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Housatonic River Outfitters

Housatonic River Conditions
Great Barrington to Lee, Massachusetts

12/23/02 - We will be open Christmas Eve in Both Stores
Water Level high
Water Temperature 34 degrees - you may be ice fishing soon
Water Clarity 1-2 feet
Release Schedule Natural Flow 820cfs from Great Barrington Station
Current Hatches Midges
Best Bets DRIES

Adams #18-26
Midges #20-28
Griffiths' Gnat #20-24
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NYMPHS
Prince Nymph, B.H. or regular #10-20
Fox Squirrel Nymph #8-16
Golden/Yellow Stonefly #6-12
Pheasant Tail #12-24
Copper John #14-20
Scud- olive, tan, grey, pink #14-18
Midge larva/pupa (Brassies, Glass Bead Midge, etc.) #18-22
Caddis Larva, beadhead or regular, olive or hare's ear #12-16
Hare's Ear #8-20
Serendipity- brown, olive, red #14-18
Egg Patterns are working well

**************************************** STREAMERS

Yellow Zonkers, Streamers and Muddlers - Mickey Finns are another good choice - yellow is the color.
Egg-Sucking Leeches- black, brown and olive #4-8
Conehead Bow River Buggers- black and brown #4-6
Woolybuggers- Olive, Yellow, Black, Brown and White #2-12
Zonkers- Natural, Yellow, Olive, White, Brown and Black #4-8
Conehead Zuddlers - All Colors, esp. yellow, white #4-8
Spruce Fly Streamers - an old favorite - fish haven't seen in a while #4-8
Black Ghost #4-10
Clousers- all colors #6
Zoo Cougar #2-6 (big fish fly- fish on full sink line)

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HIGH/DIRTY WATER (all 4 seasons):

bookmarks-button Streamers #2-8- all colors, esp. black and white, all patterns
-Buggers, Zonkers, Zuddlers, etc.
Large Nymphs #2-8
-Bitch Creek, Kaufmann Stonefly(black or brown), Hellgramite, etc.
-Golden Stonefly #6-8
-B.H. Prince Nymph #10
Egg Flies- various colors #10-14

Comments ***************************************** SALE on BAUER REELS:
-all Little Macs, Litle Mac Superlites, and M series reels and spools in stock are 25% off. All are new and in the box. Snatch 'em up while they last- these are excellent reels. We still have some spools for all 3 reels, esp. the M series and Little Mac Superlites (same spools for both). Go to the specials page to check the inventory.
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Favorite Products for December:

Waterworks/Lamson series of reels- tremendous quality in 4 series of reels covering price points from $150-$400+. All reels have the same patented, proprietary, butter-smooth sealed drag. Reels have mid to ultra-large arbors, with the Litespeed and ULA Force sporting Type III anodization- almost impossible to scratch(even Abels are only Type II). A fraction of the number of parts compared to other reels- less to go wrong on the water. The best reels on the market(in my opinion) at a variety of price points.
-Brand Spanking New off the Press - the new "Evolution Reel" from Ross - the whole series is priced under $300.00 - these are one of the lightest, most cost effective Large Arbor reels we have seen - the drag is unbelievable - "Ross - you did good."
-Temple Fork Outfitters 10' 4 pc. rods at $189.95- what an incredible bargain, and they are well designed. For you Great Lakes Steelheaders, Salmon fishermen and hardcore nymphers, they make them in 5wts.(think trout), 7wts.(perfect for Steelhead), and 9wts(Salmon)- all have an unconditional breakage warranty. An incredible value, and these are excellent rods.
-Diamondbacks - DiamondGlass Rods - these are just incredible glass rods - I ordered the 8' 4wt for myself and Steve Yoos is ordering one for himself - these are just an excellent casting glass rod - and they are 1/2 the price of the comparable graphite - Price $275.00.
-Patagonia Puff-Ball Jacket and Vest - when the weather gets cold fast - these 2 highly compressable items will keep you warm. Each of them packs into their own front pocket - Mine is with me all the time.
-The new Winston Ibis Rods- from a 3 wt. to a 9 wt., these 4 piece rods cast great and are priced at $295. Everyone that has tried them loves 'em.
-Patagonia Regulator R.5 tops, R1 pants and R4 vests(windproof)- state of the art base and insulation layers- more breatheable, half the weight and twice as compressable compared to conventional insulation. Keeps you drier, warmer and more comfortable.

Torrey's books and videos for December:

New Books:

-Trout and Salmon of North America, by Robert Behnke- illustrated by Joseph Tomelleri, this book is visually stunning and an absolute steal at $40. Behnke is the world's foremost expert on brown trout. A great Xmas gift.
-The Orvis Pocket Guide to Nymphing Techniques, by Tom Rosenbauer- brand new, this book is a great introduction to nymphing. Tom is a great fisherman and writer- I used to work with him. Covers all the stuff you need to know.
-False Albacore- want to learn how to catch these fish without hiring a guide? Then this is the book to get. Brand new, and the only book solely devoted to this species.
-Fishy's Flies,by Jay "Fishy" Fullum- a compendium of innovative flies by a very creative diehard angler.
-Castwork- wow, this is a beautiful book with incredible photos of western guides and profiles of them. Highly recommended.

Favorite Books:

-Steelhead Dreams, by Matt Supinski- this is an awewsome, comprehensive book on Great Lakes steelhead written by a guide/fanatical fisherman. I love this book.
-Trout Flies, by Dave Hughes- a big book with a thorough list of flies and excellent photos. This is a tremendous reference.

Bestsellers:

-Fly Fisher's Guide to NY- a fairly new book in this top-notch series. Covers all types of opportunities(cold and warm water, salt), lodging, restaurants, hatches, etc.
-Trout Streams of Southern New England- If you fish in CT, MA or RI, you should have this book. Covers all of the better trout waters, including some lesser-known ones. Info on access, a hatch chart, and detailed fly recommendations are included.

Videos:

-Carpin'- another great video by Mad River Outfitters, features Dave Whitlock. Great footage showing you how to catch big Carp, which is getting increasingly popular.
-Essential Skill Series, by Oliver Edwards- covers numerous topics, including "Search and Sight Fishing", "Czech Nymphing", and "Chalkstreams and the Deep Diving Shrimp". Well done with excellent fly tying footage.

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"New Store in Great Barrington, Mass - I have purchased "Appalachian Mountain Gear" on Main Street - This store will have all the premium quality Flyfishing Equipment and Guide Services you are accustomed to - along with hiking, backpacking and other outdoor gear - We will also expand our guide services to include the upper Housatonic in Mass, the Green River and the Hoosic. ****************************************

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Monday Morning - 31 degrees currently mostly cloudy, high of 33, low of 26. Long range- highs in the 30's, lows teens-20's.
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Danbury Fly Fishing Show (info@flyfishingu.net) - the 1st weekend of January (3,4 & 5) - There will be the "who's who" of fly-fishing and tyers and I will be there with tons of stuff - We will have a full array of "Sale-Used-Antique" fly-fishing items for sale - I have been collecting things for 6 mos to bring to this show - this is a do not miss. *****************************************

Due to the extreme storms in the west - it is going to be almost impossible to get any deliveries from the west before Christmas - So if you need something for your xmas fisherperson - call the store and we can get it out to you. Christmas is coming - so don't forget your favorite fisherperson - we are stocked to the gills with everything you need to make them happy. We are currently very well stocked with tying materials, warm clothing, gift items, flies, cool new products, etc., so it is worth a trip up here even if the river isn't fishable or it's too cold.

We will be open in both stores on Christmas Eve for any late shoppers. Due to rain and snowmelt the river is off-color and to high to fish - It is now time to get ready for Christmas. We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hopefully Santa will bring you everything you desire.

Sunny days will be your best bets for fishing- don't even bother starting before late morning. Ideally you want to look for the milder, sunny days that get a rise in water temps, which helps to get the trout more active. Slow and deep with nymphs and streamers is the name of the game. Water temps are in the low 30's, so concentrate on the slow to moderate speed water in the pools.

Stoneflies and egg patterns are also quite good. I recommend a tandem nymph rig with 2 different patterns.

****************************************

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Lost and Found Items listed at the bottom of the comments - people are emailing and calling regarding lost and found to the store - we will do our best to list them. ****************************************

Many of you are purchasing flies on our shopping cart - remember - you can order any of Umpua'a 1500 patterns from our shopping cart - just click on the "flies" icon. If you can't make it into the store because of bad weather - you can still stock up on your early season flies - by using our website. Big-Mac Daddy. ****************************************

***We buy, trade and sell used and antique fishing equipment - both on consignment and for cash.*****

You can reach us at (860) 672-1010 for further information. ***************************************

"One Fly Contest" - Cancelled until next spring - due to the low water conditions we will have to wait. ***************************************

Lost and Found:
Found:
-Steve Yoos found a fly box in the Park on Sunday 9/15. Call the shop if you lost it (860)672-1010.
A net was lost - please call the shop. ***************************************

This Report Courtesy Of Harold
Housatonic River Outfitters
684 South Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230
Phone 413-528-8811 - FAX 413-528-5054


For those of you who are in a hurry to get on the river or are rushing from far-away parts to hit the upcoming evening hatches we have a **New Service**. Just e-mail or call us (at least one day prior to arriving) and inform us as to what you need. We will have it waiting for you at the counter when you arrive. We want you to have what you need - when you need it. Hopefully this will get you on the river faster or allow you to drive worry free - knowing we will have your flies or anything else you need ready to rock & roll.
We check our Email at least every morning and usually before we leave in the evenings. However, the more advance notice you give us - the better we will be able to accommodate your needs.



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