Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and wishing you and your family




HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR

Bears Den Show December 21, 2011 Free

Mark your calendar December 21, 2011
Wedensday

AN EVENING WITH ARMAND J. COURCHAINE

Bears Den, 34 Robert Boyden Road, Taunton,
MA

Fly Tying Demo 6:30 pm
Digital Slide Show 7 - 8 pm

December 1 United Fly Tyers

This Thursday United Fly Tyers meet at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, MA. I'm tying Quill Gordon, Red Quill and Hendrickson dries for the 2012 season. If you want a copy of the UFT Roundtable, email me at ajflyfish@yahoo.com.

Military Reunions With Mans Best Friend : Video Clips From The Coolest One

Military Reunions With Mans Best Friend : Video Clips From The Coolest One

United Fly Tyers announce

Paul Pezza - UFT meeting

A wonderful, informative presentation by Paul Pezza on Patagonia Brook Trout.

Fishing for Patagonia Trout

United Fly Tyers is happy to have Paul Pezza as a presenter for their November 3rd meeting at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, MA. Brook trout over nine pounds. Beautiful scenery, big trout. Join us that evening for fly tying and great slide show,

United Fly Tyers meeting

October 6th, Thursday evening at Middlesex Community College, Bedford, MA. Doors open at 6:30 pm with fly tying, program for the evening at 8 pm Captain Dave Porreca will have slide show on Striped Bass Fishing in RI waters.

F or more info email me at ajflyfish@yahoo.com, before 3 pm tomorrow. I'll send you info on directions etc.

Fishing local pond

Fished local pond in Marlborough,MA. Hager Pond located near route 20, has thousands of cars passing by this pond. Fished here and got ten bass. Small pond with rocks around shoreline and in the middle of the pond. Water has weeds but fishable.

On a Mission

This time of year mean changes the way bass feed. Now is the time to fish shoreline and your chance for a big bass is in your favor. Fished last night at Assabet River. Arrived at 5:30 pm, first bass at 5:40, got ten more, last one at 8pm.Biggest four pounds.

At launch area, I tripped on an untied shoe lace, landed in the water. PFD inflated, I jumped up - to my surprise my wallet was dry, cellphone o.k.

Crossroads Anglers

Next meeting is September 27, 2011. If you send me an email I will send a copy to you of Crossroads Anglers newsletter.

Some of the best people who walk and fish on this earth belong to Crossroads Anglers. Enough Said

Armand

Maine smallmouth bass

Leaving tomorrow with my friend Gillbuster aka John Mediga going to Fryeburg, Me. Meet up with Fly Tackle aka Alec Stansell. Catch dinner at the pond his cabin is on. Next day they are taking me to a smallmouth bass heaven. They are going to blindfold me so I won't know how to get there. There was talk they were going to kill me so I definetly won't be able to tell people where this pond is.

All I know it better be worth it. Or maybe they will just blindfold me and then release me on Monday to get home.

A quiet evening to reflect

Was on the pond August 23, decided to fish with the light rod old Scientific Anglers System 6 (glass rod). Atlantic Salmon Bomber. The outfit was a joy to use, it was a chance to go back into time. Today rod manufacturers want you to believe that stiff fly rods is what you need. Stiff graphites make you do all the work but it should be the rod that works. In the old days you never heard of people having wrist, shoulder, back problems from casting. Look at the ads of today Glass rods are coming back with high price tags. Save your money look at yard sales and ebay.

About the fish they aren't huge. They did manage to put a deep bend in the rod and a joy in fighting the fish, almost into the grip.

Friday August 19, 2011

We had some heavy downpour of rain, thundering and lightning in the afternoon. The winds were dying down towards evening. I decided to fish the Assabet River in Stow for Largemouth bass. The water level had risen a few inches. I could see submerged weeds. I fished close to the edges, concentrating on lily pads. From 6:40 to 8:30 countinuous activity. Landed ten bass, one pickeral. From 8:30 to 9:30 pm action turned off. I was prepared to fish all night. The weather was cool and no mosquitos. Two beavers worked the water along side me in the canoe. Slapping their tails, I was thinking to slap the water with my paddle - after much thought I decided not too. They might slap the canoe with their tail. Saw this bird that looked like a blue heron but all white - don't know what it was?????

Cayote was howlering in the woods. All in all a great night on glass Shakespeare rod

Fly Tying Invitation

United Fly Tyers starts their 2011-2012 fly tying season on September 8, second Thursday of the month (normally the first Thursday, Sept 8 is one time) at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, MA

Fly Tying at 6:30 pm, bring your vise and tying equipment, see what is being tied. If interested pull up a chair and join in, don't worry about hooks and materials. Where can you go tie two or three patterns and take them home for free. This is the place.

At 8 pm for September, our presenter is John Mediga, aka Gillbuster. He is the web master for thebasspond.com

Please let me know if interested or more information about the program or United Fly Tyers, will send electronic newsletter as it comes out. Email me at ajflyfish@yahoo.com

The program is a digital slide show on warmwater fishing.

Night patrol

August 10, 2011 I fished a local pond. Wind from the east, suppose to be west, cloudy then moon light. Fished an area where I had taken a four pounder two years ago. Armed with my Orvis Battenkill 8 1/2 ft, Cortland WF-9 line, Young Beaudex reel and Armand's Hair Frog. I was able to fool this largemouth bass. He weighed 5 1/4 pounds on boga grip. The fish was released to fight another day. There are some people who just fish for trout. They don't know what they are missing.

Summer Time

You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Yes you can. In 2004, I was diagnosed with Melanoma Skin Cancer on my forehead. The surgeons did a nice job removing the cancer and I have basel cell type. As a kid we would get sunburned intentionally. We thought it was cool to see if you could peel your skin in one piece. Today I wear sunscreen Ocean Portion sfe 50 and a wide brim hat.

In 2008, I hooked a decent size Largemouth bass on my jitterbug (I do fly fish but also fish the dark side). I had no flash light at the time. I took a photo of the bass but dropped him to the floor of the canoe. I reached down, the fish jumped and planted the hook at the bass of my thumb. The fish and I were jumping around. I was planning to fish all night. I took my pliers and yanked the hook out and released the fish. I wrapped my hand with my handerchief but felt my feet sloshing around and realized it was blood - my blood on the floor. I decided time to go home.

Now I carry a first aid kit and a towel. Enough said.

Favorite bug

For serious fishing day or night time. You need a bug with little interference to wind while casting with an effective weedguard. I tie my bug onn a Gamagatsu Stinger hook 2/0, the body is deer hair clipped, legs are tuffs of deer body hair, weedguard is 50 pound mono. In fishing at night I can fish this bugs on land, in the trees, on piers, other people's boats. I fish fast the strikes are furious.

On the pond

Wednesday evening (tonight) I just had to be on the pond. The river was in bad shape due to warm weather. The place was packed with green weed muck, black underwater.I fished hard. Got one small bass. Sure I was disappointed but then I reflected on the surroundings. My 8 1/2ft Orvis (bamboo) Battenkill did a dance - poetry in motion. I saw a pair of swans, a blue heron. The sounds of frogs. A beaver tried to scare me a few times with cannon ball splashes. Wind from the east, barometer dropping. Rain schedule after midnight.

July 31, 1960

In the summer of 1960, (sixteen years old) I bought a 5 1/2 ft 3 1/4 ounce spinning rod with Garcia Mitchell 300 reel. My neighbor Gene Landurand told me I made a mistake. You should have gotten a plug casting rod with 17 pound test line - how are you going to land a big bass with that light rod. He was going on and on about my outfit. I told him if I hung on to a big bass I would worry about it, then.

I told him if he knew of a place where a big bass would stay. He told me of a spot in Big Bear Hole (East Taunton, now Massasoit State Park). Look for the tree stump about fifteen feet from shore.

On July 31, 1960, after fishing all day my dad and I had caught two two pound bass for the day. The sun had set, mosquitos were tough. I asked my father if we could try the stump area. About sixty feet from the stump I made a cast with my frog color Arbogast Jitterbug (5/8 oz size). The lure landed behind the stump, I let it rest then retrieved two feet at a time then rest, flipped over the stump brought it in. Next cast to the left of the stump. Next cast to the right - nothing.

I was thinking Mr. Landurand would not lie if he said there was a bass there. He had to be there. By the way Gene had the fish on several time but he managed to get away. My next cast landed in front of the stump. I let the ripples die down, then started retrieving when the fish hit.

After twenty minutes (fish never jumped) of a dog fight. I landed the fish. Very nice Largemouth bass. I was going to release the fish but dad said we were going to eat it. We got home 11:30 pm. Next morning my neighbor son said you got home late what did you get. I showed the fish. We went to Letender Market and had the fish weighed 9nine pounds, seven ounces.

Fast forward, 2011 some fifty one years since that date. I try to be on the pond fishing. This year I have to wait a day or two. I have been trying all my life to get a ten pound bass. I keep trying.

Dog Days of Summer

High humidity, High Temperatures - dog days. Too hot for Trout fishing, salt water scene is slowing down with water temperatures in the seventies. I turn to night fishing for largemouth bass in beautiful Massachusetts near my home in Marlborough, MA.

Fly fishing and spin fishing is my game. I fish mostly top water with bugs and plugs. The dinner bell for bass begins around 7:30 on cloudy day til early morning.