Ellis River

New water

/ Tim Burns / Leave a comment

So I got out today on the Saco River in between rainy days. I wanted to check out the area where the proposed new fly fishing stretch would be. This is a beautiful area and a little bit difficult to get to. So the hope is that the fly fisherman won’t have to deal with the tourists and their float tubes all summer long.

I’m told there are some large brown trout and rainbows here. I hooked into one large fish from underneath the dead fall tree however by the count of 5 the fight was over and he was off. A long distance release.

I had one other small fish rise to a dry fly but that was it. It got very hot and all fish activity stopped. It was about 11:30 anyhow so I moved on to a wild trout stream where it stays cool and shady all the time. Where I know I would catch some fish.

The Saco River looking north towards the presidential range

Headed over to the Ellis River. This is become my go-to stream. I love to fish right at the base of Mount Washington. Almost always get a handful of wild brookies.

Small wild brookies are always abundant in our Headwater streams.

Summer Trout

/ Tim Burns / 2 Comments

Unlike New Jersey trout season really never shuts down for the summer. Some rivers may get warm, but you just have to move upstream. Most rivers have their source up in the mountains. I never found water warmer than 64º. The reason I did not fish on hot days was that I was uncomfortable.

When I hit the mountain streams, the Ellis River being my favorite so far, I mainly caught wild brook trout. They are not big, but they are plentiful.

The Ellis River in Pinkham Notch.

The Ammonoosuc  River up by the Mount Washington hotel and downstream by Lower Falls, I did well drifting a big Royal Wulff dry flies or swinging a streamer. I had several double-digit days. When I say days I mean 2 hours after work.

Mainly fairly big stocked brookies with a few rainbows peppered in. I understand the state had a shortage of rainbow trout to stock this year. But I’m very happy with what I caught.

I am mainly a catch and release fly fisherman. However, I did take two home for the grill this year. One big stocked Brookie one big stocked rainbow.