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3. There going to be here soon...

I hope!

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Hendrickson Comparadun and a Catskill Red Quill. CJ

I was in the Catskills last weekend and picked up a Blue Quill!

Lets hope for some warmer weather.

Spectrumized dubbing on the hennie?

Yes sir, from Caucci himself. I absolutely adore Spectrumized dubbing. Years ago I bought the "Color Guide" he and Nastasi put out, and gave the blending thing a shot. It works, but its far easier to purchase the pre-blended packs. I used to wonder why all the blends seemed so light compared to the standard patterns I was used to, until I found out they are made to match the underside of the mayfly! What a revelation! It makes so much sense and confuses me at the same time. How do all these other flies work if they don't match the underside of the mayfly? HA!

CJ

You did a lot better than I did there! I was at 3 streams, not one over 38* of water temperature, it snowed on and off all day and when it didn't snow, the wind was howling at about 40 miles an hour. Hell, even a few times it was snowing and windy!

The good part was I was standing in water casting the new Sage LL...man is that thing sweet!

Wont be long now... CJ

Yeah I feel the same way, it makes me very uncomfortable. How do those flies work that don't match the dorsal side? Although my flies will never be as nice as John's. One of my solutions to that problem:

Eric,

Those should work just fine! :) Nice.

Spence

Datus just rolled over in his grave. :)

thanks

ps. your boys are in! 23 straight, that's very impressive.

Nice Flies to both of you gents!
As to the question of why do those flies that are not matches to the ventral surface work? Perhaps we overly anthropomorphize and color is not so important. To paraphrase the late Al Miller "trout are looking for what is correct, not what is wrong; give them a pattern with a few correct items and you are set"
That being said I am in the process of obsessing over the color of my sulphur spinners.
JW

Thanks! We may be headed to Tony's barn for the first round...He and I have been waiting for the infamous "rubber match"...He just wanted to hold it up until Nick L decided to retire and get his number lifted into the rafters at the Joe, and head off to the Hockey Hall of Fame. :) Even things up a bit. ;)





Nah!!! He was an inquisitive guy, not unlike you, and would have enjoyed the experimentaion, me thinks. He was also tight with old Vinny that used to hang around one of your fishing holes. :)



Here's another one! :) Ha! Ha!

Spence

This is the title of this thread...Not to nit-pick, but it should read: "Their going to be here soon..."

...and yes they are. You all may have picked up some hints that JohnW is heading my way this summer, and I'm excited to show him around my woods...It will be the PA Redux. :) Last April "those Pennsylvania Boys" hosted a visit from me and drove me to the moon and back chasing Hennies on Penn's and Grannoms on the Yellow Breeches and Tony's favorite size 30 gnats on the famous Spring Creek up near State College.

Not to steal this thread, but if you all saw the PM's, personal emails, and text messages I've received over the last month or two from these guys you would think I was Siri of the Au Sable. :)

It has been nice and warm and sunny here in Detroit the last couple days...I have a friend visiting from Germany with his new wife and I took them on a tour of Hitsville. The original Motown studio. Then we snuck over to Windsor Ont for dinner...

Yes...Their going to be here soon...You better be putting the final touches on your tying and cleaning lines and knotting on some new leaders! The work is never done!

Spence

Homonyms, all...

There, their, and they're...

Back to fishing- I really have to try the variegated dubbing thing, those are some good looking dries! I'm finishing up a bunch of Harrop's Hairwing Duns and I'll do the last few in spectrumized dubbing. Any wisdom on using this dubbing for Caddis', too?
Have to wait a week- or two- before I can hit the river, though, since heavy rain is forecast through Tuesday and the flood watches are out.

Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

The stuff Catskilljon is using comes from the Delaware River Club. They have it in many colors, and use it for mays and caddis.

I went to the lower Yellow Breeches today. Arrived around 1:00. Lots of grannoms but no rising fish. I talked to a couple of guys and they saw Hendricksons yesterday. I got bored after 45 minutes and quit. I'm experiencing some kind of lack of interest in fly fishing this year. I used to get all excited about putting my gear in order, cleaning lines, and loading my vest. I had to force myself to do it all yesterday and am hoping when I get on the West Branch in late April and see fish working it will rekindle my spirit. If not there is going to be a ton of stuff for sale on Ebay.

I was talking to one of the big time Euro-nymphing guys at Somerset and he said much the same thing. Although I have a tough time understanding it, he said it in a way that made sense. "What do I have to look forward to now" he told me, "I caught 30inch browns in the Delaware on more than a few occasions, I can take fish anywhere, anytime, what thrill is there left?"

He was almost begging to do a striper trip this spring with me [I live right on the lower Delaware]. I figure he is now a "big fish guy" and "regular" trout fishing doesn't thrill him anymore. Maybe that's what your experiencing Matt? You just came back from the salt, great weather and 20+lb fish.

We have all heard of the stages of a fly fisherman. 1st stage, you want to catch as many fish as you can. 2nd stage, catch big fish. 3rd stage, catch only the best/smartest fish on top, 4th...do what you enjoy the most the way you want to regardless of fish caught! CJ

Well I never caught a 30" trout on the Delaware but I did get a 27" brown on the West Branch in 2002. Yep, I've caught thousands of 15" - 19" trout and hundreds of 19+" - 22" fish and maybe half a dozen honest 22+" - 24.25" browns. If it ain't at least 17" I want to shake it off of the hook. I wish I could tell how big the fish was that I see rising. If it was less than 19" I don't think I'd even cast.

In Montana I often scout the banks to find big fish and then get above them to fish for them or I'll drift the pontoon boat very close to shore and see if I can spook a 21" and bigger fish. If I kick one out from the shore I come back the next day to cast to them. Big fish are the toughest to find and often the toughest to get to eat the fly. They surely fight the best too.

I wish I could fish for steelhead all year long as they are all at least 21" long and most are 24" and bigger and they eat nymphs well. They are violent and fight like crazy and are very fast. I just wish they would rise more consistently.

My surgeon told me to be patient. He said you are 70 years old and had major surgery just a little more than three months ago. He said it takes most people six months to fully recover and regain the pre-surgery strength and stamina.

Hello!

You want my advice sir...Take your time. Don't go pushing it...You get back to square and you'll be fine. I had 7 years that were screwed up with my back...When I came too I looked around my tying area and it all came back to me as if in a fog..."This was my life!"

My last surgery was Feb 2007...I couldn't believe it when I was back to square...Thankful would be more than appropriate...2008 I went fishing with Rusty Gates and found out he had lung cancer, and lost him December of 2009...These moments we get, however many or few they may be, need to be savored and cherished...

Matt...You have been there and back again in terms of fly fishing...Christ! You were hanging around storied waters way back in the 70's!

Fly fishing to me has long since gone beyond a pissing contest...It's about time on the water. Time with good friends...and puzzling over it all...You will be fine.



Spence

...Matt...You decide to start selling stuff, you know how to get ahold of me...I have zero expectations of getting that call from you...:)

I remember a day in the early 90's when I was fishing the Mainstream of the Au Sable. I just rounded the bend in front of Carl Richards cabin The Ginger Quill. He was sitting on the dock, gear piled on a bench, nursing a drink...After exchanging pleasantries I invited him to kill the rest of the morning with me in the river...He smiled and said, "You know, if you would of told me 10 years ago that I would own a boat, I would have laughed at you...Now, after catching fish as long as my boat, chasing these little 10" Brookies just don't get it".

I found this a bit sad...I somehow don't feel complete when I'm not wetting my waders in a river somewhere, especially the Au Sable.

My stepfather is 82 and unable to do much these days, and is in fact in the hospital as I write this...One of the saddest moments of my life was this past fall when he gave me his couple of fly rods and reels...He knew he was done.

"Now, after catching fish as long as my boat, chasing these little 10" Brookies just don't get it".

I agree, that is sad. I still get a thrill when a lowly sunfish bends my fly rod! And a 10" brookie is always welcome to hit my fly. Perhaps it helps that my favorite fly rod is a 3-weight...on which I can't wait to throw Hennies and caddis, though with heavy rains coming in on top of melting snow and ice the first few weeks of the season (opener on April 26 for you non-Michiganders) are going to be iffy...might be hitting the ponds with the kayak per my picture at left...which of course has the bonus of yellow perch to being home for dinner!

Jonathon