Where Angels Sing

[Graham 0]

I just got back from a week of fly fishing in Upstate New York, had a fantastic time and thought I'd share a few photos and comments. As usual I'm still struggling with my new camera and learned lessons for the next trip, most notably, to use auto ISO on stream and to pre-set the camera to enable quick point and shoot as opposed to manually trying to get the best possible shooting settings with constant variations of light and moving subjects.

 

The fishing was spectacular and it was truly a great experience fly fishing with a magnificent bamboo rod Chris Carlin built for this trip, coupled with a Hardy Angel fly reel. For me, nothing beats time spent on stream with good friends…. Well, I hope my wife doesn’t read this…lol… OK, very few things can top the experience….

 

 

 

Fly Fishing - Where Angels Sing

 

A glorious morning and birds take to wing

 

where clouds begin parting and Angels often sing

 

where fly rods bend and reels scream with lines tight

 

where rainbows can be touched and radiate light

 

and bamboo dances with graceful delight

 

where smiles on participants beam naturally bright

 

and majestic trout excitedly fight.

 

 

 

With sun overhead powerful and bright

 

nothing loses sight

 

including the fly fisher

 

and the fish we fight.

 

 

All fish are released

 

so their day will not end

 

to return next year larger to play with a friend

 

both rainbows

 

and browns

 

as stunning and dazzling as jeweled crowns

 

will swiftly evaporate any potential for frowns.

 

 

 

Experiences on stream are worth more than gold

 

clearly strengthening both body and soul.

 

 

 

Sunset appears, and power lines remind me, I haven't gone to heaven, I'm alive as I'll ever be.

 

Graham

[oatka 0]

I knew I should have tried harder to get out there this past week. I could have run into, and fished with some of you guys. Oh well, if I make it out this week I'll just enjoy the thought that the fish I hook might have been caught and released by one of you.

 

Glad you enjoyed MY little stream. Come again!

[Fishigan 0]

That was great Graham. Thanks for the all of it and for the time on the river.

[stony 0]

[sound of jaw hitting my keyboard]

 

What beautiful fish you guys got on. Thanks for posting that Graham. Definitely looks like you all had a great time.

[tcr 0]

Welcome back Graham :yahoo:

I was looking forward to see

some shots from your trip

To upstate New york .

:bugeyes: :bugeyes: :bugeyes: :bugeyes: :bugeyes:

But this is much more then i expekted.

Really Stunning. Looks like you guys

Had some GREAT fishing and the angel

was singing.

Best wishes

Tcr :baby:

 

[Graham 0]

Thanks guys, it was very memorable time spent with good fishing, good friends and good food, basically a perfect fishing trip.

 

I wasn't too sure about adding the words below each photo, kind of reads like a Christmas song rapped by a drunken pirate, oh well, a poet I'll never be.

 

Later this evening I'll post more trip photos, without any rhyming words.

 

[Guest]

 

Nice pics Graham. :headbang:

 

That camera sure makes a difference

 

Leaky

[KVRNut 0]

Great pics Graham!

Don't be afraid of the words not rhyming, just say what comes from the heart. That's how a good poem has a start...

 

Ernie

[Carver 0]

Nice shots Graham! Those are some seriously portly fish! Well writen, I guess most of us would feel the same way after a trip like that!

 

Paul

[Joe Hard 0]

Awesome Graham. Those close ups of the fish are unreal.

[Mike Sammon 0]

 

 

Hi Graham,

what super photos,I wish I had the opportunity to fish on a river of this calibre.I would like to know what kind of tackle set up you guys used to catch these fish.

Here in Ireland a fish caught on the river averages 1lb to 2lb a really good fish would be 4 lbs,unfortunately I have never been lucky enough to bag a fish of this size.

 

We would normally use a set up of 1.5-2lb tippet with a #4-5 line on a 8'-9' rod with a soft to mid -flex action.

 

A good fish on a Irish river would be 1.5lbs and it would take 4 yrs for the fish to reach this weight.

 

Most of the rivers in Ireland carry only 2 game species Atlantic Salmon and wild Brown trout, some river also carry sea trout,brown trout that go to sea and return some years later to spawn.

[Graham 0]

Hi Mike Sammon,

 

I have to agree, the trout in these streams grow to exceptionally huge proportions, from dining on alewives in Lake Ontario all year, then following the spawning salmon upstream to gorge on eggs. Egg pattern flies seem to rule the day, fished on the bottom, using sink-tip lines or a couple of split-shot. The fishing can be a hit or miss scenario, and our trip timing worked out perfectly. Normally I try and avoid fishing trips during a week of a full moon, except when chasing migratory fish that like to move at night, so my choices narrowed considerably when planning ahead. It also seems that the fish have moved upstream later than years past, when mid October proved to fish well. The real luck for those who plan months in advance and book plane fares and accommodations is the uncontrollability of the weather. The week before we arrived, the streams were blown out and basically un-fishable, luckily we had warm relatively dry conditions and the streams shaped up perfectly. Flows were somewhat high and murky upon arrival but lowered and cleared all week, and Friday was incredible, and I even briefly fished in short sleeves. All that said, I dream of visiting magical locations such as Ireland to pursue my favorite quarry, brown trout, of any size. Simply, I just love brown trout, no two are identical, some have white bellies, while other sport yellow, gold, silver, black, butter, etc.. Then there’s the spots, body and head shape, just seems like each has in individual personality that attracts me to catch and admire them.

 

 

Fishigan, It was great to finally meet and fish with you, and I very much look forward to doing it again next year. Here's a couple of shots of your buck male, sort of has a gator look to it.

 

 

 

I should have put a zoom lens on to get a better shot of a nice fish caught by Leakywaders across the stream from me, but I cropped in a bit closer in Photoshop....

 

 

And here's Wickedcarpenter, who is great fun to fish with, and a good friend...

 

 

I guess a number of these brownies look like crocodiles...

 

I finally spotted the little leprechaun on Brents shoulder who whispers the jokes Brent tells all day long, I think it even beats him with a fly rod when things get quiet... I need one of those little guys...

 

One afternoon I was fishing a stretch of water with Brent and we were on a hot bite, landed and released well over one dozen fish, and we began to feel sorry for a young lady fishing close by, who struggled to get a bite. Well, she finally got one, quite a bit bigger than ours...

 

 

The countdown has begun, about 50 more weeks......

[Pujic 0]

Great shots Graham! Glad to see you guys continued to get into some nice fish after I took off.

 

Puj

[fly time 0]

Stunning picts Graham!!! and I didnt know Brent was Irish, but that explains his slurred speach in the chat room from time to time!! :dunno: :hyst:

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

cool pics!! Looks like you guys have your own private section of a stream. That really ups your odds!!

 

I bet they felt good on the boo.