Featured Fly - Tooth Decay

This is a fly that was featured in Fly Tyer magazine this past summer. This fly has been very effective for me during high and off colored water. The hot orange butt gives something "extra" for trout to look at. I tie this fly in 3 different body colors: Olive Yellow, Brown, and Black. The olive and brown bodied ones work very well when BWOs are present.

Materials

Hook: TMC 3761 - sz. 14-18

Bead: Copper - to match hook size 

Thread: Olive Yellow

Tail:  Wood duck or Coq de Leon
Body: Tying Thread
Thorax: SLF Red Fox Squirrel Nymph Thorax
Wing Case: Med Holo. Tinsel - Black
Rib: Ultra Wire - Copper 
Hot Spot:  6/0 UNI Thread - Fire Orange

Step 1:  Start by making a small thread base. Tie in a 6 - 8 lemon barred wood duck fibers.

Step 2: Tie in Ultra wire to the start of the "Hot Spot", Wrap thread forward making a tapered body 

Step 3: Wrap the wire forward making a rib.

Step 4: Tie in the Holo flashe for the shell back.

Step 5: Dub the thorax.

Step 6: Pull shell back forward and tie off behind the bead.

Step 7:  Whip finish.

Finished Fly 

This fish fell to the Tooth Decay after flows well over 3,000cfs. 

Spring is Almost Here

Thank you Mr. Stricker for sharing your flies. This one thought they looked good

2 more days on the river has made me realize spring is coming, and coming fast. Yesterday Leland and I headed up to the Water-Works to try it again. We were reworded with a few awesome fish, the water is warming slowly,but just enough to get the bigger holdovers moving. Midges and prince nymphs seem to be producing the most fish, with worms and smaller attractor patterns not far behind. There has also been reports of fish keying in on little black stones on the lower sections of the river.

Even with wet conditions yesterday, the water stayed clear and low just long enough for Joey and I to get into a couple fish today. The cold and over cast day had midges all over the place, fish were starting to rise consistently to them. About that time the nice people at the dam decided to raise the water cutting our day short.

 Hot Flies: Prince Nymph, Zebra Midge, Sugar Daddy, New Prince, San Juan Worms

3 Days of Fishing

This weekend marks 4 out of 10 states for 2012. I went down to Maryland for the weekend. With all of the "big" game fish out in deep water or up river spawning, we had to turn our attention to one on the only species around this time of year. Yellow Perch make their way up-river between February and March to spawn, so fishing the mouth of creeks with minnows and chartreuse jigs has always been the method to success. Instead of minnows and 6ft light spin rods, I had an Olive Zuddler minnow and 5 weight fly rod.

Over 15" Yellow Perch

 Hot Fly: Olive Zuddler

After a nice weekend in MD, Chris and I decided to take out the eight weights and try our hand at a few winter Musky. The good news is we found one, but the bad news is he didn't eat. If you have ever gone Musky fishing you know that often times this is the case, however we still fish relentlessly for these apex predators. Most of the time it is the anticipation of the take that keeps us fishing for these beasts.

Musky Fly

Not bad for an IPhone - Musky in the trees

Hot Flies: Who knows!

Finally, Joey and I decided to hit the Tully this morning for a couple hours before work. If you ask Joey the fishing was Awesome... Me not so much. Joey ended up with about 6 to hand, all were beautiful hold-over fish. Some days its just not your day, and today was that day for me. Maybe tomorrow :)

Beautiful Tully Trout

Hot Flies: Prince Nymph, Zebra Midge

Another Great Blog

A good friend of mine Brian Michelotti, who also works at the TCO State College store just started a new blog. He was a guide in AK for 4 seasons, and 1 season in Patagonia.

He has a wealth fo fishing knowledge, a whole lot of stories (good and bad) about his many years on the water.

Check out his blog ---  Flies & Lies

State College Rendezvous

After a long weekend at the Fly Fishing Show in Lancaster, I couldn't think of a better way to relax and enjoy the weather than getting up at 6am to meet up with Lenny and Jared. With promising weather and a weekend of talking fly fishing, the 3 of us decided to head west, meeting up with Brian from TCO State College. We decided that Penn's Creek would be our best choice of location.

There were plenty of bugs flying around--Blue Wing Olives, and midges for the most part. However with winter water and air temps here, nymphing was still the best bet.

We spent all morning on Penn's with decent action, but decided to jump in the car around 2 and head to Spring Creek for the remainder of the day. Jared had his fingers crossed the whole way, hoping for some rising fish. Getting there at "Prime" time, the fishing pressure was high. The fishing was slow, but Jared's wishing came true.

Enjoy

Jared with his first Penns Creek fish on

Brian working a nice section of water

Hot Patterns: Henry's Golden Stone, Sugar Daddy, Zebra Midge, BWO Emerger, Wooly Buggers, Pheasant Tail

With some Snow and Rain

It was another great morning on the Tully. With the dam release just right (143cfs) Joey, Leland, and I hit the stream around 8. There was a slight drizzle all morning, until the snow started flying and the rain picked up. But we sill fished, and it was no stop action all morning. We all landed a couple fish and had a few other lucky ones come off.

Its going to be another great weekend so get out and enjoy the great fishing.

Hot Flies: San Juan Worm, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Shot, Zebra Midge, Prince Nymph