One of my old Yosemite pics here. Guess I was inspired by the PBS special on our National Parks (America’s Best Idea) that viewed the other day. I absolutely love this time of year! Hockey season is starting, baseball playoffs, football and all those guys watching the TV so I can go fly fish in the peaceful Sierra Nevada!
This is a Goddard caddis tied a little differently. Usually the deer and elk hair are spun together giving a mottled appearance for the wing. I instead spun the elk hair and then placed the deer hair on top and cinched down when I put the hackle on trimming afterward into the shape of the wing. Also added some superfine yellow dubbing with a small amount of olive sparkle dubbing on the body for extra light reflection. Tight lines! PM
I’m tying flies for the fall fly fishing season lately. here’s my version of a ’stimulator’. It works as an attractor pattern for the oct. caddis fly hatch that occurs on the Stan and Tuolumne rivers where I mostly fish. Also, a good BWO hatch is coming so I expect to tie some of those as well.
I tie this stimulator by tying in a thick deer hair tail on a #12 hook. Next I tie in a long yellow grizzly hackle and dub with sparkle brown dubbing. Wind dubbing forward towards thorax and palmer hackle leaving the excess hackle dangling. I then tie in another clump of deer hair for the wing and add more dubbing. wind dubbing back to towards head followed by the excess hackle and snip excess. Finish head with the orange thread. whip finish, cement. Done. This will make a big fat meal for a hungry fall trout! Tight Lines! PM
It was several years ago I discovered a new realm of my fly fishing experience and several worlds begun to collide as my hobby gave me back what my heart wanted all along.
This seemed like a typical day on my beloved Tuolumne river with the familiar pleasing vision of water gently cascading over large granite boulders covered in dried stone fly carcasses. A gentle breeze trickled through the tall pine refreshing me with the fresh scent of mountain sweetness and cooling the damp sweat beneath my fly vest as we hiked to my favorite haunts.
As the evening would soon be approaching I had to plan out a dinner menu for my young friend and fishing companion who trailed close by the river with me. I had released several small trout already and forgotten about the fact that I had no food back at the cabin and the small town’s market would be closed when we returned. This portion of the river remains to be stocked with rainbow trout so I didn’t feel bad about keeping one to make some fish tacos.
Patrick who accompanied me had thus far merely observed with little interaction on the water and I felt a nudge to depart from my own self absorbed hunt to coach him briefly. Tall and unfamiliar with the careful wading in low flow rates of the early Fall I thought, “how am I going to get him in a place where the fish won’t spook, the trees won’t capture his line Or tall stature, and how even if he will have any luck?”
After careful attention to detail I left Patrick in about 8″ of riffle with instruction to roll cast upstream into a seam pushing against an 8 foot boulder where I believed the pocket of deep water in the shadow of the rock would hold a fish. I also reminded him to let the cast finish it’s sweep behind him into a log with another possibility for a catch. Once Patrick made several successful casts I went upstream about 20 yards to continue our search for dinner.
Within several minutes I heard Patrick exclaim, “I got one!” I tried to ignore what I first believed to be an exaggerated proclamation of an inexperienced angler when a second urgent call came. “Bring the net! I caught dinner!” I then dropped my rod and flew back through the river’s edge of thick brush to watch exactly what was happening. It didn’t take long to see that Patrick had hooked a beautiful specimen of a trout and was being extremely careful not to allow the fish to dive under the log or race under the boulder. He was fighting him perfectly and I began to instruct him to glide the nearly exhausted fish into the shallow water. A couple short runs gave us a scare and then we were able to land him into the safety of the net.
The excitement in Patrick’s countenance, the thrill of the moment and the rush of adrenaline that we experienced together made me realize how important this time was for us. I believe fly fishing to be an incredible opportunity to experience the beauty and majesty of God’s landscape while the hypnotizing motion of the rod over the river’s current to be the most peaceful demonstration of art in the world. Yet today was different. Today my art became Patrick’s art. A piece of my life was shared and that combined pleasure of selflessness in a typical self absorbed arena of my own became vicariously engulfed by his enthusiasm. I had an epiphany that this is how my life is meant to be lived. To be shared. To give of what God has given to me. It is His pulse and is in defiance of my self centered nature. And this has become my life…to give. Tight Lines in His grace! PM
These flies are simple to tie if you are going to attempt a small dry. First use fine silk thread. I used #22 hooks. Tie in a piece of silver small ultra wire and wrap back just past point. Add a very small amount of superfine dubbing and wrap to thorax. Wrap wire back and tie off. Tie in elk hair wing. Whip finish. Note: careful not to get silk thread caught on point and try not to crowd head.
These flies work well on our still small waters that are common at the end of summer, beginning of fall. Use at least 3 feet of 7x tippet and present gently to rising trout. Tight lines! PM
After fluttering around for the past 4 months I decided to get back at the bench and begin to tie again. Here are two dynamite flies for the Sierra in the Fall Fly Fishing season~ The Fluttering Caddis. Tied with a deer hair wing and reddish brown hackle body with copper ribbing. I like how adding the hackle around the thorax portion holds the wing down permitting a more natural wing. I have had great success with this extra bouyant caddis in tumbling white water where fish hide when the sun is shining bright! Tight Lines! PM
Sorry, no fishing pics lately. I’ve been busy working on my home this summer and I must say, “It looks amazing!” Very soon I’ll be finished and ready to get out there and fish with my faithful companion here~ Honey!
Woke up early in the morning to hear the rain pounding down upon my roof and thunder rattling the whole house! I had every intention to get up early to attend a men’s breakfast at my church just not at 4 am! So as I sat there wondering what was in store for my Saturday I decided it would be cool if I could get a shot of lightning sparking up the atmosphere. Instead I captured this beautiful amber glow of the clouds above my Livermore home. Have a great weekend my friends! PM
Brown trout are known for these distinctive red dots on their sides. I just love the fact that no two fish look the same. Kinda like our finger prints and testimony of the diversity of the Animal Kingdom. If you ever wonder about your unique placement in the universe all one has to do is explore the wilderness and see that we are extraordinarily created! I believe it is God’s way of placing value on our existence and showing us how we can all benefit from one another and use our lives to contribute in our own one and only way! Keep your eyes open out there, you just may see the world differently! PM
“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.” The Message
This photo was taken at an upper elevation location in the Sierra Nevada. I instantly loved the setting and wish I had more time to relax near this beautiful pond. Fortunately I was able to take this picture and remember the beauty and blessing of this special day! Tight Lines! PM
