Feather-Craft New Giveaway

Here is new give-a-way from Feather-Craft Fly Fishing.  For the this giveaway 3 individuals will receive their choice of a UV Buff (click here to see choices) and get to pick out a book and a two DVD’s from the list below:

Pick one of the two.

• Charlie Craven’s: Charlies Fly Box (autographed copy!)

• Pat Dorsey’s: Tying & Fishing Tailwater Flies (autographed copy!)

Pick two DVD’s from the choices below.

• Musky Country: Zero 2 Hero
• Night of the Hex
• Soulfish 2
• Black Tailed Devil 

To enter go to http://flyfishinggiveaway.com/blog/2011/07/21/new-giveaway/ and  scroll to the bottom of the page and let them know how your Summer fishing. Where have you been? What are you catching? Any good fishing stories?

CDC UV Caddis - Caddis, Caddis Everywhere...

Caddis are abundant on most rivers, but the Madison and other rivers in Yellowstone country there can have blizzard hatches.  Never leave home with out a caddis pattern in your box. Here is one that is quick, easy to see, and floats like a cork.

CDC UV Caddis

Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook Size 10 - 10
Thread: Tan

Body: Hairline Tan UV Ice Dub
Under Wing: Natural CDC (3-4 feathers)
Wing: Elk or Deer Hair

This is a another pattern which follows the K.I.S.S. rule. It's simple, fast to tie and works everywhere. You can variety the color of the body to match the caddis in your area, the UV dubbing adds some nice sparkle to the pattern, you can also substitute the UV dubbing with an Anton blend for similar results.

While fishing in Yellowstone country this past July this was my go to caddis pattern if I wasn't throwing large Salmon Files.

It caught selective trout in the Henry's Fork, Brook Trout, Rainbows and Grayling in the park.

Attach your thread.

Dub the body.

Tie in the CDC under wing.

Tie in your Deer hair.

Trim Deer hair and whip finish.

 Below are some of the trout taken with the CDC UV Caddis.

Yellowstone Brook Trout

Henry's Fork Rainbow

Madison Rainbow.

Bugger Off

If your like me you have a collection of fishing cloths. If you've purchased some in recently you may have the brands treated with insect repellent, some which may last 40 washings. It goes without saying these treated cloths cost 2 to 3 times there non-treated counter parts.

So what's one to do if you don't want to buy all new fishing cloths with the insect repellent. Well you can do it yourself. This DYI project won't last as long as the brand named cloths, but it works. I've been doing this for several years and it works.

Caution must be taken this repellent is nasty stuff. Avoid contact with your skin, eyes, and lungs and do not apply to the interior of your clothing. Read and follow the instructions.

Apply the repellent outdoors on a windless day and wearing gloves.

You can pick-up this or other brands at your local camping/hunting store. One can will treat 4 garments.

Two cans treated 3 shirts, 4 pants and 1 hat. Now all my fishing cloths are treated for a fraction of the cost. I find I only have to do this once a year especially when I going to fish where there a ton of blood sucking insects.

I'd say that this works for 95% of the places I fish, but there are those places where you do have to supplement the your DYI "Bugger Off" cloths.

I'd purchase the Ben's at my local EMS and this post is not a recommendation for one product over another. You can find others brands at you local camping, fishing or hunting shop.

Performance:
On my recent trip to Montana's Yellowstone country I can tell you my Bugger Off clothing performed brilliantly. While my buddy Rick was being attacked on our way to Grebe Lake I was virtually untouched. The only insect bites I received were on my hand, which was untreated.

Fly Casting with Bob Jacklin

We rolled in to West Yellowstone set up base camp at Sleepy Hollow then walk over to Jacklin's and talked to Bob and his guides.

Every Sunday at 7:30pm Bob conducts a free casting clinic behind the Police station. We went once to lend our support. The Jersey Angler and I volunteer our service and helped Bob out with the one-on-one instruction.

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Three Sisters

Idaho view of the three sisters.

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Gone Fishing.

On my way to Montana and Yellowstone country with "The Jersey Angler". As you can see he's not a morning person.

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Summer Stones

With the summer weather finally hitting NJ and water temperatures on the rise it time I give the trout a rest.  When water temperature start hitting the 70 degree mark, I start targeting warm and salt water fins.

But the warm and salt water will have to wait.  I'm going through my gear, packing and heading west, West Yellowstone that is for some cold water fin.

Here are a few photos from the beginning of the month when the stone files were busting.  The bad thing was no top water action, all down below. 

Shuck...

Adult...

4th of July visitor seeks shade on my patio umbrella.

Fishing with "The Jersey Angler"

While I haven't been posting regularly this spring, I've managed to get out an wet a line.  Here is a little video I shot on one of the few sunny days we had this spring.  I was fishing across for "The Jersey Angler" so I put down the rod and shot this footage.  Enjoy.

Spring Photographs

Here are some photography from this spring, that don't fit into grip and grin category.

Spring Bloom

Sulphur Dun

Sulphur Molt

Midge Meeting

Light Cahill Spinner (Male)

Hatchery Brown

Wild Brown

Root Beer Bugger

The wooly bugger is a classic pattern. It's one of the easiest to tie and catches trout, bass, carp, and panfish. Tie it with or without a bead. Experiment with materials and tie it in colors to match your home waters. You can't go wrong with Black, Brown, and Olive, they all work. A great fly for the beginning fly tier.  It's a quick pattern to tie and follows the K.I.S.S. rule.

Caddis, Brook, Brown and Rainbows

The month of May here in the east has been wet, and gray (Chicago gray).  On the upside when the water levels are good and when wadeable the fishing is stellar.

One of the patterns that's been working well this spring is my Anchor Caddis.  A variation on Hans Stephenson "The Bomb."  It's a generic Caddis Larva that I tie with or with out legs.

Anchor Caddis

Hook: Mustad 3399 Size 6 - 10
Head: Tungsten Bead to Match Hook
Weight: .032 Non-lead Wire
Thread: Olive 6/0
Tail: Natural CDC
Ribbing: Green Wire
Abdomen: Olive Squirrel Dubbing
Hot Spot: Hairline Hot Orange UV Ice Dub
Thorax: Hairline Black UV Ice Dub
Legs*:  Hungary Partridge or any Hen Hackle.

Here are the results:

Your results may vary.

Keeping Your Fly Tying Desk Clean

Here is a little tip that I hope will make your tying space a little cleaner.

Enjoy.

Bill Skilton ties "Bill's Hellgrammite"

Filmed at the International Fly Tiers Symposium, Fly and Fin presents Bill Skilton ties his "Bill's Hellgrammite"

Many know Bill Skilton for his foam patterns using the unique materials he’s developed. Bill is an all-around fly tier, fisher and entrepreneur. He raises is chickens for hackle (personal use), develops new fly tying materials, and maintains an eight acre of pond with huge blue-gills, large catfish, large-mouth bass, small-mouth bass, and, best of all, hybrid stripers, which he rents it out to fly-fishing groups. He guided the streams of Central PA, like Yellow Breeches, Letort and the under-appreciated Susquehanna River.

Bill is wonderful instructor who as you’ll share’s all his knowledge and the “why” behind it all.

He also runs and operates USA-Flies (http://www.billskilton.com/) where you can buy all his materials.

He gives fly-tying demonstrate and is a featured tier at the International Fly Tying Symposium. His Hellgrammite pattern catches everything from bluegills, bass and trout.

First Drawing with AutoDesk SketchBook Express

While this is not a fishing post, the subject matters is all trout. While at the Apple store today I purchased a Pogo Stylus. So on arriving home I downloaded SketchBook Express for my iPad and went to work.

Here is the result.

Rag Bug takes it First Victim.

Crane flies are starting to pop around here in the east.  Crane flies are in most river system's and the larva are abundant. Crane fly larva come range in sizes from a size 16 all the way up to an 8 and are a large meal to any trout.

Crane Fly Larva from wikipedia.

There are many patterns that work well to imitate this abundant food source.  The first and foremost is Frank Sawyers Killer Bug. To see how it's tied one I recommend Tying Frank Sawyer's Killer Bug with Davie McPhail on YouTube. The Killer Bug uses Chadwick 477 which is almost impossible to find. Veniard sells a fine substitute (See Killer Bug Yarn post).  I also found some old craft yard which looks like it will do the job as well (See Possible Chadwick 477 Substitute), but I've not tried it to date.

Another great Crane fly larva imitation is Walt Young's Walt's Worm.  The Jersey Angler has a great post Sometimes Simple is Best... Walt's Worm.

So what to do if you can't fine or wait for Veniard 477 order to ship, well you can do what I did.  Go to your wardrobe and fine an old Rag Wool sweater (one that shrunk or in my case, doesn't fit my fat ass). Cut out a good size piece and pull apart the fibers and tie my Rag Bug.

Here is the Rag Bug's first victim. 

This Hen slammed the Rag Bug.

Smile for the camera.

Here is a valuable tip, If you don't tie take or can't wait take any Hare's Ear nymph and with your nippers cut way the wing case and tail any you'll have a very effect Crane fly larva pattern.  I've done this many time when I lost my last Walt's Worm while fishing.