We are gaining 3 minutes of daylight EVERY DAY and with the warm of last week the fishing hormones will kick in if they haven't already. You will want to check out a new river or get reacquainted or with one so don't waste time booking a trip with me. It's still February but I'm booking up April, May and June at a good pace. It's always first come, first served so don't wait. CONTACT ME!!!
Upside Down Dries
I've always liked this experimental fly and it's still experimental because it has never really gained a following. The idea of this style is to hide the curve of the hook from the trout which, as we now know, really accomplishes nothing (maybe) except making the fly land gently. The big drawback to this style is that the wing, usually made of a stiff post of mallard or wood duck, got in the way of the hooking. But what if you made the wing of soft, flexible CDC instead? I can hardly wait to try this puppy out during the first major mayfly hatch this Spring.
It's just a bit of a bear tying this dry but you should get the hang of it.
Minimal Scud
Take a size 18 to 22 scud hook and the thread seen in the photo. Wrap about 3 layers of thread over the hook and rib it with some midge flash. That's it! That pink thread has a nice waxy look to it and it has that "shrimp" color to it. Try it out!
Meanwhile Over On The Swift...
SLOW!!!!! The Y Pool has the fish AND the fishermen. The Pipe had a nice pellet hatch with a good head of fish hitting the surface last week. There are fish down there but I think they are avoiding us.
It's like this every year so don't lose hope. There's always the Farmington. Check out the UPCOUNTRY website for their timely updates!
Ken
11 comments:
love the simplicity of your scud!
Lenny
UGH. Hoping to hit the Swift this week while on vacation. Hopefully it will stop being so slow!
Lenny,
Thought you would! Where have you been????? Spent the morning tying up some caddis emergers that I forgot to have with me 2 Octobers ago when you cleaned up with them below the duck pond. Not making that mistake again.
Mark,
I'll be there Monday. Fish low and slow!
Ken
I've tried to tie the up-side down fly for a bunch of years now but can't seem to master the technique to get the fly to not turn over. Will try it again and give it another shot on the Depuy out here in Montana. Haven't fished the EB or Swift in about 2 yrs. Hopefully those waters are getting better and better as the years go on.
I've been spending most of my time on the deerfield flinging the two hander around. I've been on a streamer craze of late and I thoroughly enjoy swinging with it. No one shows up there and that might be my favorite thing about the spot.
I can't even remember the last time I tied a nymph, just been cranking out streamers!
Lenny
Ken, I love that upside down oriented dry fly. What a great idea! I look forward to hearing how it works.
Drifted sub surface flies in the lower Swift with zero results. A friend of mine I saw fishing downstream from me connected with a stonefly pattern in an unlikely spot. The dandy rainbow was caught and released.
Nothing doing for me so I tied on an elk hair caddis in the off chance I might find one looking Up, but nothing doing. Still nice to be out.
Sam
Kozman,
Great to hear from you!!!!!! I bet Montana is treating you well. The Swift is now the how to and expanding brown population. The DFW netted a 17lb brown last summer and I've seen them in the 10lb range.
Lenny,
Almost bought a spey a month ago and I may still do it to use in Florida next month.\
Sam,
The days are getting longer. By the end of April the Quill Gordons will be hatching on the Ware.
Ken
Ken, I can't wait for those mayfly hatches. The light is visible at the other end of the tunnel now.
A little news I will share with you, that being the dam on the Scantic in the center of Hampden has breached which will do nothing but good for that small stream. Despite the warming effects of the backed up water the dam caused, native brookies and browns survived there. Without this dam this stream will benefit a great deal I believe.
I just hope they don't fix it!
Sam
Ken,
I wonder why the weight of the hook and momentum of its landing on the surface wouldn't incline the 'reverse' tie to land on its wings (like Kozman mentioned)?? Guess I'll wait for your performance report this spring.
The minimal scud looks like thread midges I tie. Love your 'new' ideas and willingness to try anything. Keep at it.
See you on the water.
Bob O
Sam,
I've heard some good things about that river but have not fished it yet.
Bob O,
It basically is a thread midge with scud color.
Ken
Looking like no low water this year, if we're lucky we might get a half dozen rainbows in the EB!!!
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