Fly Fishing Inlet, NY

Third Lake creek in all its glory!

Every year we make at least one trip to the Adirondacks to visit with my parents and siblings. And every year we bring our fly fishing gear and fish off the dock and walkway that extends into the bay and out into Fourth Lake. Over the years we have all caught some nice fish here and there, in between the boats, around the rocks and from under the dock. Sometimes we will take boat trips up into Fifth Lake or walk the banks of the stream that flows into the top of the lake, depending on the season, just to change it up a little.

Jonathan works a bend

In the past few years I have been dreaming of trying to get somewhere else. Somewhere that could get me in touch with a native Brook trout. Even if that meant going on a hike or exploring up a secluded creek, I was more than ready to take it on. And now that the kids are older and more experienced in the world of fly fishing, I felt it was time!

Jonathan's 1st ever Adirondack brookie on the fly

My father and my oldest son Jonathan joined me as we made plans to check out a creek that flowed along an access road at the Third Lake Creek Trailhead Parking lot. 

The hike in was beautiful. And even though the many low spots in the road held a good bit of water from a recent rain, we managed to hike in quite a ways without getting wet.

The map that I had with me showed that the creek was off to our left, but try as I might, I could not see it through the forest. We eventually came up to an area with a small clearing and I took the opportunity to venture off in search of the stream. With my father and son with me, we quickly came to the edge of a small ridge and could see the creek carving its way through a meadow a good 75 yards below us.

We spent the next couple of hours jumping around the edge of the creek in search of fish. All our efforts payed off and we were rewarded with some very nice native Adirondack brook trout. The hot fly of the afternoon was a brown bead head nymph. It accounted for all but one of our fish on the day.

Eventually our time ran out and we made the hike back out. What a great afternoon - and we had the place all to ourselves. I look forward to what our next trip up to the Adirondacks will bring, and who knows....maybe we'll find a new favorite fishing spot.

Mission accomplished!!

Fishing with the kids in the New Year

Katie with her first ever fly caught lake run brown trout.

It had been a while since I had the opportunity to take all three kiddos out fishing, so my expectations for a tangle free, stay warm, don’t fall in fun fishing day where admittedly a little on the low side.

And just to make things even more interesting - We would also be joined by my Father in-law, brother in-law and his son to make up a rather large fishing party, at least for the stream we were fishing.

Jonathan hooked up with 3 large trout, landing one - this nice male.

The kids and I stuck to fly fishing while the In-laws used their spinning gear.

Over the next few hours we all took turns fishing a few different locations. Some of us spent time fishing a couple of nice pools while others took to walking the banks for likely holding spots. And in between taking turns fishing, the kids played in the woods just behind us, built forts, and set adrift a good sized branch or two.

Katie gets ready to release my first catch of the day

Those who fished flies did the best on this day. The kids and I dead drifted woolly buggers under and indicator and hooked seven fish with another hook-up coming via an egg pattern. And even though we tried fishing a swung streamer, no fish wanted to move that much for a meal, so it wasn’t all that surprising that the spin fishing crew couldn’t get anything going with the lures they fished. I think we may have a couple of new fly fishing enthusiasts on our hands.

Both Katie and Jonathan hooked and landed their very first lake run trout, and at the end of the afternoon we put five fish in the net and all of them were brown trout.

Ethan and Katie found a little time to build a streamside shelter

If we continue to have a milder than average winter, we just might be able to find open water to fish right through till spring.

Ethan pulls hard on a nice lake run brown trout

Getting ready to release Ethan's fish

One last fish

All fish were released

Have a great new year!

Fishing Oatka creek with the kids

Jonathan works a nice stretch of the Oatka in the park section

A few weeks ago I was able to get out and do a little fly fishing with the kids. This was our second trip together for the spring and this time we decided to hit up Oatka creek instead of another warm water destination.

I was a little apprehensive in choosing Oatka only because it requires more precision and study than some of the other warm water fisheries. Plus the trout in Oatka, and more specifically the park section, can be very picky which does not always make for a good “kid friendly” fishing trip. But their insistence that it would be fine, and the fact that they really wanted to go no matter what the fishing was like made it an easy decision in the end.

On this go around I made sure that I had set up the younger kids first. This would make it easier for them to get out there and fish the best spots before their older brother. And hopefully put a few fish in the net before it was his turn.

Ethan with a good sized wild brown

We always have a spot picked out, and try to get in there whenever we can. It’s set up perfectly for the kids as they can fish, wade easily, find all kinds of bugs and other critters and eat snacks on the bank right where all the action is. On this day however it was taken for the time being, so we moved upstream.

A male Sulphur dun takes a rest

We found a nice alternative and fished it hard for an hour until our plan “A” spot became vacant. Ethan hooked up his very first trout of the day all by himself, but lost it after a big jump and a loud yell of excitement from him…..I think it may have startled him a little.

When our first spot opened back up, we moved down and settled in. The kids each took turns in the honey hole and caught and hooked plenty of nice fish throughout the rest of the afternoon. And when they were bored with fishing they took turns looking under rocks for crayfish and caught several by their own hands.

Katie with one of her fish on the afternoon

Ethan with another small stream brown

Jonathan holds one of his bigger fish of the day

Katie on the release

Taking a snack break is always a good idea

Jonathan works out a few more casts before we have to leave

All in all it was a wonderful day of fly fishing with the kids. It’s a blast watching them grow and learn on the stream. And even though I did have some tangles to tend throughout the afternoon, it is nothing like it used to be. They really are doing a wonderful job!

Fishing Oatka with Lucas Carroll

Lucas Carroll ties up in the morning light

Every once in a while you get that rare opportunity to spend some quality time with people you haven’t seen in a while doing some of the things you are both equally passionate for.

In my case it was fly fishing with my good friend LucasCarroll.

Lucas is one of those guys that you could sit around and talk with for hours and not realize it’s been hours. He also has a passion for fly fishing and fly tying which is one of the reasons that it probably never seems like we really ever spend that much time on the phone when we talk. Ideas on fly tying, techniques, hatches, bugs, timing the run, fish, etc, fly around the room like a super hatch just popped off the water. And even though it may seem chaotic at best to those who would be outside looking in on a conversation like this, it actually has a purpose – A purpose that is only fully realized when we are on the stream.

A recent trip back East from his newly planted roots in California not only gave us an opportunity to share in some great conversation and ideas, but even better, put them good use on the stream.

A golden wild brown nymphed up from the depths

We met up a little after nine, rigged up, and made the walk in to one of our favorite spots on one of our favorite WNY streams - Oatka creek. We talked about the recent fishing conditions, our families, and what was next for him on his upstate New York tour. The water was at around 2.8 on the gauge and we could see a few bugs coming off and even more starting to swarm just above the water – female Hendrickson spinners.

Lucas with his first of the day

Who needs a net when you have the hands of Lucas Carroll

As we watched and waited for the trout to respond we played around with some streamers and a few dry flies. And as time wore on, we began to lose out hope for an opportunity to fish the hatch/spinner fall. The bugs stopped and the fish never responded.

So we pulled out our plan “B” and went with it for the rest of the morning.

Another wild brown for Lucas

This fish was a blast to catch on the 2 weight

When all was said and done that day, Lucas had remembered how to fish small nymphs, we got to take some great photos of some gorgeous inland wild brown trout, and most importantly we spent time taking it all in while thanking God for all the wonderful opportunities we have in life.

Make sure to check out Lucas Carroll’s wonderful photographywebsite. He should have some amazing photos coming soon from his trip to WNY.

Safe travels Lucas……see you on the stream!