‘Lake Bait’ Stillwater Pattern (Where to put the red barbs?)

Lake Bait (Red Barbs tied in on sides for visibility)

 

Lake Bait Soft Hackle (FlyfishUSA)   

I was recently fishing an Oregon lake and met a lady flyfisher that loaned my son, Tony, a fly because he had been generous with his ‘secret info’ The fly was spectacularly productive. The fly we had and eventually lost, had the elements of a Carey Special with a fluff tail of chickaboo or clump of aftershaft plumes. The wrapped pheasant rump feathers is the same and only the addition of a clump of red barbs on top of the thorax. The red barbs glowed when the fly was wet. I wondered if the red fibers might be better positioned on the sides as opposed to only the top. I am going to also experiment with hot orange barbs and hot green barbs too. Check out the FlyfishUSA site and you will notice this fly is like an afterthought with no origin info for the fly, just the pic. The fly is showcased with Carey Special variations. This fly, I must reiterate, was exceptional. It was better than any Carey I have fished. I believe the Chickabou tail and particularly the red or orange hackle barbs give additional life and exciter qualities to the pattern. The fly was very productive while Dragon flies were heavily present.       

  http://www.flyfishusa.com/flies/soft.htm#Lake%20Bait

Lake Bait (Wet side view of red barbs top/lateral visibility)

Lake Bait (Wet rear view of red barbs visibility top/lateral)

https://swittersb.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/lake-bait-stillwater-nymph-red-or-green-barbs/

The above link is a post re green or red lateral barbs. A few photos to compare.

oregonflyfishingblog.com (smallmouth-bass)

Smallie~Umpqua R. (OFFB)

http://oregonflyfishingblog.com/2008/07/28/mainstem-of-umpqua-fishing-well-for-smallmouth-bass/

This is a site that always captures the energy and spirit of exploring and finding ‘The Moment’. I enjoyed the section re a backpacking trip and exploring the upper reaches of the McKenzie R. And, of course, the Smallmouth Bass from the Umpqua. This is something I have never done and want to. Tips are shared and inspiration provided. Mark it for a frequent read or dose of motivation to try something different in this beautiful state.

Sexy Flyfishers (Progression of Appeal)

Ginger Rogers, 1942

What a difference 66 years makes in what is considered hot. In 1942, Ginger’s gorgeous face and smile sealed the deal. Today, Candy shields the beautiful face from the elements and our gaze diverts. And, our mind is massaged with all manner of subtle ploys. And, no again, Candy was not the inspiration for The Orb, my Callibaetis Emerger pattern. I made up the name ‘Candy’…the subliminal inspiration I imagine.

Trout Art (Manifest Beauty~AD Maddox)

Trout Chasing Nymph~GMuncy

For all the vast quantity of new age energy and fun at Moldy Chum, there is also a bit of refinement. The art work of AD Maddox is wonderful and I suggest you take a few moments away from your pursuit of patterns and techniques to look over her work. Beautiful!

http://www.admaddox.com/canvas/index.html

In addition, you should have Moldy Chum as one of your go to sites for pure entertainment or balanced coverage on a myriad of topics related to the outdoors and flyfishing.    

Trout~AD Maddox (Moldy Chum Art)

   

 

 

 

 

http://moldychum.typepad.com/moldy_chum/fly_fishing_art/index.html

B.C. Flyfishing (Suggested Patterns for Stillwaters)

Adams Dry Fly~TMuncy

If I was fortunate to be headed to B.C.’s Interior Lakes in June or July or the higher lakes now, I would take the below flies as my primary patterns. If you study B.C. patterns, you will not see these patterns often referenced. The typical staples, save the Chironomid Patterns, are much different, yet highly effective. Doc Spratleys, Carey Specials, 52 Buicks, Half Backs and Fullbacks, Maroon Leeches, Tom Thumbs and Mikulaks are but a few of the patterns that rarely see the US (except Carey’s). I have faith in my suggested patterns and would also include the Prince Nymph, the Scarecrow Mini Dragon, Palomino Midge, Parachute and Regular Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, a greenish gray scud, a Pheasant Tail Nymph and The Orb just because it works, (Callibaetis or not). I’m posting these flies because I have had some enquiries on what I would recommend for B.C. Stillwaters. I assume these enquiries are from non-B.C. residents. Of course, I am no expert, nor am I a Chironomid fanatic, but out of a few trips North I have built confidence in patterns and the shared information from others that venture North from Merritt to Williams Lake and points East. Study B.C. patterns and you will notice a decided contrast. My patterns are no better than B.C. staples, but perhaps something to add to that traditional repertoire for one of the greatest fisheries, bar none.   

Minnow Bugger

Calico Bugger

Little Fort Leech

Kaufmann's Dragon

Renegade

Cope's Damsel Nymph

Midge Pupa

 

Harriett Diving Caddis

Midge Emerger

Fuzzy Dragon

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Orb~Callibaetis Emerger

 

 

 

 

Brushed Leeches

 

 

Stimulator~Traveling Sedge Pattern

 

 

 

Lake Bait

Georgi's Damsel (B.C. Highland's Inspired)

Of course, these patterns are infused with B.C. flyfishing genetics. The Little Fort Leech, The Sno-Cone type Chrionomid Pupa, The Georgie’s Damsel, The Lake Bait (a Carey Special variation of sorts) are B.C. inspired or owned. The list is by no means the end all of pattern lists. A blood worm chironomid could be added, waterboatman for the spring and fall, streamers etc. I would have all that along as well, but then I always over plan. I am just keeping it simple with what, in the course of a week, I would most probably repetitively remove and tie on.

Gray Drakes (Siphlonurus O.~what’s the deal?)

I said it before and I will say it again, why all the interest in Gray Drakes? I notice there is consistent and more than moderate interest in ‘grey’ ‘gray’ drakes. I have researched, to the extent of my emtomological researching capabilities, Ephemeroptera (Order), Siphlonuridae (Family), Siphlonurus (Genus), Occidentalis (Species) (That’s all the fancy bug talk from me, thanks to TroutNut) and I noticed that Trout Nut and Rick Haefle don’t rate it very high on the significance chart of mayflies for trout. They either crawl out from the edges of quiet waters or emerge up to protruding rocks and reeds. There is no definitive agreement on how they ‘hatch’. There seems to be agreement that at some point in the day (they can’t agree on when) there is a Spinner fall that could be of interest to flyfishers. Seems pretty vague to me to warrant all the fuss. Write to me and tell me why the interest.

 http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/169/Mayfly-Siphlonurus-occidentalis-Gray-Drake

http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/113/Mayfly-Siphlonurus-Gray-Drakes

Moles & Yellow Jackets Join Forces To Harass Homeowner

 

Entry Into Nest

Ok, this is a little off topic, but having been around two vicious attacks of yellow jackets and watching my lawn turn into a mess from moles , I thought it wise to share this with you. The other night, as I gazed out on the back lawn, I thought, ‘Hey, I have been neglecting the yard’. No doubt the Lab’s repetitive piddling, the moles’ tunnels, rutting and mounds had caused the lawn to look pretty bad. But nonetheless, I grabbed the hose and decided to water the flowers and hit some of the brown spots with the stream of water. It was low light, almost dark. I stood in the middle of my lawn and as I sprayed the water, through the mist I could see a subtle movement in the lawn at about 50! locations. I stood there motionless and soon realized that the emerging, hovering critters were Yellow Jackets. I looked about to turn around and saw an equal number behind me. I froze. Having been severely bitten by Yellow Jackets before and having watched my two older boys get severely attacked, I was immediately afraid. But the Yellow Jackets stayed low and in a drunken flight headed straight to a spot in the middle of my lawn. They were flying to and crawling into the remnants of one of those damn mole mounds that I had previously flattened.

Over and over those Yellow Jackets went to that hole and crawled inside. Now, I recently wrote about reconnecting to your youthful imagination. At this moment, I reconnected to my youthful indiscretions: for I cautiously walked to the shed, got the gas can, matches and a small tin can and yes, you guessed it, Pyro boy was resurrected. A good two inches of gasoline into the hole, two or three non-igniting matches tossed toward the wet hole and then finally “we have ignition”  BLUEWY!!!  Like an untapped, ignited oil well in Iraq, A shooting flame rose a foot or two into the air and burned for a good fifteen minutes. Good riddance little SOB’s!

That was a week ago. Yesterday morning early (getting ready to go test the Duckling ‘Fly’) I am headed from the shed to the door when what do I see but emerging Yellow Jackets, not from the previous hole, but some three feet over. I crept up to the spot and sure enough there was a newly dug hole with a tiny mound of dirt (a mini mole hole). Well to hell with this. Pyro Boy re-emerged and within a crisp few minutes I had several real or likely entrances looking like the previously burning oil fields of Iraq.

Not sure I have them under control yet, BUT, be forewarned re mole tunnels being commandeered by Yellow Jackets. Insult to injury the little flipper footed pest popped up over and the other side of the lawn.