Fly fishing casts off in rivers across Vermont

Author: Caitlyn Olson

Fly fishing seems simple enough. Take a stick with some string attached to it and throw the fuzzy doo-dad at the end of the string in the water. Following this line of thinking, though, a person might as well reduce football to a bunch of spandexed men crashing into each other. There are numerous factors to consider when fly fishing - rod, fly, location, technique - and each consists of myriad nuances that make for a sport so complex that, as President of the New Haven River Anglers John Synnott said, "You never really master it."

It should come as no surprise that the sport is so sophisticated, since it has had plenty of time to grow and evolve. The first record of fly fishermen dates all the way back to the second century, when the Roman Claudius Aelianus observed Macedonians casting red wool into the Astraeus River. Reappearing in its modern form in Scotland and northern England, the activity quickly spread to North America, where the Catskill Mountains of New York proved to be particularly suitable. Vermont and Maine were the sites of a peak in popularity in the 1920s, which was at least partly due to Ernest Hemingway's glorification of fly fishing in books like "The Sun Also Rises."

Although the basics have remained constant throughout the years, a certain degree of modernization has taken place. Rods, for instance, were traditionally made from bamboo in a delicate process that could take up to 100 hours. (Anglers consider them such works of art that a rod crafted by a master can sell for well over $2,000.) On the other hand, modern rod-making materials are often graphite or fiber glass. Strength is important since rods are at a minimum six feet long and can reach lengths of 14 feet. Another necessary characteristic is flexibility, since fly fishing involves a good deal of waving the rod back and forth.

There are a variety of techniques, but the procedure basically consists of whisking the rod above one's head between the 10 o'clock and two o'clock positions. This motion is called "false casting" and serves to "load" the tip with an energy that travels the length of the rod to establish distance and control. Finally, the angler uses the weight of the line to fling the fly into the water.

Flies represent another category containing a great level of variance. All are virtually weightless, but they can come in almost any color and consist of substances ranging from thread to fur to feathers. Their purpose is to act as either an "imitator," mimicking the naturally occurring food, or an "attractor," rousing excitement or anger in the fish. Other distinctions delineate dry flies (floating on the water's surface) from wet ones (sinking beneath the surface). While it is easy to purchase flies, many anglers enjoy crafting their own, including Synnott, who describes fly selection as "part of the fun."

"Very soon the Lewis Creek is going to fill up with big-small mouth bass so my favorite fly will be a bright white Wolly Bugger. After that there will be a Hendrickson hatch (big brown mayfly) so the Hendrickson will be my favorite fly. Later in the summer I will have fun fishing grasshopper patterns," he said.

As for the fish themselves, the most common species in this region is trout, mainly brook, rainbow and brown. Endangerment of certain species does not appear to present as much of a problem on this coast as it does out West. Type of fish is the primary determinant in what a fisherman looks for in an ideal site, although there are some characteristics that remain fairly constant no matter the species.

"Prime conditions would be a nice clean river, good current (not too strong) with lots of rocks and a gravely bottom. There would be a couple of deep pools and some cover along the banks," Synnott said.

While anglers are happy to talk about location in a general sense, they are much less willing to divulge the names of specific places. Synnott admitted that he is fond of the Neshobe River in Brandon/Forestdale and the Dog River in Northfield. Professor of Computer Science and avid angler Matt Dickerson, on the other hand, was vehemently secretive: "I'd tell you, but then I would have to get one of those 'MEN IN BLACK' devices to erase your memory before you could print that information in the newspaper."

Chances are his favorite spot is not in New England, as he finds that there is "nothing in particular" that is great about this region's fishing. Synnott, however, points out several attractive qualities.

"Out West the fish get bigger and there are more of them but you also have to travel a lot to get to each river. Here I can start my day at the Bagel Shop in Middlebury and hit any one of five different rivers within half an hour out of town. We also have smarter fish. These fish will test your skills. They say if you can catch trout in New England, you can catch them just about anywhere," he said.

Alex Gart '09 prefers the rivers of his home state of Colorado but acknowledges that Vermont's natural beauty makes it a pleasurable place to cast a line. An angler of nine years, Gart loves "the connection that you have with people, as a result of fly fishing, no matter who they are or where they are from." It therefore makes sense that he has continued with the sport upon his arrival at Middlebury, taking on the role of Spiritual Leader (Vice President) with MiddFly, the College's fly fishing club.

Founded in 2000, the club is hoping to become more active this year under the guidance of Chief Angler (President) Jake Kuipers '06.5 and its advisor, Dickerson. One goal is to become a national affiliate of the Federation of Fly Fishers.

Another aspiration is to revive a competition that used to happen in the 1950s among Middlebury, Harvard, Princeton and Yale in which the schools headed up to Nova Scotia to fish for giant tuna. Right now, though, it looks as if the furthest away the club is going to get is the West Branch of the Delaware River on an upcoming trip.

On-campus MiddFly activities range from weekly gear hours, free fly-casting clinics on Voter Lawn from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. on Fridays, fly tying workshops, a planned speech by Dave O'Hara '91 on May 4 and guided trips to local rivers. The most popular ones around here are Middlebury River, New Haven River and Otter Creek. Middlebury Mountaineer in town and Field Sports on Rt. 7 South are good sources of information and gear.

And there certainly is an overwhelming amount of information and gear in which to get bogged down. The beauty of fly fishing, though, lies in the experience itself, and once a person discovers this aspect, the sport can become a way of life.

"I fish because it's in my blood . . . I kept track last year and I was in a river over 150 days. I think it's my natural environment. Maybe it's a womb thing - I need to hear water moving all around me. I have seen more things while out fishing than most people will see in their lifetime: fisher cat shadowing me across a stream, bobcat, almost stepping on a newborn fawn hidden in some rocks on a river bank, a peregrine pinning a swallow to the ground at my feet, moose, bear, beavers, otters, etc., all in their world," Synnott said.

Gart echoed his sentiments: "Fly fishing is a very meditative and relaxing activity. The rhythm of the casting motion combined with the peace and serenity of nature provide a very spiritual experience."