The Dartmouth Grant - a brook trout paradise. June 14 2013

I got the chance to travel with Mia and her friend Jen to the Dartmouth College Grant in Errol New Hampshire for a few days. The Dartmouth Grant is the only water in New Hampshire that is managed only for native brook trout. I believe no stocking of fish has ever occurred there. Any in recant times the fish have been managed very well, there are may stories of very large brook trout taken on the fly here. It is a catch and release fly fishing only untouched paradise.

Jen and Mia are dartmouth Grads so they were able to book us in a cabin called the hellgate hilton near the end of the access road. It was a beautiful time.

           

    

The first place we fished was in the Dead Diamond River within the limits of the grant. there were some fish rising and Mia, Jan and I all caught a fish on a green and brown "hares ear emerger" type of fly. These wild fish were strong and hard fighters. Even with high muddy water they were up and feeding off the surface, but they had been pushed toward the back of their pool. 

With all the rain overnight, we woke to find the rivers high and muddy. We took the day to hike and explore, eventually taking our canoe down some back roads and searching for ponds by GPS. We decided on a pond that had no obvious access, parked our car and portaged in. It was a beautiful place and the fishing was incredible. Tolling a grey ghost from two rods, we caught a fish on almost every lap around the pond, including some of the biggest wild brookies I have ever caught. My wrist was aching by the time I was done pulling in the biggest one

At the time I didn't have a net, so when I got this big guy in the boat he went crazy. I am glad he didn't get hurt banging into the side of the boat and we were able to to let him go safely to pass on those great genes.