Mice love Trout!!

Once in a blue moon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4pOOMpFW_8



Lets go fishing?

FLY TYING EXPO in I.F.

The fly tying expo was awesome and I hope to make it a tradition each year. I believe there were more people there than last year. In fact, it was a little hard getting around the conference room at the Shilo in Idaho Falls. I loved watching William Heckel tie flies partly because half of the things he did to the fly he added this comment, "doing this really is not for the fish but for me." He is in to the little things and making the fly look as real as possible and that interested me. Definitely worth going to and I would recommend it to any one thinking about fly fishing..... or considering fishing with a spinner because they would see that there is much more tact in tying on a fly carefully tied by the fisherman vs a hook purchased at a store. Ironic, isn't it. Whatever.

Nymphs are prince!

This prince nymph is one of my favorite wet flies and this is the first time I have tied one. It has the appearance of a stonefly and has a great pattern effective in rivers and lakes. I am looking forward to fishing in the next couple of months. I am looking forward to stocking up on flies for the summer and am off to a good start.

Red Tag

This is a traditional fly used on rivers and lakes. It is most often used as a dry fly but can ban be fished wet and a soft hackle is used in that case. The tail is suppose to be tied with red wool but all I had was antron. When tying flies improvising always makes the sport that much more enjoyable....unique. I believe it will be a great addition to my collection of dry flies partly because it will be easy to see in the river. In the future I will probably try to make the body a little thicker. Sweet.

Goldhead Bug amongst Brassies

Nothing to special. This little bugger is weighted with lead and will sink to the bottom of any deep hole. I will have to try it out. Apparently it can be tied in a variety of colors and should attract the fish. I like the gold bead and the flash for a tail. We'll see how it works. I am in to tying new flies as you can see. I would like to branch off and have a sweet collection of awesome flies that work. But then again I will probably end up using the same old copper johns, brassies, caddis, and stimulators that I am used to.

Adams

The Adams. What a neat fly. This trout fly is one of the most popular in the world. Last week I decided to hit big cottonwood river. It was fairly warm about three in the afternoon. I tried a variety of different flies ranging from the caddis to the blue winged olive and had very little success. As I looked through my fly box I found this innocent looking fly that I tied at least two years previously. I then had a flash back of walking through Sportsmans glancing at the fishing report, I saw that the Adams was popular. I quickly tied it to my line with anticipation of what was about to happen. It was definately more difficult to see on the water than the previous flies I had used on that river that day. I decided to move to slower water. I gently cast into the breeze and saw my fly fall onto the water as if it were a living organism. It drifted a little. Nothing. My fly came closer and closer. Still nothing. At the last second a 14 inch Brown quickly rose and was about to take it to the river bed when I pulled up. The Adams was a success. I loved how the Adams would drift along until at the last moment a brown would rise and snap at it. Awesome.


This is probably the best Adams I have tied. Maybe because I haven't tied too many. The tail is the perfect length, the wings are symmetrical, the body is tapered the way it should be, there is the right amount of hackle for floating, and the head is not crowded. Beauty!

The Stimulator

I was tying a variety of different flies and had the sweetest most coolest idea. My favorite fly is the stimulator mostly because it's awesome. When trout go for it in the water it just feels good... because I tied it. All along Mr. trout thought he was rising for a nice juicy fly. Boy was he wrong. How about a sharp hook to his mouth. Sucks for him.
The stimulator mimics a variety of caddis and stonefly species. It has no problem floating with all that hackle especially when it has a coat of floatant. It is an awesome little fly. A go-to fly in any situation. Enjoy the video. It is now one of my favorite collections.

Elk Hair Emerger

I have noticed that Caddis flies on special days can be a special treat for trout. In fact, I know of a couple of fishing days where the trout in the water would only go for these simple flies and nothing else. I saw this variation and wanted to try it out. However, I would like to perfect this fly by using some brown seal fur for it's floating purposes..... Which I will never find or use unless it becomes road kill in Utah. Apparently, this fly is used specifically on lakes and reservoirs. It can be ties in a wide array of colors including the fiery brown that is shown here.

F Fly

Apparently this is a simple but deadly little fly. The key is the wing (CDC) because it is loaded with natural oil keeping the fly floating without the need for hackle. I have not yet tried it on the water but I will have to keep you posted. It can mimic a small mayfly to a caddis fly, or even a stonefly depending on the body that is tied.
My goal is to tie a variety of new flies this winter and improve some of my favorite flies so they are more effective on the water. This can be tied on a size 28 hook which I am sure would be a little challenge..... I think I am up for the challenge.

A tribute to Thistle.

Thistle has been the Mecca of fly fishing this summer. Big fish. Fatty long holes. Little overhanging brush to get snagged in. More holes. Awesome weather. And more fish. "There is something almost magical about catching a fish on an artificial fly. Casting to a trout that has been spotted feeding, seeing the fly drift gently into its path, then watching it being sipped down as if it were a real insect, produces a mixture of anticipation and excitement that never dulls. The only thing that could possibly make the thrill even better is if you had created the fly yourself" (Fly tying bible, 2003).

Tying your own flies makes fly fishing even more amazing. Daniel and I were at Thistle and we stumbled upon a fish close to the bank waiting for a most delicious fly to drift by. Little did that brown trout know, that delicious fly of mine was about to rip a hole through the side of his mouth. It was awesome!




Hopefully you will appreciate this video. This winter I will make it a goal to tie a fly a week and prep for the up coming summer. I am thinking of tying some of my favorite flies along with new flies that I believe will be successful. I will have to keep you posted.

Sketching

Sketching has always been something I have enjoyed and after Ben called me about a blog (http://www.drawingflies365.blogspot.com/) he found I couldn't resist doing it myself. Ben caught this cutthroat when we backpacked near Christmas Meadows in the Uintas. I have not drawn anything since High School and after sketching this, I wish I really knew what I was doing. At least you can tell it is a fish... right?

Ties, flies, and trout

I have decided to follow everyone else and blog about something that I enjoy. Watching my wife blog about our family has sparked an interest in blogging about one of my hobbies. This new hobby started three years ago and will continue to grow in the years to come thanks to brothers-in-law that have cherished it with their grandfather while they were but little boys. It has become more than just a hobby and tradition for me; but a way of life. Much of the credit goes to them for allowing me to see the beauty in any river or creek that includes pocket water and awesome holes that are surrounded with mountains and trees that change with each coming season. It's fantastic!