K.I.S.S. Crane Fly Larva

Crane Flies are the largest of the dipteran family of insects and can be found everywhere.  There are about 14,000 distinct species all over the world.  Some common names are leather jackets, daddy-long-legs and skeeter eaters.

Many Crane Fly patterns imitate the larva.  Frank Sawyer’s Killer Bug and Walt Young's Walt's Worm are popular.  Depending on your location, Crane Fly larva will vary in size from ½ inch to 2 inches.

I’ve added a variation of a Crane pattern to my box, inspired by Sawyer and Young.  I file it under my Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S) rule.

I've written about finding a replacement to Chadwick's 477-wool.  My Rag Bug was a first attempt using rag wool from an old sweater to tie a killer bug variation.  Now I've found Patons Classic Wool Yarn (00229) Natural Mix in a local Michael’s craft store.  The color is just right, but I don't have a piece of Chadwick's 477 to compare it to.  (If you have any, I'd appreciate a small sample.)

Hook – TMC 2302
Size – 6-12
Thread – 6/0 Tan
Weight – .22 lead wire
Tentacles – Dun CDC
Body – Patons Classic Wool Natural Mix (00229)
Rib – .32 gauge Brown Parawire or Copper wire
Shell Back – Hairline 1/8" Clear Scud Back

Patons Classic Wool Natural Mix (00229)

Wrap lead wire to hook.

Bind down with thread.

Tie in CDC Tentacles.

Tie in wire, shell back and wool.

Wrap wool forward and secure.

Pull shell back over the top and secure.

Advance wire in open wraps to define segments.

Whip finish and cement head.

Evening's Tying Session

Long time readers of this blog know The Jersey Angler and I are close friends.  In the winter months we get together from time to time for a tying session. It usually involves tying, chili, stories and an adult beverage.  We review the patterns that worked for us and create some new ones.

Between the holidays we managed to squeeze in a tying session, while our boys played video games.

The Jersey Angler checking his blog.

12 Hour Chili

Adult beverage.

Flies from the session.

Happy Birthday - Fly and Fin

Well today is Fly and Fin's Birthday.  Two years ago I started the blog with a posting of my CDC Little Black Stone fly pattern. 

I've managed to keep it going. Sometimes posting a lot, and sometimes a little.

I have to recognize the The Jersey Angler , because we both compete with each other.  Who catches the first, largest, most fish and so on.  So, when he started his blog, I had to cast my line into the blogger-sphere.

I keep on posting as long as it's fun and people comment.

Thanks for reading and sharing.

Lou

A.K.A. Fly and Fin

Scuds and Belated Happy New Year

Belated Happy New Year!!!

Scuds have nothing to do with the New Year.  I just fish them more in the winter when not much else is happening hatch-wise.

Scuds are found in most waters. Most are herbivores and scavengers feeding on the detritus (leaf litter and dead stuff). They're light sensitive and prefer low-light conditions - dawn, dusk and cloudy days. I've found them to be a great searching pattern when nothing much is going on. Now who wouldn't like a shrimp cocktail before your main course?  Unless of course you have a food allergy. Lucky trout don't.

My K.I.S.S. Scud is my go-to-pattern, but you can use any imitation. Remember they're fast movers with seven pair of legs, so trout don't have time to inspect your fly.

Typical Scud, notice the detritus.

K.I.S.S. Scud in the lip.

Let's see that Brown.

Rainbows large,

and small love scuds.

 K.I.S.S. Scud

Happy Holiday Egg...

The holidays for me are filled with rushing around and dealing with crowds.  Something I don't like. Fortunately the weather and fishing are still good. Fewer anglers makes winter fishing some of the best. I try to get out before the holiday rush and chaotic family time. Eggs were the ticket the last time I was out, and these eggs delivered a pre-holiday treat. 

Eggs are on the menu.

My tungsten egg.

20" hog of a Rainbow

Egg in the face.

One phat Bow.

Happy Holidays!!!

Signs of Fishing Pressure...

No matter where you go, there's always fishing pressure on our streams. We all want the rivers to ourselves.  Let’s face it, that doesn’t always happen. We have to share. While out fishing last week, I had a good day Czech nymphing.  However, I did come upon signs of another fisher working the water ahead of me.

This very stealthy character should have been heading south. Yet, like the geese, it's now a resident fisher in NJ. You might have guessed by now. I'm referring to a Great Blue Heron. I'm seeing more and more these days, well into the winter. It seems they'll stay as long as there's open water and food.

The Great Blue Heron is a marvelous fisher and we can all learn from them. You can increase your catches if you simply wade and dress like them. While they are great fishers, they do miss some from time to time. Here's a freshly wounded rainbow (ouch!). Maybe too big or too deep...but this one got away. Mind you, it kept on feeding and took my anchor fly.

Freshly wounded Rainbow.

Looks like it just happened (less than a day).

Fishing With My Two Unique Boys - What's a Dad to do?

Even though it was cold out, my older son still wanted to go fishing.  My younger son wasn't wholeheartedly into the idea.  What's a Dad to do?

I put on my thermals. The boys dressed in layers and packed a spare set of cloths, just in case.  While no one went for a swim, there where cold feet and hands.  This put a limit on the time we could fish, but as long as there was action, no one asked to go home.

With rain levels spiked, the 100cfs streams were at 300cfs.  At 300cfs, my home stream is  challenging to fish and next to impossible for the boys. We ended up fishing the banks - no stream crossings.  While it was cold and high, the fishing was good.  Together we netted 6 rainbows, 1 brown...long line released a monster.

Both boys were happy in varying degrees, and I'm sure we'll be heading out again soon.

One happy lad.

Boy my hands are cold.

Cold + Egg = Rainbow

Bow on a rock worm.

They liked the rock worms.

Feather-Craft Fly Fishing Giveaway - The Steelhead Addition.

Here's a new give-a-way from Feather-Craft Fly Fishing.  First prize will be a FULL day guided trip for WILD steelhead on the Pere Marquette River.  Feather-Craft teamed up with Indigo Guide Service & Third Coast Fly for this great prize.

For this give-a-way, you'll have to use your Facebook profile to participate.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Go to Third Coast Fly’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/thirdcoastfly click the ‘Like’ button.

Step 2: Go to the Feather-Craft Facebook page give-a-way
http://www.facebook.com/notes/third-coast-fly/fly-fishing-giveaway/276976492354298
and leave a quick comment.

All who do both steps are entered to win one of theses three prizes.

1st Place: Full Day Guided Trip for WILD Pere Marquette Steelhead with Indigo Guide Service
2nd Place: 1 Dozen steelhead flies in custom fly box + SA Steelhead Taper Fly Line
3rd Place: Feather-Craft’s Bob’s Favorite Tech Shirt

Good Luck,

Fly and Fin

Fishing with Matt

Finally, after juggling our schedules, Matt Grobert and I final got out fishing this past weekend.


You may know Matt from the The Star Ledger's Fly Fishing column.  His work also includes:
Fly Fishing New Jersey Trout Streams, published in 2008; Caddis Chronicles, a blog -  "A celebration of the well-chewed fly."  He's also ties patterns at the International Fly Tiers Symposoum, the Fly Fishing Show (NJ), Shannon's Fly Shop in Califon.  He's also featured on video at Tightline Productions.

Matt chronicled our trip in his Short Report post of December 4th.  I don't have much to add other than the photos and comments below.

It was a cold morning, but warm for December - low to mid 40's.  It always feels colder when your feet are in 42-degree water.  It was even colder for Matt.  He left his thermals home and his waders had a leak.  (It's safe to say Matt's leg and foot never warmed up until he got home.)

The water was high, clear and cold, but fishing was good.  Matt took his fish with a bead head Bird's Nest, LaFontaine Sparkle Emerger, and one on Walt's Worm.  I, on the other hand, was Czech nymphing and took most of my fish on a my "big and ugly" variation of Hans Stephenson's "Bomb".   It was a good day; we both got into fishing.

Matt fishing down and across.

Mat with an nice bow.

Fish on.

To the net.

Czech rig and bow.

"big and ugly"

Good day with Fly and Fin

A Fall Review

This year, the fall fishing was more like fishing in the spring.  Our water levels shot up after hurricane Irene.  Some say it was a 100-year event, but I think it was closer to a 500-year event.  The high water levels weren’t bad; it just wasn't what you'd expect.  The trout that remain have good water levels, and judging by the river gauges the ground water is recharged.

The other difference was the foliage. It hung around longer because of the drought-like conditions in the late summer and excessive rain in the fall.  That's not a bad thing.  I use the dropped foliage as a clock to know what bugs to use and where to find the trout.  It's just a guide. I also use it consciously and unconsciously to locate per-spawn Brown Trout and Rainbows that are looking for egg. 

The two biggest impacts on the fall fishing was hurricane Irene and the early wet and heavy snow.  Irene moved a lot of boarders, which altered pools and habitats. Now my old home waters are anew.  The early snow and downed foliage caused lots of property damage.  Cleaning up cut into my fishing time more than anything else. Besides these minor obstacles, I got my share of trout and spent some fine days on the water.


Here's the usual trout porn from this fall's outings.