Steve Dobson's Fisherman's Blog

May 16th Nova Scotia Shad Fishing on the Fly

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:56:00 +0000

Nova Scotia Shad Fishing on the Fly is in full swing. My friend Brad and I were out from about 6:00 PM until dark, at 9:00 PM or so.

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We had such a successful evening that I hesitate to give the report.

You know how anglers have a tendency to exaggerate. Well, rather than bring myself under suspicion I will just say it was awesome. My arm is sore today.

Brad kept one fish for his father in-law who loves a meal of Shad every year. It is apparently a Caribbean tradition.

I will see if I can get the Trinidadian recipe and post it here for those interested.

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Here are some photos you might enjoy.

Florida Fishing in May

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:56:00 +0000

Had a great note today from Ian Gall. He recently spent a few days in Florida, and says:
"I had two days fishing and caught some Weakfish (Sea Trout) and Snook. Nothing big but around 4 pounds. I had one day with a friend and one day where I hired a guide. My friend Dave caught the Tarpon last Monday. The four fish were all in the 100 pound range. In March I caught and released a sea trout in the Waterford river here around the 6 pound mark. The weather has been so bad that I have hardly been out at all this year."

The Waterford River he mentions is in Newfoundland.

Gotta' admit, this looks like fun.

Shad –What the Fly-fisherman should know

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:40:00 +0000

When a river is full of running Shad, it is a straightforward proposition to connect with a few. Experience tells us however that rarely do we find ourselves in just the right place at just the right time.

So what happens when there are only a few fish in the river and it is a bright sunny day? Then, the challenge of hooking up is not so simple.

My old “knowledge is power” approach may be boring but the more you know about what might be going on the better your chances become.

The official name for the American Shad, Alosa Sapidissima, does not really give us many clues to help catch them. The “Alosa” simply tells us that it is a Shad and the “Sapidissima”, which in Latin means “most delicious”, tells us that it is tasty.

Shad live in the ocean for two to three years before returning to fresh water to spawn. In the ocean they feed upon Plankton, small crustaceans and occasionally, small fish. Occasionally probably means –when they can catch them. They are not feeding when they return to the river for spawning.

They spawn in open water with no specific bottom requirements so do not have to travel very far up the river or its tributaries.

Commonly what the angler sees when the Shad are in a river is a small group of fish sweeping by and then a splashing and swirling followed by a large wake as the group reorganizes and darts away again. What you are really seeing is a group of males chasing a larger female. She will eventually release her eggs, which the males will fertilize as the eggs drift down through the water column. A female will do this two or three times during the run and are capable of laying an astonishing number of eggs.

Shad in our cool Eastern Rivers usually survive spawning and can return to spawn again. That is a pretty good argument for catch and release. A better one is a thing I read somewhere that indicated around eighty percent of the Shad in the St. John River spawn more than once.

Here is another interesting thing from the same article. It mentioned that all of the Shad from the Eastern Canadian and American rivers spend some of their time in the Bay of Fundy.

Here is the important stuff for the fly fisherman.

Shad begin their run when the water temperature in the river reaches 12c, (about 54f). Spawning begins when the temperature rises above that. The spawning run stops when the water gets warmer than 20c (68f).

In Nova Scotia the run is usually in full swing by mid-May, by mid-June there is active spawning but things are starting to quiet down, and by mid-July it is usually too warm and the run ends.

The best times to spot fish are early morning and evening. Overcast days are generally good with fish showing throughout the day. After supper is the conventional best time to head out for a bit of Shad fishing. The worst time, usually, is between 10 AM and 5PM on a sunny day.

This is true because most of the actual spawning takes place in open water at night. As darkness approaches, the fish start to become active and continue this heightened activity until full daylight the next day.

Remember though, just because the fish are not as obvious on a sunny day does not mean they are not there, not moving around the river, or any less willing to take a fly.

Your skill at reading the water can put you over some takers no matter how bright the day and even though everyone says it is a bad time for fishing Shad. Just refer them to Dobson’s Law. It says, “People who are fishing tend to catch more fish than people who are not.”

The way I figure it is that because they are not feeding, daytime Shad are likely looking for security from predators. Speaking as a predator, I look for them during the day in places they will feel secure, primarily deep sections with structure to shelter them from the current.

Fly Fishing for Shad –Reading the Water

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:34:00 +0000

As in any fly-fishing, reading the water is critical to deciding how to approach the task of presenting your fly. In Shad fishing with a fly rod it is no less important. The well-known spots are usually crowded. Shad fishing is after all a very exciting and often social event. We fly fishermen need a little more elbowroom though so tend to disperse along the stream.

When the Shad are running in the spots I fish, they swarm up the stream in little schools of ten or twenty fish. These groups dart upstream a ways then swirl around and head back down stream seemingly randomly until suddenly they are gone. Within minutes another group or maybe the same one, passes and does the same upstream move degenerating into swirling chaos before reforming into a somewhat orderly school and heading away upstream again. What we are seeing is a group of males pursuing a larger female.

On a good day, there is almost always at least one group of fish in sight, usually several.

Knowing the fish are there is half the battle but it is what they are doing when you cannot necessarily see them that is important. These fish are here to spawn. While in fresh water they are not feeding so must conserve as much energy as they can to be ready when the moment comes to be the winner in the contest to reproduce.

They way I translate this into a fishing strategy is this:

Unless actually chasing a female or in the case of the female, unless actually being chased by the males. Shad are going to seek the path of least resistance in their upstream journey. They will rest when and where possible. If you hang a fly in front of them for long enough they will bite it, just to get the darned thing out of their face if for no other reason. I know that last bit sounds kind of dumb but hey, at least I have a plan.

To my thinking, there are a few points of interception a fly angler should concentrate on. The first is the deep slow water close to the mouth of the river the Shad are running up.
Every Shad in the river has to pass this area.

To fish this just cast almost straight across, let the fly sink and strip back with a rhythmic, longish pull. Do not be afraid to pause and let the fly sink between strips. Also every now and then fish directly downstream a few inches out from the bank.

Farther up stream, I look for a few types of water. My favourite is a stretch of shallow riffles immediately above a deeper, broadening of the stream. The little pods of fish come racing upstream, hit the shallows, mill around a few moments then fall back to the deeper section, seemingly to rest and recharge before committing to another dash upstream.

Here, I position myself upstream and work the fly down and across the lip of the deep section, extending about six-inches on each cast to cover it thoroughly. Work the fly a little with a bobbing or lifting motion.

The next type of water I look for, especially on a bright day, is a long stretch of deep water with lots of conflicting currents. I figure this is a trade off for the fish. The dark depths give them security so they are inclined stay there but they will not continuously fight the current so will rest wherever it is blocked or slower.

Also, think of the way a Seagull will glide along in the draft of a ferryboat without flapping its wings. He has found a sweet spot of upwelling air and only needs minor adjustments to stay there for hours. I think fish do the same thing in a current. They look for the sweet spots where the lift of the water hitting a bank or boulder will let them rest with little energy expended.

I fish it so the fly does the same thing the water does. It tumbles along the bottom then rises up in front of them – in theory anyway.

One more spot I will always fish on a bright day is anywhere there is a noticeable shadow such as a bridge will cast or even a tree or brush along the banks.

Many times, I have watched fish mill around in the shadow of a bridge, unwilling to venture back out into the bright sunlight but not particularly comfortable in the water they are holding in either.

I first discovered this fishing with my brother Warren on the Nictaux. (I think it was the Nictaux River. He will doubtless remember.) The water was too fast and shallow to be promising but I saw the telltale swirls and tips of fins so cast downstream to the edge of the bridge’s shadow. The strike was instantaneous. As long as I was content to cast along the slowly moving shadow’s edge there was a fish there willing to take.

I will not go through every turn and vagary of a river but offer these as examples of the sorts of places to look for and things to think about when on the river fly fishing for Shad.

Remember; the very best time to fish them is just at dusk but the very best time to go fishing is whenever you can. That means the fishing is not always going to be easy.

The truth is that I learn something new about Shad fishing every time I am out. Some of it completely contradicts what I would have sworn was true before leaving home so take this stuff with a grain of salt and let me know if you figure out something that will help me catch a few too.

Fishing May 7th

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:29:00 +0000

I made it out last night after work for a bit of Shad fishing.

I was having no luck at all until a fellow named Phil ambled down the stream and stopped to chat. He mentioned that he had tried several different coloured flies and when he changed to green started hitting a few fish.

Needless to say, I immediately changed to a green fly. You can see the results in the pictures.

All told, pretty slow until sometime between almost dark and should have left fifteen minutes ago. A few fish landed, two fish hooked and lost plus a lot of bumps and strikes with no hook-ups.

It was interesting watching Phil fish on down the river. He worked the fly more than I am inclined to but out fished me so I will pay a lot more thought and attention to that. He also fished a stretch of water I had walked right by with some success. Lesson learned.

The Stripers are Running

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:09:00 +0000

Here is a note and a picture from my friend Jason.

He says:

"Hey Hey,

The stripers are running in the Stewiacke. I was proud of this guy and thought I'd send it along.

JK "

Good one Jason!

Shad Fishing on the Fly - The Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:32:00 +0000

The whole idea of fly-fishing for Shad on purpose is relatively new in comparison to the other more traditional fly fishing targets of trout and salmon.

In reviewing, what I know about it for various articles I have written in the past year I realized that the ideas and techniques I was using were derivatives of other styles of fishing, mainly slightly adapted salmon fishing techniques, with a few personal twists added as I gained experience.

In its simplest form, here is how to catch a Shad with a fly rod.

Use a sink-tip line and a short, stout leader of about four to six feet. Tie on a brightly coloured, weighted fly in the number ten to twelve range and cast it three quarters down stream and across. An upstream mend just as it lands will help to sink the fly.

Let the cast straighten out below you. Do not retrieve it right away. Let the fly dangle there for between ten and twenty seconds. Work it just enough to keep from snagging then slowly lift your rod tip to raise the fly up from the bottom. If no strike, do the whole thing over again. Expect a strike, ranging from subtle to jarring, anywhere along the drift but most often a few seconds into the dangle or just as you begin the lift.

If you do this so that your fly is covering a pocket or deep spot in the river where the Shad momentarily rest on their way upstream, you will get one sooner or later.

This is a nice straight forward approach, easy to master and adaptable to your particular reading of the water and what it tells you about where the fish are going to hold up temporarily.

The one gear related observation I will make is that you need a good, free-running, reel with lots of backing just as you would for salmon fishing.

No Bull, these fish fight with tremendous strength. If you are not into your backing a few times on a day’s Shad fishing, the big ones are not in yet and you should already be planning a return trip.

Having reviewed the basics, next time I will try to explain a bit about reading the water to figure out where you have the best chance of connecting.

A Quick Update to Yesterday’s Post

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:25:00 +0000

I headed out to see if there were any Shad in the river yet, did not see any or Stripers but loads of Brook Trout.

A small hatch of Black Stoneflies happened about a half-hour after I arrived.

I of course was rigged for Shad, sinking tip and all; but lengthened my leader and put on a Muddler Minnow.

It did not come close to matching the hatch but it was just the ticket, had a ball for a few hours with small Brook Trout.

Saw some enormous Deer tracks on the way out that were not there on my way in. I would sure have liked to get a look at that Deer; it must have been a brute.

Quite a contrast to the advance of spring here as opposed to Cape Breton.
Saw a few wild flowers and Pussy Willows. No snow in the woods.

Nova Scotia Shad Run 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:56:00 +0000

All right, so I heard through the grapevine that the Shad run is just getting started.

The spot I am heading to this weekend is a great place for trout and by turns, Striped Bass, Shad and the odd Smallmouth Bass.

The problem for me is deciding which I am going to go after. The techniques I use for Shad pretty well guarantee that nothing else will touch the fly, the same for Striped Bass and Trout, although I do occasionally fluke a Smallmouth when targeting Brookies.

I have been anxiously awaiting this year's Shad run because I have a new system figured out that I cannot wait to try.

Here is the thing; traditionally Shad were not regarded as a game fish- around here anyway. They ran in huge numbers and were netted for commercial use or jigged by dragging a weighted treble hook through the thick schools by rod and reel anglers.

Some of the catch was eaten but many Shad were just flung up onto the bank to die and there, were left to rot.

That has all changed in the last fifteen or twenty years. Spin fishermen started using darts to fair hook them and fly fishermen discovered that they would take a deep-sunk fly. When hooked, the fight is spectacular and once enjoyed it is hard not to go again at every opportunity.

The laws have been beefed up as well. It is illegal to purposely foul-hook this wonderful, new’ish, game fish.

Spring in Cape Breton

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:20:00 +0000

I just got back from a business trip to Sydney Cape Breton. Spring is slow to come in that part of the country. It rained and was foggy for the trip both ways, pretty grim and cold.

I did see some interesting things though. I stopped to look at a beaver dam with another smaller dam built on the creek just below it. Not sure what the beavers were thinking with the small dam but they have a nice head pond behind the big one. Did not see any rises but I will bet when it gets a little warmer that will be a honey hole.

I was struck by the amount of sea ice still around. Here are a couple of pictures taken approaching the bridge that is a landmark on the way to Sydney.

I stopped to look at a little river called the Skye. I have never fished it but I like the name. It was a bit full and cloudy. It is usually crystal-clear. Many folks fish there judging by the litter of fishhook packs and a lot of discarded line just lying around.

Where did Nova Scotia’s Smallmouth Bass Come From?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:33:00 +0000

When I was small, fishing meant a couple of things.

The first was well, anything you could catch from the town wharf. Pollack were number one, then Tommy Cod and every now and then a Mackerel.

We would also by times catch Kyak (Alewife), Eels, Sculpin and Flounder, all from the wharf or the nearby abutments of the town bridge.

A local man would fish the tides for Striped Bass but he was the only one I knew of who fished for them.

The second opportunity was fresh water fishing. That meant Brook Trout but we kids were just as happy to catch Yellow Perch, Eels and Bullheads. Smelt and Kyak were dipped, and Shad were jigged, in season.

I was oblivious to Atlantic Salmon although there was a legend of someone hooking one on a Red Devel Lure while fishing for Pollock off the Town Wharf.

Now a’ days, well, things have changed. I have not fished with a “Red and White”, the local name for the Red Devel spoon, or sunk a hook draped in Night Crawlers in years.

Now I fish with a fly rod for anything I can put a cast in front of and spend a lot of time chasing fish I had barely even heard of as a kid.

For example, I am positive there were no Smallmouth Bass around when I was a kid. Where the heck did they come from or was I just growing up in a place where no one fished them?

No kidding let me know if you have an answer to this.

By the way, I was driving back from Amherst last night and had the fist bug mess of the season on my windshield. My brother Warren looks for Nanking Cherry blossoms to tell him the trout are willing. Me, I get the fly rod out when the first bugs start hitting the windshield.

Planning to finally get away this weekend, let me know if anyone within reach is looking to get out too.

Here are a few pictures of one of my favourite Salmon streams passed on my travels this past week.

Fly-fishing?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:58:00 +0000

Here is a picture of the only successful fly-fishing I have seen this year. I am not sure if my daughter knew how fascinated I am with carnivorous plants when she brought this savage little beauty home.

Truth is I am always a little slow to get going in the spring. It is a busy time at work and just cold and messy enough not to be too inspiring to me.

I watch the lake from window and when I see the first free risers, I leap into action too.

It was not always this way. I like to think that with age comes wisdom and pass it off as older and wiser rather than older, colder and lazier.

The Myth of the Long Cast

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:47:00 +0000

We all do it, especially if the fishing is slow.

We stop fishing and start casting. I mean really driving it out there. We still keep up the pretense. We watch the drift with eagle-like intensity and carefully retrieve with just the right action but as soon as we have enough line-in-hand for a good double haul, zoom!

We wing it out there, sending another long cast looping through the air, just because we can.

It is fun. It is usually the exact wrong thing to do but we all still do it, especially if someone is watching.

The fact that any fly-fisherman worth his salt who witnesses the exhibition invariably mutters under his breath, “What’s that idiot up to?” does not seem to inhibit us in the least.

I have often been on both sides of that scenario at different times on the same day.

Casting is a pleasure. Even when you begin to understand the mechanics of the thing, it still seems a little miraculous.

Here is my experience with the practicality of the long cast.

Most of the trout I have brought to hand were within twenty-five or thirty feet of me, many much closer. Most of the salmon were within thirty or forty feet of me.

Fishing is about many things but catching is all about line control.

Here is the thing, keep in contact with your fly so that a movement of your rod tip to tighten on a fish does not have to first pick up coils of slack line. That is it. There is no great mystery or secret.

I heard that bit of wisdom from an old guide in my early years of trying to learn to fish. I have spent the past twenty or so trying to get it right.

As you become more skilled with your fly gear your circle of effectiveness will expand from five to ten to twenty yards and more. Most of the trout you catch will still be within twenty-five or thirty feet but you will also be able to reach out and pick off the odd fish foolish enough to show himself within range. Those moments are exceptional and can sure make your day.

Salmon fishing often requires long casts under difficult conditions. Some of the most memorable and spectacular salmon I have connected with were the result of extraordinarily long casts. A long accurate cast is often the difference between, “Fish on” and fishless.

Having written that though, there are many places where I have watched salmon anglers work through a pool I know well, casting long elegant lines a mile past where the salmon were laying.

I have done the same thing and will doubtless do it again. It is hard to resist even when you know better.

I should note here that the biggest salmon I have ever caught was a rod length from me when I saw him and and he took with just my leader and about four inches of fly line poking out of the tip. I was wading across the River Phillip and saw him roll on the edge of the fast current above me.

In thinking this ramble over, here is the gist of the opinion I am offering:

The ability to cast a long line will sometimes give you an advantage.
The ability to control your line so that you keep positive contact with your fly will always give you the advantage.

Spring limps into Prince Edward Island

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Her are some scenes from yesterday in PEI. I guess Spring is really going to come this year. You can still see a lot of sea-ice off the coast. Some of it looked like small icebergs. The fellow fishing in the picture got one but I was too far away to get a picture.

The Result of the Sackville Rivers Fly Tying Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:10:00 +0000

This just in from The Flies and Lies group.
The results of the Sackville Rivers Fly Tying Contest

"Hi Folks,
I'm happy to announce that George Ferguson was the winner of the Danvise Rotary Vise and a $100.00 Gift Certificate for Fishing Fever Fly Shop in our Flies & Lies Fly Tying Contest. We now have an official SR (Sackville Rivers) Special salmon fly. Congratulations George and I will be trying the fly this year.

A picture of George's fly is attached and the recipe is:

Hook: George recommends size 8 or 10 salmon hook
Tag: Flat silver
Butt: Green & red UNI-Stretch
Body: Green Krystal Flash
Throat: Orange Krystal Flash & yellow hen
Wing: Moose hair
Head: black

One of our entrants was 7 year old Hannah Wallworth who was unable to attend the meeting last evening. Hannah will attend our April 30th meeting of Flies & Lies to be awarded her prizes for the Children's entry.

Thanks to those who participated and to you who have attended and supported Flies & Lies over the last 14 years.

Larry"

Job Posting: Researcher (Natural and Social Sciences)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Here is something that came in my mail today:

From: St. Mary's River Association
To: St. Mary's River
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 11:34 AM
Subject: Job positing

We are currently looking to fill a term position of researcher. A detailed job description is attached. Please pass on to anyone you know who may be interested.

St. Mary’s River Association
PO Box 179
Sherbrooke NS B0J 3C0
(902) 522-2099
www.geocities.com/stmarysriverassociation
email: stmarysriver@ns.sympatico.ca

Job Title: Researcher (Natural and Social Sciences)

Duties:
The researcher will:

· Compile and review historic and contemporary information on natural conditions (terrestrial, aquatic, chemical, biological) within the St. Mary’s River watershed.
· Identify data gaps within the existing body of information
· Prepare report documenting these conditions
· Engage with the local public, industry and special interest groups within the watershed through personal meetings, workshops and open houses.
· Conduct a mail-out survey to determine contemporary concerns and issues of residents of the watershed.
· Prepare materials (posters, etc.) for meetings, open houses, etc.

Qualifications:
The successful candidate will:

· Have a broad background in natural and social sciences and so able to interpret a wide range of materials.
· Be able to work independently, with little direct supervision
· Be an effective communicator in writing and public speaking
· Be able to meet deadlines

Period of Work: June 1 - August 31, 2008; with possibility of extension into autumn

Location: Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia

If interested please submit resume (hardcopy only; no electronic material) by April 24 to:

Dr. Sean Mitchell
Executive Director
St. Mary’s River Association
Box 179, Sherbrooke, NS
B0J 3C0
ph.(902) 522-2099
fax (902) 522-2241

More Odd and Interesting Fish Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:02:00 +0000

I just got back from being away. I traveled to Yarmouth via the Annapolis Valley and returned via the South Shore route. It was interesting to see how much snow there still is. Not everywhere though, some of the spots around Yarmouth and in the Valley looked positively spring-like. Most of the brooks were open and running well. The water is normally high for this time of year. Many of the lakes were open but another only a few miles away would still be ice covered. I guess it has to do with their orientation towards the sun. I will get on Google Maps and see if I can figure out the pattern. It might be interesting.

I also had the chance to listen to my brother Neil’s new CD on the way back.
You can check it out at this link.

When I got home, I checked my email to find these pictures from Baraz at Fish Finder.

He says;

“The giant fish in the man's arms is actually a European pike caught somewhere across the big pond...they just do not get that big around here! That picture has actually ended up in some newspapers here claiming it was caught here or there...different story every time!”

Sounds like my baby moose pictures doesn’t it? People are sure funny.

“The pike eats pike shot........well, if you look at the size of the lure, it sure looks like the smaller fish is only about 12 or 15 inches long.........the larger one would probably be between 2 and 3 feet.....4 feet at most!! The original claim is that that pike is over 6 foot long or something outrageous like that!”

Neat stuff! If you have any odd or unusual fish pictures or stories, send them along. I’ll share them with the gang.

Correction to Rainbow Trout Saga

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Well as usual, I got some stuff wrong in the story below. I had the bays and beaches mixed up. The folks are trying to keep fish farms out of Port Mouton Bay. The farm that was destroyed was a few miles down the coast in Liverpool Bay. So the Beach where the fish washed up was also a few miles down the coast at Beach Meadows. Sorry about that. Thanks to Warren for pointing out my bad geography.

Rainbow Trout, An Invasive Species for Nova Scotia?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:00:00 +0000

When I was buying my fishing license this week I ran into Larry Short. He told me that two Rainbow Trout were caught in the Sackville River on opening day.

Why is this significant?

Well, they are not a native spices here. Back in November, a hurricane crashed into Nova Scotia.

There was an amazing amount of rain, screaming winds and waves of over 12 meters, that is about 40 feet, were reported in the ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Hurricane Noel destroyed an aquaculture facility in the waters of Liverpool Bay. They lost about $1,000,000.00 in equipment and stock. The stock in this case was big Rainbow Trout that escaped.

Between Liverpool where this happened and the Sackville River are several salmon streams. I call them salmon streams but all of our Nova Scotia rivers have been severely damaged by acid rain and other human activities. The naturally breeding salmon stocks are extinct in many and endangered in all.

The Sackville Rivers Association has been working for years to rehabilitate these urban waters and re-establish a breeding population of Atlantic salmon in them. With some success, I might add. Nevertheless, it is a fragile victory.

These two Rainbow Trout could disrupt the whole program if they were carrying a pen-born disease. It could be a disaster if they are the harbingers of breeding pairs pioneering local waters.

I asked Larry if these fish were not triploid as much fish farm stock is.

Triploid fish are sterile because of a genetic manipulation. They have three sets of chromosomes instead of two (diploid) which is normal.

The advantage to fish farmers of using triploid fish in aquaculture is their rapid growth and weight gain. The disadvantage is their susceptibility to deformities and disease. It also means that escapees cannot reproduce and become an invasive species.

Larry told me that the problem is that even though triploid fish are being raised, not all of them are in fact sterilized. As in anything, there is a margin of error.

What does it all really mean?

Well, in talking to my fishing friends not all of them are unhappy about the fish escaping and entering our rivers. About half of the guys are looking forward to catching them if they can.

They point to Cape Breton, which has Rainbows and Steelhead in the rivers now, apparently from aquaculture escapees getting into the Bras D’Or Lake over the last twenty years or so. I have gone fishing for Steelhead there myself. (I did not get any so went salmon fishing instead).

Others fear the big picture. A new invasive species that just might be the straw that breaks the Salmon’s back.

The Rainbows are out of the cage now so only time will tell. It is too late for our opinions on the subject to have an effect but I would still be interested in hearing what you think.

Image of fish after storm on Beach Meadows Beach from the Queens County Times

The Well-trodden Path

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 14:59:00 +0000

The amazing thing about the well-trodden path is that no matter how many times one follows it there is always something new to discover.

At the cottage this summer, I was reminiscing with my brother about a recent fishing trip. We had traveled to Gander, Newfoundland and then flown by float plane from there to a lodge on Banting Lake.

Banting Lake is named in tribute to Sir Frederick Banting. It was there in 1941 that he perished in a plane crash. He is known as the Nobel Prize winning discoverer of Insulin.

As remarkable as this discovery was, Frederick Banting went on to do something even more remarkable still. He did not seek to profit from this life saving discovery. Instead of applying for a patent, he transferred his rights to the University of Toronto. The price? One dollar. This act of selfless nobility is what made it possible for the millions suffering from diabetes to have affordable access to his health restoring serum.

Back from my digression. I was talking about the well-trodden path. The guides at Banting Lake Lodge were perfect specimens of the amazingly capable and resourceful men life in Newfoundland demands.

While trudging along a barely discernible path, an act of gritty endurance on my part but what my guide described as,

”a quick skip up the river”

I pointed out to him a dense patch of Round Leaf Sundew.

The Round Leaf Sundew is a tiny plant that grows in the nutrient starved barrens throughout the Maritimes.

It only grows 3 or 4 centimeters tall and has several round leaves of a soft green colour, each covered with many bright red hairs.

Every hair is tipped with the tiniest drop of sweet, sticky liquid.

An insect unfortunate enough to try for a sip of this deadly nectar finds itself trapped and slowly digested by the enzyme rich liquid as the hairs slowly enwrap its body.

My guide stopped to look at the miniature plantation. He pretended interest in deference to my need to take a breather.

When I pointed out the remains of a small insect wrapped in the hairs of one leaf, his interest was suddenly real. Captured by a plant that eats bugs.

Even though he knew the woods and waters of this country as well as or better than most, he was seeing something new and enjoying it as much as I was to be learning the broader strokes of the landscape unfolding before me.

And that is the amazing thing about the well-trodden path.

Double Pike

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:25:00 +0000

I don't know if this is a hoax or not. What do you think?

A friend sent this with a comment about fishing downstream from a nuclear power plant.

Hoax or not?

Signs and Signals for the Fly-fisherman

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:02:00 +0000

One of the pleasures of the journey to becoming a fly angler is gradually growing awareness and curiosity about the natural world that accompanies it.

It makes sense that this happens. In the search for trout, you are often actually searching for what the trout might be feeding on. Connections between seemingly unconnected things start to become obvious - just not always easily understood.

Here is an example.

One of my favorite places to dry fly fish is in Kejimkujik Park. It is a stretch of the Mersey River called the Eel Weir after a Mi’kmaw artifact – a line of stones placed to form a “v” shaped fence with an opening at the centre. Alders were cut and placed along this fence to force the eels or other fish to swim through the opening and into a trap.
It is a lovely stretch of water dumping out of George Lake, flowing deep and cold.

The time to go is when the Indian Pears also known as Serviceberry first start to bloom. Local fly-fishermen wait for that signal. It tells them that the trout have started to drop down from the deep waters of the lake and into the river.

A signal I wait for is the sound of the first Spring Peeper. It tells me that the smelt have started to run. When the smelt are running is the time when a fly angler has a fair chance to connect with a land-locked salmon at the mouths of brooks along the Shubenacadie system.

Sometimes you know or can figure out why these signs and signals work, other times not so much. I like it better when I do not know why. It just seems more mystical that way.

The New Fly-Fisherman - Starting from Scratch- Rods, Reels and Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:57:00 +0000

In preparing to write this article, I have tried to think back to when and how I got started fly-fishing. For me it was a writer, Roderick Haig-Brown. His book “A Primer of Fly-Fishing” gave me the basic information I needed to get started. His book called “A River Never Sleeps” made me want to start and “Bright Waters, Bright Fish” made me a fanatic.

Having decided to try it, I went to the local fly shop - not a very good experience for me as a beginner. It was not so much a feeling of intruding upon some sort of closed fraternity but more a case of shock and awe; shocked at the prices and in awe of the vast array of choices.

I ended up retreating with a distinct and lingering distaste for those who enjoy the privilege of knowledge more than the privilege of teaching.

The result was that I ended up buying a “Learn to Fly-fish” kit from Canadian Tire for around $40 dollars. It came with a rod, reel, line and leader. It also had a couple of flies included, a Royal Coachman and a Zug Bug.

In retrospect, I realize that the outfit was terribly mismatched. Consequently, for the longest time I thought fly-casting was difficult. I am still trying to break some of the bad habits developed using that rig.

It is a catch 22 for the beginner. You have to know enough about fly-fishing to pick a rod, reel, line combination that suits you and in which all the bits work together to enhance each other. The only way to learn this is by fly-fishing for a while.

If starting from scratch today I would simply go to the Cabelas website or catalogue and look at the all-in-one kits. They are well-matched outfits of good gear and best of all; they are guaranteed to satisfy. I say Cabelas only because I have bought things there and am familiar with them. LL Bean also sells exceptionally high quality starter's kits, as do others.

Carefully compare the various offerings and always go for quality to the limit you can afford.

My major problem with the original kit I bought was that it was ill matched. That is a serious mistake and one you can avoid by dealing with a specialist rather than a department store. In the cause of supporting your local business community, you may choose to write down the specifications from a kit you like and ask your local fly shop to fix one up for you. There are real benefits to dealing locally.

Here are the very basics you will need for fly-fishing: rod, reel, backing line, fly Line, leader, tippet material, a dozen wet flies, a dozen dry flies and most importantly- a good book or two.

A friend who is an expert fly-fisherman is a real plus as well.

One other thing – never, never, never set foot in the woods without a knife, matches, a secondary fire source such as a disposable lighter (stored in an other pocket), a compass or GPS unit and something I have been carrying recently, one of those super loud whistles women carry on their key chains to scare away hoodlums. In the quiet of the woods, those things can be heard from as far away as a gunshot. Your voice will break down quickly if lost or in distress.

I do not know but I suspect that a bear would not stick around too long either if you started blasting away on one of those things. Maybe one of the people reading this from out west will comment on that.

Our little Black Bears here are not much of a threat - if any. The only ones I have seen have been running away. The last bear I saw in the Rockies though, sized me up the same way I look at a bug before deciding whether to swat it or shoo it away.

Back from my digression. The best combinations I have seen have the reel pre-spooled with backing and fly line of the right weight for the rod.

Remember, the backing is not just to help you handle a big fish that runs farther than the length of your fly line. Backing fills your reel spool to the optimum spool diameter helping to balance your rod and increase the efficiency of the take up.

Set a budget and stick to with-in $50 dollars of it. The things that make a $500 dollar rod better than a $100 dollar rod are invisible when you are first starting out. The things that make a $100 dollar rod better than a $20 dollar rod are not.

Trust me on this and look at the Cabelas or LL Bean combos as a good example of a beginners outfit. It will help you to set a budget. It will help you to get a feel for what you should expect for your money. If you go that route, you will end up with a well-matched outfit that will satisfy the average person for years. Always deal locally when you can so at least give your fly shop the chance to match what you are thinking about getting.

One last thing:

For Brook Trout, general lake fishing for Smallmouth Bass and all round versatility go for a 5 or 6-weight outfit.

If you know you are going to be fishing a lot for Shad, Salmon and saltwater species you will want to go a bit heavier, an eight or nine weight.

If you do not know whether you need a heavier line weight starting out, go for the 5 or 6 weight. I did the opposite and when I finally got my hands on a well-balanced 5-weight set-up, it was like discovering a completely new sport.

This article is meant to be light on detail so do not hesitate to use the comments button below to leave a question or ask for an explanation. Anyone can leave a comment.

Next time: Starting from Scratch –Leaders, Tippets and Flies for the Beginner

Spring Steelhead

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Well, check out these pictures from Baraz.

He says,

"I managed to get out last week for a day of steelheading......and it was a success. I've attached a shot of what I got!"

There is a link to Baraz's blog in the side bar. You can see why I pay attention to what he writes. I've posted better resolution versions to the Fishing Pictures Gallery.

The New Fly-Fisherman - First Things First

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Dobson) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:06:00 +0000

So, my friend is getting back to fly-fishing. He has not done much fishing of any kind since he was kid in the UK as far as I know.

He has not asked me for my advice but you can bet that I have been thinking about it. The question I ask my self is this. “Knowing what I know now, if I was to go back and start again with the same budget what would I buy?”

A more important question might be, “What would I not buy?”

Face it; if most of us, we grizzled old veterans of the stream, were to total up the value of our fishing gear it would horrify our significant others. What is it that Koos Brandt said,” My biggest fear is that when I die, my wife will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it”?

For me now, it all starts with being warm and dry. A typical trouting trip here in the East begins in the pre-dawn darkness and ends with a long walk back to the truck as the sun sets or more often, stumbling through the dark of early evening. Therefore, the very first thing a beginner might want to do before even considering rod, reel and flies is inventory their outdoors wear.

From the pre-dawn to twilight, the day might go through a twenty-degree variance. As often as not, it will go from snow to rain to bright sunshine on any given day in April so buy what you need to be able to dress in layers topped with a wind-breaker or rain jacket.

You should do everything necessary to keep your feet dry and in good condition. If money is no object a pair of stocking foot, breathable waders with a nice, rugged pair of felt soled wading shoes is the nearly perfect choice for almost all Nova Scotian fishing.

In the real world though, get the best you can afford whether it is the traditional Wellingtons, boot foot hip-waders or chest waders. Go for comfort first. That means good ankle support and water resistance. Wet feet will turn a dream trip into an endurance contest.

My progression was from those black rubber boots with the red soles to a pair of inexpensive hip boots, to a pair of good, rugged Helly Hansen chest waders. I stuck with those for years until I finally invested in the breathable waders with separate boots.

In my opinion, these new waders represent as big a technological leap forward as any other aspect of modern fly-fishing including rods made with space-tech materials or the new fly-line formulations.

Here is the thinking. When you are cold and miserable your fishing is lack luster and unfocused. Fish may be rising at your feet but all you want to do is get the heck out of there. When you are dry and comfortable, your ability to focus on your quarry is unimpaired. You can enjoy the beauty of your surroundings. Most of all, you can experience the challenge of wild trout at their wily best without the distraction of that pesky hypothermia.

With all of that out of the way, its time to look at gearing up - next time, The Bare Essentials for the New Fly Fisherman.