Hammer Time

This video has been circling about, but in case you've missed it..... It's a hammerhead railing into a boat. Warning: Foul Language abounds.

Fly of the Week: Foxy Lady

This weeks fly has a little bit of an unorthodox way of being tied, so instead of just a recipe, I'll also be doing a step by step.

Foxy Lady:
Hook: #10 Nymph
Body: "Crawfish Orange" lite bright
Ribbing: copper wire
Shell/Tail: Green Fishair/holographic lite bright
Hackle: Guinea Hen
Tungsten Bead

Step One: Bead, meet hook.

Step Two: Add in the copper wire

Step Three: Add your dubbing

Step Four: Tie in the mixed green fishair/holo lite brite behind the bead.

Step Five: Take the cooper wire and wrap it around the body as well as the shell. Trim; keeping about one hookgap in the back to serve as the tail. 

Step Six: Tie in the Guinea Hackle. Fin!

If I had some of these, I'd kill more worms.

It's not everyday that I'm impressed with a piece of wood and a feather or two, but Andrew Field somehow managed it. His custom made floats are works or art, and that's not hyperbole.

He's based out of the UK, so Lord only knows what shipping would be to here in the States, but that's still not too much of a deterrent. He even has cases for them too!

Check out his Handmand Fishing Floats Here.

Fly of the Week: the Fiery Dervish

With the recent passing of Sylvester Nemes, I thought that I would do a tribute fly and tie up a soft hackle. And I also get an excuse to play with some of my new materials scored from the Easter Sports Show.

So I present to you, the Fiery Dervish/

The Fiery Dervish
Hook: #12 Caddis style

Tail: Rust colored hackle fibers

Body: Fiery Claret Dubbing (or in real people terms, a dark red synthetic dubbing)

Shell: Mottled Orange thin skin (you really can't see it in the pic, but it's in there!)

Hackle: Olive color Partridge

Bead head.

Tying a Uni Knot

I just found this great video on how to tie a Uni knot, as well as a few applications of it, from fishing-live-bait.com.

Uni Knot - How To Tie An Uni Knot - For more funny videos, click here

***Video was a fail, but the link is good so I took out the video. Just click the link and enjoy.

Knotted Leaders (Very Knotted Leaders....)

I was able to get out yesterday for a few hours and had a chance to try some of those hand-tied knotted leaders that I whipped up a bit ago. I won't go into the details of my exploits, but I learned a few things. Namely:

1: a 15 foot leader does not cast well with only 8 feet of actual line out.
2: My habit of leaving tag ends on knots can be problematic. Such as taking 5-10 minutes to untie a leader on every 3rd cast that has inexplicably tied itself to itself.
3: You can get so frustrated that you cut the damn leader in half, tie on 3 feet of tippet and have some success.
4:When approaching the bank of the stream, just because the snow goes to the very edge does not mean that there is ground beneath it.
5: A header into a snow bank is only arguably better than a header into a stream.

Happy Monday

Out of Business - Thoughts on Why Fly Fishing May Be Dying

I just want to take a moment to give a quick shout out to Joe Comwall, who wrote this poignant editorial on the "death by the drip" that fly fishing seems to suffering from, as well as providing suggestions on how we can staunch the wound.

It's thought provoking and definitely worth your time to read.

Thoughts On Fly Fishing Magazines, AFFTA, Fly Shops And The Business Of Fly Fishing

Poor Man's Lanyard

A while back I post about a DIY that I found for a lanyard. Total cost was about $10-15. Not to shabby. I thought that I would make one, but as I rummaged around the house, I came up mostly empty handed. I did find a few things that I could improvise, so after a quick stop at the craft shop I was ready to go.

I used 75 lb hemp string for the lanyard that I had laying around the house. I then added some wooden beads that I bought, 70 beads for a buck. Intermixed these with a few swivels and a knot of the back and I was ready for the water! I made the tippet holder out of some Dacron backing and two more swivels.  Total cost? Somewhere between $3-4. Gotta love being cheap. :D

Another reason to head west, young man - Arizona's First Gila Trout Season

Due to a surplus of Gila (hee-la) Trout in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mora National Fish Hatchery New Mexico, Arizona will now be having it's first official season for this species.  It's a native species but was decimated prior to any fishing regulations being set in place.

Fishing in style! Fishing chairs.

Are you one of those people that loves to fish, but hates to stand? Do you also thinking fishing from the bank is for schmucks? Then today is your lucky day.

If you happen to go out to Pyramid Lake, make sure you stop by the Crosby Lodge.  For it is there that your new fishing chair awaits.

It swivels... it's green.... and you can fish from it while in the water. What more could one demand?

I think that this baby speaks for itself. If you want to see it in action, click the chair page.  Make sure you check the lower right pic, proof positive that everyone is using one.