Fly Fishing Size Don't Matter

Got up this morning and looked out the bedroom window. Yup, its snowing good in Northern Colorado. Also, supposed to be heavy snow this weekend and cold. Sounds like a perfect time to stay indoors and tie flies, read a good fly fishing book, or watch fly fishing video's if you have nothing else to do and honey-do's can wait. So, I am going to do something here that is sort of out of the normal for me. I came across a video that I liked pertaining to fly fishing warm water and rivers in particular for warm water fish. I thought it was very well done and set the mood for me this morning. Hope you enjoy.
**** A thank you should go to David Frazier for sharing this great video!

Featured BlogBuddy - Alan From Small Stream Reflections

Spending some time giving a new look to my blog with some different features.  One of the features I am going to kick off with is a Featured BlogBuddy series.

It is my intent to share the work of as many of my BlogBuddies as I can with this series.  They all work hard and spend considerable time on their own blogs in writing about, primarily, their takes on fishing and other matters in their area of life that they enjoy.  I know that whatever success I have had on my blog, and, the motivation to keep writing my blog, comes from the great support I have had from these BlogBuddies.  Their continuing visits and willingness to leave comments on my posts and share their insights with me are invaluable. I am all about making Pond Stalker Blog a place that feels like community and sharing the loves of my fellow BlogBuddies.   I hope that you take the time to visit all the blogs listed on my Blogroll as you have time, but especially, the featured BlogBuddy and their blogsite.  I wouldn't mind if you let them know that the ol' Pond Stalker said hello!

Alright, let's kick off this series by featuring a BlogBuddy that has one of the best blogs going in the blogging world today.  My thanks, to Alan at Small Stream Reflections, is long overdue! 

Alan's blog is one that many of you may have already visited and read many times.  I know I have and loved every minute of it.  If you haven't allow me to say "SHAME ON YOU"!  

Alan writes about the beautiful area and waters of our great Northeast.  Preferring to fish small streams is Alan's forteit.  Chasing the beautiful Brook Trout, and occasional, Brown Trout with Drys, Nymphs, Streamers, and Soft Hackle.  Alan does it all.  His readers are blessed with beautiful pictures of the area, beautiful colored fish, and, as much information as you would need to fish these waters.  You are only left feeling envious and wishing you go on stream with Alan to enjoy the experience.  His blog is also a model for any blogger to look at when it comes to the "community" concept.  His blog posts are often commented on by many others expressing themselves on his current post.  That is how comfortable it is to know and love this blog.

Alan, also, enjoys some preparing of food and tasty meals.  Here is an example:

Just kidding here, Alan, if you are hungry you had better eat before you see some of Alan's work or you are going to be hungry real quick.

Before I forget, and certainly a fine accomplishment, Alan, also is an author and offers his great book on fishing those "Thin Blue Lines"

'Nuff said, get on over to Alan's blog and say hello from the ol' Pondstalker.

 

Some Blog Posts Are Self Serving......

Ok, 99.5% of my blog posts are written with an attempt to share some information, knowledge, fun, or, just plain goodness with all my blogging friends (AKA: BlogBuddies).  My hope is that someone will read them and benefit from whatever tidbit they want to take with them.  The post becomes a part of my written memory bank for me to reflect back on.  In that sense, the blog is self serving for me.  However, this particular post is 100% self serving as a reminder too me before I go fishing again.

That is a new Colorado 2014 fishing license for me.  In Colorado, I have to get used to the wrinkle in the fishing season.  While living in Eastern Idaho for (35) years, fishing season ran from January 1st - December 31st of each year.  Licenses were required for all adult residents as long as they monitored and followed the Idaho Fish and Game Regulations.  That being said, once I retired to Northern Colorado, I have had to change my thought process.  In Colorado, fishing season begins on April 1st of the current year and runs through March 31st of the following year.  So with very few days left in March and winter still hanging on, I doubt if I get out before the new season kicks in.  Therefore, this post, will be front and center for me to remember to purchase my license in the next few days before I head out to chase me some Bluegill, Crappie, or Bass.  To all of my fellow Colorado anglers, don't forget to ante up for your new license real soon!

With that out of the way, I would like to share with my readers that more than any other year, this year seems like Winter and adverse weather has had a real grip on my fellow Bloggers around the country.  Everyone appears to be chomping at the bit to get some warm weather and break out the casting arm and have some fun.  There are some that have toughed it out and had a good time with some fun catching.  Like, Bill over at Fishing Through Life.  Great Dry Fly fishing already!  Or, Kevin at The Feather Chucker.  He is on ready, set, go with some new Bombers for Bass!  Then there is Alan at Small Stream Reflections.  He has been getting out in the winter weather more than us and is a great read.  Here he shares some Jack Gartside fly patterns that are Pond Stalker Approved.

I just could not finish this post without directing you over to a great  post I read yesterday from Quill over at Fish In The Barrel Pond.  Oh, boy can I relate to this post!  No, I have not forgotten  Mike's last post over at Mike's Gone Fishin.  Read it for yourself.  Which half of the bottle do you prefer?

A Big Thank You And Something New For The Blog

Just wanted to give all of you who took the time to read my last blog post a bunch of thank you's, and, then followed up with your great comments and insights to my dilemma with what to do with my Blogroll.  Each and every one of them were much appreciated.  That is why you guys and gals are my BlogBuddies.  It is a good sense of community in blogging when a Blogger can reach out and ask for some help and the support comes pouring in!  That particular post is by far the most read post and most commented post since I began my blogging career a number of years ago.  Still get steady reads everyday so that makes me smile and appreciate all who helped even more.

I am also going to try something new on my blog.  I have been tying flies for about (35) years now. I have taught many fly tying classes and have appeared as a guest tyer at past FFF conclaves and Regional Expos.  

Now, I am not trying to offend anyone or toot my own horn.  I am simply attempting to imply that I have had many trials and tribulations at the vise and lots of experience with various tying materials.  That being said, I will assure you that my concept in fly tying is different than a lot of folks.  I don't tie Dry Flies for Trout, but, Foam Spiders and the like for Bluegill and an occasional Largemouth Bass.  I do tie Nymphs and Streamers and Leeches for Warm Water species and also for Trout.  I don't tie "cute" flies, although, my wife disagrees with me.  What I do tie, primarily, are buggy, effective, easy to tie patterns that don't take much time or talent.  They do catch fish!  If I lose one that is no big deal.  I just grab another and get after those fishies!  I don't buy expensive hackle for Dry Flies, and really, not even for the popular Wooly Bugger type flies much anymore.  The price of good hackle just scares me when I look at it now.  I am a senior citizen living on a fixed budget, so maintaining my costs are critical.  Anyway, all of this blabbering to let you know that I have decided to post some of my current work at the vise on my blog.  You will note at the top of the left hand sidebar a picture of a current fly under the title of "FROM MY VISE".

This will be where I will select a certain pattern and have as good a picture as I could get of the pattern when completed.  If you happen to see one that you like leave a comment for me over on my "From My Vise" page.    You can go to the link for the page just under the blog header and see which patterns I have posted there.  If anyone needs further information or is interested in tying instructions let me know and I will see what I can do for you.  I am not a person who shoots video,  but, I can send along a materials list and tying instructions if that would be handy for you.

Thanks for letting me share some fly tying with you all!

Fly Fishing For Cats

As I was pondering what I wanted to talk about in this post, my mind kept drifting back to another day and time.  Time when I lived in Southwestern Idaho.  I kept thinking about a couple of unusual fly fishing experiences I had back then.  At the time, they were very unusual, in my mind anyway. What experiences I am talking about here is that of Fly Fishing For Cats!

No, not this kind of Cat you silly fool!

Nor, this one either!

Must give credit here where credit is due.  These fine looking Catfish were borrowed here from the good folks at Moldy Chum 

Back to fly fishing in Idaho.  I had on two different occasions while fishing for other fish, stumbled upon the fact, that I could catch Catfish on a fly rod.  More than one fish also each time so I had to figure that it could be done.  Complete surprise and lack of new camera technology didn't allow me to have pictures to show you so I will quickly identify with just a short note on the fishing experience.  

My first experience came while out float tubing  a lake that was filled with downed trees on a fairly shallow end of a reservoir.  I had targeted this area with some friends in attempting to find schooled Crappie.  Me like Crappie!  However, in tubing into the shallow water preparing to cast to Crappie, I viewed several Catfish lurking around.  Well, the rest of that story is that I landed several Catfish on streamer patterns that were intended for Crappie.  I was duly impressed.

Next story: I am floating a section of the Snake River down below Parma, Idaho, with a friend.  This time from a small boat.  We were targeting some Smallmouth Bass.  As we floated along preparing to fish nymphs,  fish were spotted rising in some calm water off to my right.  I am thinking Smallmouth on a dry fly now.  Off comes the nymph, and, quickly comes a Parachute Adams in a size #14.  Rest of the story: No Smallmouth, these were Catfish actually rising to take my Parachute Adams.  We had a blast fishing the slack water that midday.  I kid you not, we could not find anyone to believe our story.  But, I have the memory!

Now, that I am a Colorado resident and am focusing on writing my blog about WarmWater species of fly fishing for the most part, Catfish seem to be on my mind again.  Can Catfish be caught on a fly rod? 

Yup, my friend Dave says so over on his blog.

You might know these two fellows if you hang around fly fishing much.  Plus, this is home for me now so I have to share this video with you all.

 

Thanks to, Jay Zimmerman and Brian Schmidt for the use of their video here.

On my next post, we will review a few Catfish flies and talk about tying them up if you are interested in Fly Fishing For Catfish!

D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N "Never say never"

So it seems I and others have become fixated with all the missed opportunities that the Flood of 2013 brought.  Missed opportunities at fishing that is.  High dirty water, flushed out roads, swamped entrances, and ponds that look like lakes now seem to be what we are faced with.

Or, so it seems, however, I am tired of my own whining and misfortunes.  It could have been much worse and I know we will live to see beauty return to our trout streams and our ponds will be fish havens again.

A couple of days ago, I came across this picture from The Hatch Magazine over on Facebook.   It  hit me in the heart, you might say.  Then and there, I knew it was time to suck it up and push onward and "Never Say Never" when thinking about fishing opportunities available for me.  What an incredible picture! Do you think this ol' guy wants to be pitied? Hell, no! He just wants to be on the water and casting that fly rod and can't hardly wait for the anticipated tug on the end of the line.  Had I been on that stretch of water at the same time, I think I would have stopped doing what I was doing and just watched this ol' guy for awhile.  He's my new hero!

Then I thought, you know what, lets not forget the great organization that is PHWFF  or in longer form, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.  This incredible organization is: Dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings.
You may or may not have had the opportunity to see some of their actions and activities up close.  Let me share a few pictures with you.  While you are looking at them, think about it! It takes "Determination and a Never Say Never"  attitude.  I think I will "Buck Up" and go fishing!!

             I got this one, no problem, Bro'!

          Some dry fly therapy is just what I needed!

          Match This Hatch, America!