Winter blahs...

I wanna go fishing.  I need to go fishing.  Please let me go fishing.  ...soon...

Just received...Snippetfact Award

New Personal Best!!! 22" Brown Trout

Carp take a back seat to trout, always have, always will.  I was near Little Rock this week for business, so I fished a new river, the Little Red River near Heber Springs, AR.  This is a classic tailwater, coming from Greer's Ferry Lake.  I got to Little Rock early on Monday, and had a few hours to kill, so I decided to fish...of course.  A few rises on the river, so I tried some dries, adams, RS2, caddis...no takers.  I found out later I should have tried a BWO.  There was a very nice, fast riffle just down stream, so I decided to swing a Green Flash a Bugger, #12.  It worked, and I started catching both browns and rainbows, ranging from 6" to 14", lots of fun.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a larger fish in the riffle, splashing as it swam around.  I tossed the bugger upstream, stripped it down, and after the fourth time, it stopped hard in the water during the retrieve...the hog had taken the fly, and the fight was on.  The brown dug in, and I worked him slowly.  I had on a 5X leader, and was a little nervous because of the strength of the fight. I knew early that it was a big fish.  I managed to get the brown to the net, which he overfilled, and onto shore for pictures before release.  22" of beautiful brown trout, my largest trout yet.  I love the Little Red...
...keep the rod bent....

I am the Carpmeister...

My new found passion is catching carp...don't get me wrong, trout are still top of the list.  However, carp are everywhere, and not all that easy to catch.  I guess that's why they're referred to as 'Kansas Redfish'... I'm tying some crawfish-colored backstabber flies, and they work great...just lob one in front of a cruising carp, twitch it, and the fight is on.  try it, you'll like it.
...keep the rod bent...

Where I create...

Here's my fly tying corner, where I create the flies I use.  I am lucky that I fish just with my own flies, except on special occasions.

Dream Stream or bust!

My grandson and I had the chance to go to the 'dream stream' in Colorado- the South Platte River between Spinney Mountain Reservoir and Eleven Mile Reservoir.  It was a great day...caught several nice cutthroats, and hooked up with one so big that after he rolled up and showed me his belly, he broke off midway on a 5x leader!  20 plus...  The secret is a pink San Juan Worm and a Prince Nymph.  And...I caught a freaking CARP on a prince nymph.  A carp.  4-5 lbs. fun to catch.  I have been wanting to go carping on the fly, now I have.  
...keep the rod bent...

Let's save America!

It's up to us to demand change.  Tell your congressman to fix the debt, or get fired.

Below the Falls...

Friday, I had one of those days we dream about...a scenic stream, perfect weather, trout caught...several, not just one.  I was still hookin' up when I had to leave.  I had planned a business trip to Norwich, NY, and I knew there must be some fishing to be had, so I called a local fly shop, The Trout Fitter, in Syracuse for info.  The fellow I talked to gave me great directions to a Creek called Chittenango Creek, and told me it had been fishing well.  I did some Googlin', and packed my gear.  What I didn't know is that the fishing is just downstream from Chittenango Falls, one of the most scenic places I've ever been, and I've been to 49 of the 50.  Lush, green, peacefull, and the falls drops 167' into a gorge, making quite a sight.  If you are like me, sometimes the aesthetics of fly fishing are just as good as the fishing.  Back to the trouts...I tied on a GR Hare's ear, and worked in traditional fashion, under an indicator, and before long, I hooked up with a 14" Brown, pictured below.  After losing the GRHE, I put on a red BH midge, 16, and caught three more, all around 9-10".  I had a couple more hook ups, but lost them.  Four good fish in 2.5 hours...my kind of day.    keep the rod bent, guys.

Wow! the Dream Stream...

I was in Colorado last week for business, so I naturally wanted to fish some.  I had always heard about the 'Dream Stream', the stretch of the South Platte between Eleven Mile and Spinney Mountain Reservoirs, so I decided to go.  This stretch is in a meadow, so stealth is necessary.  This time of year the flow is good, easy to wade.  Clarity was good, turbid enough that the fish couldn't be seen, though.  When I arrived, there was another angler 'gearing up', so he gave me a tip on where and what to use.  Sure enough, I caught 7 nice trout in less than two hours, maybe more, I lost count.  One was a 21" cutthroat trout, my first.  Beautiful weather, great scenery, great fishing...
...keep the rod bent...

Trout Fishin in Missouri!

I had the fortune to spend two great days with my grandson, fishing at Bennett Spring State Park in Missouri, the state's best trout stream.  We always have a great time, and catch fish, but this time we learned something new.   I nymph, when I have to, but have always used an indicator and weight, partly because of the level of comfort I have had with that system.  I observed an angler fishing a nymph without weight or indicator, so I figured, what the hey?...I'll try it.  So, I put on a BH Prince, and worked it cross-stream, with a slow strip.  Within four casts, I caught two 16" trout where others were catching none.  The rest of the day, it was the only way I fished, and I lost count of the number of trout I caught!  Try it sometime, you'll like it.
...keep the rod bent...ed


trout swimming...

Pink scuds rule...

On a business trip to northern Montana this week, I had the chance to fish the Missouri River near Great Falls.  Word had it that the pink scud was the trick.  I have never really gotten into pink scuds, typically I'll fish olive, tan, grey, brown...just not pink.  I don't know if this is a man thing... So, I'm fishing, and I catch a nice rainbow on an RS2.  I spotted some large trout hanging out in a turn, so I decided to slap on the pink scud, since they come so highly recommended.  I had tied some based on a recommendation from a guy I met on the South Platte in CO, that he ties them with a red body, and it 'bleeds' through in the water, looking like blood to the fish (his supposition).  I also dropped a small midge off the scud.  I sneek up, and pull a textbook case...target the fish, cast upstream far enough so as not to spook the fish, watch the drift...and he took it!  18" of strong rainbow, a lot of fun to catch.  I managed to catch several more throughout the day, including another 18", all on the pink scud.  I'm a believer!
keep the rod bent....ed

Stuck in colder weather...

It's kinda like Zac Brown Band says, "I'm stuck in colder weather, maybe tomorrow will be better..."  So...I have been tying flies.  I've finally gotten to the point that I am tying all the flies that I fish with, and it is very satisfying.  When you are able to tease a trout up and hook up with a fly you created, or at least tied, that is a special bonus to the whole experience.  Plus, it is calming and peaceful sitting at the bench creating.  If you don't tie some flies, get a kit and give it a try, maybe take a class.  You'll be amazed at how easy it is to learn, and if you are a bit creative, how much extra it will add to the fly fishing package.
...keep the rod bent...ed

Side Benefits...

Like most everyone, I fly fish because I enjoy the challenge, the beauty, the sport.  Sometimes, however, I wonder if one of the best benefits is actually the friendships that are made in the process of travelling, fishing, and relaxing by the stream.  Last week, I took a trip to the South Platte near Denver, to get enough miles to attain Platinum status on Delta Airlines.  I only fished a few hours, and didn't really expect great success, given the time of year and time on the water. As it played out, that was the case.  Here's the good stuff...as I was about to leave, I met three generations of fishermen at the bank, one of them just landing a nice rainbow.  Of course, we had to talk a minute.  I learned that the gentleman had been fishing that spot 15 years, and was taught by a close friend, who died not too long ago.  This man had taken a nice rock to town, had it engraved with his friend's name, and placed the rock in the water in a non-conspicuous place. That is friendship, and that is the type of friends we make- in the stream, beside the stream, side-by-side doing what we love best - fly fishing.
keep the rod bent...ed