Season's Greeting

Here in Paradise Valley, and surrounding areas, we are finally experiencing a winter-like winter, as it's supposed to be. Yes, it's cold to be outside and shoveling is the extra workout, but fresh snow on the ground is beautiful to see and greatly appreciated for next year's river flows around here.

I was able to get out and fish DePuy's Spring Creek for two afternoons. I just picked up two nice days! Just as I expected, based on my experience and journal entries, "winter-run" rainbows are in the system and some browns are still active.

No photoshop or bad angle of my camera, this rainbows appeared just as in this picture!

 I didn't catch any large specimens, but some browns are still in bright spawning colors.

 Good 'un!

Somewhat surprising to encounter this stranger at this time of year!

My salmon fly framing project is going well.
Followings are based on Dr. T.E. Pryce-Tannatt "How to Dress Salmon Flies" (1914), and dressed on Partridge of Reddich Sprite Pryce-Tannatt 4/0.

Candlestick-Maker

 Dreadnought

Rosy Dawn

Perhaps some of you might get an idea about what I'm up to....... I'm not setting any due dates to complete this one. I dress one by one.

Merry Christmas and Good Holiday seasons for everyone!
Faithfully Yours, Satoshi Yamamoto - LEFTY ANGLER & FLIES

New Pardner

Winds have been dangerously strong for the past several days (up until today - oh, my eyes are dilated!). I haven't fished since the last post. But also I've been with some other stuffs in life.

As I introduced a couple of posts ago, I decided to say goodbye to my good old F-150 after 11 years of service. Then I acquired a new partner. It's actually the same model and the same year but in "wine" and half the mileage.

Before I go on the new partner, I'd like to share the last memory.
Yes, this is in "mile", not "kilometer" (drove another couple hundred more miles to the dealer where I traded in). Under my ownership for the past 11 years, it ran over 190,000 miles for me.

One day in this October, I walked along my good old pal. I noticed many dents and nicks, some of which I didn't even recognize how it had happened. Bumper show that I hit two small deer.

I felt sad. I had to feel, as many people had said to me, this had passed its due and life way too long. I didn't want to see it fall apart somewhere on the street. Not just because I would get stuck, but that would make me much sadder.

So I decided to look for a new rig within my budget. It was some pain and headache. I needed a tough rig that would work for fishing, guiding (accommodate clients and their gears), and seasonal cattle breeding. It had to be a 4WD & 4-door solid pickup truck. Coincidentally, I found the same model that I have known by heart & feel!! Exterior is nice and certainly much prettier than my old one. Then with half the mileage on the odd meter, it runs so light & young!!
Yesterday, a brandnew matched campershell was installed.

No boat towed yet, but this is how it looks like on the bank of Yellowstone River for next many years!

It did inherit the same attitude!!

I set up the bed as it was with the same kit. This time, campershell was upgraded. Our fishing rods will be kept without breaking, which had been somewhat nuisances at times with the old rig. This will be great walk/wade trips on Yellowstone Park and Livingston's spring creeks.
Most likely I will update more so rods are snugly fit and secured. I'm coming up with ideas and gadgets and will experiment with my own rods before hordes of clients will visit me next summer.

The new rig is as conspicuous as the old one and I certainly felt obliged to design an original salmon fly to express something in me. Burgundy (claret) body and silver plates on both sides would be the most eye-catching and distinctive features. So claret and similar colors occupied the fly. Jungle cock feathers imitate blinkers!

And then I have just hanged on the rearview mirror.............

Yes, this was my first impression and inspiration!! The bottle have been in my house just so someday to toss coins or perhaps some other ideas. But over all, cheap & big & burgundy..............It just fits!!
So, with friendly tones, I godfathered my new (old) truck & the accompanying fly Signor Rossi.

Speaking of a new partner, I'd like to welcome a cordial partner in my life.

Hope to report some fishing in the next post! Have a good weekend, everyone!

December Arrives

December is always busy for most people. I may be no exception, at least once in a while.

I was working on my Atlantic salmon fly projects/orders around and after Thanksgiving. Weather turned nice today, upper 40s!! and somewhat windy but no life-hazardous. I was able to fish DePuy's Spring Creek for a couple hours in the afternoon.
I hit a right spot and several brown trout entertained me.

I finished the spot with this nice rainbow!!

I moved and hit another spot. I hooked and missed 3 in a row! Two of them looked big....... Persistence and perseverance. Gotcha! I wasn't surprised that there were still good size browns in the creek but definitely happy!

To me, this afternoon was very typical for this time of year, based on my notes. There are some very late spawning browns in the creek then "winter-run" rainbows are entering. This is actually an interesting time to be on the creek.
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Here's the recent work: The Captain - Yamamoto's Variant
Variant aka Fancy.
The original Captain by Mr. Kelson has dubbed Seal's fur body and "strings" of under-wing.
I replaced, respectively, to smooth silk body in the same color scheme and stacked & married under-wing with the same feathers = peacock secondary, Amherst tail, & golden pheasant tail.
These two are becoming some of my signature styles.

There will be more to come till next spring!

I hope to get out fishing some more afternoons this months. It's hard to define this winter yet. It's certainly cold but it doesn't seem we are having so much snow "yet". We'll find out soon.

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the busy month!

Late Nov Notes

It's been another mix of everything since the last post.
The biggest thing I was working on was, well.............. It was about time. More details later.

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There have been some dangerously windy days and seriously cold days. Today, I was able to get out to fish DePuy's Spring Creek.

Typical of this time of year, rainbows are active at the tail end of brown's spawning season.

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Atlantic salmon fly projects are going strong, indeed occupying most of my time and attention recently. Here's a Rosy Dawn (Dr. T.E. Pryce-Tannatt). This is for my customer (will be framed, of course).

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Save turkey feathers for fly-tying!

The Man, The Flies, & The Frame (and Some Trout Fishing)

It's hard to say what kind of winter we are expecting right now. Average? Cold? Dry? We are having mix of everything so far.

My projects are keeping me busy.
Black Dose - Geo. M. Kelson

With this installment, I started working on framing. It was very elaborated and challenging, just like these 6 flies. One small mistake would make me work all over. Plan & measure well before cutting into...... I completed one by one. It went just as I had planned in advance.

Signed and approved by GMK?

I used a new mounting system for the season.

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With this accomplishment, I went fishing to DePuy's Spring Creek in the afternoon.
And I forgot my camera again! So I used my i-phone to capture some images solely for this blog. Well, job got done!

 However, it turned out to be some of very productive days at the creek. I hauled in so many trout and one of them was.........

Another trophy for this fall/winter!! So I had to manage a "selfie" with my i-phone (somewhat technical).

It's not a great picture, due to glare and choppy surface waves caused by winds, but this trout remained still after release. I could even tape-measure. Although my i-phone wears a protective case, I wouldn't dare to try my favorite underwater shots......

So the project is successfully completed and now I'm into the second major framing project!!

Then of course, it looks like Fall-run of brown trout is strong in this November again! I wouldn't mind catching another one or two!

Into Winter Hour

I have started working on my usual winter projects!
Fly catalog has been updated with brandnew patterns!
A series of YouTube tying videos has just begun too! I intend to upload one video a week. In order to keep up, you are welcome to Subscribe.
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As the title and the greeting above suggest, I've shifted to winter mode. For my own fishing, I go out in the afternoon. Rest, I work inside for Atlantic Salmon Flies, tying trout flies, and what's said above, etc.
My Outfitting business is OPEN all year around. There is NO winter hour for it. I guide you all day!!

Following report is, well, about a week old - which was my last full-day fishing at DePuy's Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com). Perhaps in late March, I might go back to "full-day" again!?

Anyway, for the first thing in the morning, Mr. O-O was inhaled - there would be a consequence of this later in the day.

It was Monday 2nd, so we already adjusted our clocks and watches. I was anticipating baetis hatch "an hour earlier" with my newly adjusted watch!! - seriously this is important!!
Baetis hatch occurred just as I anticipated at one of my favorite spots.
After two near-misses, I wasn't discouraged, rather focused more. Then on my size 20 baetis dry-fly, I got a rise and set the hook successfully!!  BIIIIIIIGG!! Leaping out of creek several times!!

It was a river-run brown!!
I'd like to call it #20-20" (= catching a 20-inch trout on size 20 dry-fly).........honestly just a bit shorter........But certainly one of my happiest catches!!

I got a nice rainbow next!!

With the new time, yes, the evening and dark approach quicker........
Evening was again O-O time!! At one particular spot, a group of river-run trout kept attacking on the swinging Mr. O-O!!

It was also interesting that next trout was larger than the previous one. And the last one was the largest!! Happy!!

 And.........I can't believe the medium gold wire literally got ripped!!

Some bucks.........

I fished really hard and late........

And today, it turned out to be nice, especially after a series of snow and winds. I visited the creek in the afternoon. I caught a very ending glimpse of baetis hatch (lazy boy...). There are many more numbers of large brown trout are running up from Yellowstone River. I don't say "all through the creek" but also "not necessarily looking for redds or redds area". Over the seasons, I have developed spots to keep my eyes on.

A solid buck!!

Since I came late, I stayed late. This time, it was even larger than the above specimen!!

1-inch larger!! - same size as the one from a week ago. These two are 2nd largest for this fall.

Oh, by the way, I'm with a new scarf from this week..........
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Last but not the least, my Atlantic Salmon Flies projects are going stronger this season. Perhaps bigger........at least I'm using larger hooks!!

Black Ranger (Geo. M. Kelson)

Jock Scott (Geo. M. Kelson)

Project #1 is progressing really well!! I keep you posted!!

Until next post!