Stopwatch Offerings

"One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi, four mississippi... there he is"  My mind spoke quietly as I timed the gap between each rise-form.  Though the surface was boiling with risers, I would target only one at a time, hoping for success.  

A small black parachute was drawn tightly to the hair thin piece of tippet, and a minuscule drop of floatant accompanied the soon to be meal.  As the fish rose again and again every four seconds, I sat, kneeled in the river, doing my best to get the fly in front of the fish on the fourth second.  Presentation after presentation, the fly escapes the fish's grip by a mere second.  As if the trout is snickering at me, his mouth appears once again, and a flick of the tail is given as he descends back into the water column.  One last attempt must be made I think to myself, and without hesitation, the fly is dropped inches upstream of the fish.  "One mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi, four mississippi... " I watch intensely as the miniature fly drifts toward the awaiting mouth.  What had been the longest four seconds of my life suddenly came to a swift end as the head of a fish broke the surface, gently sipping in the tiny dry fly.  Twists, turns, and small, half-hearted runs followed immediately after the hook set, and a short time later the small brown trout was brought to hand.  "Nice Fish" hollered another angler as I carefully returned the fine specimen to its watery living room.

Quieting my emotions temporarily, I set my sights on the next riser, positioned immediately upstream of the previous victim.  I counted again between each rise-from, this time glad to be given a fifteen second gap.  I knew that with a considerably larger gap of time, I could hook the fish easier, and so the first cast was dropped onto the water.  Cast after cast I was beginning to question my theory, when finally a nose showed itself through the glistening surface.  Jumping twice, the fish quickly lost energy, and came tiredly to hand for pictures and a swift release.

Last fish of the day had been chewed on a bit...

The process repeated again one last time, and as the sun began to drop behind the mountains, I decided to call it a day, knowing that my parents would soon start wondering what had happened to me.  I threw all the gear in the back, and drove off into the sunset, blaring the country music.

The Ice Pick

This is a really cool streamer pattern that is especially effective during runoff.  Its bright coloring makes it highly visible in the water, and the rabbit strips add some bulk for a larger profile.  A super simple fly to tie, I encourage you to give it a shot!

Dedication and its Rewards

Thought I would throw up a cool video of my buddy Jake Forsline sticking a monster 'bow this winter... Check it out!

Galloup's Circus Peanut

This is a really cool little streamer pattern that has earned a top spot in my boxes.  It fishes extremely well for not only trout, but bass and other warm water species as well!  Give it a shot!

Itu's Bones

Itu's Bones Trailer from Sol Duc Buck on Vimeo.

Midges and Meat

Swing by Charlie's Fly Box in Arvada tomorrow, February 18th, for a little fun at the tying bench!  I will be hosting the Saturday morning demo, and look forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, as well as meeting a myriad of new friends.  I will be twisting up everything from midges to streamers, so don't miss out on a chance to learn a few new tricks.  The demo will run from 11 'till 1, and more details can be found here!

I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Wednesday Night Special

Busy day at work?  What better way to relax then to join in on some fly tying fun!  Come check out the Rocky Mountain Flycasters' fly tying demo tonight from 5:30PM to 9:00 PM.  All of the local experts will be demonstrating their skills, including names such as Dennis Martin, Rick Takahashi, Al Ritt, and more!  This is a great event to attend as you are guaranteed to learn a few new techniques, as well as enjoy some top notch food.  I will be tying some big streamers, and will have a dozen flies for giveaway at the end of the event! I love hearing your latest fishing stories, so drop by a chat with me if you get a chance!

For more details, click here!

Dungeon Time

Here's a video of Brian Wise tying my favorite streamer pattern of all time... Enjoy!

Support Sophomores!

Everyone, follow the link below and check out the video produced by two of my good friends.  They are both high-school sophomores with me, and rule the slopes.  The video is called "Last Minute Edit" posted by Duncan Carlson.  Hit the "Like" button and help them win the competition... it is greatly appreciated!

http://www.facebook.com/OutpostSunsport

Monday Movie ~ Ed Engle Style

Second Chance from Samuel Ebersole on Vimeo.

West Denver Tying Clinic

Event Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012

Time: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds

Find More Information Here ~

http://www.westdenvertu.org/Fly-Tying-Clinic.html

 This is a must see event for all interested in the fly fishing and conservation aspects of our world.  Trout Unlimited works to protect local watersheds, and the support of the event goes to improving Clear Creek, as well as a myriad of other waters that we so dearly love.  With around 57 tiers from four different states, the event is sure to provide you with an unforgettable Saturday.  Myself and many others will be tying including names such as Juan Ramirez, Rick Takahashi, Casey Dunnigan, and many many more!  Remember to stop by and chat, as I always love hearing about your latest trip out on the water.  I will be whipping up some big streamers as well as a lot of midges, so come by and check it out!

Mark your calendar, and try to make it down... I look forward to seeing you there!

Shellshocked Adventure

The stage was set - snowy weather, sunny skies, and a plan to meet at 9:30 that morning by the river.  As the brakes squealed and both cars came to rest, anticipation hovered above like fog, and friendly handshakes were exchanged as Sanders and I shivered violently in the frosty morning air.

Slightly torn waders and trusty wading boots were slid onto my frozen body, and an overflowing hip pack was strapped to my waist as it tightly hugged the over-sized wooden net also known as the 'Pig Stick'.  Worn laces were cinched tight, and a few weapons for the day were selected from the diligently organized rows of my fly boxes. The moistened knots were then drawn tight, securing the meal courses to the tippet.

Approaching the water, flows became a concern whether we said it or not, but determination drove us forward without looking back.  A mere fifteen minutes into the day, I dropped to my knees as I screamed "Holy S**t Sanders, We got a 25 inch fish right here!"  What usually spans the course of 20-30 minutes of presentations took only a single cast as the fish turned without hesitation to slam the easy meal.  A smooth lift of the rod resulted in intense runs, but after around 45 seconds the big male brown was brought to net, and we both stared in disbelief.  The colors were astonishing, and my day had been made.  After a series of photos, and a dramatic increase in morale, the beautiful fish was released, and we knew that Sanders' turn would come next.

4.5 pound brown

My best Brown to date!

Continuous searching resulted in few fish, so a swift decision was made to proceed to the next area, giving us a shot at different fish.  Rods were loaded into the cars, and off we went.  Upon arrival, it appeared that every person in Fort Collins had decided to try fly fishing that day, seeing as there were exactly two spots left in the lot.  Crowded water resulted in minimal fishing, but as fellow anglers left whistling the signature Super Bowl anthem, space became plentiful.

As the afternoon midge hatch entered full swing, a single fisherman sat perched right in the heart of the action.  Sean and I tried above him, and quickly brought three fish to hand.  Frustrated, the man left the perch, giving us a shot at a few fish.  A single rise was spotted and after a few refined presentations, the dry fly was slowly tugged under, and what seemed like a 12 inch stocker at first suddenly showed itself as an 17 inch cutbow thrashing below the surface.  Directing the fight while chest deep in the river with the net, I watched as Sean bravely battled the fish.  A few minutes later, the chance presented itself, and the gorgeous fish was scooped into the net.  Sean's face lit up like a kid in a candy store - an image I will never forget.  Sean proudly hoisted his biggest trout from this particular watershed, and after many pictures, the camera-friendly cutbow was carefully released. 

Sanders with his gorgeous cutbow!

Poor guy's jaw was ripped up...

Favorite pic of the trip

 What had been my best day on the water so far this year came to an end with handshakes and talk of the next outing.  Sanders is a great guy, and I could tell he learned a lot about the river that day.  Check out Sanders' blog here!

To Sanders - that was a badass day dude.... we are definitely going out again soon!  This time though, we have to try and beat the fish from this trip... ha!

Frozen Fun!

Smiles leaped forward from the crowd, and laughs hovered about the room as Casey Dunnigan diligently placed the whip finish over the head on his signature "PMD Panty Dropper".  The crowd, including Rick Takahashi, stared in awe at the beautiful creation, while Casey sat confidently offering tips on being successful with this pattern.  Enthralled with the never ending line of beautiful patterns, the crowd didn't want to leave despite the demo being over the official "time-limit".  Casey's demos are always beneficial, and if you haven't yet, track him down at his next venue and get there early because it will get crowded!  So, when the streak of excellence in demonstration came to an end, I greeted Casey with a handshake, and an invitation to fish the Poudre with me that afternoon.  "Sure," responded Casey, "but not without lunch first!" 

To the local Asian grill it was, and the four of us we enjoyed an excellent lunch that would fulfill us for the day, as well as a load of stories from Rick Takahashi himself.   Stuffed, the two of us headed north in search of the Poudre, and a few willing targets.  After speedily assembling our gear and dressing out in our waders, we began the trek through knee deep snow.  Two miniature meals were dropped below a single, elegantly tied dry fly.  As if rocks were being tossed into the water, fish were slashing at the surface continually.  Miniscule midges skated across the glassy surface, teasing trout before flight.  A single rise appeared, and the rig was presented delicately upstream of the trout.  Slowly drifting along, the small dry fly was suddenly pulled under, and a smooth raising of the rod on Casey's part produced highly energetic runs across the current.  Minutes later, the willing silvery cutbow came to hand - Casey's first fish on the Poudre - on his first cast.

Casey Dunnigan

Repeating the same motions as before, Mr. Dunnigan continued to work his magic, eventually bringing a beautifully spotted brown to hand.  Anxious to get a tug, the obnoxious streamer secured to my line was unbuttoned from the hook keeper, and a single downstream cast was sloppily made.  As the large fly swung through the current, the line began to swim away, and the strip set was applied.  Diving every which way, the gorgeous brown trout eventually surrendered for pictures, and was swiftly released back to the icy waters that it called home.

Not huge, but super pretty!

As the glowing winter sun tucked itself away behind the majestic purple mountains of Colorado, our chilled breath lingered as we reeled in the weapons and called it a day.  Frozen waders and boots came slowly but surely off of our frigid bodies, and the engine hummed as we drove off into the Colorado sunset.

Ice Off is Coming...

I like to spend time that I am not fishing or doing homework tying flies to prepare for major events on many of Colorado's rivers and lakes.  Before we know it, ice off will be here, and the big fish will be out cruising the lake shores on the hunt for food.  This scud is a great fly to carry around, and has proven effective for ice off trout.  Enjoy!

Monday Movie

"Hatch" trailer - by Gin Clear Media | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Big Nasties

School got canceled for whatever reason today, so I decided to mess around a bit, and tie up a few big streamers for the weekend's festivities to come.....

...Work in progress...

Workday Entertainment...