area, or a trip to get to know the local waters better, feel free to call or email me with any questions. I would be happy to customize a guided fishing trip for you. For additional information, please visit http://www.adkwildlife.com/ or email me at ken@adkwildlife.com.

Mud Season

Its funny how most of us call this time of year Mud season. However, this years' mild weather, lack of rain and snow have subdued this reference. The stick cased caddis crawling on the bottom of Ausable don't seem to mind the early spring, as when the afternoon sun hits the water, these cream larva seem to just want to burst out of their cases. A closer look reveals a few Early Black Stoneflys fluttering on the waters' surface; much like their big brothers (Giant Black Stoneflys) that show up end of August, beginning of Septemeber.

Did you know a Stonefly is where many Trout get 75% of there protein source? Stonefly =T bone steak.                                 

Getting some good reports of  some big lakers caught in Placid, and some of the other bigger lakes.Keep you Posted.   

So much water, so little time

With another evening bringing a dusting of snow, the 5mm neoprene waders should do the job keeping me warm today. The fishing options for today include the West Branch of the Ausable. However I enjoy taking advantage of small windows of oppurtunity, such as the mighty Landlocked Salmon, as they stuff themselves full of smelt while running up the mouths of streams and rivers throughout the north country during this time of year. These fish can be very acrobatic when hooked, not to mention they are just stunning to view.

2012 NYS Trout Season Now Open

The first day of NYS trout season on the West Branch of the Ausable brought easy wading levels, good water clarity and water temps in the high 30s - low 40s. The order of big flies fished deep and slow in slow moving pools and is strongly recommended. Size 2s and bigger are not out of the ordinary, however I prefer hanging up on the bottom here and there. Big flies = big fish!

Welcome to Ken Kalil's Blog Site

Please check back often, as I will post information and pictures of interest on a routine basis.