Check it Out!

With school coming to an end for the year, textbooks become my new friends, and time is limited.  Instead of writing, I figured I would just post up a few pictures from the last month's fishing adventures. Enjoy!

Tim Mack with a Beautiful Brown!

Dad with a beautiful snake river cuttie!

My biggest brown to date!

For those of you that have yet to land a carp on the fly, I encourage you to go give it a whirl.  It is one of the most entertaining things do do, and each fish has the potential to take you into your backing!  The above fish was caught during my 45 minute lunch break between classes!

The hat must be good luck...

The above fish is a special one.  My brother is eleven years old, and landed this fish on a fly without any help whatsoever.  I am really glad to see the increase in interest amongst younger kids these days. 

Silenced Observations

Waltzing amongst the multitude of swirling currents and taunting greedy predators below, it didn't take long for the single dry fly to become the target of a wily brown trout.  I watched as a mouth appeared from below, and in a fraction of a second, the synthetic offering attached to the end of my line sat firmly embedded in the corner of the unsuspecting trout's mouth.  Shaking his head in disapproval, the fish soon succumbed to the resistance of my tippet, unaware that all I desired was a picture before releasing him to fight another day.

I watched appreciatively as the trout regained stability, and swiftly slipped through my fingers as it hurriedly swam for the security of the depths.  Refocusing my uninterrupted attention on the slow moving run, I watched.  Not moving, not casting, just... watching.  Minutes passed, when a small dimple caught the attention of my peripheral vision.  The fish sat farther downstream in the slowest moving part of the run... A rather tough position to get to on my part.  Knowing that the fish would have all the time he needed to evaluate my imitation, my fears of cruel rejection combatted my willingness.  This was just a fish... yet it worried me more than being denied by any good looking girl.  

So, I removed to beaten little fly from its secure spot on my hook keeper, and crouched on the bank as I prepared to cast, knowing that my fate awaited.  I knew I would have one cast at this fish before he retreated to the depths, so it was now or never.  Emotions roaring inside of me, I dropped the fly 2 feet upstream of the trout's lie, and quickly laid a mend in the line.  Watching, watching, watching, surely I had already drifted over him, but some weird internal sense was screaming at me to keep the fly on the water.  It seemed I couldn't bring myself to cast again, I was going to get something on the first drift.

As if being summoned by the fish gods, a lazy brown appeared behind my fly, and as slowly as physically possible, he engulfed the fly gracefully. Resisting every urge to set the hook, I waited until he disappeared, and smoothly raised the rod.  Fighting valiantly, the educated trout dove underneath branches and rocks, making every attempt to break the 7x tippet.  Eventually the resistance proved superior, and he slid calmly into the deep bag of my net.  I had succeeded, a feeling that could be unparalleled by seemingly any other happening.  

I relished in my achievement, and knew that I could now call it a day.  Striding confidently away from the river, I felt on top of the world...  What a day.

Dungeon Time

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

Monday Movie ~ Ed Engle Style

Second Chance from Samuel Ebersole on Vimeo.

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!

Praise the Shot Glass!

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for not posting in awhile....the computer was in the shop getting repaired, and school computers don't allow access to blogger (though I am protesting).  

Other than that,  school has been the center of my focus lately, with little time to get out and fish.  So, whenever free time arises, I have been tying, mainly filling up my midge, and mayfly boxes with some cool new patterns.  One of the patterns that is earning a spot in my box is Shea Gunkel's new series of flies known as the shot glass series.  Shea is a hell of a guy with fly designing skills all his own.

The new series of flies feature a bead in the thorax, which in my opinion adds a lot more realism to the fly, as well as helping the fly ride better in the water (when tied with tungsten beads).  The below pictures are of a couple different colors of Shea's new flies, and might I add that the grey is deadly.  So, check it out, and let me know what you think!  Also check out Shea's blog here!

Black Background

White Background

Oh, and if you're reading this Shea, your beads will be there soon!

Monday Movie

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!

Monday Movies

Tuesday Tie ~ Rio Grande King Special

I figured I would mix it up a bit today, and go back in time a few years.  Nowadays our boxes are filled with stimulators, copper johns, and many more synthetic creations.  Back in the day, the Rio Grande King Special was a staple amongst fly fishermen, and has recently been "updated" by local experts like Charlie Craven.  The pattern pictured here is the original version, tied in black.  Enjoy!

Side View

Quartering View

Recipe

-Hook: Sz 14 Dai-Riki #075

-Thread: Black 70 Denier Thread

-Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippets

-Tag: Gold Tinsel

-Body: Medium Black Chenille

-Wing: Duck Quill, White

-Throat: Brown Hackle Fibers

A weekend all my own

I was lucky enough to get a three day weekend last week, and decided to make it the best that I possibly could.  I had grand fishing plans, and knew that I was going to have an excellent three days relaxing.  I had also ordered a new hip pack from fishpond, and was anxious to try it out.

So, come saturday morning, I arose swiftly at 7:15, threw on my favorite fishing clothes, and headed out to my porch in order to wait for my ride, and good friend Dennis to arrive.

He pulled up in his old turquoise ford pickup truck, and off we went.  Now today would not be just any normal day of fishing.  We weren't headed for the river just yet...instead we soon found ourselves outside of Rick Takahashi's house, and after a little conversation, we transferred all of our gear to his car, and to the river we went!

The day began with some excellent nymphing, and slowly transferred over to great surface action.  We were pulling fish on an assortment of small dries, as well as several different emerger patterns.  The highlight of the day was seeing the baetis emerger pattern I created catch over a dozen fish!  It was truly incredible watching Mr. Takahashi fish, and he ended the day with a fish count exceeding 30.  My friend Dennis did quite well also, bringing in several fiesty rainbows.  After fishing, we grabbed lunch at a mexican restaurant, and then headed our separate ways.

 Sunday, I completed my behemoth load of homework, and was fortunate enough to hit the river with my dad that evening.  We fished until dark, and though success rates were minimal, it was still awesome to get out and fish with my dad.

Gorgeous Rainbow

Beautiful little fish...the colors on this guy made him the fish of the night

A note on the pack...
I was extremely pleased with how the new waist pack performed on the water this weekend.  It is able to hold all of my gear and a lunch, as well as two water-bottles.  I also like the fact that it swings easily out of my way, making fishing a heck of a lot easier.  Overall, it is an excellent pack, and definitely worth the money.  if any of you would like a full review, feel free to let me know.


In summary, it was a great three days off.  Fishing with Mr. Takahashi, and Mr. Martin was truly a gift, but fishing with my dad made for a perfect ending to the weekend.  Before we know it, things will be covered in snow, so get out and fish before the pleasant fall days turn to snowy, cloud-filled skies!

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

Gear Review - Elkhorn MA Series Reel, and Elkhorn Fly Line

Well, I finally made it down to Gunnison, and boy was it interesting.  Not only was I amazed by the sheer number of trout in the Taylor River, but their "pickiness" was intense. I do have pictures, but they will be arriving in the email tomorrow seeing as they were taken on a friends camera.  More of the details of my trip will come soon, as well as the pictures. 

The real story behind this post is a nifty little piece of gear that performed amazingly on the Taylor River. I stopped in Elkhorn fly shop on the way down to longmont on friday to pick up the new reel I ordered for my six weight.  I must admit, I was skeptical at first. I was going to be using the Elkhorn MA-3 reel, paired with the Elkhorn house brand fly line.  Everyone worries about having the name brand stuff, so I wanted to prove that Elkhorn can perform as well as brands such as bauer, sage, etc.

The MA series of reels has a sealed disk drag system, making the maintenance almost nothing. The silky smooth cork drag and huge arbor enable swift line pickup, making it the perfect reel for big fish.  The only thing that gets a slight bit annoying is having to loosen the drag completely each night in order to prevent the cork from warping, but hey, it is most definitely worth the few seconds that it takes to do this in the long run.  Other than that, The reel performs flawlessly.  It is also super aesthetically pleasing, which gives some people a special "Warm Feeling" inside.  For a maximum price of only $239, it simply cannot be beat. 

Now, the fly line. I was most worried about how this line would cast, turn over big flies, etc.  Well, after literally abusing the line on all different types of water, I can honestly say that it is the BEST fly line I have ever used. Period.  First off, the line comes in an olive, and buckskin coloration for stealthiness, which is key for some of the larger, spookier fish.  Also, the line has a slick coating, enabling it to shoot through the guides like a bullet fresh out of the barrel.  The big selling points for me on this line were floatation, and its ability to turn over heavy flies. I was able to throw sex dungeon streamers with no problem whatsoever, and was amazed at the line's ability to accomplish such a thing.  Next was the floatation factor. Most floating lines have a tendency to sink under the current, or with the heavy weight of a big streamer. Not this line.  No matter what, it was always riding high above the water, and keeping my streamers from sinking any deeper than the length of my leader.  It is truly an amazing line, and sells for under $70, the typical cost of a name brand fly line.

Overall, this is hands down the best casting rig that I have fished in quite awhile.  The reel's silky smooth, maintenance free drag, and the line's ultra slick coating, drab color, and amazing floatation make  this the best reel-line combo out there.  The fact that every one of their rods, reels, and lines are made right here in Loveland, CO. is also pretty sweet.  All of their rods and reels come with a lifetime warranty, and are handcrafted with exceptional quality.  Check out their awesome website here! I seriously encourage all of you to head down to Elkhorn sometime and check out equipment, stock up on fly tying materials, browse through their excellent collection of fly patterns, and share some of your latest fishing stories!  If there are any specific questions about the reel, line, shop, or anything else, leave a comment, and I will be happy to answer!

-Jake 

(And no, I am not a rep for Elkhorn...just a customer that is very satisfied with his purchase, and wants others to experience the magic of Elkhorn equipment).