December fishing

Pulled into the parking lot and got the rig together. Walked over to the stream and it wasn't too crowded.  I even got my favorite run.  Made a few casts and got nothing.  After a while guys were just showing up and fishing right next to me.  I hate that crap so I reeled in and headed back to the truck. 

While almost at the parking lot. I saw Mike pull in. Told him its too crowded and we headed up stream. 

The rises were few and far between so I stuck with nymphs and eggs. Tried about half a dozen holes and finally got one on an egg.  When pulling him out of the net I realized he only had one eye. 

Tried a couple more holes and decided to head out. Not a very productive day. But it was nice to be out. 

Flies

Havent posted in a while. So here is some play time from the vise. 

Royal Wulf

Sudeo adams pattern

Leech pattern. Going to try for steelhead with this one. 

Want to try and get out this weekend. 

Getting ready.

Started to refill the steelhead box. Starting with the fly that got me one last year. 

Sunday Morning

Mike set up some fishing trough Instagram. So last night I tied up some BWO emergers and Al's Rats.  

I got there early and hit the stream.  Didn't see a single bug come off and sporatic rises. First cast and got a trout to follow the fly but not take it.  Tried a couple different holes and missed three. By that time Mike called and said he would be there in a half hour so I head back to the truck and put on a new leader. 

Mike showed up and two other guys also.  Pafishing and signatureflyco from Instagram.  We all headed back to the stream. Ended up getting a little brown. 

Got it one the BWO tied last night. 

A little bit later Mike hooked up and landed one. 

I ended up watching people fish more then doing it myself. Mike got a couple more and I had to heading out. 

Fall

Got out a for a couple hours today.  No fish but enjoyed the view. 

Back out

Yesterday met mike from Dubthethorax.com. 

My first day back out since I had surgery on my ankle.  Also the first time out with the new rod I built. 

Saw rises and tried to get them right away. Ended up getting a couple noses right away but no takers.

Testing the rod out and I like it a lot. Its a fast action rod and I really like the ritz style handle. The handle gives you a good grip and allows for power when you need it. 

Playing around with flies I did finally end up getting a taker. Playing the fish I realized I couldn't squat down to net the fish.  Mike helped and snapped a picture. 

Mike was determined to get a fish out of that run.  I headed to the next hole down stream.  Switched over to nymphs and got a lil rainbow.  

We ended up walking down to the shop and talking with Dave the owner.  Gave us some info and about stocking. So we headed out. 

Spent more time playing around with the rod.  Was able to cast further and with more accuracy.  

Mike was able to get a nice brownie on an emerger.  Was happy cause he worked his ass off for that fish. 

Ended up with a few more casts and then called it a day. 

Loved getting out and just want to get back out there. 

Score!

A client of mine had a father who gave up flytying. Three full boxes of capes, saddle, fur, estaz, egg yarn, tools, hooks, vise, leaders, wings, chenille, books, beads, thread, and moth balls.  For a good price. 

New Build

I haven't been posting lately because I had surgery on my ankle.  So I have been laid up and no fishing for a while. 

But I did make myself a new everyday fly rod.  Blank is a North Fork Composites. Guides are Snake Brand. Reel seat is Coral wood (my next venture is to make my own reel seat).  The grip is a Ritz style custom grip I made with inspiration and info from Zeb at Snowman Custom Rodworks. 

If you haven't seen Zeb's work. Then look him up. It's amazing what he can do. 

This rod gave me a lot of trouble. Even falling off the drying station. Had to cut off all the wraps and start over.  But now it's done and I can't wait to heal and get back out on the water. 

Tough bite

Went out for a couple hours.  Met up with my buddy Carlo.   Saw a lot of fish.  But they were shut down.  Only got one on a royal wuff. 

Out of practice

Its been a while since i went out and it showed this evening. 

Back in April, while fishing, i slipped off a rock and broke my ankle. I have been dealing with it til now and finally getting surgery to fix it. 

So i want to get out as much as possible this weekend.  Started out with the Friday therapy session at the Lil Lehigh. 

Dry flies were not working.  A lot of noses, but no takers. Switched over to nymphs and hooked up a lot.  But the rust was on and lost about 7 of them.  Mostly due to the slow bite with bad hook sets and bad drag setting.  Did land one so it wasnt a lost cause. 

 

Quickie

Up in the poconos for the weekend. Went out to the Bushkill for a couple hours.  Very low and only managed a couple chubs. 

Brownie

Since it's a beautiful fall day. I got out of work a little early and hit the stream.

Put on a 18 BWO and with in a few casts had mutiple hits and got one on the line. 

That trout destroyed my fly.  So i switched it up.  Put on a nymph with an egg trailer.  Didn't need a strike indicator.  It was so clear i could see the flies. A few casts in and had a taker on the egg.   This one fought pretty well. 

While i was looking around and taking in nature i could see these two older men in the hole down stream from me.  You could tell the one was on his first fly fishing trip and having a hard time at it.  He was trying to cast but kept slapping the water.

Well the slapping just made me think of terrestrials.  So i put on a grasshopper.  Holy Crap the trout loved it. 

Now on a side note and why i named this  post. This is the first trout this year that wasnt a rainbow. From January till the end of September.  All trout were rainbows. 

Ended up getting another rainbow on the grasshopper. Then the two guys from earlier kept getting closer to me. The one guy who knew how to flyfish wouldnt shut up. I dont even think he was talking to anyone, just himself.  It just annoyed me so i packed it in. 

Before the rain

Headed back out to the Lil Lehigh.  There were more people today then last evening but still not packed.  So I Decided to try what worked last evening, dries again and they worked.   Had a hit on my third cast and landed a fish on my fifth. 

Went away from the fly fishing only section. But didn't have any luck. Only saw three fish and they spooked pretty easily.  

Then the wind started to pick up so headed in for the day. 

Therapy

Since its suppose to rain all weekend.  Decided to head out after work to try and get what i could. 

Had nice weather.  Ended up with three, all rainbows.  Two on size 18 adams.  

Wine rod

My father asked me to build him two wined themed trout rods. He wanted to hang one in his wine tasting room and give the other one to his cousin. 

Decided to incorporate wine corks into the handle. So he picked two and we got them lined up as best as possible.  I put cork rings on the end for a simple design.  They actually turned out pretty good. 

Used a Merlot colored thread with gold accents. 

Both rods turned out good and i am going to make him take it out fishing. 

Beadhead

After fishing this weekend, I realized that my fly box is pretty sparse.  So I sat down and ties a half dozen of my favorite fly, beadhead olive hares ear. 

Hook: size 18 nymph hook

Tail: guard hairs

Rib: gold wire

Thorax and body: under fur and guard hair blend

Wing: turkey feather

Lil Lehigh

Had plans to head up to the Salmon River, Ny.  But they got cancelled.   So  I decided to hit up the Lil Lehigh for a day.  Text Mike from Dubthethorax.com and he was in.

I parked by the fish hatchery and started to walk to the "kiddie pool".  It had about six guys in it.  Now grant it, it's easy to catch fish in that hole, but come on.  Flyfishing for me is more about being out and enjoying nature. Not standing next to someone fighting for a spot to fish.

 So I went further down stream and within five casts got into a nice fish.  During the fight he took me airborne and threw the hook.   Still a good rush and glad at least to have some action.

A couple minutes later Mike showed up.  He went right for some rising fish and ended up with one.  

I took the next hole down and had a hit.  Set the hook and brough her in.  It was a chub.  I swear,  sometimes it feels like ill never get a trout again. 

We walk down to the Heritage Fly Shop and spoke with Dave.  The shop was broken into and robbed while he was on vacation.  Felt bad for the man, hopefully they will catch whoever did it.  I did end up buying a T-shirt from him.
 

After the brief stop at the shop, Mike and I walked the to other end of the flyfishing only section.  It was over grown and we didn't really see anything.

On the way back I was determined to get at least one trout.  Then I saw that my favorite hole was open and gave it a shot. While Mike up stream for those rising fish.   So I threw in and in a couple casts, finally got one. 

Mike had to get going.  So we stopped and had a beer.  While he took off  I decided to try another spot furter up stream.

Pulled up to the parking lot at the new spot and see Tyler and Brett's trucks.  Kinda funny since I was going to call them if the fishing was good. 

Ended up getting another trout. All of them today were on egg patterns. 

Brett and Tyler were spin fishing again and ended the day with a couple nice ones too.

 

Scouting

Just a 1/2hr trip scouting for the weekend.  Got this little guy on a pheasant tail. 

Hope to get into some trout soon. 

Bushkill

Hit the Bushkill today with Brett and Tyler. 

I was fly fishing all day and got most fish on beadhead hares ear and stoneflies.

It was a nice day.  Cloudy and spotty rain. 

Most fish were little smallies and pan fish. 

Brett got the only trout of the day. 

All in all another awesome day on the water. 

 

Yeti

Had enough Cabelas points to get myself a Yeti Tundra 45.  I have to said it is built extremely well.  Everything they advertise is true. Walls are extremely thick and heavy.  Got it home and decorated it up with fishing stickers. 

Took it on a trip last weekend.  Filled it with beer and breakfast food. Two bags of ice.  

The ice lasted all weekend.  Was really impressed how it lasted and didn't need to be refilled with ice at all over 4 days with 2 day sitting in a hot truck. 

Down side of it is of course the price.  But since i got it with points, I'm not complaining.  The only other thing would be the weight of it.  Empty it was around 20lbs.  When filled it was heavy but still could be carried by one person if you have to. 

Over all I recommend it and cant wait to use it more.  

Bradford

My sister invited my brother, me and our girlfriends, to her husband's hunting cabin in Bradford County. It just so happens to be right across the street from a trout stream.

We got up there a little late. Got everything unpacked and started to play drinking games.  Holy crap that was not a good idea.   Fun but hurt!

Woke up the next morning. Had breakfast, got the fishing equipment together, and walked across the street with my brother-in-law and brother. We got to the steam and it was low and slow. Seemed more like pond fishing then stream fishing.  I was fly fishing and used the time to practice casting and enjoy being outside.  While the other two were spinner fishing and catching some smallies and chubs.  We did see what looked like a 24 inch palomino swimming in a deep hole. But he just kept swimming around ignoring us. 

The trek out was bad.  Filled with 7ft thistles, wolf and garden spiders, and  5ft ditches.  A walk that should have taken 5mins turned into 20. 

Got back and met up with the girls.  They were heading to a local swimming hole while we tried on more spot. 

This was under a bridge and still same luck.  I was still fly fishing but the other two were using bait. My brother did catch a decent smallie. And after a while we left to meet the girls at the swimming hole. 

The swimming hole was BEAUTIFUL!  A spring fed creek with little swimming holes in between the rocks. The clearest water i have swam in. 

My girlfriend explored and came back with a pic of a nice stonefly casing. 

Hung out for a couple hours then headed back to the cabin. Made dinner on the fire and sat around it afterwards. 

An awesome weekend.  Thanks to Tyler and Stacey for inviting us up! Had a great time!