Tully Report

Its been a great couple days on the Tully. Fish are eating tricos like crazy. Caddis are still coming off in the morning. So if you can't see the tricos, throw a caddis with sunken trico underneath. If that doesn't do it for ya, go Montana style and 2 dries, caddis and a trico.

Jack, Casey, and I hit it the past couple days, its been great, nymphing when they slow on tricos and caddis, San Juan, Pts, and anything caddis work well.

HOT FLIES: Trico Spinner, CDC Caddis, CDC Trico Dun, Pheasant Tails (20-22)

Featured Fly - SB Baitfish

Well, I think its safe to say, the last featured fly will be the last trout fly for a while. Its bass time, bait fish and sculpin are running through my head. This new one, is a bait fish that I brewed up, taking the back half from my favorite bass fly the zuddler minnow. The front half was just put together to move a little water and drop quick in faster water. It will make its way to the river this weekend, hopefully, ill have a picture of it hanging out of a basses mouth to add to the post.

Materials:

Hook: TMC 8089 sz. 10 - 8

Eyes: Lead Eyes - Fl. Chart 

Tail: Rabbit Zonker - Olive, White, Brown

Body: Ice Dub - Golden Brown

Collar: Mallard Flank - Red or Orange 

Head: Senyo's Laser Dub - Olive, White, Brown, Yellow 

Step 1: Tie on the lead eyes, about 2 hook eyes behind the hook eye.

Step 2: Tie in the rabbit, right at the bend of the hook.

 

Step 3: Dub the body, right to the back of the eyes.

 Step 4: Bring the rabbit forward, Tie in and cut off right behind the eyes.

Step 5: Tie in a small mallard flank, make 2 or 3 wraps.

Step 6: Tie in 2 rubber legs behind the hook eye.

Step 7: Tie in a clump of Laser dub.

Step 8: Tie in a clump of Laser dub.

Step 9: Tie in a clump of Laser dub.

Step 10: Tie in a clump of Laser dub.

Step 11: Tie in a clump of Laser dub.

Step 12: Trim the laser dub, forming a head.

Step 13: Trim the top, forming a head, whip finish and cut thread.

Finished Fly:

Socks and Flip Flops

Just about every fishing trip you go on, has the same result, a good story to tell. This one was no different, it started with a 3am wake up, a 3.5 hour drive across the state, then jumping in the car with my buddy Corey for another 1.5 hour drive to get to the river. Yup that was the start, then a little shimmy and shake, and Todd, Corey and I were floating down a sweet river filled with Pike, Musky, and Smallmouth. It was only 95 degrees out with zero cloud cover, so it was quite enjoyable (sarcasm). But we were fishing for 2 of my favorite fish, and one I had never tangled with yet. So I would be happy with anything.

After 2 hours of nothing but a follow, we were hanging on the bank drinking gallons of water, when all the sudden the bank exploded. Todd made 2 casts, about 2 minutes later a 28-30 inch pike was getting its picture taken with Todd. It was awesome, It was another hour or so when Corey was hollering from the back of the boat with a nice smallie, thought it didnt have sharp teeth, it was still any awesome fish. Then a while later, along a muddy bank, I made a cast, one strip and my fly disappeared, first pike on the fly, it was a photo shoot in the boat after that.

2 more pike were hungry for our flies, but no love for us. Well sorry Corey, I wasn't going to tell this part but... I was striping my fly along this giant root ball,well  a nice sized pike was not having it, it charged out and swiped at my fly, it missed. "Corey Get him!" "You sure?" "Yup". Corey makes a nice cast, underwater explosion, fly disappears, Corey thinks about it, Hook set, nothing. "COREY!!!" Todd and I scream. No fish.

But it was an awesome trip, probably the most fun Ive had in a long time on the water.

Oh yeah, and whats more exciting, than Todd standing on a down tree in the middle of the river with a chainsaw... Not much!

Featured Fly - Dunnigan's Panty Dropper

Here is an awesome little fly pattern that I found while browsing Montana Fly Company's website. It is the perfect dropper of any sulphur dry, or the bottom fly of a double nymph rig. Change the thorax and add a hot collar, and you just made a totally different pattern.

Material

Hook: TMC 2499 SPBL or 2457

Bead: Tungsten Bomb Bead - Copper

Tail: Pheasant tail fibers 

Rib: Ultra Wire - Small - Copper

Body: Tying Thread - Brown Olive

Legs: Nymph Legs - Pumpkin/Black

Thorax: East Coast Dubbing - Sulphur Yellow 

Wing Case: Thin Skin - Mottled Oak - Black 

Wing Case Coating: Clear Cure Goo - UV

Step 1: Make a thread base, tying in the ultra wire as you go back.

Step 2: Tie in the 5 or 6 fibers of pheasant tail. Cut off the extra. 

Step 3: Covering the excess pheasant tail, and making the body of the fly, wrap thread forward.

Step 4: Wrap the ultra wire forward making a rib.

Step 5: Tie in the rubber legs right at the end of the ribbing.

Step 6: Dub the thorax. Remember changing the color to match the hatch.

Step 7: Cut a small strip of thin skin, then cut a "V" in the tip.

Step 8: Tie in the thin skin, making a wind case.

Step 9: Cut off excess thin skin, whip finish, and cut thread off.

Step 10:  Add a small amount of CCG, making a wing case, hit it with your UV light until cured.

Finished Fly:

 

Fathers Day Stripers

Its always nice to be with your father for his birthday, and fathers day all in one weekend. Its even nicer when your dad is a commercial fisherman, and knows where to catch over 40 stripers in a morning. Being in 30ft of water, the fly fishing techniques had to get creative, but I did manage to hook up on a couple. It was an awesome morning. Thanks Dad.

Calm Between the Two

Sunday couldn't have been a nicer day, with a passing storm 2 days before and a huge storm on the way. So when my alarm went off at 4am, I was out of bed and backing my bag and cooler, just thinking about what was to come. Steve, Casey, and I were on our way to the Little J, we had 3 boats in tow, one that may or may not have been put together the night before while drinking a couple beers. Hope it floats, anyway enough about us getting there, on to the fishing.

We fished all day, weather was great, sunny with clouds and a nice breeze. Fishing was great too, not a lot of big fish, but fish were eating all day. We didn't have much dry fly action until later that evening, nymphing was the primary tactic, but I had a 6wt with a sinking line on the boat too. Frenchies, Splitbacks, Pts, and just about anything that looked like a caddis. Some fast food, a couple half awake conversations, and almost 24 hours later, we made it home.