Saturday, June 29, 2013

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)

Thursday, June 27, 2013

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:


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

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!












Friday, June 21, 2013

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:


 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

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.






Tuesday, June 11, 2013

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.