Advanced Practice with Micro Practice Rod

Though I failed to catch the first and more trout for 2010 the other day, I am not sulked at all. It seems my "fishy" positive attitude seems real!!

I am busy with cows all through this month. But I will visit Rocky Ford again in February. Though I didn't do good on 6th, I've got a new idea and spots to fish. And I am finalizing the schedule for my up-coming spring trip to Livingston in April. All I've gotta do is make some calls.

What can I do by then? I've done most of tying that I can think of. So I'll practice casting with a Micro Practice Rod (MPR)!! I can't emphasize how fun it is to play with this. From one of my favorite fly-fishing authors, Jason Borger, I've learned a more realistic way to practice with MPR (along with more fun!!). It's the use of tiny velcro fastners both on the tip of MPR yarn and the object(s) you prefer so you can aim and hook it like real fly-casting and -fishing situations.

First I look for the tape. I found in a Wal Mart and attached the less stickier side to the tip of MPR yarn. I adjusted the size during the practice because I felt some weight than before. The smaller, the less effect (the more original).

Second, as for the objects, I used foam trays. I've been using this tray with a real rig with de-hooked flies. This really makes a good target but when I practice with a real rig, I need more space than my backyard and the fly line picks more dirt than MPR yarn, which clogs the rod guides, then ends the practice in 30 minutes. After that I have to clean the whole thing.

But this time, with the fun and practicality of MPR that I have already experienced, I did some visual enhancement and then attached other side of velcro. It seems to be a rainbow. And if I cast right and well, theoreticaly MPR yarn is attached to the fish-on-the-tray like this??

I saw 4 rising trout in my backyard.

Within 15 to 20 feet distance, after lots of refusals (on the tray, but not really on velcro), I made a pin-point cast!

Set the hook and fish ooooooooonnn!!

My first catch was 5-inch brookie!

Other rosters of risers are browny

and Cutty (I meant Westslope in my area).

Believe or not, this set-up really put me into real fishing situation. My mind was really on!! Most of the time, I can cast onto the tray or around an inch or two on the ground.

But targetting exactly to the velcro (or to my lovely art!!) requires finess and concentration. It reminds me of fall baetis hatch in Madison and Firehole River. Tremendous rising fish (in this case lost of visual effects and targets) but lots of refusals (on tray but not on velcro).

As a fact, when I practice just with MPR, I feel good and enough in 20 minutes. This time, I was casting over 1 hour!! And I recognized my mind-set was different from "practice to cast" to "cast to rising trout".

I will keep on going! This way, hopefully my casting is improved and then I hope this will help me develop my mind-set at the real fishing situation. Oftentimes, I have to see my casting would be messed up when I feel the urge to make it right. Practice with MPR will help me develop solid casting and mental foundation, I bet.

First Fishing 2010 - Rocky Ford

As I announced in my last post, I did go to first fishing for this year to Rocky Ford Creek in Ephrata, WA. Simple report: nada, I didn't net anything. I think it's mostly bacause of my mental status. While fishing, even as of now typing, I didn't get any emotion such as: angry, sorry, urgent, pushing myself, etc. I was sure I was happy to get out and my body and mind were in good shape to go. But I think there must have been a relaxing late X'mas/New Year syndrome (since I was busy with cows) and my love & hate to Rocky Ford very deep in my mind.
I was not a bloody pursuer today (so I am not tired instead typing). I am not even planning some sort of revenge or re-match soon either.

These do sound like excuses. But I did have reasons that made me feel that way stronger.
First, I was the third customer though I pulled in 7:30am on Wednesday morning?? In spring and fall, I myself show up much earlier. But hey, it's January now. It's my day off. What are these people doing? Retired or weekend workers like me? Whatever. I get used to.
Second, I was definitely distracted by noises. A group of two anglers were talking so loud. They were in my sight but fishing faraway spots. No bother at all but why was I hearing all of their conversation from that far and why did they have to shout to chat? Also a couple of workers at hatchery were playing radio so loud. I can sing and drive along "Layla" but I can't cast and fish with that rythm. Give me a 4-count rythm (A river runs through it!).
Third, though wind was not bad at all, 10mph in a favorable direction, it screwed up what I wanted to see. When Rocky Ford is calm or just with a light breeze, I can really observe what trout are doing. I'd say I can speculate their faces and feelings!! (This is one of why some people consider here as technical.) I expected to see how they respond to my small midge patterns in the water. I don't this can be refered as "sight-fishing" as in bonefish or tarpon that I hear, but surely I am seeing what's going on. But winds caused continuous waves, which made tough for me to locate fish even at my usual spots. I tandem-rigged either two of scud/worm/midge with a Thingamabobber. It's a usual method so I could expect to catch fish but not quite fun to me. I thought about swinging midge soft-hackles by using waves but I did not see any adults in the air during morning.

Those two vocal anglers were actually catching some. I could easily see they were casting leeches blindly by their action and, of course, conversation. I know it works here and can be the first choise especially in this condition. But how boring it is to cast leeches blindly and strip-strip in stillwater. I am not being a poor loser. I like my worm and bobber better at here.

Since both action and my mental were slow, I changed my tactics or more like experimented another idea in my mind. Last time, I saw crawfish here in Rocky Ford. I observed a mama and a boy were playing in shallow. I was thinking this could be interesting to try because I knew the right-on-the-spot strategy. The fly will be Twin Tail Madonna in crawfish orange (deer-hair and rabbit strip). This is one of my recent ties.

I saw trout got really crazy and chased around in two different spot though they really didn't get to bite. This type of fly usually either scares off trout or gets eaten. That was actually fun enough. But then again, I used this with my floating line. I did not switch a spool with Kelly Galloup's full-sink line in order to fish harder and more effectively with this kind of streamer. I felt why bother to clean up one more line when fishing was predictable....... This really explains my mental status. Further worse, I don't even regret or nothing.......just numb.


Morning was like this all through. Now I moved up to the upper reach. Finally as I expected, midges were hatching. And winds were getting weaker. This upper end is probably the only one spot to swing soft-hackles among hatches without winds and waves.

Yet I did not have an urgent and desperate feeling to salvage the day. I did my regular fare with my soft-hackles. But I do admit this was the last resort or final weapon.

I tandemed a combo of these three.
Syl's Midge,


Mighty Midget Emerger,

and Percock Herl & Yellow Larva style.

I did hook one!! Please trust me!! I am not lying!! Look at the point of my fly. There's a tiny piece from trout's mouth, a size of scale!! Well, it was a 12-incher. It rose on swing, which told me it would be a small fish because larger fish don't come up all the was instead they slice the surface film.

At the very end of the day, 4pm, I finally had good taps while swinging the same fly. But now the fly was bitten and gone.....what a lovely day!!

This one was a feet away from where I was standing. Let's leave rod and flies behind!! All you need is net and spear!! Or you can snag it with #2 or 4 leech patterns!! Sorry.... bad joke. It may be debatable, certainly not technical, but I personally like to get close like this and dap my flies and to see how they react. These heavily-fished trout here seem aware of our presence. They do know how to get away from our shadows and flies. But also oftentimes they just act like normal trout and bite (it just didn't happen today.....). This is why I can speculate their faces and feelings!!

So I was numb and dumb all through today, but I did concern this fishery and felt sorry and pity for trout here. Every time I visit here, the water level seems getting lower that limits trout population and habitat and I see less trout in same spots I've been fishing (for today, it could be because of the day and season). And regular amount of garbages left by bad-mannered people.

I wonder if there's anybody around here in eastern WA who would feel the same. Probably not many.....or maybe nobody really cares. That's why there's nothing going on in Trout Unlimited and WA Dept of Wildlife & Fish that I expect to do something......

Midge Flies

Here in eastern WA, we are having a wet winter (some snow = not so extreme, lots of rain, and some bad fog). I'd say it's a mild winter. Nobody here in eastern WA wants to recall the last brutal winter. So as the very new year has come, I feel happy and positive already. Since my mind-set is like that, I also feel "fishy" already for this year. Past two years, I didn't go out fishing till March. Why this year? Besides two reasons above, it's because of flies I have just tied. Since my tying level has got to a certain point (well, I catch trout with my own ties and I buy flies only when I fish with a guide or learn new patterns) and these days I don't snag or tangle much, this winter, I could focus on one category = midges. As I mentioned before, this book is quite an effort. I had to tie several patterns from here. I chose what I want to and need to tie.

Then talking about midges, I know one of the best places to experiment midge patterns right here in eastern WA without going to the blizzard of Montana, Rocky Ford Creek in Ephrata. Oh, yes, scud patterns and San Juan Worm will do most of the time, but I came to like fishing these fat triploids with tiny midge patterns with 6X. Also, some sight-fishing can be expected. Whether I use a Thingamabobber or not, oftentimes, I set the hook to a tiny twitch on my leader/tippet. I don't consider all of these as technical (because I always manage to catch some at here whatsoever!) but I really think the subtlety in RFC is one of a kind: stalking and eye-to-eye situation. Also experimenting these midge patterns will be a great asset at sprign creeks in Livingston, that I am planning to get out in spring.

OK, here's the list of midge patterns that I'd love to tie on!! All came from the book above. I'll go from bottom to top, i.e., larva, pupa, emerger, and adult/cluster.

Thread Body Larva in cream: this is the simplest tie I've ever seen, yet very fishy!! It's done by thread and cement (to coat the body). Notice the segmantation/ribbing done by twisted thread. I tied in red too.

Miracle Midge: this was introduced to me at Yellowstone Angler when I first visited Armstrong's spring creek. I found it in this book also.

Disco Midge: it's tied with red flashbou & peacock herl. I really like its whole style; silhouette, simplicity, and right amount of flash.

Blood Midge Pupa: another simple tie, done by thread and zelon.

Rojo Midge: sounds like a very popular pattern in Colorado or there about. Combination of materials and color and its proportion look just right. Very fishy!!

Zebra Midge in black: since this is beadhead, it is more likely used in freestone waters like Madison. Indeed I have already known this. I didn't know exact materials to make it right.

CDC Emerger: this is another simple tie. I believe this is what midges would look like in a surface film.


Griffith's Gnat Emerger: a Blur Ribbon Flies' creation. It seems to be a concoction of their own Zelon Midge and the famous Griffith's Gnat. Right on the spot!!

Hi-Vis Griffith's Gnat: I hadn't thought about that Griffith's gnat could be visible till I read the book. This itself will be a great fly but also it can be an indicator fly when tandemed with less visible patterns on the surface or larva/pupa patterns in the water.

Hi-Vis Midge: same goes for this pattern.

I have tied these in size 20 and 22 with occasional 18.

I intend to go to Rocky Ford on 6th. That's why I am posting today. On the night of 5th, let me sleep.......

Hopefully I can catch the first and second ones for this year and more, I wish!

I am sure I can. I do carry several scuds and San Juan Worms for sure!! (pictures omitted)

Additional 3

After I posted my favorite 10 flies, I simply felt my boxes have more than that.
I want to show 3 more flies that couldn't make the list due to the limiting factor of the game.

I know I did not include terrestrial patterns in my top 10 list becacuse they are seasonal and not really hatching. Contemporary foam patterns are fun to tie.
Here's Chaos Hopper. Square rubber leg is one of a kind.


Tiger Beetle is very visible for anglers while trout is looking the juicy dubbing body and pairs of legs!!

I personally like to tandem and cast these to grassy cutbanks of Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park section. It is very exciting to aim calm waters of the far side bank over the fast riffle of Gallatin by calculating the distance and mending some.

For the universal effect of $3 Serendipity (I mean it works anywhere for rainbow, brown, and whitefish from small to large), this Rubber Leg Stonefly nymph was omitted from the top 10 list. That does not mean this is less effective than Serendipity patterns. I just followed the rule of the game.

In my experience, I have had very good action and large brown in Madison with this black & brown tie. Size from 4 to 8 work well. I don't have to discuss the abundance of Salmonflies of Madison River. This must be one of the top 10 Madison flies if one tries to think of.....

Of course, I always carry worm and egg patterns secretly as most of guides do!!
(pictures omitted)

Winter - 2

Here in eastern Washington, we finally got a snowy weather. It seems a 4 - 6 inches of accumulation, quite a snow for this dry country!!

But this is also the great time to go outside with my Micro Practice Rod. In my backyard, I practiced some over the snow. My casting with my left arm is not so bad. Also my right arm is getting into some shape. Next year, when the situation calls, I won't hesitate to cast with my right arm.

Micro Practice Rod is very fun to play with!! Also so pretty & lovely that makes me to take it a little mountain stream to catch 5-7 inch trout!?

Season's Greeting

I am up to tying several midge patterns and organizing my fly boxes.

I am already excited for the next year. I am thinking to get out in January with these midge patterns to Rocky Ford.

As 2009 and fishing season end, I'd like to post my greeting.

Here's the greeting for 2008. So far this is my biggest Madison trout, 20.5-inch. Guide Dan from Blue Ribbon Flies captured the moment. Brown was well-colored and hook-jawed. And then I like its contrast with my hand.

Which pic should I use this year? Maybe this one?? Similar shot (by myself) at the Depuy's on my last day of the fall trip. But obviously it's much smaller and my ring-finger looked crushed. It was an accident caused by a cow and the facility. Now it's getting healed pretty well.

I thought about for a while and I finally decided to make greeting cards with this photo.
Here are my intentions and jokes:
Right now we are experiencing the world-wide bad economy. I'd like to shout out loud that we need to be positive especially at this tough time to get through. During the holiday season, we need to be happy and filled with good foods. I wanted to express that with the buttery belly of fat brown trout, caught at Cable Car Run with a large soft-hackle.

You know the butter is the "symbol of fatness".

Also, butter is one of dairy products that I am involved in by breeding milk cows.

Talking about milk cows, suddenly the famous phrase hit me.

"got milk?"

Well, how about "got butter"? Maybe you are developing a butter belly, like this brown, filled with happiness and feast?? That's what I wish to you all!!

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Merry X'mas and Happy "Fishy" New Year!!

I will be celebrating both X'mas and New Year weekends with cows.............

Gear Review 2010 (??)

I love and hate gear review articles in fly-fishing magazines most likely in the first issue for the year. Every time, right after we consumers get a new gear or two with our best allowance, they advertize the newer models. Maybe a 0.10oz lighter rod or a stronger life-long reel right after the previous life-long reel. Like cars, rods, reels, and lines last long as long as we take care of them. And fancy and new gears won't help you cast longer or catch bigger trout. I pretty much see (not read) these articles as collecters' items. But then again, I apprecate the beauty and art intended by designers for sure. Sometimes, some brands try to produce affordable new gears too.

Anyway, here's my own review for my own acquistions that will be used for 2010. Nothing serious. All in Christmas present level with Christmas sales price!!

My hiking shoes was getting worn out. While tires of my truck were fixed at a local Les Schwab, I picked up a local newpaper ad of outdoor shop. Coleman pair was 50% of regular price, so I jumped in! This is very comfortable.

From one of my favorite fly-fishing authors, Jason Borger, I purchased his own Yamame drawing t-shirt. His drawing is so vivid and cool so I had to get two! Yamame, Japanese native trout (roughly translated as Mountain Woman because its skin is the silkiest among trout family) hits the soft spot in me. This t-shirt will be a lucky item while fishing.

Then I got a bit technical stuff here. I purchased a Micro Practice Rod. It's packed in this small tube (pardon some mess on my bench).

It's a 4-feet rod with a fluffy ribbon line. As advertized and as experts say, this kit really represent the actual fly casting gear. I bought this to improve my casting and then train my off-hand when the situation calls it. My off-hand (right because I am lefty) is often used in cows. I know I am doing something technical so I believe I can get a hang of it!!

Besides, I can't practice casting without fishing in my backyard or nearby waters as much as I'd like to do due to the limited space, that the Lower Yakima River is very bushy at the banks, and that I have to clean the dirt from my rod and line after 30-minute in practice. So this kit will fit for what I want to do. It seems I can wash and clean up the ribbon quickly when it seems dirty.

This is the book I am reading, purchased from Amazon. It's entirely dedicated to midges. Two authors colaborated with lots of other famous anglers. It is quite an effort.

First reading, second choosing flies I want to tie, third looking for materials to see if I already have or have to buy, and fourth finally I can get tying on my bench..............

I am having a positive feeling that Micro Practice Rod and tying midge patterns will keep me busy all winter without spoiling myself with boredom till next spring.

Cable Car Run & Soft Hackle Club??

There are not so many secret spots in Madison River even among visiting anglers like me. I think, among visiting anglers, it's whether you have once fished there or not or heard from someonce else. I myself pretty much get used to the wading section, above Lyons Bridge. I don't say I know every inch but I am getting familiar to it and most likely I can decode and do something.

But I have noticed there are a few "overlooked" spots. One is Pine Butte and the other is Cable Car Run in the Park section. In his book, Sylvester Nemes describes this section. First he mentions Barn's Pool #1 and 2 are ideal and productive waters for soft-hackles. Then he notes Cable Car Run just like as it is. This is "the" soft-hackle enthusists' mecca. It is tricky to fish from the near bank which is very high in your back and very fast and choppy that limits most of fishermen to wade in. I believe these two major reasons attract less people instead sending lots of people downstream for craziness (which helps me!!).

Here's a direction.

First you pull in Barn's Pool #1 parking area.

After you watch a deer calf wandering around in the opposite bank and get annoyed by over-crowding, walk upstream.

This is the "monument".

Just below here, I caught the fish of the year with a large soft-hackle (report here).

Above all, I have decided to found a soft-hackle club and the first meeting will be held at Cable Car Run Monument next year. It is called "Scientific Angling Team Of Soft Hackle Institution" (S.A.T.O.S.H.I.).

Object and pupose of this club are:

- Get shakey when finish tying nice soft-hackle flies with soft-hackle materials and catch nice trout with them, like Shakey Beeley (I mean him and the fly).

- We accept swinging streamers in our section but when we see someone catching whitefish with a bobber in our section, we will show our attitude.

For the schedule of the meeting and following events, please check at:

http://www.scientificanglingteamofsofthackleinstitution.com/.

I will be sitting and waiting for you at cable Car Run Monument till I get sepia.

There are some fee and donation welcome when you want to join the club. All the funding will be used to enhance our soft-hackle fishing such as to get me a better SAGE rod so I can cast better and longer!!!

Winter

I am in the middle of mindset. Winter has set in eastern Washington. I am enjoying a slow season but also feeling that I am getting bored. To me, it's a transitional period for next season. I have purchased several books, CDs, DVDs, and fly tying materials to keep me entertained.

Well, here in Lower Yakima Velley, we had the first snow for this coming winter last Saturday 12th. Probably 8mm or so. Before more snow and ice come, I started my F-150 for the first time since I come back from my last trip to Yellowstone. 37 days exact. Last winter (this February or so), when I tried to start my F-150 after a few months of sitting, battery seemed totally gone and I had to jump and feed from my work car for over 30 minutes. So this winter, I am thinking to start and make sure once a month or so.

Last Saturday, I ran the engine for 30 minutes and drove to Prosser Hill. It was remodeled and paved so I wanted to see. Uhhhhh, quite a snow!!

10 Flies to Choose

I saw this article at Midcurrent. Experts picked their own top ten fly patterns. This is really a tough task, as the answer explains to the questioner. First it really depends on where (which states or countries), types of water, and season. Then how about sizes and colors? Do we need to consider personal enthusiasm such as dry fly purist, nympher, soft-hackle enthusist, and streamer man?? It is interesting for me to see that each expert has his own tendency, either more inclined to his own favorites or well-balanced..........

In my own level, I wanted to think about how my choice would be like. If I simply choose patterns I like to tie and keep in my boxes, my list would consist of lots of soft-hackles. That might do but I always wanted to be a versatile fly-fisherman. So I wanted to include dry, nymph, wet (soft-hackles), and then streamers. Then I had to think about insects; mayfly, caddis, and midge. As for sizes and colors within the pattern, I don't discuss. It's impossible without mentioning certain conditions (water, season, etc......). I just thought about one situation: I am at the river or creek (not lakes or ponds) with my 6wt and floating line. So my list has become more like "10 ultimate patterns" that I carry all the time with great confidence.

Sparkle Dun works anywhere I have fished. This happenned to be Epeorus color.

Royal Wulff Cripple is one of the most effective attractors, I bet!! It is fun and simple to tie.

As for caddis, I chose Improved X Caddis (X2). This is shaggier and more visible than original X Caddis.

These top 3 are pretty much what I need during the summer time, especially when I wet-wade to mountain streams.

Now it's down to wet flies.

Nick's Soft Hackle by Mr. Nick at Blue Ribbon Flies is an amazing and super effective emerging caddis pupa imitation!! During my June trip to Yellowstone, this out-fished famous Lafontain's patterns at Firehole and Gibbon during caddis hatch!! And as he intended, this is much simpler to tie.

I won't forget midges. Though I have more favorite patterns to show, Syl's Midge must be the all-time favorite. With the greased leader technique, this can be fished as dry and surface film, then swing it!!


I am getting to the bottom. $3 Serendipity is the must. This resembles everything or anything, mayfly nymph to midge larva (when tied with small curved hooks).

Beadhead Crystal Serendipity is always a brown trout fly to me.

Streamer time!! Not just because I did pretty well during my fall trip, I can't emphasize how lovely this fly is to tie and to fish with.

Nowadays, there are hundreds of streamer patterns. Yet my own and probably for most of anglers' all time favorite would be Scott Sanchez's Double Bunny. Here, I adapted this pattern with a barbell eye so it sinks upside down for less snagging.

The final 10th fly........... Well, I go with my Coyote (Coyoted Pheasant Soft Hackle). To me it's something among minnow, smolts, maybe an imitation, and an attractor in general.

These 10 flies are always with me along with other good patterns. Here is the glimpse of my project during the winter, related to these flies, besides watching DVD and reading books. I will up and post when it's done.

If you have your own idea and selection for 10 flies, let's share!!