WRITING ON THE FLY
By GEORGE LISET

    The next few years are going to be tough ones for New Hampshire anglers. New Hampshire hatcheries are being rebuilt and updated over the next few years, and for the past few years they have been operating under capacity, in order to meet EPA regulations. This being said, there will be less stocked fish for trout anglers. Although there will be limited stocking, anglers will have to up their game.

    Fly fishers will have options. There are a number of great trout ponds scattered throughout the state. I’m sure my float tube will get more of a workout, which means I’m going to get more of a workout. An angler can also head to the big waters up north. I enjoy streamer fishing on the seacoast rivers and streams, but lately I have become fond of fishing for native Brook Trout up in the White Mountains.

    There are a number of reasons for this. The drive up to the Whites is beautiful and relaxing. I never get tired of the scenery. The air seems cleaner and once you get past the Conways there are less people. At least I hope there is. The small streams that run through the White Mountains are for the most part easily accessible. Most trails heading up to one of the many four thousand footers follow streams. I’ve seen some young guys that maneuver the boulder-strewn streams like mountain goats.

    This leads me to remind any angler that is planning on doing some extreme hiking to get to those high mountain waters, to buy a Hike Safe card. I just read where a hiker had to be rescued and helicoptered off a mountain at the cost of a European vacation. Fortunately for me there is enough water that is easily accessible.

    I just bought a book that is titled “Fifty Best Swimming Holes in the White Mountains.” My fishing buddy asked why I bought it? I mentioned there are fish in the holes as well as nice trails to get to them. He thought I was pretty smart, for an old dude! These are great places to fish until the weather warms and the tourists show up. Then the angler has to head up the mountain to the cold water to avoid the crowds.

    I enjoy fishing for native Brookies on my three weight fly rod. Even the smallest trout feels like a monster on light tackle. And talk about White Mountain gems, there is nothing more pretty than a Brook Trout. They can be a challenge to catch and there is an art to fishing for them. Some of the best pools are choked with brush or are in spots that make casting difficult. This requires a delicate presentation and serious casting skills.

     I have had my best luck with small flies, usually size eighteen or twenty. I’ll start with a size eighteen Caddis or a Blue Wing Olive. If the pool is shallow I’ll just go with the dry fly which rides the top water. If the pool is a little deeper I may drop a size twenty Pheasant Tail nymph off the dry fly. I will usually make a few passes through the pool and if I don’t have any luck I will move on.

    Just remember, there are critters in the White Mountains. There are many you would love to see and a couple you don’t. I saw fresh bear tracks and scat on my last trip recently as well as moose and deer tracks. So if you take a trip up to the Whites, be prepared with extra clothes and enjoy New Hampshire naturally.

 George Liset of Dover is an award-winning outdoor writer and avid fly fisherman who shares insights of his time on the water exploring New Hampshire streams and rivers as well of those around New England. George is a graduate of Wheaton College, Illinois, and the University of New Hampshire. His column Writing on the Fly has been honored by the New England Press Association and the New Hampshire Press Association.