February Fly of the Month- Little Black Stonefly

Last year I was fishing the Big Flat Brook early season with Rich Tullo. We caught a few fish and then met up with a familiar local fisherman. He had been walking upstream, catching fish all morning with just one fly, his little black stonefly. What I learned is that early black stonefly nymphs are found in fast-moving water over rocky bottoms. When trout are feeding selectively on them, you'll see the trout actively feeding in shallow riffles. You can fish a weighted version or unweighted with spit shot or behind a heavier nymph. Of course, of you see fish rising it’s time to put on a dry fly.

Tie up six and bring them to the chapter meeting on February 13. There will be two raffles.

Fifty Year Celebration Banquet

The Hunt Room at The Olde Mill Inn

Guided Trip on the Upper Delaware

In order to accommodate Chris Wood, TU's President and CEO, we are starting the celebration at 5 PM!

Come to our 50th year celebration and meet Chris Wood, President & Chief Executive Officer of Trout Unlimited. Chris has worked at TU for 22 years. He will speak about why Trout Unlimited is so important today, and other things. We also expect Marsha Benovengo, TU State Council Chair to be in attendance, along with many of our past chapter presidents and officers. 

This is a guaranteed fun event! Many return year after year with spouses, children, and friends. There will be lots of opportunities to win great prizes. This is our only major opportunity to raise funds for such programs as conservation projects, trout in the classroom, in-stream remediation, tree planting, youth education, veterans & first responder programs. 

The banquet will be held in the Hunt Room at The Olde Mill Inn, 225 Route 202, Basking Ridge, NJ on Sunday, March 2nd, 5-9 PM. Dinner is $70 per person. You can send a check to Rich Tullo, 110 Marmora Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054. It’s $75 if you pay at the door. RSVP to htuprez@gmail.com

If you prefer to pay by credit card click here: https://tu.myeventscenter.com/event/Hacklebarney-Trout-Unlimited-50th-Year-Celebration-105393 There is a small charge for this.

We hope to see you at this important event!

This year our Conservation Raffle Prize is a guided float trip for one or two anglers on the Upper Delaware with Tim Glynn. Tim is a guide at The Delaware River Club & the owner of Suburban Fly Fishers. 

Included with the float trip is one night at The Delaware River Club. Open to the public, the Delaware River Club has been a fixture on the West Branch of the Delaware River for over 30 years, offering comfortable lodging along with flyfishing schools, professional guides, and a full-service fly shop on premises. Only a short drive from New Jersey, the DRC is positioned perfectly for anglers looking to fish each section of the Upper Delaware River system. The club sits on the best water on the West Branch. Great for waders too!

Email me to get raffle tickets. You must fill them out and either mail them to Rich Tullo with a check, or purchase at the banquet on March 2nd. The winner will be picked at the banquet. Sorry, no credit cards, Venmo, or PayPal.

January Fly of the Month-Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

The Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph is a sentimental favorite for most anglers. It is also one of the most effective! Its effectiveness comes from the naturally spikey hare’s mask dubbing with its natural tans & grays along with just enough flash from the tinsel ribbing to bring some attention to it as it drifts. It is an extremely versatile fly that imitates many insects.

As with many patterns nowadays, the Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph can be tied in seemingly endless variations. Gold beads can be added to the head. Flashback material can be used as a wing case instead of the pheasant or turkey tail fibers. You can do what writer and fly tyer John Gierach did and add a mottled hen or partridge hackle to create his pattern, the Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear Nymph. You can also experiment with various types of tail fibers. Or, even simpler, try using a different color of thread, such as red, orange, or yellow and create a small hot spot around the bead.

Tie up six, any variation, and bring them to the next chapter meeting on January 9th. There will be two raffles.