Tangled Lines tackles the hard questions

Tangled Lines tackles the hard questions
Andrew Corrigan shows how to keep a low profile on a brook trout stream. 
Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Let us open the Tangled Lines mail bag and see what’s on offer.

It’s been so cold and rainy that instead of fishing I am watching documentaries about secret societies. I even joined an order of guys who call themselves Templars. Am I going crazy?  Linus J. Scrimshaw, Perth Amboy, N.J.

Be of good cheer, Linus. Or at least as cheerful as a guy named Linus can be. Yes, the Housatonic has been too high to wade lately. And yes, that was the case for much of 2022. But bear in mind that the state put 18,000 trout in the upper Housatonic Trout Management Area (between Cornwall Bridge and the Salisbury/Falls Village line) last year, and another 9,000 recently, and none of these fish have experienced the standard Housatonic summer doldrums of high water temperatures and low flows. At some point the flow is going to come down, and there will be a LOT of active trout going after the same food, and flies. So tell your fellow Templars about this at the next meeting, and maybe they’ll lighten up. P.S. Never mind the drain in the floor of the secret chamber.

I really like the idea of fishing little blue lines for wild brookies, but every time I try I spend all of my time getting hung up in the trees.  Plus I can’t find the streams you talk about. What should I do? Melvin Potzrebie, East Quahog, N.Y.

Melvin, part of your problem is you are treating the small stream the same way you approach a river. Think in terms of visiting neighborhoods. Start with a nice-looking plunge pool. Fish it hard and fast, and if nothing happens, move on.

In close quarters, get out of the habit of rearing back with a full backcast. Instead approach the stream from the sides, rarely getting out into the water at all. Keep the rod in front of you, and learn to execute sidearm, backhand and snap casts. And keep a low profile. Wild brook trout are almost suicidally eager to take flies, and equally skittish when they get a glimpse of an angler.

You don’t necessarily need a short rod for this, although anything over 8 feet is going to be a pain. You do need a rod with a little heft to it — a 4 or 5 weight that can turn over a weighted fly and still land softly enough to fish a dry without a fuss.

As far as finding the streams, get a De Lorme atlas for your state and pore over it. See those little blue lines? That’s why we call this kind of fishing “blue-lining.”

Exploring the streams is hit-or-miss, emphasis on the latter. But when you find one, and catch a couple of wild beauties, while noting the absence of beer cans and styrofoam bait cups, you will be happy. And don’t tell anyone.

Latest News

Racecars roar in NASCAR’s return to Lime Rock Park

High-speed action made for a weekend of excitement at Lime Rock Park Friday and Saturday, June 27-28.

Photo by Simon Markow

LAKEVILLE — For the first time since 2011, Lime Rock Park hosted National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing events June 27 and 28.

It was billed as the largest event in modern track history with an estimated 20,000 fans attending.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joseph Robert Meehan

SALISBURY — Joseph Robert Meehan the 2nd,photographer, college professor and nearly 50 year resident of Salisbury, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizon on June 17, 2025. He was 83.

He was the son of Joseph Meehan the 1st and his mother, Anna Burawa of Levittown, New York, and sister Joanne, of Montgomery, New York.

Keep ReadingShow less
Florence Olive Zutter Murphy

STANFORDVILLE, New York — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Florence Olive Zutter Murphy, who went home to be with the Lord on June 16, 2025, at the age of 99.

She was born in Sharon, Connecticut on Nov. 20, 1925, and was a long time resident of the Dutchess County area.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chore Service hosts annual garden party fundraiser

Chore Service hosted 250 supporters at it’s annual Garden Party fundraiser.

Bob Ellwood

On Saturday, June 21, Mort Klaus, longtime Sharon resident, hosted 250 enthusiastic supporters of Northwest Corner’s beloved nonprofit, Chore Service at his stunning 175-acre property. Chore Service provides essential non-medical support to help older adults and those with disabilities maintain their independence and quality of life in their own homes.

Jane MacLaren, Executive Director, and Dolores Perotti, Board President, personally welcomed arriving attendees. The well-stocked bar and enticing hors d’oeuvres table were popular destinations as the crowd waited for the afternoon’s presentations.

Keep ReadingShow less