Summer.

Summer. It's a busy time for most of us, filled with long days at work, with little allowance for free time. So, when the opportunity arose to spend a weekend camping with my friend Trevor, as well as with my brother, I couldn't let it pass me by. We enjoyed hotdogs over the grill, lots of laughs, and plenty of fish. 

Trevor managed his first fish on the fly, and then proceeded to catch many more eager little bass. I, on the other hand, used some time to pursue carp, and succeeded a couple of times. Here are some pictures from the weekend... Enjoy!

Decent sized Common!

Trevor's first fish on the fly

Second Carp...

Tuesday Tie ~ Depth Charge Bird's Nest

This pattern is a twist on the once famous Bird's Nest fly pattern created by Cal Bird.  The original pattern is tied using a small brass bead in order to hold the fly just below the surface.  This version is tied with a brass bead in front, and a tungsten bead behind it, giving it the weight needed to reach fish holding in deeper water.  I like to fish this fly behind a mercury flashback pheasant tail, or any other pattern with a mercury bead because the bird's nest gives the fish a nymph option, and a mercury pattern gives them an emerger option.  So without further ado, the Bird's Nest...

Materials List:

Hook: TMC 2457, size 12-18

Thread: Rusty Brown 70 Denier UTC

Beads: Gold tungsten sized to hook, and black brass sized to hook.  (Black goes on first, and then gold.  The tungsten bead is threaded with the bigger hole facing forward so that it hugs the back of the brass bead)

Weight: Lead wire, sized to hook

Tail/Antennae: Amber Goose Biots

Abdomen/Thorax: Arizona synthetic dubbing, color of your choice

Rib: Small Gold UTC Ultra Wire

Legs: Hen Back Fibers