Current Ad in Outdoors and Livin' Magazines

If you found my blog from this ad....WELCOME....I offer an instructional flyfishing guide service. On the water instruction is my specialty. Total beginner, no problem, we will start with about an hour casting instructional. I have found that within an hour your casting is good enough to get after some Trout. If you know how to cast but are not really catching.....we'll work on reading the water and presentation. Or if you are very experienced, we can challenge the Battenkill's wariest wild trout. Having guided fishermen in Southern Vermont for over 18 years....I have a target for all abilities and every condition.

Morel Mushrooms are YUMMY!!!!

I am NO expert on wild mushrooms or finding Morels...but I can tell you I love eating them. They are up and we are keeping an eye out for them. Below is what they look like and the stems are hollow. These little jewels are very hard to find and are among the most guarded secrets of outdoors people...I have found some and a really good buddy found some too....thats all we're sharing.

Fly fishing for Trout in Southern Vermont

Boy, today was one of those days....I was really, really glad....I didn't have to fish!!! It was raining and hard at some points and my outside thermometer never went much above 50....Rotten weather!!! But this week I was fishing and guiding. I myself caught a bunch of Smallies and a keeper Walley. Looks like the trophy sections of Otter Creek and East Creek are done till the state refreshes them. The Black River is fishing OK and I will be on it hard after this coming tuesday. Otter Creek out of the trophy area north of Danby has been fishing very well and has saved my bacon a bunch of times. Hendrickson are peaking and morels are up.....we picked a handful the other day and the hunt is on. Looking forward to spending 2 or 3 weeks on the Black River. My little backyard brook= Endless Brook has been getting a huge red quill spinner fall after dinner. Top pair of flies.....you guessed it I bet....a size 10 BH 5/32 on the dropper and a size 12 BH 1/8 on the trailer with an indicator set 4 to 5 feet above it.... Catch and release Trout and pick Morels!!!

BIG TROUT SEASON

Otter Creek has some BIG Brown Trout this year....By far the biggest Brown Trout, I have seen the fisheries dept. produce. Many of the Browns stocked in Otter yesterday were 20" and several looked more like 22-23"....Too say the least, Otter Creek was the place to be yesterday!!! I actually fished yesterday and hammered them on a new Kashner creation...a copper snap crackle....All our snow here in Poultney/Pawlet is gone.....sun is out....its going to be another awesome day in southern Vermont.

Vermont Trout Fishing

We needed some rain not wet snow...forecast for here in the Mettawee valley up to 3", at the Black River maybe 6" and up north 6-10".....this weekend forecast is for mid 60's.....this will slow things down a little....but thats a good thing. We need it to slow down. Good News>>> East Creek got 500 BIG RAINBOWS today. Also, I am guessing Otter Creek will get a bunch on this thursday....Black Rivers first bunch will arrive on May 4th. Think Big Trout!!!!

Battenkill region of Southern Vermont

We need some rain!!!! The water is low for this time of the year. I have seen some Hendricksons, Blue Quill and Black midge & caddis are still heavy in the afternoon. I picked a huge bag of fiddleheads on Friday....we are about 2-3 weeks ahead of our normal schedule. This week trophy areas on East Creek and Otter Creek will be getting fish....next week the Black River gets its first load of fish. Colton Pond is producing big brookies up to 16" and have heard reports that the Bass fishing is improving daily. This time of the year I am totally focused on fishing for Trout. This weekend was youth turkey hunting weekend.....they had great weather and the birds are REALLY TALKING. The puppy "Jake" saw his first couple Woodcock on Friday while I was out and about. This is an awesome time to be outdoors here in Vermont.....I have a couple VERY PRIME weekend dates still open....Call me.

A week from today

The fishing is going to be EXCELLENT on East Creek in Rutland Vt. If by chance, I do not pick up a trip....(yes I have a bunch of open dates) I will be fishing East creek myself next Wednesday.

Vermont Trout Fishing Hatches

Currently we are seeing Black Midge and Blue Quills on the upper Battenkill. Early Black Stones
on the tribs of the Mettawee and Brook Trout are rising on sunny afternoons. Any day now we will start to see Hendricksons.

Vermont Wild Brookies

Vermont wild Brook Trout are not usually very big. They live in tiny little brooks and usually have a very hard time making a living. High water, low water, ice in the winter, Kingfishers, Herons, Minks, Coons and Brown Trout bring high morality rates to these beautiful trout. It is extremely rare for a wild Brook Trout in modern times to live over 4 years. A Brookie over 12" is a trophy by most peoples standards. However.....you will never find a prettier Trout!!! Here in Vermont we love our Brook Trout. They are a barometer of healthy ecosystem because of being intolerant to high water temps and pollution. I love Brookies and right now the Brook Trout fishing in southern Vermont is excellent. Click on photos to enlarge

A successful opening day!!!!

A trophy opening day 20" Brown Trout

A nice opening day Rainbow Trout

VERMONT TROUT SEASON

Trout season in Vermont opens tomorrow!!!!!!! April 10, 2010 Lets go fishing....

DRYFLIES part 4 of 4

Here is what Chuck Kashner carries for Dryflies from now until the end of May....In the beginning of June there is a switch to summer flies. Following are the dryflies i carry in two fly boxes:
Blue quill usual/ thorax 16, 18
Blue Dun Wulff 16
Black Caddis 16, 18
Kashner Black Adult Midge 16, 18, 20 (this is a killer fished in the film behind a dry)
Hendrickson (olive tone) catskill 14,
Hendrickson compra/ usual 14
Rusty Spinners 12 to 18
Rusty Compra/ usual 12, 14, 16
Adams 14, 16, 18
Ausable Wulff 12, 14
Kashner Caddis Emerger tan 14, 16
Hair Caddis tan 12, 14, 16
Hair Caddis Cream 12, 14
Lt. Cahill 12, 14, 16
Sulfur Compra/ usual 12, 14, 16
March Brown or Gray Fox 12, 14

These are the flies Chuck Kashner has in his vest or in the truck to guide fishermen on the: Battenkill, Mettawee, Otter Creek, East Creek, Walloomsac, Hoosic, Black river and all their tributaries in Southern Vermont.

Streamer box

To fly fish in the Battenkill region of southern Vermont, sometimes you need to throw streamers. Following are the streamers Chuck Kashner carries to guide fly fisherman in Manchester, Vt.

Box in my vest
Black Woolly Buggers 4 to 10
Olive Woolly Buggers 6 to 12
Clousers sz 4, 6 in olive, sand and black
Shushan Postmasters 6, 8, 10
BH Muddlers 6, 8, 10
Flashy flies natural brown / gold or copper
Flashy flies white / silver
Thunder Creek Black nose dace

Box in the truck
Gray Ghost 4, 6, 8
Maribou Black Ghost 4, 6, 8, 10
Edson tiger light and dark 4, 6
Barnes special 6, 8
Winnie smelt 4 to 8
Black nose dace bucktail 4 to 8
Clouser minnow chartreuse / white sz 4
Magog smelt 4, 6
Golden Demon 8, 10
"88" 8, 10

NYMPH BOXES

I have three nymph boxes which depend on target and conditions. Some of these patterns will be switched for others around end of May. Work horse patterns are in my chest box and are all season flies. Call me if you need some Kashner flies. Here are the fly patterns for Vermont and most of New England trout fishing:

Work Horse Box:
Kashner hide a bead tungsten nymph (Red Squirrel) 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
Kashner Brass BH nymph 10, 12, 14
Hares Ear med brown 12, 14, 16
Pheasant tail nymph 14, 16
Hares ear black nymph 8, 10, 12
BH Black Nymph 10, 12
Hendrickson nymph 12, March Brown Nymph 12, Isonymph 12
Copper John 10, 12, 14

GLO BUG / EGG BOX (Rainbows like breakfast in the spring)
All eggs are in small and medium sizes in following colors: McCheese / Oregon Cheese, Cherise Pink, Iliamnia Pink, Hot Flame Orange, Chartreuse / Moss, Steelhead Orange, Blood red

Trophy run hatchery fish box for: Black, Deerfield, Housie and East Creek
Big Soft Hackles tan, med. brown and peacock 6, 8, 10
Red Ass 6, 8
"88", Golden Demon, hornberg
Zug bug / Prince 8, 10, 12
Montana Nymph 8, 10
Sparrow Soft Hackle tan, insect green or peacock 6, 8, 10
San Juan (earth worm) pink, red, white and black

GOT FLIES???? NEED FLIES???? CALL 1 800 682 0103... MC/Visa #....they will be in your box in a couple days!!!

A well stocked vest part 1 of 4

This is the time of the year most guys are getting their gear ready....me too...so this posting will be a series of 4 parts and will be in a list form. Part 1 gadgets, tippets floatants, indicators....
i will be going through my vest with you. Part 2 Nymph/ wetfly boxes, Part 3 Dryfly boxes and part 4 Streamers. Stay tuned and tell your buddies.

Chuck Kashner's vest he uses to guide fly fishing in the Manchester, Vt. area:

*Fishpond Sagebrush Mesh Vest
*water bottle, bug dope, TP in ziplock, bandaids & waterprof medical tape in ziplock
*nipper on a zinger, forceps attached to a pocket, a pair of scissors in pocket(modify flies)
*white moutain black fly dope, dry&float powder, floatant grease
*tippet material: .019 (butt sections), 0X, 2X, 4X, 5X, 6X
*split shot, strike indicators: palsa stick ons (green, orange), thingamabobbers, poly-pro yarn in film container...you'll have to book a trip and I'll show you the yarn trick.
*Leader wallet with: 71/2' 0x, 71/2' 2X, 9' 4x, 12' 5X, 16' 6X I build knotted leaders there is an old post with my primary formula.

Later this week we'll look at my nymph boxes...please stay tuned