Dog days come early to anglers

CORNWALL — The dog days are upon us, a lot sooner than usual.

The authorities have cut the flow into the West Branch of the Farmington River to a cold but meager 75 cubic feet per second, which means if you head over there prepare for long leaders and fine tippets.

I don’t know about you but trying to cast a 12 foot leader tapered to 7X is not my idea of fun.

Speaking of fun: Last Tuesday my New York fishing buddy Gary provided me with the nickel tour of the Willowemoc and environs in the southern Catskills.  All the streams were low but fishable in terms of water temperatures, and we stopped in Roscoe for lunch and tracked mud all over the floor of the Kasos Greek restaurant. The waitress came by with a mop and looked at us in a meaningful way. They also supplied me with an absolutely immense gyro wrap, but the fishing lust was upon me, and I did not do what I usually do when I eat a big lunch. (Zzzzzzzz.)

In one brook trout stream we explored, I was in a knotweed tunnel flop-casting a size 10 Parachute Adams on about four feet of leader downstream with my 7 foot bamboo rod. It was the only available strategy. I was pleasantly surprised when an honest 12- incher didn’t grab it, in about four inches of water. Cold water (58 degrees) but still.

We need rain, badly.

Last Saturday afternoon I explored downstream of the Housatonic Trout Management Area, looking for John P’s legendary Island of Smallmouth. I found it, too, but again the flow was a bit of a problem. It’s not often I get to sight fish to smallies holding in about two and a half feet of soft, 80-degree water. The black Wooly Bugger and the Bread and Butter nymph were the popular favorites. Mid-afternoon on a sunny, hot day was probably not the ideal time but that’s what I had to work with.

This also involved a 35 minute walk on the Appalachian Trail, which only seemed like forever.

(When did hikers decide they needed collapsible ski poles anyway? We used to get a stick and whittle at it for the duration, then leave it against a tree when we were done for someone else to use.)

Right now the moving water options for anglers are limited to the Housatonic and Farmington.

If you go to the Hous, think big streamers and short, stout leaders. Wooly Buggers are my go-to pattern here, in various sizes, colors and configurations.

The other option I like is a long piece of fluorocarbon tippet, say 4X, attached to the hook of a popper. At the end of the dropper use a big heavy tungsten head nymph. The Bread and Butter nymph has become my Universal Fly. I have yet to find a freshwater fish that will not eat it.

Skip the waders and wear nylon pants. Do not try this in shorts. Between the poison ivy and the ticks, you will be sorry if you do. And don’t ask me how I know this.