Fly Tying

Catch Your Breath It’s Monday Morning Again!

shannon | February 26, 2018 | 0 Comments

Texas Fly Fishing Helped by Winter Rains

It’s a bright sunny Monday, and that’s about all this week has to offer, as we have a return of rain tomorrow and Wednesday … which bodes well for some perfectly timed lake releases that bring hybrids screaming up our ditches and rivers in search of safe sex and great food. What else is there after all?

I did take a few minutes to look at our lake levels, and many are above conservation pool, and in flood pool now. I thought the one interesting exception was Texoma. As much rain as we’ve had, and that lake is still not to the top of conservation yet? I am thinking in terms of “triggers” that are pretty rare; flood events on lakes that force huge releases that restock the spillways with quantity and quality striper. And just up the road? It’s hybrid action we’re dreaming of … We’ve seen it before, and since it is actually more rainy in spring, the winter has kicked in with a good amount of rain, and lakes are brimming … could we have another of those phenomena floods where we fly fishers are the happiest campers around? Only time will tell.

Looking 24-hours into the future, I will once again hunker down with my Dyna-King, and the ingredients that make up some of my most reliable flies. How many dozens – of these reliable patterns – are enough? I’ll tell you – there’s never enough of the good stuff! Add the demand for about three dozen natural Clousers for those clear lakes, and I have my marching orders!

FLY FISH TEXAS – TEXAS FRESHWATER FISHERIES

It sounds like there was some weather at last Saturday’s Fly Fish Texas event in Athens, Texas? I know February was early for this event, but for those saying March would be better, or April would be even better … do you really think that? It’s Texas, and all that means is – when it comes to weather we really don’t KNOW what month or date would be better than another. It is always the roll of the dice.

BUCKING DOLDRUMS

Regardless, the days are getting longer and long lost voices are contacting me now – ready for spring to spring, impatient as always, as we ride out the bucking doldrums a little longer. We have to keep our guards up though. March snows here are not exactly unheard-of, but at least we’re going to get to see what a “real winter” has done to our spring and summer seasons. That alone, is an exciting proposition!

Have a great week! If you have two-cents to add to the conversation, feel free to do so …

Fly Tie Tuesday – PoPs Fly Shop Reminder

shannon | February 20, 2018 | 0 Comments

Clouser minnow for Texas Saltwater fly fishing

Clouser tied with coyote on top, and pink on bottom to emulate small shrimp. Sold HERE! Pops Fly Shop

Being sick just ain’t what it used to be! It’s lasting me longer than I want, and I gots things to do, and flies to tie!

I certainly enjoyed plenty of activity at my old site www.popsflyshop.com, but the world’s hackers just wouldn’t leave it alone, so I shut it down awhile back. Remember when the internet used to be fun? It’s a fading memory now …

POPS FLY SHOP IS HERE

So we have a new menu item at the top of the page, and it leads to PoPs Fly Shop and some images of what I sell under the increasingly prescient monicker of “PoPs.” I don’t mind it because I can take it with me wherever I go, when I go – to some other latitude that understands the need for a good supply of killer flies and items they can’t find anywhere else. Heck, the vast majority of my sales went to Houston and further south. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. The fly scene in Houston is so much more open, friendly, huge and down to earth than the scene I find myself in here.

So keep an eye on that page, and I will see if I can salvage the images from the old files of the website hackers burned to the ground.

WEATHER

Thankfully, being sick coincides nicely with the weather we are in today. I’d say it’s rained an inch already this morning, and it’s still coming down pretty heavy. A few more days of this and off goes the burn ban, and away goes the drought here in North Texas. Will we be so fortunate? All these other lakes in my sites are probably benefitting more than those north of the Messtroplex, and that DOES bode well for our spring searches of those named lakes.

Finn had his time out in the rain this morning, and unlike our other companion, he has absolutely no aversion to rain – he seems to like it. Breaking him in on the skiff next month, now there’s a trick to witness. His birthdate just didn’t jibe with the seasons that would have him on the water at a younger age. Forecast: A slow motion train wreck.

Thanks for tuning back in, and if you read, you can raise your expectations here!

Monday Afternoon Sidewalk Frozen Over

shannon | February 12, 2018 | 0 Comments

Time to Tie and Dye a Fly

Good Monday to you all! I always want to put an “!” in Monday, somewhere somehow, and this Monday, all things considered, needs a few of those exclamation points littered throughout!

The temperature is having a hard time breaking 30-degrees here “North of Normal,” and this weather really is good for one thing (fly fishing related), and that is undertaking a huge fly demand from people having trouble in big water that is clear, aka. “Texas Zebra Mussel Lakes.”

I gleaned the knowledge from watching multiple conventional fishing shows that emphasize natural colors for their hardbalts in clear / clearing lake waters. You are well versed on the successes of my “Black-on-Black” series of Clousers (for mongo bass), but you would be surprised to know that in my assault on other lakes last year? The Black-on-black ruffled a few scales, but very few, and my reaction to the slow bite? I went with brighter and brighter flies in an attempt to generate “attraction” to my fly. That, in retrospect, was probably exactly the wrong thing to do.

DYEING NATURAL FIBERS

Somewhere in this pile of books I overestimate to be a “fly fishing library” there’s a pamphlet-styled-book on “Dyeing Organic Fibers” as I recall it was named … I have no idea where that went. The plan is to tie and dye a fly made from border collie, and do it well – colorfast and realistic. It’s hard to believe I had to get my “own” dog to have free reign over my supply of dog hair, and this dog has a red-brown that lends itself more to shrimp and crayfish patterns … but Finn has enough white that it’s just begging to be “borrowed.” It is certainly time for him to start earning his kibble, and this is how it’s done around here.

What makes the effort different is the idea of ~~cutting~~ ~~harvesting~~ trimming ever so subtly, his hair, tying the fly AND THEN dyeing the fly. It means creating a single-tone fly, but we can certainly provide some contrast with flash. All I know for sure is; a fly tied with border collie is a killer that is supreme to bucktail of any flavor, as durable as synthetics and has an exponentially longer fiber than any upcountry winter bucktail grows.

We are supposed to have a break in the weather this week, but it is also supposed to be tweaked by wind, so we are in a wait-and-see mode for the week. It seems like it is about time to sit down and NOW (after all the early year shite) concentrate on all things fly. I just started on the book, “Bugwater,” and it is an incredible book for anyone who wants to take the journey to the microscopic level of bugs emulated in the fly fishing world. The photography is a showstopper (you remember I’m a “picture guy” right?), and the text is just as abundant as the photography content. I will write a review on this one once I can honestly say I have read (at least some of) the text.

Meanwhile, have a great week, don’t release any memos, don’t beat your spouse, and show up here on Valentine’s day – if not sooner!!!

Calling All DFW Fly Tiers – Red River Rendezvous This Weekend

shannon | January 25, 2018 | 0 Comments

A Fly Tying Extravaganza #RedRiverFlyFishers #flytying

LOCATION: Eisenhower State Park, 50 Park Road 20, Denison, TX

DATE: January 26 & 27, 2018

(903) 465-1956

The Red River Fly Fishers will be hosting their annual Red River Rendezvous fly tying Extravaganza on January 26 & 27, 2018, at Eisenhower State Park on Lake Texoma.

This event is a great way to kick off the year, tie a good inventory of flies, visit with old friends and make new friends. There is always a wide range of fly tying experience levels from beginners to FFI Silver Award tiers. It’s a casual group with no set agenda, tie as much as you want, practice casting, or take your newest fly creation out on Lake Texoma, a world class striper fishery.

The fly tying is held in the Recreation hall inside Eisenhower State Park. It is a nice facility with a full kitchen, heat, and restrooms. The state park has nice campsites including some full hookups for RV’s. There are also several hotels in Sherman & Denison if you want to make a weekend of it. We will have a pot luck lunch on Saturday so bring your favorite dish to share. There has always been a lot of great food and a bunch of it!

There is no charge to attend this outing. Let the park staff know you are a participant and there will be no entry fee into the park. The schedule for the weekend looks like this:

3pm Friday, January 26, 2018, the doors open.
6pm Friday, RRFF will be hosting their famous chili dog dinner with all the trimmings, no charge.
8pm Friday, wrap up for the day.
7am Saturday, doors open, tie, cast, fish, hang out, and eat!
12pm Saturday, Pot luck lunch, bring your favorite dish and share a meal.
3pm Saturday, raffle drawing
5pm Saturday, the end, wrap up another fun filled tying weekend.

Let us know if you plan on coming and will have a table set up for you, send us a note at [email protected]. For more information visit the website at http://rrff.org click on the RRR tab on the left and it will take you to the page for the latest updates or call Joe Parkes at 903-328-8232 or Lee Yeager at 903-421-4984.

Come on up and tie one on!
Red River Fly Fishers

Texas Fly Fishing Events Piling On Again This Year

shannon | January 16, 2018

Let the good lines roll!

Announcements are flowing like sand through the hourglass now, and as is normal for the Texas Fly crowd, there is another scheduling overlap again this year. Now that they’ve shot themselves in THE OTHER foot, I can’t help but wonder how it is these things happen?

In the first place, the general events (non-trout related) occur at what is typically, and selfishly slow time of the fly fishing year – a slack tide of slow if you know what I mean? People around here may be talking fly, but they certainly aren’t throwing fly.

Here’s what I have so far, and if I miss your event, be sure to holler in my face as soon as possible. I am always glad to share information about this sport you live and love, and if you are so bold and focused as to want to ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT here, we can talk about that as well.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE

The first event on the 2018 fly fishing calendar is right around the proverbial corner. Whoever comes up with a descriptive name that isn’t “fest.” or “festival” gets a prize! First, we retired “Conclave,” and now we work to retire “festival,” and the word “ambassador” from all fly lexicon forever and ever amen.

Texas Fly Fishing Expo

Based on the dead website http://txflyfishexpo.com/ – it appears that event is now dead in the water. So long. We hardly knew ya’.

TroutFest 2018

February 16-18, 2018

http://www.grtu.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/GRTU_SDE_2018.pdf

Sometimes a “sleeper” event – one loaded with great stuff and great information. That speaker list looks a little worn thin, except for Chris Wood, who I have traveled with in the past. His perspective, and speaking ability, and knowledge make for a good lecture.

Texas Freshwater Fisheries – Fly Fish Texas

https://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/visit/specialevents/flyfishtx/

February 24, 2018

This event was hurting for attendance and vendors last year – in my humble opinion. And without any kind of celebrity of note to draw crowds, it may be a little of an underdog this year as well. The February 24 date is questionable as well – with the winter we are having right now.

NOTE: Unfortunately, this event uses synthetic trout as their main attraction – setting up kids to fish for these little fish, and not really pairing up adults with walk-in kids to get their hands on fly rods. A lot more catching and hooking of kids would be accomplished with sunfish as the attraction, instead of those poor seasonal trout. This event feels like it is about ready for an overhaul.

Trinity River Water District – Flyfest 2018

March 10, 2018

http://trwdflyfest.com/

Along the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas.

This event has size and gearth to it. The location is eye-opening, and if you are local to North Texas, you are sure to run into someone you know.

Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Expo

March 10-11, 2018

http://txflyfishingfestival.org/

This event a couple of heavy hitters, and it costs heavy as well. I like that. I think in the microbrewery rich region of North Texas, they attracted three different beer makers last year. Pretty pathetic. But then, micro brews are so 2013 anyway, aren’t they? There are some speakers of note this year, and although I have never fished with any of them (you know who you are), I bet we can learn a little something new from some of these folks.

When it comes to talking, I would have expected to hear from Stephen Woodcock out of Fort Worth, but obviously he’s tied up at the TRWD Flyfest going on at the same time in Fort Worth.

NOTE: This goes on over two days, so you can do both this one and the Forth Worth event while you are not hanging out in Denton. You can bet the locals won’t be promoting ANYTHING local to local fly fishers.

Ladyfish 2018 Women’s Fly Fishing Festival

March 24, 2018

http://livingwatersflyfishing.com/ladyfish/

Round Rock Texas

Sponsored by City of Round Rock, and Living Waters Fly Fishing in Round Rock, Texas. This is the first ever of this particular event, and guess what? it’s calling itself a “festival” too.

It looks like your best contact is Living Waters Fly Fishing.

LATER THIS WEEK, I will publish the current rundown of fly fishing tournaments. It is always a short list, and with my working weekends, I won’t be the backbone of any Lake Ray Ray Roberts tournament anytime soon. Maybe in my next decade, I will have that freedom once again.