Cross at the Cathedral of the Pines

I will try to post more on this tomorrow but for Easter I wanted to post this cross with Mt.Monadnock in the background.

McAllister's Classic and Custom Fly Shop

Pleasant Valley, CT - Yesterday my boss let us quit work at noon so I decided to try out my new fly rod that I had built. I had done a little fishing with a fly rod about 40 years ago so basically I did not know much about fly fishing. I stopped by McAllister's Fly shop to buy some flies to use on the Farmington River. I told Jaime that I was a newbie and he offered to bring me outside and give me some pointers on how to cast...which I was so grateful for. He also told me which flies to use and even showed me a much easier knot to tie than what I read about on the web. There is no substitute for experience.


Here his is helping me out again with a rod malfunction. This is where he ties his flies. I read on his website that he has a get together once a month to tie flies, maybe someday for me.


Here you can see fly tieing materials and on the table are bins full of flies for purchase, he also sells spinning gear, rods, live bait,even some clothing.


The checkout. If you look in front of the bear skin you will see a custom hand-made net by McAllister's Nets.

If you are fishing on or driving by the Farmington River in Pleasant Valley, stop in to McAllister's and pickup some fishing gear and learn what is biting.

Link to McAllister's Shop

Horses on the Beach

Seabrook, NH - While I was in Seabrook I noticed about a dozen horses on the beach. Since there was a sign that dogs are not allowed on the beach,I would not think horses would be. Maybe animals are not allowed in the summer? Anyway, it seems like a cool thing to do, run your horses down the beach.


Here is the meeting of some horses.

Riverton Fishing Derby - 2011

Riverton, CT - Every year in Riverton there is a fishing derby held the on the first day of fishing season. You can see all the people lined up for some, "Combat Fishing"


Starting at 4am you can have breakfast at the firehouse.


Looking down off the bridge, here is a fisherman with a trout on the stringer.


A group of spectators looking down at the fisherman.


As I understand it, the Trophy Trout Club is one of the major sponsors of the derby. It used to be sponsored by The Hitchcock Chair Company but since they went out of business the Club has taken it over. I also believe local merchants have given some prizes. The Trophy Trout Club stocks a lot big fish the week before the contest.


Here is a fisherman heading down to the firehouse to get his fished weighed for the derby.


Here are a couple of the big fish caught that morning. I think these were some of the largest, there were two that weighed 6lbs. 8oz.


This is the weigh-in station at the firehouse in a moment without many people looking or taking photos...guilty as charged.


These are the prize list, first prize is the Hitchcock Rocking Chair with a trout painted on it.

The Seabrook Pirate

Seabrook, NH - This pirate is standing guard over the mini golf in Seabrook. I really don't know his name but I am calling him The Seabrook Pirate. He is looking at the sea for any boats that he can plunder.

Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

Seabrook, NH - Here is the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. What struck me is the clam diggers and lobster boats basically out in front of it.


Here is a photo taken with my telephoto lens that shows the clam diggers more clearly.

Tree at Ancient Burial Ground

New London, CT - A while ago I went to the Ancient Burial Ground and took this photo. I am trying to get back into the habit of posting again.