A mixed bag

At times I tend to forget how quickly summer will pass. The good days seem so nunerous there is no urgency to the fishing like in the cooler months. You can leisurely stroll out at dusk and fish a solid 2 hours, confident you just managed the best the day had to offer.

Here are some fish I've managed to tangle with and photograph.

Mayfly nymph- under review

Mayfly crawler multi-use pattern here. I use light hare's ear dubbing, colored on top with a brown umber prismacolor marker to give it a two-tone effect. Barred centipede legs are great here to add movement and mimic a dislodged crawler in the current. Non-toxic lead wire sub used for weight in underbody crimped flat to keep the profile slim like the natural. Just set to dry..Make them want it.

Observe and create.

More flies on deck...

Spring on the lake

I used to hate fishing for crappies with my dad. It seemed as though it was a chore for him as well. Over time we filled the livewell. Cleaned the fish. Usually with pressure for a family meal. Stationary, roped off in our boat to submerged stumps on calm gray lake in the early hours. Damp, fragrant, spring air  fishing tube jigs alone. Vertical. Silent.

Today, I cast and retrieve-very slowly. With a small clouser I fish methodically and bring crappies as well as largemouth to the boat. I hoot, sometimes play a tune and bring my young dog piper as well as my son. Im not sure if he hates it yet.

High-stick and rolling thick, Brookville tailwater

Over time my feelings regarding fly fishing and time on the water continue to evolve. what once was my quirky hobby spawned serious a passion which has now become a complex way of life, but also something more simple. A rod, line and fly. Water. Something fleeting and alive. 

Fish, hike, forrage. Maybe drink a beer at the end of a good day.

Opportunities are abound.

All the best,

Stroke

Warm it up

More photos from the warm-up. Bring on spring and better lighting for my cut-rate pics

Looking up and down

Things are starting to look up here in the Hoosier state. Warmer temps, bream on beds and mushrooms under elms mean spring in my book. Jam festivals, smallmouth, coke-bottle sized morels and trout on dries coming soon. Look out for more reports...

Secrets from the hot-box. Orange bead-head

A few times (and even recently) I've been rescued by a beadhead hot-spot fly as shown. While a departure from the typical bug a hot tung bead gets the fly down fast and like it often will get a reaction where drab nymph flies fail. When used in a 2 fly rig trout often notice this point fly but take the more natural looking fly up the dropper on the leader after refusing the power-bait tinged orange bead fly.

Tied with darker pheasant tail feathers with copper rib in the standard fashion. Add in a few loops of scraggly dubbing to match the body with a colar of olive dub to add a little contrast to the orange bead. Standard #12 hook. Great in discolored water as an attractor fly in a multi rig, I use this as an anchor at times with a tag dropper leader. It jams bra.

Momentum

Pancakes give my day an undeniable momentum. In an attempt to keep sane while making a concerted effort to fish more I made it to the creek to see what was moving before the cold front dumped the most recent allotment of frozen schlag. Crappie and a lone bass obliged taking the flex-body zonker that works for the sometimes less-than voracious winter fish. Slow retrieve in slack water near cover. 

Be back soon!

Drinking to warmer weather

Just like a hand-sized panfish on a 3wt glass rod can cap off a great time on the water, a good beer can make all the difference on a blustery day. The brewing co. by the house has great brown ale (among others) and food trucks on premises with diverse options most open days.

Making the best

Sometimes all you can do is make the best of a bad situation. Given work is slow the grind can be worse than usual, with the days seeming to drift together under the monotone gray skies. The urge to get out takes on a new sort of desperation that is tough to describe in print but is palpable to those who seek fellowship with the water. Winter fishing is slow for me most of the time. Flows were up on this indiana stream and only a few scant stocker holdover bows were managed. Drive/fishing time about an even split. Another dose of awesome pizza with bacon, cheddar and ricotta + beer from the local joint to further heal...

Golden stone- tung head

Here is a simplistic stone with a brown tung bead, rubber legs, plastic shellback to match shaded with a prismacolor marker. Ribbed with vinyl D shape rib in brown. Gets down fast and makes a great anchor in a high stick rig. Comp scud hook size 8.

Restless

Under the harsh glow of fluorescent the mind can grow restless in the dead of winter. It takes fortitude to conjure images of brighter days on rivers seething with life as opposed to ice flows. More brown ale required.

Foam body dry with natural

Have been working to document more flies and naturals from local water. Foam Orange var. Cahill and mayfly it was tied to resemble. Thanks for looking, more to come as I sort photos from this past season. Stroke

Spinning

Watch "String Cheese Incident - Round The Wheel" on YouTube

Dubbing and feathers for warmer weather...