Just Some Pictures From Life's Other Side......Part 1

While there are certainly a number of things going on in the Pre-Christmas craze to keep us all a little busy, to say the least, this time of year usually sees me sitting at my fly tying vise.  It's time to fill the fly boxes back up with all the ol' regular patterns, plus, a few new ones that you came across that uses that new fly tying material just introduced down at the fly shop.

Yes, we can jump over to Cameron Mortenson at The Fiberglass Manifesto and play along with his terrific Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaways that he has so masterfully put together for all of us fly fishing folk.

There are a number of other fly fishing related companies who are having snazzy Christmas Giveaways also of their own kind.  

What I am really trying to say here is that fly fishing opportunities will be slim and none for awhile in Northern Colorado for me.  So, with that in mind, I have decided to take on another task that I have been meaning to get too for awhile now.  I am taking the time over a period of several weeks to browse back through my old picture library (before digital and computers became so common), and, will be scanning some of these old pictures into the new format.  With that said, I figured I could put together a short series of posts over the next few months talking about my fly fishing journey and some pictures from life's other side.  I hope you will enjoy my posts and some of the pictures that I will share with you during these winter weeks.  So here are a few shots from some time ago.  Please remember this was primarily from the years 1975-1995 or so.

First off, let me start with something that was very close too me during that time.  No, not a fly rod or reel, but, my well worn ol' fishing hat.

Now, this western style straw hat was what I wore for many, many years.  Please note the fleece lined head band on the hat filled with Wooly Buggers, Mohair Leeches, Stayner Ducktails, and a few smaller nymph patterns.  I kept it loaded and ready to fish with.  I was even known to give away a few that I had stuck in my hat if I had the "hot" pattern of the day.  Usually, in my fishing at the time, I could pretty much fish one of the patterns on this hat and could count on being successful for the day.

  The old round float tube.  This one was one of the early dinosaur models back in the day made by a fellow angler out of Nampa, Idaho, Wayne "Tex" Meeks.   One always wondered if we tipped the tube back too far, would it tip over.  You probably could, but, it would have to be a violent jerk backwards for that too happen.  I caught many, many fish over a number of years out of this tube with no problem at all.  It was almost too comfortable on a hot day (taking a nap) once in awhile would be interrupted by the electrifying jerk of a trout on the other end of the line.  Also, please note the hat in place.  I was kind of a Merle Haggard look alike back in the day.............

Here is a picture of yours truly with my fish-mobile of that day and age.  That old Dodge pickup and me put 350,000 miles on each other traveling all over the States of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, etc. etc. chasing stillwater trout.  Oh, the stories I could tell you all.

But, alas, those days are gone and faded pictures is all I have for memories.  I hope to have recaptured some of the moments with this post and a few future posts like this as I get the time.

If I don't get another chance, may you all have a wonderful upcoming Holiday season.......

P.S.  - My friend and long time BlogBuddy, Michael Agneta at Troutrageous, gets a pat on the back and a Colorado handshake for helping me out with some editing on these ol' pictures. 

Thanks, Mike, could not have done it without your support....

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!

Internet Implosion! Oh, And I Tie Pretty Flies...............

I would bet that some of you readers and lookers thought I would never get that last post off my Blog.  You tired of looking at Peyton Manning yet?  No, it did not take me two weeks to get over my Super Bowl hangover and disappointment.  What a pathetic performance.  'Nuff said!

What I do want to vent on here, just briefly, is how important good reliable internet service is for all of us that rely on our Blogs and Facebook and Pinterest  etc. for our form of communication with others about what we love to do in our spare time.  To get to the point, you pay your bill, you expect to receive the service necessary.  Granted, your computer could become a virus heaven and could crash on you.  We all live with that little thought somewhere in the backs of our minds.  What I am frustrated with is what I call Internet Implosion.  Computer works fine, no problem.  However, your local provider takes a crap............................. Just gone in about a days time.  No warning!  Wait I payed for the service.  Woe is me! I now have to find another reliable resource to use that will insure me this will not happen too me again.  Find the Provider.  Next up, scheduling the hook up.  Unbelievably, this has taken about two weeks to complete.  Hurray, I am back blogging, but, what a pain in the arse!

Now, to that pretty flies part.  Having basically no computer for anything worthwhile for two weeks gave me some extra time at the tying bench. I will share here a little of my work.  I enjoy tying simple fly patterns that don't take lots of time to tie or use material that is cost prohibitive.  That way if I leave one in the bushes like Howard over at Windknots & Tangled lines it is no problem to look in the fly box and dig out another or tie some more up quickly next time I sit at the vise.   They may be buggy looking.  That is actually what I strive for.  Pretty, they are not!  However, when my wife drops by my bench and looks at what I am tying she usually responds in this manner.  "Oh, you tie pretty flies!"  I love her support, but, I won't tell here they are not pretty....

Let's start with a bright orange leech pattern tied for Bluegill, Crappie etc.

I call it the Orange Crush Leech.

 

How about a Partridge & Yellow Soft Hackle.

Bluegill, Trout, classic pattern.

 

This is a fly I call the 'Gill Getter.

Simple, easy to tie, and catches lots of Bluegills, Crappie, and a Trout or two!

 

Picture not really clear here, my apologies.

This is another of my favorite Soft Hackle patterns.

Partridge and Orange!

 

This is another Leech or Bugger type fly.

I call it a Beadhead Flesh Hair Bugger.

 

 Ok, enough for this post.  I am staying busy tying flies to fill my warm water fly boxes.  I am working on some Nymph and Streamer patterns that I really like.  Will share them in the near future with you all.

 

Is Spring coming?

 

 

 

 

 

Fishing The Ol' Car Hole

Anyone that has ever fished with me, no doubt knows that I love to catch fish.  In particular, trout from a small stream and feisty Bluegill from my various local ponds.  Now that I am focusing my fly fishing and efforts to the local ponds and using the blog to cover my adventures, this post will be about my favorite warm water fish, the Bluegill.

 I have been a Bluegill fly fisher for many a season.  I fell in love with it as a young man on a local pond near where I lived at the time, and still after all these years, I have a deep passion for hitting the local ponds and chasing Bluegill.  I like nothing better than to be tossing a Rubber Spider of some sort or another at a school of feeding Bluegill on the surface.  Oh, yes, I will fish with small nymphs or streamer patterns for them too.   Down is where the bigger Bluegill hang out.  They are the "Bulls" as I call them!  Since we are talking about fishing "Down" for bigger Bluegills, reminds me of a time and a story from a past Bluegill adventure.

Now, I am going to ask you to bear with me for a minute while I share a picture that in a way has some relevance to this post.

This picture is a shot of the early 2000's version of Bonnie and Clyde.  Check out the Dame!
That old car had gone as far as it could go.  So what does this picture of Bonnie and Clyde have to do with catching Bluegill?  Well, imagine if you would, that this Ol' Car was submerged not too far off shore in your favorite pond.  For effect, imagine also that the roof still intact in this picture was missing in your submerged Ol' Car in the pond.  Now with that vision in mind, I will return to my Bluegill story.

It was a particular sunny day with no cloud cover.  I was walking the shoreline looking for Bluegill to be bunched up around the weed beds and cattails.  I had picked up a few smaller Bluegill, but to be honest, it was a slow day so far.  Forgot to mention that this pond was a pretty good sized pond and I had never walked the entire shoreline.  As I did on this day, I came too a small bluff that allowed me some height to look down on the water.  There I saw for the first time the Ol' Car submerged in the water.  The other thing that I was shocked to see were some really nice looking bigger Bluegill sitting or swimming I should say, I kid you naught, in the backseat of the Ol' Car.
I fumbled in anxiety the first cast with a floating line and a Rubber Spider.  Darn it, spooked them and they swam back out the door and I thought my fun was over.  However, as I sit down on the ledge and peered down into the Ol' Car, unbelievably in a few minutes, the school of bigger Bluegill came back and in through the open door of the car they came and right back into the back seat area again.  

After observing them for awhile and being very careful not to spook them this time, I decided to switch to a small dark streamer/leech pattern that would sink down into the back seat where the fish were instead of trying to force them to come up to the surface for a Rubber Spider.  Oh, so carefully, I was able to look down and cast a short distance and let the fly sink this time to the fish's level.  Fish on!  I couldn't believe I had actually pulled this off.  I landed a Bluegill that was probably close to a ten incher!  I released the fish to swim another day and sat and ate my favorite fisherman's sandwich. (Make that a Peanut Butter and Jelly).  As I sat and watched the Bluegill slowly hang in the back seat of the Ol' Car.  Occasionally, they would swim out of the area and before too long.  They would be back!  I did manage one other nice one out of the back seat area before the other Bluegill got wise to my game.

The moral to this story is true to this day.  You can catch Bluegill out of the back seat of the Ol' Car too!

Thanks for reading!