Conference wahoo::fishing

There is a feature article on Searuns or salters in the latest
"flyfisherman" by Bob Rifken.  The article is specific to the Falmouth,
Massachusetts area.  Most of these streams or estuaries are on Cape Cod
about 20-25 minutes (excluding traffic) over the Borne bridge.  Trout
Unlimited has had a successful rehab project on one of these streams which
has been well publicized in their magazines. 
                                                    
My knowledge is limited to witnessing a couple of Rifken's presentations,
reading the book on salters put out by the southeast MASS. region of  T.U.
and about 40 hours on one of these streams as well as a visit to the
hatchery.  Like most fishing, there is no substitute for experience and
what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the next.  I have
never caught an honest searun.  I have caught dozens of 10-12 inch browns
in the estuary  and I have had both tippets and light wire hooks broken on
5-6 lb. fish.  I took twenty of these small fish in a little over an hour
on a #18 short black and grizzly dry only to have a good fish take it and
roll over the tippet in an incredible acrobatic move before me.  By the
way, most flyfisherman consider it a cardinal sin to keep any of these
first year fish as they appreciate the fragile searun fishing that exists
on the cape. 
                             
This late summer-fall snapper blues took over the estuary and I saw and
caught few small trout.  The hatchery management people on the Cape seem
to attribute the scarcity of small trout not to the blues but to the
harbor seals.  I've changed my attitude about the "protect the seals"
campaigns. 

Where I fish you can most often see several large browns cruising the
banks or  taking a lie in the shadows of overhangs. These fish did not get
to this size by being stupid.  Presentation is most important.  I advocate
leaders with at least 3 feet of 6x tippet.  I've met people who swear by
mummighog muddlers in size 6 to 8 and in g.r. hare's ears, montana
stoneflys, large hornbergs, and the blue back herring.  I'm sure these
flies all work. I've had the most consistent success on a size 16 floating
shrimp nymph  (I can list the pattern or send you one), #16-18 ants and
beetles.  And I've caught a few on #14 deer hair paraduns which I think is
the best all-round stream dry fly for this state.  A low profile and a
long line are other important factors within presentation. I had a 5 pound
fish back into my landing net while wading next to some brush this August.
It is not unusual for these fish to come right up to you, but the trick is
to get the bait or artificial to them without your presence being known. I
use a float tube which helps me keep a low profile; and keep false casts
and short casts to a minimum.   If you walk right up to the bank and jump 
in and start casting 50 feet of line across the pool, you may never see 
a searun. 
          
I read that it takes an average of 60 hours for most people to get their
first searun.  I witnessed an experienced flyfisherman's wife take a nice
fish in her first 20 minutes of fishing.  I hope I'm not the other half of
the average. 

This fishing is closed from March 15 to May 31 for good reasons.  My
experiences are mid July through September.  October and February are
reputed to produce some of the best results.  After October I believe it
is mostly streamers and large shrimp patterns cast into the gray water on
sinking lines, along with surgeon rubber gloves, fingerless mitts and ski
masks. 

So, I'm far from an expert.  I've caught a few in my daydreams.  I do a
good amount of trout fishing and have found Cape Cod searuns to be the
biggest challenge within normal driving distance.  Most fisherman on the
streams are full of information and techniques if approached tactfully.
Over publication of this fishing can ruin it as it already receives a good
amount of pressure.  It's not the Henry's fork. Fortunately, the fishing
and bait shops on the Cape are 98.6% saltwater. 

hope this was beneficial and not too winded
tight lines and RELEASE EM ALIVE        

John

JOHN: I work with Dave in Augusta and will likely be fishing with him for

      the above mentioned searuns, please post the shrimp pattern, and if

      possible, send one along via mail.

      Ed Blum
      Digital Equipment Corp
      500 Civic Center Drive 
      Augusta, Maine 04330

      We'll probably be giving those searuns a try this month (October), yes

      we're that crazy!! After all, the open water season here in Maine is

      over, and six month is a long time to go without casting a line. 

     
      I'll see to it that Dave gets to copy the shrimp pattern also, please

      send along your mail address also, DO YOU TIE YOUR OWN???



                                          Tight Lines

                                            Ed

 ED:

 Flies are in the interoffice mail...  I sent along a blue back herring, a
 saltwater shrimp and what I referred to as a shrimp nymph.  Of course,
 there can be no such thing as a shrimp nymph.  When there is surface
 activity and no hatch and no terrestrials on the water the searuns are most
 likely taking small shrimp near the surface.  The larger shrimp skitter
 across the water and it is more obvious what the fish are up to. 
                          
 Ingrid Sils who is has a strong reputation for challenging searuns has
 something called a popping shrimp.  This is described in the "fly fisher-
 man" article I mentioned earlier along with 10 or so other good patterns.
 She ties a spun deerhair head, hopper style, on a #16 light wire hook. I
 have yet to learn to be that nimble..  I think my fly has a similar
 silhouette, different action. I should also add that when fishing dries or
 terrestrials for searuns that dead drifts are not as effective as slow slow
 slow  retrieve or movement.  I also assume everyone realizes that I am
 talking about summer fishing and not what you should expect this time of
 year. 

 My pattern, not fancy and relatively easy to tie.

	HOOK:  	Mustard 94842 TUE, #14-#16
	THREAD: Olive, 6/0 prewaxed
  	TAIL:	Olive or brown hackle fibers
	BODY:   2/3rds shank (olive, olive-brown, olive-yellow,
		ginger)	dubbing.
		Stack some light deer hair and form a collar in 
		front of body.  This should extend 1/2 length of body.
	HEAD:	Darker (Brown, March-brown, Amber) dubbing. Tie this
                twice the thickness of body and over front of collar.
                                                                    

 This time of year, I would go out armed with sandeels, weighted muddlers,
 smelt and herring imitations.  I stick to low risk, highly productive
 inland fishing this time of year sheltered from the ocean winds.
                                                                 
 Keep the notes posted of your ventures for Searuns.  They are a fish
 worthy of a great deal of respect.

 John

Thanks for all of the info, and especially the patterns. 

dave

Got the goods John...very nice shrimp imitation..will spin a few this weekend.

least I can do is send along a bit of tying material in return..would some noice
nice fresh killed WOODDUCK Flank be apprpriate..OK..thought you'd like that.

Its in the mail.....Ed

ED:
	
	Just wanted to thank you for the Wood Duck and let you
	know that after paying 75 cents for 4 feathers two weeks
	ago I had fantasized that I would cross paths with a 
	hunter that would offer me some.  Since Columbus day
	I have caught and released 18 rainbows using a Wood Duck
	#12 wet pattern.  It worked on all but one occasion.  I now
	have a supply of materials to keep me in this fly for
	quite some time.  Thanks again.

John

What is the pattern that you used? I have been tying some hornbergs 
with woodduck with the wings tied both downwing and side wing style and 
of course  little "cock eyes" to make it look good. Glad you were able 
to use the feathers. Wish we had an unlimited supply..........

dave

John......Glad you liked it...ditto Dave on the "wet" pattern....spill the

beans buddy!!!!!!!! PS What test mono does u use for the eyes on the shrimp

immitation???..........Thanks.



                                 Ed

First the shrimp eyes: that was probably around 60lb test I had from some
old leader material.  I also use 25 - 30 lb test for smaller 12-14 size.

The hornberg is more versatile than the wood duck in that it can be fished
so many ways under so many conditions and rarely lets you down.  If I had to
live out my days on 6 flies only, that would be on the list.  I think it's
popularity is very regional (New England).  You Down Easters have the Wood
Special I believe.

The fly that has worked for me this Fall is a Jack Cooper (Cooper Bug) tie 
and like the hornberg is tied in many variations.  There is the Wood Duck, 
little woody and T-bone and there is the male version and the female versions.
You can include a thin gold rib or you can alter the thread on the head to 
red or yellow.  You can speculate on why the fly works and what combinations
are best.  I had one fly that was so beat up and ragged it defied logic as to
what the fish saw in it.  I'm not big on wets but do like this on a floating
line.

Cooper's fly and the one I like is a simple quick tie.

	Female Wood Duck

		Hook:   Mustard 3906 #12 (sharpening will increase success)
              Thread:   olive or brown prewaxed (other colors optional)
		Tail:   6 or so Wood Duck barbules extend 1/3 length of hook
		Body:   Peacock Herl wrapped forward    overwrap if necessary
	      Throat:	Brown or coachman;  
	        Wing:	10 or so Wood Duck barbules extended to about center
			of the tail.

This is a popular fly in the northeast corner of Mass and Southern NH.  It
is trolled alone or makes a good dropper when used with a hornberg or
streamer.  I think the iridescence of the peacock is responsible for it's
success but if tied with imitation wood duck, it is not the same.

John

John, I have had some success with a very similar tye, it uses the black and
white striped outer breast feather of the woodduck as the wing, peacock or
wood duck toppy (very irridescent) for the body tails and throat of wooduck
flank. Also tyed on the same wet fly hook. Works well just under the surface
on a floating line/greased leader, particularily during caddis hatches.
I think the black and white gives the effect simular to the air bubble trapped
on the emergent pupa...will send along a couple when I tye next years supply.

hunters, across the puddle,
	i take it sea run trout are 'migratory trout' , if so i 
would like to refer to them as sea trout for discussion sake.

	Sea trout runs are quite plentiful here in the west coast
of Scotland. early run (may/june)consists of fish in 2lb. to 8lb.
bracket , main run (june/july) fish 1lb to 3lb. , late run (sep)
small fish 1/2lb to 1.25lb with occasional large late entrants.

	They are a very shy fish , extremely sensitive , but if 
care is used ,quite catchable. An excellent book called 'Sea trout
fishing ' by Hugh Falkus exists over here , also a tape by him ,good
reading/viewing. I never cease to marvel at these fish when hooked,
their aerobatic genius , sheer power to weight can sometimes leave me
in awe! 

	Angling practice for sea trout is mostly nocturnal except in
spate conditions. A typical sea trout outing would proceed as follows-
arrive river at 9-9.30 pm observe bats starting to appear and any sea
trout activity in river ,note mentally as we will cover these places 
with our flies . tackle up rod leisurly paying particular to knots ,
attach a butcher &, teal blue & silver to cast , two flies are enough.
the sun is now nearly 'set' ,say hello to the owl who has just started
hooting ,now we begin ! it is approx. 10.15 pm. move up to the head of
the stream avoid wading where possible, start casting ,avoid false casting
you are now approaching a spot where a sea trout moved earlier , there is 
more sea trout activity below you,take note all the time , your heart beat
quickens as your flies swim over the 'lie' your rod just about leaves your
arms as the fish takes (they can be very delicate takers also) at this point
you do all the things you dont want do, ie 'panic like hell when the 4lb bar
of silver errupts violently from the water ' then starts a run ,slowly you
remember you've been thro this before and regain a measure of control. after
a hectic fight you get your fish to the net , dispatch and still shaking ,
marvel at this powerhouse. Boy! this is what i call theraphy , i must be 
kidding myself , it can be very taxing , but still i am dedicated to sea 
trout fishing, some nights can be good some bad who cares! 

	Tranquility & palpitations can go hand in hand when fishing
for sea trout in darkness i think we are special 'breed' us owls,
but i would recommend it for those interested in catching sea trout
as they are less shy at night ! Give it a try with a friend

			trapper john , ayr , bonnie scotland !