Featured Fly - The Double Squirrel

Finally had the chance (and motivation) to edit a short video of the Double Squirrel nymph. This has become a staple in my box as well as many of the other guides in the area. It is a simple and easy fly to tie that will look like many different bugs. I will tie them in black with Chartreuse hot spots, and dark browns with a pink hot spot. These bugs can be tied as small or as large as you would like. My favorite sizes are 16 and 14, however I do tie them up to a size 8 for a heavy anchor fly and down to 18 when the water is low and clear.

Mini Chocolate Donuts

Jack, Rob and I put another trip on the books. We have now made it a tradition to go steelheading every fall.  The first year we spent that trip on the Salmon River where Jack checked off a box on his bucket list by landing a steelhead in the DSR (Douglaston Salmon Run). So, the next couple years we moved to Erie PA and have had a blast each time. Each trip with the three of us seems to always be filled with stories, some that are only funny to us, and others that are just ridiculous to any that listen. Like last year when we got kicked out of the bar because there was a tornado headed right for us, we paid the bill and headed out into a monsoon with only inches of visibility and headed east away from the tornado. Yeah that was a first for me. This year was a bit less exciting on the weather front and more so on the fishing front.

It’s not very often as fisherman that we experience the “perfect day” of fishing, so when we do we can sometimes take it for granted while is happening. While we didn’t take it for granted, we did have three amazing days of steelhead fishing. Yes, the fishing was incredible, but it was moments like having 2 steelhead eat my dry fly, or doubling up and landing a fish with Jack, or landing Rob’s first fish of the trip only minutes after hitting the water. Oh, and the hot coffee just about the time your fingers felt like they were going to fall off, those are the memories that make a fishing trip perfect.

It was an amazing trip and I’m glad I mustered up the motivation to tell you about it.

Featured Fly - The Funny Bunny Tube

It’s been a long time since I've done a featured fly post. I could make a bunch of excuses about my computer and not having time, but I won’t. I don't have any video editing software on my computer right now, so tutorials are what you are going to get.

This tutorial was inspired by my latest trip to Erie PA with my two buddies Jack and Rob, trip photos to come in the next post. We had two amazing days of fishing nymphs and eggs, however day three was a different story. The water came down significantly and cleared up, and they weren't having it. So, after a morning of only getting a few fish to eat, I remembered a conversation I had with my buddy, he was telling me about how he and his clients did well with streamers a few days before. As the wintery mix of snow and rain was pelting us, I grabbed this little bunny leech and tied it on. I had fish eat on the swing, the strip, and even the total dead drift. There were leaves in the water, so I stuck with flies that were predominately white with accent colors of pinks and oranges. Tired olive and brown, but they weren’t interested.

Short story, but let’s get down to the good stuff.

Materials:

Tube: HMH Tube sz. Small - Clear 

Thread: Danville 140 - Fl. Pink 

Flash: Krystal Flash - Pearl 

Tail/Body: Black Barred Groovy Bunny - Fl. Pink / Orange / White 

Underbody: UV Polar Chenille sz. Med - Pearl 

Collar: Black Barred Groovy Bunny - Fl. Pink / Orange / White 

Legs: Round Rubber Legs sz. Med - Fl. Pink 

Head: Brass Conehead - Pro Tube Fly / HMH

Step 1: Leave a little space at the rear of the tube, making a small thread base.

Step 2: Tie in 4-6 strands of pearl krystal flash. The length should not me more than an inch long. 

Step 3: Tie in the bunny strip, it should extend about a third past the krystal flash.

Step 4: Tie in and palmer the uv polar chenille forward. Leave about a 1/4" of tube open.

Step 5: Pull the rabbit zonker forward and tie off.

Step 6: Make one wrap of the zonker around the tube creating a collar.

Step 7: "V" tie in rubber legs on each side. They should extend just past the tips of the rabbit.

Step 8: Slide the cone over the tube and secure with a dab of superglue. Then burn tubing down to the cone head.

Step 9: Cut a small piece of junction tubbing on the back and slid the hook in.

Finished Fly: The Funny Bunny

The Rollercoaster of Rivers

I call it a rollercoaster for the rise and fall on the river gauges. We haven't had a level flow in almost two months. There is something disheartening about getting super excited about being on the water 2 weeks straight, getting one day in and then it rained again. I have to admit, I may have lost my mind a few times in there. The house almost floated away, had to wear waders to check the mail, tied a lot of flies, drank a few beers, maybe some Jack, but that’s all over now (I hope). We are back in action.

This high and un fishable summer could have been a blessing in disguise. There are times in life when you forget what you have, when you don't realize how much you truly love something, or how much you actually love what you do, until it is taken from you. Not being able to guide for almost 6 weeks, made me realize how much I do love it, it re sparked the flame I felt I was losing.

But enough about the sad mind loosing summer we just had, lets enjoy what we have left and welcome fall with open arms.