The Alaska Chronicles (Hatches Magazine Pic)
Posts Tagged ‘ทริประหว่างวัน
This is an example of my geographical knowledge shortcomings: Greenland. Recently, I noticed I had visits from Greenland. ? Greenland? My grade school geography lessons had failed me once again or more my middle age long term memory…Greenland and fishing? Certainly, it must be some ice bound village, where hearty souls venture forth for Cod or some such endeavor. This blog, and the research that goes with it, has taught me so much about fly fishing around the world. Places I will never get to go, but where others live and other lucky fishers go.
“Greenland is a char fishing paradise. Although this awe-inspiring wilderness is fairly new on our angling list, it is fast becoming a firm favourite amongst our clients. Our reindeer hunters have been returning full of praise for what they have experienced there, and so too are the growing number of anglers. This is ‘frontier fishing’ at its most exciting!”
And, it is apparent it is a remote venue: “We highly recommend an emergency evacuation membership for this trip. It costs well over $100,000 to be air lifted to a safe US hospital from many parts of the world. These services will not be covered by general travel insurance or medical insurance.”
Beautiful Images..Sisimiut, Greenland
Greenland
N.Z. Dragon Fly
I could only produce this picture from a NZ Fly Fishing site and the quality is a bit fuzzy and too small. But, you get the idea. I really like the looks of this pattern. Olive Green Swannundaze, or how about a lighter brown Swannundaze? Good possibilities here.
Hook: 8-10 long shank (2-3x long)
Body: olive green Swannundaze (how about brown?)
Thorax: olive green Swannundaze
Wingcase: brown turkey, over both body and thorax, then lacquered (could substitute pheasant tail fibers)
Legs: end whisks of turkey wingcase (or, PT fibers)
Head: black thread
I have seen double bodied type flies out of Idaho and Montana, so when I saw this pattern it was immediately familiar. I don’t believe the bodies are separate but simply separated by a thread tie off of the wingcase. Perhaps there could be an underbody to build up a taper? Is his a taper built by tension on the material like the micro tubing patterns? Perhaps if someone knows the name or total technique they could write so it can be shared??
For the few that have yet to sign up for Catch Magazine (perhaps you have just dug out of the Winter dump, or returned from a remote part of Togoland whilst working on an engineering feat?) sign up for your visual porn, as they say. Setting the standard and always raising the bar. The fact that other’s fine work are highlighted adds to the success of the medium. Signup, you’re one of only 32 people left who haven’t. Why not?
21
Apr
09
Ugly Fly (la musca in Romania)
Slick site for SE Euro’s (Romania)
Vision Catalog
Download catalog. Some very cool photography. A nice piece of work.
Slip Strike Bobber
- Slip Strike Bobber
Most fly fishers become aware of the value of a strike indicator of some sort, usually while nymphing on a stream or river. Although Czech Nymphing is popular, the dredging technique still is probably not as popular as fishing with a strike indicator. In addition to streams, an indicator is used by some on stillwaters for chironomid fishing. I have posted before about wind drifting a leech or pupa pattern beneath a strike indicator on a lake and noticed that shows with Chan and Rowley often show them using a sizable ‘bobber’ that is set up to slide down the leader when the fish is struck and the resistance is felt. The above photo’s (sorry for the second one) show the loop. Rowley suggests the peg and loop be on the bottom of the bobber to eliminate less tangles with the lob cast. The key to this set up, if I can explain it correctly, was to do this: on upper end of bobber use finger to press off leader so it does not slide, take peg that has leader running up the middle of it, and is on bottom side of bobber and draw it out or downward an inch or so and form a loop of leader as you insert the peg into the bottom of the bobber. The strike will cause the peg to be pulled out, then the bobber will slide down to the fish’s snout, pissing it off and enhancing your enjoyment…oh relax and shut up PETA… Don’t insert the peg so tightly that the strike/fish resistance can’t dislodge the peg. The top picture gives a good view but Chan and Rowley and B.C. officianados recommend the peg on the bottom. I would for enjoyment sake pick a bobber that is visible, supports the flies you are most likely going to use and don’t go too big to reduce air resistance.
October Caddis~ Dicosmoecus by G. Muncy
The October Caddis are available at current edges or slower water by June or July according to Westfly, where I imagine they stage or prepare for the late Summer hatch.
Peeking Caddis~SwittersB
October Caddis Dry~Smokey Mtn. Fly Guide
“There are apparently a number of different sub-species in what is commonly called October Caddis or Fall Caddis or Giant Caddis. Most belong to the family Dicosmoecus. They range from California to Alaska.
The larva of these giant caddis build tube-like cases. During the winter months when the larva are tiny, these cases are made from vegetable matter attached to a foundation of silk. As the larva grows in size through the spring months they abruptly switch to cases made from small gravel. You can observe these larvae crawling around on the streambed dragging their cases with them as the forage for algae and decaying plant and animal matter. During the the summer months of June and July Dicosmoecus larvae are important trout foods. Daily behavioral drift cycles occur in the early afternoon, usually peaking about 4:00 P.M. They are one of the few families of caddis that leave their cases before behavioral drift cycles. This makes them extremely enticing to large trout. In August these larvae seal themselves in their cases and by September they are ready to emerge as adults.”
I recently had a brief stint in front of news camera. The results provided proof of two things: One, I looked ghastly because of repetitive sun damage and two, I am more vain than I imagined as I saw how aged I looked from the years of sunburns and damage. Today, I saw a TV angler named Henry Waszczuk promoting the UV Buff. I had previously noticed this on saltwater anglers and suspected it was to protect from wind burn. The Cool Max fabric and the ability to wear the tube around the top of the head or around the neck and face does offer sound protection. I am surprised my ears have not fallen off yet, given the baseball cap and scorched ears. I do wear lots of sunscreen and reapply it a lot now…but the damage is done and I will not be in front of a TV camera again… Check outhe Angler UV Buff Info Saw them at Caddis Fly Shop in Eugene on 4/7/09.
Fish Tailing
I have written here a few times about my Christmas Island adventure. I had not been in that environment before and may never again. It was bizarre dozens of times over. I cannot put into words the images and spatial adjustments your vision and mind have to try to adjust to. It is, by virtue of never ending horizons, a tilting, catawhompus world.
The above picture by no means is related to a salt flat, but it made me think of standing with a guide facing outward toward the edge of the flat, as the light sand gave way to the blue abyss. I saw nothing. The guide stared out seeing or sensing something through those copper colored lens. And, then they were there. A dozen pointy tails lined across my path some fifty feet out. The tails were sticking up out of the water ever so slightly and the bonefish were nose down feeding… A surreal scene of contrasts, wind, shimmer and life.
The Tail
I was instructed to carefully cast before the fish and not on top of the fish. As much as you can judge distance so easily on a stream or lake and plop that fly down where you want, on the flat I was never sure if that was really fifty feet, one hundred feet or shorter. This time, I fought the wind and succeeded in placing the fly before the approaching, feeding bones. The take was immediate and the run was beyond description for speed and power. I have tried to explain what that is like compared to my freshwater experiences, but nothing compares for speed or power (by size). The bonefish screamed out so quickly toward the deep and then down and down until the leader was cut from the coral.
My lasting memory from that moment was the fish yes, but really those bobbing tails out of the water just enough to excite and bring the stealth mode out, always enter my mind. It was like casting to the rising trout or the stillwater fish up in the shallows picking off damsels from the reeds. The stalking is the same.
Baja Trout
The Trout Species of Mexico are highlighted with pleasant pictures and good general habitat information. No doubt the fly fishers of Arizona and New Mexico are familiar with trout in the Chihuahua and Sonora states. Baja Trout, even with the mountains of the peninsula, seem impossible, yet there they are. I have to let you in on a glimpse of my adult ignorance: since I started my blog, I have been amazed at the locations of trout in such places as SE Europe, Tasmania, South Africa, West Virginia to Arkansas. So, Mexico should not surprise me. These native species are beautiful to behold.
