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!

Tuesday Tie

This is a great little pattern created by the illustrious Jay Zimmerman.  I fish this deep as a caddis larva this time of year, and unweighted just below the surface when the caddis are popping.  Check it out!

Fly Fishermen...

This is a great little vid put together by the guys down at RMA fly shop.  With all the classic questions, phrases, and sayings, this production is spot on with what a lot of fly fishermen say.  Enjoy!

Flies and Lies

Like coffee, fly tying, and fishing stories?  Come on down to the Laughing grizzly fly shop tomorrow, January 28th and grab a seat for my tying demo!  The demo will be pretty random as far as flies are concerned.  I will be tying everything from midges to streamers, so don't miss out!  The guys down at laughing grizzly are always great to be around, and will be sure to make you laugh.

 For directions to the shop, click here!

Tuesday Tie ~ Mercury Blood Midge

The Mercury Blood Midge is an excellent little midge pattern that has proven deadly for winter time trout.  I fish this pattern quite often, and the results are almost always outstanding.  So, without further ado, the mercury blood midge!

Materials List

-Hook: TMC 200R, size 18-22

-Thread: 8/0 Red UNI

-Bead: Mercury glass

-Rib: Small UTC Copper Wire
-Abdomen: Tying Thread

-Thorax: Peacock Herl

Come on down!

This weekend the Denver Fly Fishing Show will be going on at the Merchandise Mart.  The show starts on the 6th, and ends on the 8th running for most of the day.  This is a great place to come learn a few tricks from the pros, and stock up on the latest gear.  I will be tying all three days, so feel free to stop by my booth and chat or ask questions!

I will also have flies for sale by the dozen, so don't hesitate to support a high school trout bum!

Beef Jerky and Soda

Glancing over the cold metal rails of a small footbridge, I observed intently as three decent rainbows sat idling in the current, munching on anything that came their way.  The air was frigid, but the heat of determination could be felt from a mile away; whether we said it or not.  

Back at the car, I slid on my trusty old waders, and the worn laces of my boots were cinched tight as the excitement built inside of me.  A few feet of hair thin tippet were unwound from the spool, and two synthetic snacks were selected from the foam slots of my fly box.  The wind howled as the knots were delicately fastened to the eyes of each hook, and two small split shot were clamped to the over priced piece of line known as a leader.  Once rigged, my trusty hip pack was strapped around my waist, and my net was held between the straps of the pack and my jacket as I set out in search of my first fish of the new year.

Returning to the bridge, I zeroed in on one small rainbow, and elegantly placed the rig in front of him.  As the flies drifted effortlessly through the current, the line drew tight, and the small rainbow was ushered towards my awaiting hands. 

As the day progressed, Many beautifully colored fish were brought to hand, and the winds howled in celebration.  Time after time, we would watch as the hungry fish moved to the side, claiming our artificial offerings as their own.  As the line was drawn tight, the fit of lazy headshakes would begin, and eventually the fish would come tiredly to hand.  With swift releases, the small creatures were free to return to the frigid waters that served as home.  

In the aquarium

Colors!

Most uniquely colored rainbow I have ever seen

Weirdest looking brown I have ever seen

Dennis Martin with a nice brown

Last fish of the day!

After awhile, the small midges attached to my line were slowly depreciating in quality, and the sun was slowly tucking itself away behind the snowy peaks that surround colorful Colorado. The day was coming to a close, and after our excited emotions had quieted, all that could be heard was the soft trickle of river water.  The muddy gear peeled slowly away from our bodies, and we drove off into the night.

'Chief' of Fishing

Have you ever hit that perfect tee shot on your favorite par five, or thrown a perfect bullseye in a round of darts?  The feeling of sheer perfection and happiness sets in almost immediately, and there is no denying the smile on your face.  Every once in awhile, each of us finds or does something that seems to engrave a smile on our face, and recently, Smith Optics' "Chief" Sunglasses have been that something for me.

Over the past year or so, I was fortunate enough to meet some truly incredible people, most of them being met either on the water, or through facebook.  One thing that seemed to be recurring amongst these guys was a trusty pair of high end sun glasses either wrapped over their eyes, or dangling from their necks.  I never really thought much of it, and continued using the $5 pair of glasses that i bought off of a guy at the CTU Camp earlier this year.  Well, after enough 'bragging' from my fishing friends, I finally decided to save up some money from the summer's lawn mowing, and get myself a pair of Smith Optics. 

So, when the time came, I placed an order for a pair of chief's with a Polarchromic Copper Mirror Tint and Techlite Glass Lenses.  I waited for a couple of days, and before I knew it the UPS man was at my door handing me a package with the Smith logo stamped to the front.  Delicately slicing the tape on the package, I drooled in awe as I removed the enhanced optics from their protective case.  Skeptical as to how they would perform, I couldn't wait to try them out on a particular section of river that I am so fond of.

Upon arriving at the water's edge, the water was clear; too clear.  There was a hint of superstition in the frosty morning air as we began to search for fish, but we trudged forward with high hopes.  As I approached my favorite run, I stood patiently, scanning the bottom for feeding resides.  The run usually yields fish, but almost always I am dredging the deepest part with an indicator and a few nymphs.  Suddenly, the flicker of a tail appeared, and a good brown was spotted gorging himself at the bottom of the run.  After a few casts, the fish was landed and released happily.  Put simply, these glasses rock.

Frame
The chief frame won the award for best new eyewear at the Fly Tackle Dealer Show a few months ago, and after using the frame, I can see why.  With a medium fit and large coverage, the frames prevent side glare, glare from above, and beneath your eyes. It fits perfectly, and provides the upmost comfort.

Lenses

The lenses on these glasses are what truly set it apart from the rest.  The techlite glass lenses provide the clearest view in the game, and make seeing fish so much easier.  I couldn't believe the difference between glass and polycarbonate lenses - the view is so much clearer with glass!  So, if you plan on getting a pair of these glasses, go with the glass lenses; it's worth it.

Tint
Seeing as Landon Mayer is basically my idol, I gave him a call to see what he thought I should get as far as tints are concerned.  He said that copper is the best all around tint, and that the polarchromic feature is an excellent bonus.  Well, after using the polarchromic copper mirror lenses, I can honestly say that they are superior to anything that I have ever used.  The mirrored tint is able to handle extremely bright days, as well as overcast days.

Things I would change
The one thing I don't like about the glasses is that they fit so well that they tend to fog up, but Smith makes an anti-fog spray, so the problem is solved.  Other than that, I have no complaints!

Conclusion
If you are serious about sight fishing (or fly fishing in general for that matter), investing in a pair of quality sunglasses will change the way you see things forever.  They are definitely worth the investment, and they will make every outing that much easier.  Smith Optics' Chief sunglasses are perfect for any angler, and perform flawlessly.

Monday Movies

Passion on Paper

As the first semester of my sophomore year comes to a close, a few of my elective classes come to an end.  One of the classes that I took this semester was drawing, and one of our assignments was a colored pencil drawing with a variety of ink techniques for added texture.  I chose to draw a big, lake run brown in fall colors, and I think it turned out pretty well!  Anyways, here are a few pics of the finished piece, so let me know what you think of it!

Full Size

Up close and personal

Snow Flakes, Call of Duty, and Fly Fishing

Glancing out the window of my friend's basement, I couldn't help but notice the fresh layer of white powder that lay frozen on the ground.  Accompanying the powder were delicately falling snowflakes, and dark, dreary skies.  But the decision was made to make the best of it, no matter the conditions.  Besides, it was the weekend, and it would be an unbearable five school days until we would get to do this again, so why not?

The mission of the day was to teach my friend Trevor the basics of fly fishing, and hopefully get him into a few fish at one of my favorite spots.  So, we arose from the mess of left over pizza, blankets, and video game controllers from the previous night, and bundled up in our warmest clothing.  As we downed our cinnamon rolls at the kitchen table, I couldn't help but think about the day, and the events that it would bring.  Trout have a way of indirectly forcing you to pursue them, no matter what the conditions; something Trevor was having a hard time understanding.

As we geared up and jumped in the truck, the thermometer read 17 degrees Fahrenheit.  Hopeful that the sun would soon show its face after a long night of hide (and seek), I stepped away from the car, and grabbed the rods from the back.  Two minuscule thread midges were selected from the warm, homely rows of my fly box, and a few feet of 6x fluorocarbon were peeled off of the spool.  My fingers shook violently as I clumsily tightened the clinch knots on the chosen meal course of the day.  After repeating the process with the second rod, both Trevor and I were ready to go, and trudged through the light, fluffy snow to the river's edge.

We watched as fish leisurely moved about a particular riffle, slowly munching on the tiny snacks adrift in the current.  With carefully placed presentations, and a lot of luck, we managed to trick a few small rainbows.

As the temperatures continued to drop, I removed the last midge on my rig from the hook keeper that sat firmly fastened to my rod.  The wind howled, and I placed one last cast into a low, clear moving run.  Intently, I watched as a glint of white showed up in the water, and I set to the feeling of a long, slow tug at the end of my line.  As trevor sat shivering on the bank, I netted the fish, and set him free  to his home in the frigid waters.

The picture doesn't demonstrate how cld it really was...

We reeled in the rods, and returned to the truck, frozen to the bone.  As the digital temperature gauge glowed with life, the temperature read 13 degrees fahrenheit, even lower than when we started.

After removing our frozen waders and boots, we returned to the basement of his house, and munched on left over pizza as we played a few rounds of Call of Duty.  About the time my Dad arrived to pick me up, the feeling had returned to my toes.  Upon entering the car, I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I glanced over at the thermometer.

13 Degrees.

Fly Tying Demo ~ Elkhorn Fly Shop

Hey Everyone!  

I will be hosting the Saturday morning fly tying demo down at Elkhorn fly shop in loveland tomorrow morning from 10 till Noon.  I will be tying an assortment of small midges, micro baetis, and a few other winter staples used for fooling those tough winter time trout.  As always, there will be hot coffee and snacks, as well as loads of fishing tales.  For directions, click here!

So swing by the shop for a cup of joe, some fly tying, and plenty of monster fish stories.  I hope to see all of you there!