Saturday, August 30, 2014

Tying the Bivisible Moose (Video)

The Bivisible Moose

The Bivisible Moose is one of my favorite early spring search patterns. On waters where the Hendricksons, Quills and March Browns are present, this pattern will bring them to the top whether a hatch is present or not. The original pattern was tied Brown/Grizzly as in my book "Tomorrows Fish". However, on local waters over the past few years I have found a Golden Badger or Cree with Brown is slightly more effective.


Bivisible Moose Recipe

Hook: Standard Dry #12
Thread: Brown 8/0 Uni-thread
Tail:  Moose Body Hair 
Abdomen:  Brown tying thread
Body Hackle: Cree hackle (gap length)
Hackle:  Brown


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Tying the Grundsow Nymph (Video)

The Grundsow Nymph


The Grundsow Nymph originated while tying Chuck Caddis patterns. I was saving the under-fur, and the naturally translucent properties of it intrigued me. So I tied up a small pattern to try as a dropper fly on the Nisqually river.  The fish killed it.  And likewise everywhere else I fished it. Many times, this simple pattern has saved my day on the water both fished as a dropper, and bounced along the bottom on its own. This pattern is also an absolute must-have as a dropper fly on stillwater behind your favorite popper.

 Recipe

Hook: Standard Nymph Hook #10 2X Long
Thread:  6/0 Black Uni-Thread
Tail:  Black Marabou Tips
Body:  Groundhog Under-fur
Bead:  Black or Gold Tungsten



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Lions Lake



Lions Lake Crappie


A visit to Lions Lake proved interesting as the Crappie decided to target bassbugs. This one left the water attacking a #6 Long Standard.

Jake and his 1st fly rod Crappie


 A typical Lions Lake bass.

The trip also provided some great top-water bass action.

A great outing with the kids casting poppers.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Kresson Lake Bass



Kresson Lake


Today's forecast for a cooler morning had me out wading Kresson Lake armed with poppers. 

Bass on a deer hair Polywog

There wasn't a lot of surface activity to speak of. But persistent stalking of the Lily Pads gave up a few.


Yellow Pond Lilly

A number of short-strike swirls along with one nice bass that broke off in the weed beds and a fairly large Pickerel that seemed to want nothing more than to tangle himself up in the lily pad stalks, kept the morning interesting.

Another fish that slammed the Long Standard


A great time on some local water working out the kinks in my popper fishing. 


Saturday, August 23, 2014

Tying The Jersey Damsel (Video)

The Jersey Damsel

        The Jersey Damsel is a local pattern of mine that truly performs around small bass and bluegill waters. Tied to use on a dropper behind a bassbug, it has become an excellent stand-alone pattern as well when fished on a short leader with a floating line. This is one pattern that never lets you down.

Jersey Damsel Recipe

Hook: Standard Nymph Hook #10 2X Long
Thread:  6/0 Black Uni-Thread
Tail & Abdomen: 3 Strands Olive Ostrich Herl
Rib: Blue Medium Ultra Wire
WingCase: Wild Turkey Tail
Eyes:  Medium Plastic Barbells
Thorax:  Peacock Ice Dub








Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Tulpehocken Creek

Rebers Bridge Tulpehocken Creek


This evening I got to spend a few hours on one of my favorite streams in Pennsylvania. The Tully did not fail to show up. There were plenty of fish in the stream, and as usual it was a chess match to identify what they were feeding on. 

Upstream of Rebers Bridge


I began and ended my night upstream of Rebers Bridge. The fish were feeding steadily all night. However, I failed to nail what they were flashing and chasing after. All of my fish came to persistent prospecting.



This Great Blue Heron stayed within 30 feet of me all afternoon. My fishing buddy. He was also the only other fisherman I saw all night.


I caught two browns on a #16 Squirrels Nest nymph


I was able to round out the night with at least one fish on the surface as the hatches picked up just before dusk. This Rainbow decided he would rise for a #16 Sulfur LTD.
A good night on the water overall. 

Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Little Lehigh

The Heritage Fly Shop

A trip to the Little Lehigh is always a pleasure, both for the fishing to be had along with the heritage it arries with it.

Once you arrive, you're faced with your first choice. Do you begin upstream or downstream of the bridge?


The water upstream of the bridge


The water downstream of the bridge


On this trip I began below the bridge and was treated to two 10" browns that willingly came up for an LTD Sulphur.

Above the bridge near the festival grounds the creek gave up a nice 18"rainbow that hammered a Golden Retriever drifted below an indicator


You can't leave this water without a visit to the Heritage Fly Shop


Add it to your bucket list

Friday, August 15, 2014

Tying the Griffiths Max (Video)

The Griffiths Max (GM)


The Griffiths Max or (GM) is a solid pattern in my box. An enlarged Griffiths Gnat by heritage, it's tied in one 3-material dubbing loop. Making it extremely easy to tie, and very effective. A great search pattern whenever the fish are looking for terrestrials.


Recipe 

Hook: Standard Dry#14
Thread: Olive 8/0 Uni-thread
Abdomen: Peacock Herl
Hackle: Brown Dry






AUGUST: Fly of the Month

Tying the RuffChuck


The RuffChuck is a mid-summers fly, perfect for smallmouth on pretty much any water, and a great choice when dredging those deep pools in search of trout in cooler waters. Originally tied to dead-drift underneath an indicator for trout, it does very well bounced along the bottom for nearly any species of fish you are targeting. My first choice is to drift this pattern under an indicator through pools. The natural swimming action of the materials in this fly through the current, can trigger some incredible strikes. 

RuffChuck



Hook: #8 Mustad C67S
Thread: 3/0 Red Uni-thread
Eye: 1/16oz Dumbell
Tail: Ruffed Grouse Marabou
Body: Amber Ice-Dub
Wing: Woodchuck guard-hairs


1.      Begin with the hook placed in standard fashion and in vise. Start your thread and wind back to the point on the shank just above the barb.
1.      Bring the thread forward to a location two eye-lengths behind the eye. Tie in the eyes on the top of the shank, anchoring with figure-8 wraps and a drop of head cement.

1.      Sweep one Ruffed Grouse marabou feather and tie in just above the barb of the hook, extended approximately 1 ½ the length of the hook.

1.      Spin the Ice-bub and build a tapered body forward to a point just in front of the eyes. Place a half-hitch and reposition the fly upside down in the vise. (Note: this step can be skipped if you are tying on a rotary vise.)
1.      Clean and stack a section of Woodchuck hair, trim butts evenly, and tie in to the front of the eyes matching the tips with the marabou.

Build a tapered head, whip-finish and apply 2 coats of head cement.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

A Swarm of Bugs

The Long Standard


Replenishing the box after the beating my son put on it. An unassuming little hair popper that never lets me down.



 Recipe
Hook: 3XL Dry Fly #6
Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread
Tail: 2 pair Grizzly Saddle
Tail: 2 pair Olive/Black Centipede Legs
Body: Natural and Dark Brown Deer hair
(Bottom of body is clipped flush with the hook)

I vary between a 50/50 body or a Brown center stripe

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Bass Buggin'

Bass Buggin' a Local Pond

Last night my youngest son and I were able to break away for a little bit of bass bugging on a local pond. It was his first taste of bass on the surface, and I think he may be hooked.

1st Bass on the surface!


They were hungry for the last 2 hours of daylight, and we were able to coax up a half dozen fish. The Soup-de-jour was a longtime pattern of mine, the "Long Standard".


The Long Standard





Even the Bluegill came out to play!


A nice fat Gill willing to tackle a popper



His biggest fish of the day. 


For me, it was guide duty armed with a full lanyard, box of flies and some casting assistance. The fish did the rest.



Friday, August 8, 2014

Tying the Adams Family (Video)

The Adams Family

This fly was born on Fishing Creek in Central Pennsylvania. It was originally tied as a March Brown pattern during the early spring, and just plain old put fish in the net. Inspired by the origins of the venerable Adams dry fly, it sits with an irresistible footprint on those large flat tail-outs. The Adams Family has proven its worth bringing fish to the surface consistently when no hatch is on the water making it one of my favorite attractor patterns, yet as expected fishes excellent over the March Brown hatch.


 Recipe

Hook: Standard Dry #12-18
Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread
Tail: Cree hackle fibers
Abdomen: Adams Grey beaver dubbing w/antron
Thorax: Adams Grey beaver dubbing w/antron
Wing: Cree or Grizzly hackle tips tied delta
Hackle: Cree (V-notched on bottom)



Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Lycoming Creek

Lycoming Creek North of Williamsport PA

On the road with a few hours this evening to spare, I decided to hit a stream that I had only driven by prior to my visit. 

Downstream of where I began


Planning off of some web research, I narrowed things down to a section of the creek that looked promising. However, things were not quite as expected upon arrival. The water was extremely low, slow and a bit warm. In the end, I caught a handful of chubs and one small 6" Smallmouth. All fish were taken on a #14 Penns Grannom. The water was full of crayfish and ducks, but no trout were even spotted on the particular water I visited. Regardless, it was still far better than an afternoon in a hotel room. 


Beautiful water that I will have to research a bit further and revisit.

Monday, August 4, 2014

ONE SMALL TROUT


Back from editing!! 


     One Small Trout is back from the final edit along with a revised cover. It is on track for an August 30th release. Included are 34 essays along with 13 patterns.