West Running Brook - Fishing a New Hampshire Blue Line

[Dave Westburg]

"Fred, where is north?"
"North? North is there, my love
The brook runs west."
"West-running brook then call it."
(West running brook men call it to this day.)
- Robert Frost

I had a free New Hampshire morning between a bridal dinner and a wedding a couple July's ago. Took my 3 weight Winston to a west running brook which New Hampshire manages for wild trout.



Lots of creeping and crawling and sidearm casting with a royal wulff. If if did things right I found this...



I came to a larger pool where some skittish fish were in the sunshine.

No takers here but I did better dead drifting a size 16 partridge and orange in a shaded pool above.


I never grow tired of fishing blue lines.

 

[RCF]

Beautiful creek! Limestone?

 

[Dave Westburg]

The creek is spring fed but not a classic limestone. I also found trout in a freestone brook nearby.

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

Dave, great post. I have fond memories of learning to fly fish in New York's Finger Lakes region when my wife and I were there for couple years in the early 80's. It is very similar to New Hampshire and they provided many small spring-fed creeks to fish. That's where I learned the upstream cast, finding fish in the lower edges of the small riffles and corners, matching the mayflies as they progressed through the season. Great memories, thanks for bringing them back.