Featured Fly - GD's Czech Cat Nip

With the launch of George Daniel's new book, Dynamic Nymphing, and having added a few of these to my nymph box, I knew this would be the perfect featured fly for my blog. George is a world-renown fly angler, a stand up individual, and a good friend. On top of that his fly patter is a very effective one to have in your arsenal year round. It is a great anchor fly for the winter, having a bit of flash to induce those picky fish hugging the bottom of the river. It works well as a caddis larva, or just a prospecting nymph. 

Materials

Hook: TMC 2499 SPBL - sz. 6 - 12

Bead:  Black Tungsten 

Weight: Lead Wire - .020 to .035

Thread: UNI Thread 8/0 - Black 

Rib:  Mono - 8lb

Body: Micro Polar Chenille - Chart. or Olive 

Thorax: Micro Polar Chenille - Black

Shellback: Mottled Oak Thin Skin - Olive 

Step 1: Slide the Tungsten Bead on.

Step 2:  Wrap lead wire 5 or 6 times.

 Step 3: Add the mono for the rib.

Step 4: Tie in the Micro Polar Chenille.

Step 5: Palmer the chenille forward, leaving about 3 wraps for the thorax.

Step 6: Tie in the black Polar Chenille.

Step 7: Wrap 3 or 4 times, tie off.

Step 8: Add the shellback, adjust to length, make one wrap of thread to hold in place.

 Step 9: Wrap the mono securing the shellback, making a rib.

Step 10: Tie off mono, then trim excess shellback. Whip Finish.

Finished Fly:

Another Good Day

With the weather forecast very similar to yesterday, I decided to get out of bed a little early again. The water flow was the same and the water temp was unchanged.


Yesterday I went to the Paper Mill, today I decided to fish Reber's Bridge. It was another great day on the water.

Hot Flies: San Juan Worm, Sugar Shot, GD Cat Nip, Zebra Midge

Winter time on the Tully

Went over to the Tully this morning. The flows were good 238cfs, and temps were up just enough 39.5 degrees.

Anyway, the fishing was winter fishing. I only fished for an hour or so and had decent action. Landing 2 fish and hooking one other. Winter fishing can be tough, but often times you are the only one on the water; this was true today. Having a bit of snow on the ground, a few ducks flying around, and a few fish to hand. Not a bad way to start your day.

Hot Flies: Sugar Shot, San Juan Worm

Big Spring in February

If you know me personally or have ever heard me talk about fly fishing, you know that I have a slight obsession with Rainbow trout. Finding out that Big Spring is full of wild rainbows, ranging from 2" to somewhere over 25", was music to my ears. Today was the third time that I have fished it this winter, every-time finding out more and more about the stream and the very picky fish that live there.

Leland and I headed down today; seeing that the temps were going to be in the upper 40s was all we needed. We fished all day. We had  most of the stream to ourselves until around 3, then we headed up stream away from pressure and fished until dark. We each landed a good number of fish, all rainbows except for  2 brook trout (a great surprise). The weather was perfect, the bugs were active, and so were the fish! All in all a good day.

Leland working over a few fish

A nice fat and healthy one

Leland's first

The Sugar Shot right where it should be

They come in all sizes, but all are beautiful

Leland's first fish fooled by his own fly

His first Brook Trout

Mine was a bit smaller

And Finally, one of the larger fish ate what I offered it

The Spring Creek collection

Hot Flies: Sugar Shot, San Juan Worm, Pheasant Tail, Zebra Midge, Scuds

Alaska Memories

It's been 3 years since I guided in Alaska, and it has also been 3 years since I've been there. I have tried the past 2 summers to go back to visit my old boss and the other guys I worked with, but with no success. But, this year is going to be different. I'm 100% going. Well I hope anyway.

While I was cleaning out my tying desk, I came across an old CD from a couple steelhead trips. Paul, Jesse, Tom ( my old boss, and 2 other guides) and I spent the first month before clients showed up chasing steelhead in the many lake-fed streams that make up Baranof Island. This is where my love and obsession with steelhead started. There is nothing like walking up a river sight fishing for steelhead for 3 days and seeing no one except the guys you came with. After having a hard-drive crash on my computer, I thought all pictures had been lost (that is what I hadn't posted on Facebook). Its been 3 long years away from her banks, and since memories are all that I have, finding this CD is a gold mine. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do.

Tom with a beautiful Alaskan Steelhead

My first one!

Another Beauty

Step 1: Climb on-top a log

Step 2: Hook a monster!

Step 3: Climb down and fight monster

Step 4: Smile!!!

Wilderness walking through the Tongass National Forest (with a fly rod)

Some small wildlife

I will never forget this fight

Paul with another beautiful steelhead

One of my favorite shots

Jesse with a nice buck

The stories and places these fish can take you