Friday, March 23, 2012

March Madness

My kind of madness

I've had 2 unsuccesful trips chasing stripes so far this month, but today was my day. Its already been an intersting month with warm temps, Forsythia's are popping already, the ospreys are back, all signs stripers should be nearby.

Both fish took large(7"-8") tented wing patterns, and I sadly lost both to the oyster beds.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Hey Mickey!

I was humming this tune to myself after hooking the first fish of the season this afternoon. I got on the water around 2, lots of stoneflies coming off, some fish rising. I started swinging a black bugger, then indicator nymphing, then a couple dry flies, all with no luck. I was just about ready to call it a day, when I saw a small Mickey Finn in my box I tied last year, so I decided to try it out. First cast, wham, fish on, the first of 2012. I got 3 more, and finally lost the beat up fly to a tree on an errant roll cast. Final tally on the day was one brown and 3 rainbows, all of which provided nice little aerial shows. It is great to be out this early in the year catching fish.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Crab apple variant

I was having a chat with a buddy about crab patterns, which got me to looking at the crab apple tied originally by John Morin. This is my take on it.
Owner AKI 3/0 hook
spirit river eyes
tan cross cut rabit
Pheasant claws and carapace
dry fly hackle legs
3 dumbells to sink like a stone
clear cure goo over carapace