Multi-Day & -Destination Trip

I whip-finished 81 dozens of flies during the three weeks of my fly-tying bootcamp. Then guide trips were scheduled over Memorial Day Weekend. I had great folks (father and son) who were willing to try different waters.

Day 1, for their first ever fishing trip to Montana, I chose to guide at DePuy's Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com). Midges were hatching for the first thing in the morning and we tried match-the-hatch fishing.

 Just as I expected, this time of year, nymphing was very productive too.

 Lunch was grilled burgers & zucchini!!

We picked up some more trout in the afternoon.

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 Day 2, I took them to one of local trophy lakes = Burns Lake in Big Timber, MT (http://www.burnslakefishing.com). It was rainy (sprinkles to pounding) and cloudy all day. A bit unpleasant and cold to be outside for this time of year in Montana but we knew it was surely a good fishing weather. My "stillwater selection flies & tactics" were very effective!!
We started with many "practice" size trout (and kept catching them all day) then we were hooked into "trophies" - the reason we were working hard for!!

 Big Brookies!!

 Dad took the lead at the beginning.

Eventually son caught up!

 For this cold day, I cooked over-sizes hot-dogs!!

In the afternoon, rains kept on and so did our fishing!

Checking "trout lunch" every now and then.

More handsome buck Brookie!!

 Then.......

The familiar fight at Burns', which can be addictive!! I knew what was at the end of line!!

 The strong & athletic Kamloop Rainbow!!

Again handsome Brookie!!

 The day ended with one more hard-fighting Kamloop!

 It was a very fun day. Though I myself directly didn't feel those trout, these handsome brookies (and of course Kamloops!) got me really excited too!!

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Day 3, we hit the Lower Madison. I had gathered good information along with my own scouting a few days before. I knew the Lower was in the phase of transition. Honestly it was one of those days when the Lower confuses us......

 Weather was changing through our float. Now PMD was popping too!

As much as I had great times with these folks, I'm really glad that they were really willing to challenge and taste different water types and fishing methods. Hope to see more clients who would like to sample many different waters in Montana!!

June is coming......

Finishing The Tying Camp & THE ONE

My fly-tying bootcamp is seeing its end. Majority is completed, as I planned and wished. Of course, I keep tying through the fishing/guiding season as I find needs.

With the acquisition of this inspiring book the other day, I worked on one of my tying heroes, Jack Gartside patterns.

This year, I will be fishing with these classics.
First of all, I will keep improving the deer hair handling and shape of the head. With that in mind, here's his famous Gartside Pheasant Hopper.

 I did varnish pheasant feathers with Polyurethane!! I like the procedure and the end result!!

And here's the variation: Pheasant Salmonfly!!

I can't wait to cast this for the highly expected hatch on Madison River, Yellowstone River, etc in my area!!

Elk Hair Ant. Great addition into my terrestrial box!

 Cinnamon

 Mr. Jack's secret color pattern!?

 His Elk Hair Termite and accompanied story inspired me to modify my own S.C.Ant. I know this will work!! - all I need is hit the "swarm"!!

I varnished different sizes and colors of pheasant feathers. Here's Pheasant Caddis.

 This is Mother's Day Caddis version!!

Speaking of M-Day Caddis, as I was scouting along the Madison, I fished the Lower Madison four days ago in the evening. It was warm and I was wishing to see very end of caddis hatch. I was fishing at a nothing-particular-non-descriptive section (= some might claim most of Lower is non-descriptive if not featureless!!). I just say it was barely knee-deep. Caddis were scattering just as I predicted. I had only a few rises of small trout by then. I went on. Suddenly, a huge head swam up to my fly and took it. Just before my "tying camp", I had hooked and lost a couple of nice trout. So this time I was alerted. But I noticed at once that this would be much larger!! It was one of the most memorable run & chase scenes I ever done!!

This will be on the wall!!

 The ONE Fly was Unnamed Caddis, which is as nonchalant as the spot I was fishing at!!

It has become a cool and wet (rainy) spring. This is affecting run-off and our summer-flow predictions. I keep you posted!!

A Scene From Tying Bootcamp

My life hasn't changed since the last post...........spring fly tying is going on strong, perhaps even stronger and more dedicated....... There have been days that I stepped outside just to dump coffee-waste (I'm boiling Cowboy Coffee) ONLY 1.5 seconds of the day.

I got a special/specific order and I just finished it. Jig-head & Tungsten bead nymphs. I actually like the results very much. I really feel that I will be converting traditional/general beadhead patterns into this style from now on.

20 Incher Stone

Prince Nymph.

See these have special finish, right behind the bead.

I originally introduced this technique for Atlantic Salmon Flies. This time, considering the specific direction, I figured I could use this technique and would make it right!!

According to my calender, there will be one more week to go............another 40-50 dozens?

Spring Tying Season!!

My seminal dressing & framing so far = Unnamed Frame is for a consignment at Montana Troutfitters in Bozeman, along with a couple of single-frames. Also I just made a update on my catalog (http://leftytyer.blogspot.com).

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My last day (for the following reasons) of fishing Mother's Day Caddis hatch on Lower Madison was some of the greatest experience!! That evening, I got away from my usual bank-spots and observed the main river. In that riffly, choppy, & almost all non-descriptive current, I observed repeating dorsal-tail rises of a huge trout, totally locked in one feeding spot. I was aroused!! I figured out my position along with several casts and saw a rise!! With the predicted & foreseen action, I set the hook 1.5 seconds too fast...........
Madison Lord gave me one more same situation. This time I hooked well!.........but somehow it was gone off..........it was big........
The Lord offered me one more..................same story...........
They were all nice sizes that could have taken on caddis dry-flies..... Well, next time.
Over all, the hatch has been so good and trout were very aggressive and strong. Even this size 'Bow put lots of fights on me. I was very content as I was driving home.

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Since last winter (2013-14), I spend lots of times on Atlantic Salmon Flies from November to March. Then, once my Salmon Fly projects are completed for my hearts-content, I work on trout flies in spring (sales orders and filling my boxes). This cycle seems to work for me.

It's been 5 years since I acquired a Traditional Jaw of Regal Vise (click the banner!!). It's been working for me very hard and I've been improving myself along with it. Coincidence or not, right after East Idaho Fly Tying Expo, my vise showed some wears and needed restored........ I knew, besides its 5 years of non-stop working, I'd been putting so many hook-sizes. So I might as well ordered Big Game Jaw and Midge Jaw.

This is not meant to be a collection!! It's the full-lineup of TOOLS!!!!

Traditional Jaw will do just as what it has been doing. Midge Jaw has taken over all the small spring creek flies. Then Big Game Jaw will handle Atlantic Salmon Flies!!

I just tied up this one in a bunch to fill the order and my boxes. So here's my brandnew PMD pattern!!

For the past 3.5 days (since vises' arrival), I have tied 20 DOZEN = 240 FLIES!! Perhaps 60 more to go for the next week?  If you need flies for summer, please order me within this month!!