Caddis Chronicles

Today I fished my favorite New Jersey wild trout stream, the South Branch of the Raritan River. It was a warm, breezy, sun filled afternoon. The trees struggling to hold onto their green as rogue leaves within the bunch were turning red, or yellow, or orange and others only going half way - lots of half green, half brightly colored leaves.

The river was low, clear as gin, and cool on the legs and feet. Terrestrial insects, active from the warmth of the day, occasionally got blown out of the trees and shrubs over hanging the water. The second they hit the water, an opportunistic trout would quickly dart up from below and in one swift motion, sip them in and then settle back down to wait for another meal.

When this happened, I'd fix in my mind the position of the water ring left behind. Then cast to place my fly a foot and a half above the target so it would float briefly into the trout's feeding lane. As long as I made a good cast and got a drag-free float over the fish, it would again rise to my offering and take it. Here' a couple of the many fish I caught today as I worked my way up a 1/2 mile of river alternately working rises and blind casting to likely holding water.

Most of them small, but beautiful nonetheless.

It was a great day to be on the water, made even more enjoyable as I used my "Classic" Thomas & Thomas graphite Special Dry Fly rod - 8' 3" 2-pc. 5 weight - it has nickle silver ferrules and a nice, slow action much like a bamboo rod.

Life is good. Get out and enjoy the fall colors on the trees and the fish.