THE ONE FLY

May 8, 2010 - The Millers River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is sponsoring a "One Fly Contest" to be held on Saturday, May 15th, 2010. You can register at 7 AM at the Orange Rod & Gun Club, 357 West River St., Orange, MA. Entry fee is $30 per person the day of the event or $25 if you pre-register. First prize is a Harrison Anglers Float Trip and the 2nd Annual Bob Rouleau Memorial Trophy will be awarded for the largest trout. For more information or to register please contact Bill Manser, 84 Winchendon Rd., Royalston, MA 01368, or bmanser@msn.com.

THE MILLERS
While we're on the subject of the Millers River, by all reports fishing could not be better. Recently water levels have dropped to around 300 cfs (uncommonly low for this time of year), and trout stocks have been replenished (mostly rainbow trout). Trout stocking was slightly delayed this year due to excessively high water (remember a few weeks back) leading to serious ph problems. Fly anglers are witnessing, darker caddis (16), blue winged olives (18-20), a few red quills (16) and light hendrickson's (14). A natural Usual (14-16) is probably the most successful dry fly in use on the watershed and accounts for the lion's share of the trout.

Subsurface fans would be wise to inventory a number of weighted black stones (8-10), black and olive wooly buggers (8-10), and a darker hellgrammite pattern (8). If you tie your own flies we would also recommend a Millers River Streamer in compliance with the Joe Bates recipe ("Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing"). This fly is very successful under higher/discolored water conditions and an excellent landlocked salmon fly…

Head:	Black
Hook:	TMC 300 (#6-#10)
Tail:	Five or six golden pheasant tippet fibers extending only slightly beyond the bend of the hook.
Body:	Wide flat gold tinsel
Ribbing:	Oval gold tinsel
Wing:	A very small bunch of yellow bucktail, over which is a small bunch of black bucktail, both extending just beyond the end of the tail.
Shoulder:	Each a golden pheasant red side feather extending half as long as the wing and tied in horizontally so the lower part acts as a throat, with the upper part no higher than the wing.
Cheeks:	Jungle Cock, light colored and tied in short.

Since discovering this fly 45 years ago (and not being much of a stream fan) I must confess that it has been the most productive streamer pattern for both trout and salmon I have ever used.

Good fishing and safe wading,
JB