Rhode Island Surf Stripers and Connecticut River Fly-Casting

On The Water’s Chris Megan hits the rocky shores of Beavertail Light with Rhode Island sharpie Steve McKenna for a lesson in rigging and casting Slug-Gos. As the light fades, a change in location puts the two surfcasters onto a wide-open bite, with one serious cow hitting the beach.

In the second half of this show, On The Water editor Gene Bourque teams up with contributing writer Paul DiNolo to explore the headwaters of the Connecticut river in the northernmost reaches of New Hampshire. Brilliantly colored trout and acrobatic salmon keep the day interesting as the two drift dry flies through pristine water.

Show Location: Beavertail Light, Rhode Island, and Connecticut River, New Hampshire

Rigging: Steve McKenna’s Rigged Slug-Go: Take a length of Dacron line and double it, tying the ends together. Using an improved clinch knot, attach a hook to the untied end. Insert the rigging needle through the middle of the Slug-Go and out the head, attaching the Dacron to the rear end of the needle. Pull the Dacron through the bait and bury the shank of the hook in the plastic body of the Slug-Go. Take a second hook and put it through the head of the Slug-Go, attaching it to the Dacron with a series of half-hitches.  Before seating the top hook into the body, add a couple drops of Zap-A-Gap to hold the rig in place. Finally insert Slug-Go weights into the bait. For the 9-inch model, two belly weights and one tail weight are recommended.

Gear: Van Staal VS200, Custom-built Lamiglas 102 1M

Hot Bait/Lure: Black 9-inch Slug-Go, Floating Ant, Elk Hair Caddis