Got Stats?

Blogger has recently made some upgrades available to us that allow bloggers to keep track of what people are looking for and what they are looking at. This is a great tool to have as I can look to see what is the most requested post or the most interesting post. As suspected, the Hopper Juan step by step post is the most popular, followed by some of the most recent posts. Over the following month, the top five viewed posts are:

Dang Bubba!!!!!!!! Must read!!!!
Jul 23, 2010, 5 comments
194 Pageviews
The Hopper Juan Tying Steps
May 15, 2009, 17 comments
157 Pageviews
Yes, there is still a pulse here.
May 27, 2010, 10 comments
117 Pageviews
Caddis pattern revisited
Jul 11, 2010, 2 comments
45 Pageviews
Tungsten Glossy Back Baetis Tutorial
Oct 11, 2009, 3 comments
31 Pageviews

Over the last year the fly patterns are the most viewed. The tutorials for the Hopper Juan, the Glossy Back Baetis and the Ice Emerger are the top three viewed.
I hope to go back and add some additional comments to the original posts for these patterns as I have made some changes to the originals and would like to share those changes with you. Look for those in the future.
For those of you using Blogger, take a look at the new "stats" option and you can find out what your most requested posts are and where they are coming from. I've noticed a lot of folks come over from this fine blog. Go and take a look, it's one of the best out there. http://midgeman-midgemansflybox.blogspot.com/

Dang Bubba!!!!!!!! Must read!!!!

So the story goes that this is little Trevor Manhart's first fish he's ever caught.   Now considering that he is 5, he probably hasn't had as much time on the water as some of us.  Now image this.  Father's Day 2010, in Montrose, Colorado, a co-worker of mine is visiting his father and at sometime during the day, they walk down to the local pond/lake that is part of the community.  I image this water doesn't get fished much, but looking at it, it looks like great water.  Trevor was exciting about fishing, using an old Fenwick Ultra lite spinning rod with 4# test.  That day they tied on a Panther Martin with 2 hooks clipped off and the barb pinched down on the remaining hook.  While Trevor was reeling in, the fish hit.  Being 5, he fought the fish but he tired quickly and handed the rod over to his dad, Steve.    After a battle, the fish was landed by a firm grip of the tail, and just then the hook fell out!   It measured somewhere around 27" and I wouldn't argue with that,  maybe add a couple of inches just for the hell of it.  Many of us dream of landing a fish this size and few of us us have actually been able to hold them in our hands.  I would bet that none of us have ever had a first fish like this!    The look on Trevor's face is priceless once he figures out that thing is about half as big as him or more.  The big brown's mouth could have easily swallowed a smaller child and I think Trevor realized that as he looks to be bolting back to Grandpa's house.  Enjoy, because you might never see another 1st fish this big by a little guy.

Comments welcome--his dad is proud.  

Caddis pattern revisited

 A while back, I posted these flies and said I would have to try them out.  I tied a large one in size 10 and stared at that thing and imagined where I would throw it and how big a dropper I could put on it.  Well, I did get the chance to test the size 10 out earlier this year and was disappointed.  It would probably work just OK by itself, but holding a dropper up was not a good idea.  The weight of the hook alone was a detriment to the fly itself.  The percentage if body below the surface was to great to keep the rest of the fly from sinking.  This was more evident when a dropper was added.  So, after reviewing, I feel the large sizes were a failure. Perhaps a size 12 on a light wire hook would be a better size to test. I have thrown the smaller #14s and 16s, but not enough to have a good feel for how they will work.  They do float better than the larger sizes though.  More testing to come!

Are you fishing hoppers yet?

You should be!  The fishing right now is pretty good.  I was out today and fished a hopper/dropper set up for about an hour.  It was fun.  I was basically running and gunning, not having much time and only wanted to hit choice areas.  I moved about 12 fish, with about 50% of them on the hopper and 50% on the dropper.  The hopper pattern I used is the same fly I used at Rainbow Falls.

It was still rigged up and I just re-tied a dropper on to it.  The dropper was my Tungsten Glossy Back Baetis Nymph.

The fish pounded the hopper near the banks and that is what I love most about this type of fishing.
The biggest fish of the day was a 19" rainbow that was almost as think as it was long, she took the TGBB and proceeded to take me up and down the stream until I finally netted her.  Of course, there are no photos of said fish.
The hopper in the photo above no longer resembles the actual pattern as it is now chewed up and missing about 65% of the hair.  It can still be fished and probably still has another trip it could be used for, but I think I'll just retire it now.  It has done what it was tied to do.  To hold up a dropper at the right depth and to catch a few fish.  That's good enough for me!

If you want to throw some hoppers, do so NOW!  I don't wait until some report says it's time.  Fish are looking up for adults and when they are eating Doritos, and a hamburger steak is offered, it's usually not turned down.  Just remember to throw close to the banks and enjoy the excitement when a nice brown rolls on it and takes you for a ride.

Desert wind, Brookies and Browns

While I figured I would never use it, I packed the 3 wt. anyways.  You just never know.

A family reunion in Arizona  took us down through New Mexico past the Cimarron River turn off where golden stoneflies were being eaten by browns, past the Pecos River where caddis were fluttering, past Bluewater Lake where Tiger Muskies and Rainbows swim, into Arizona where the desert rules.  But I had the 3wt. just in case.  

Needless to say, there were no good trout streams around.  

While the wind blew and the dust flew, a plan was hatched.  Rather than return the same way, maybe a trip north, through Colorado could be made.  

Heading north around Chinle, AZ

So beautiful!  

A different landscape than before.  Wolf Creek Pass, CO

Elevation 10,863' Temp: 66 degrees

The fishing wasn't bad for pull off, take a break from driving fishing.  Remember that 3 wt. that was mentioned earlier?

Big Ben with his first fish of the day.  

Kids being kids.  

It was a quick trip, but so much fun.  We all really enjoyed it and plan to stay home for a while before going anywhere else.  On the way back into the Springs on the interstate, we were able to watch fireworks all over town and surrounding communities.  It was great.  

Happy 4th!