Everything Fly fishing/Fly tying

kamloops? you mean there's more to do there besides build trail and ride bikes?

 

Yep. The stillwater trout fishing is world class. There's a few rivers in that area that have good fishing too

 

Stop telling people!

Nobody pay attention to him. Fishing is terrible. Tiny fish and mostly suckers. And stay away from the Nakusp area too - all the rivers are dry and the lakes winter killed.

 

Shit. You're right. I take it all back. There's no fish in Canada.

 

subscribed.
I'm deep into both obsessions. Mostly PA trout and erie steelhead. Playing hookie from work on Wed to get out...
Tom Rosenbauer from Orvis has a great podcast if anyone is looking for a new one. Originally called the Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast. Recently they dropped "guide" from the podcast, so you might find it under either/or. He's also been doing a lot of Facebook Live interviews/fly tying during this lockdown...

OP - Nice white tundra. Have to ask though, if you have a pappy-cap, why break down the rods to keep them in the cab? Couldn't you hang those straps from the cap near the tailgate and just leave them rigged through the back window??? I've been trying to come up with something since i dont have a cap. Saw a guy in erie this fall with a DIY bracket riveted to the top of his tailgate that would capture the reel seat with bungee cords - presumably just for hopping spot to spot. Not sure i'd want to be on the interstate with it like that - but i never could find him on the stream to ask about it. Not would i want something on the lip of my tailgate 24/7 (or permanent mounting holes/evidence). For now, i just break them into two sections and leave them flat in the bed...

 

Thanks! If I am just jumping to a new spot I will run them through the window but for longer trips and when I have my two German Shepherds in the back, this allows me to stay rigged up and not get my rods broken by my beasts. This link shows how I rig them for a 2 second setup.
https://www.deneki.com/2016/09/breaking-down-fly-rods-for-quick-transport/
And here are the potential rod destroyers. 92lbs and 117lbs.

 

I've been fly fishing for the better part of 42 years now. Growing up in PA where the trout opener is as big as the deer season opener I started using a fly rod at 7 years old. A Heddon Mark Golden 50 that I still have today. I've been fortunate enough to fish some world class water on the east and west coasts, Colorado and the midwest. PA is still my favorite place to fish and I'm lucky enough to still be doing it with my dad and uncles. @Jota21, we've probably fished some of the same water, 16 mile, 20 mile and Elk creeks, Oil creek and Kinzua. I'll be heading to my camp in north central PA next week for a week or so of fishing on Kettle and Young Womans creek, the First Fork and the Driftwood branch of the Susquehanna with some little wild trout mountain streams mixed in too. Waiting for green drakes on Kettle creekNative brookie water, Red Run, Elk county PAMy hunting, fishing camp, Cameron county PA

 

I dont flyfish yet. Haven't had time to add that to my growing list of hobbies. We do love to tie flies and steelhead / salmon jigs. My daughters starting tying at 3 and 4 and now they have amassed a collection of supplies and equipment that would shame most small shops.

Here is our homework area that doubles as the tying area. The blue drawers behind are completely stuffed with materials. We are up to five tying vises- a Danvise, a cheap clamp vise, a Renzetti Traveler and two Norvises.

The girls haven't tied much this year, we've been busy, but last year we went through nearly 400 jig heads. They supply friends / family. I lose my fair share as well.

 

Is your cabin in the Pine Creek area by any chance? I have been fly fishing with a good friend that sets up camp 2 doors down from Pat Reeders Pub. Love that area!

 

I love that area too. We fish Pine creek and Slate Run occasionally but my cabin is about 60 winding, mountain road miles from there. Like most places in Cameron, Clinton and Potter counties, there's no easy or direct route to anywhere lol.

 

Here's a few pics from our CO trip last summer. Top is my wife on the Gunnison River, middle and bottom are a lake we fished at Grand Mesa and one of a few trout I caught in same lake. Bad news is, the runoff was still bad and the rivers were no good for fishing really, so we headed to the lakes, which made fly fishing harder for us rookies. We've only been fly fishing for a few years, although I taught myself to do it in the mid 90's down in Lousiana (blame "A River Runs Through It"!). I had an almost 20 year break in doing any fly fishing, before we started vacationing in the mountains of NM a few years back.

Really want to get on some good water one day, as we have had little luck and mainly caught small fish so far. Western OK is not real conducive to fly fishing, so we have to go about 6 hours west to get on much trout water.

 

How else am I supposed to stay sane in this world?

 

That looks amazing, I'm quite jealous. It's my dream to own a hunt/fish cabin someday. It's harder and a lot different out here in Nevada.

 

Well done! Started em young, I love it! My son is 3 and we are about to start learning too!

 

It truly is an amazing place. We are surrounded by countless miles of trout water. Everything from stocked rainbows and browns to wild browns to native brookies. Fly only water, catch and release and delayed harvest water, little mountain streams you can jump across to rivers to wide to cast across. Not to mention the wildlife, deer, bears, elk, turkeys. I've had elk cross the stream while I was fishing and have had to wait out a sow and cubs before moving upstream. These were from my driveway last year as I was heading out to fish one evening. I should take more fish pictures lol.

 

Thanks, even more jealous!

 

I’ve been fly fishing and tying for about 26 years now. I built a bunch of my own rods back in the day as well.

We’re still in an extensive remodel, so fishing takes a backseat to dog training and hunting, but this summer I plan to get out more. As soon as Idaho eases travel restrictions I’ll head over.

As to waders, I have a set of Simms breathable waders. I don’t remember the model, they were the middle of the road set. If I fished more I’d spring for the guide model.

My favorite fishing is hitting smaller rivers with a hand tied Chubby Chernobyl.

 

Some of the rods I’ve built....

 

I've always wanted to build a fly rod but just don't have time to commit to it. It'll be a retirement project for sure.

What rods do you guys like? I'm partial to Temple Fork Outfitters as I find they offer alot for the dollar. I do like Sage, but in my opinion to get a rod that's so much better than TFO it's worth the extra money it puts you right into their top levels and extremely high prices. I find a top end TFO is as good as a mid range Sage for 2/3 the price.

 

Most of mine are Sage blanks. Patrick's Fly Shop used to sell imperfects for 70 bucks. They don't have the Sage markings on them, but made great rods. I have a couple of the LL models and a couple of RPLs.

 

I fished for alot of years with a Heddon Mark Golden 50 that was my grandfather's. That one was retired when I got a 9' 5wt Fenwick as a birthday present. Around 19 years old the Fenwick was stolen out of the back of my truck and I bought a St. Croix 8'6" Premier. After that, a St. Croix Avid 9' 5wt. Now most of my fishing is done with two rods, a 9' 4wt St. Croix Legend Elite and a 8' 4wt Legend Elite. I recently ordered a Moonshine Rods Midnight Special 7'6" 3wt, hoping to have it Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

I like to fish a little bit of everything. I have Sage, Echo, Allen, Cabela's and Redington. Whatever feels good to cast.

 

Nice! Moonshine is my next purchase, my buddy bought one and loves it! Those midnight specials are so nice! I'll also be purchasing a blue halo glass rod soon too.

 

Have a moonshine 10wt and it's super nice for the price, but only fish it a couple times a year. For the price it's a nice rod though. Have a recon 8 and probably a 20+ year old orvis full flex 8 which is fun to fish. Generally go for steel, and do a king trip in Oct. Mostly tie woolys and eggs, but dabbling in white zonkers and Mickey fins. My nephew is a real all star at tying and makes me look bad, so I'll keep leaning/trading on him for flies until my kids get older, ha!

Think they do LEO discounts @ moonshine too, fyi.

 

I'm looking forward to fishing the Moonshine for sure. I've thought about a fiberglass rod and have looked at Diamondback and Orvis but I'll have to check out Blue Halo. Someday I'd like to fish a bamboo rod.

 

I'm a huge fly fishing guy.

If I open the window between the cab and the shell and I can carry three rods fully assembled.

One of the supports for my sleeping platform is a rod rack that will hold six rod tubes.

Sadly, I live in Phoenix, not really a hot-bed for fly fishing.

I'm not so patiently waiting for the travel restrictions to be lifted so I can hit the rod this summer for an extended trip...I hope.

 

Yup I'm the same. Ill just fish anything if it feels good and casts well.

 

Wife forced me out of the house and hit some local water. Didnt catch anything and some unwanted wind...But great to get on the water.

 

I love having that amount of chop on the water. We call it the "chironomid chop". When fishing chironomid patters under an indicator, that chop adds a bit of extra life and can lead to some highly productive days.