Natick Outdoor Store

By Richard M. Raftery

As the fall season begins and the leaves start to change color and drop into the water, remember that fly-fishing New England waters can be very productive at this time of year. As summer ends you still can catch fish on terrestrials and dry flies, but subsurface flies will be more productive. The browns and brookies, as well as salmon, are all in the spawning mode. Eggs work well this time of year. Try using an egg pattern with a Pheasant Tail or Hair’s Ear as a dropper, 12” to 14” below the egg. Remember to tie the two flies to the tippet eye to eye and use a little weight above the surgeon’s knot where the leader and tippet meet.

Don’t forget to also throw some meat! Big flies like fish pattern streamers or wooly buggers will get a surefire fight in mid-stream as the fish bulk up for winter. Although some rivers and streams may be low because of the warm summer and lack of rain, don’t give up on them just yet. Ponds and lakes where the fish have been down deep in the cooler water will see fish moving into the rivers and streams to spawn. All it takes are a few good days of rain to get the fish back into these waters.
One of my favorite flies this time of year is the Autumn Splendor in sizes 4 to 12 with a size 12 Copper John tied on to the bend of the hook. My old fishing buddy, Dan, showed me this trick while fly-fishing the Blue River in Colorado some years back. I use a spent leader— one that has been cut back because of too many flies tied on it or too many pieces of tippet or, for some, maybe one too many wind knots. Anyway, tie the Autumn Splendor to a leader that has about 4’ to 5’ remaining in length. Cast it down and across the stream leaving a good distance between you and where the fly hits the water. Count “3 Mississippi’s” and start hand retrieving with your rod tip down, making loops in the hand so you can easily recast when you miss that first sudden take. Have a good net with you without any holes, because I know from experience if you have the slightest little hole in that rubber net the fish of a lifetime will put his nose into the hole and get himself free.
Have fun on the water, and be safe.