The Chubby

Last year, I shot a video on how to tie the Chubby Chernobyl.  It has gained a reputation over the last few years as a great attractor pattern.  It's easy to tie, to see and floats a dropper with ease.   This is one way to tie it and may not be the original way it was tied.  I do not know who created this pattern, but have heard that several people take credit for it.  I take credit for doing this video.  Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to learn how to fish this on the Arkansas River with me.

Caddis Lifecycle Videos

Caddis season is still here!  Just because the "big" hatch has come on gone on the Ark, that doesn't mean it's over!  Caddis are still out and will be for most of the summer.  On the Deckers stretch of the S. Platte, the caddis are just getting started so we can enjoy an extended caddis fishing season.  These videos were held at my last tying class at Ghillies Fly Shop on April 6th.  Enjoy!



The Wonder Larva from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.

The Wonder Pupa from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.

The Shark Caddis from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.

The Butch Caddis from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.

2012 Colorado Snowpack and Comparison

When you look at last year's total, which was almost 3 weeks further down the road, to this years totals, it is mind-blowing to recall that it was still collecting up high this time last year.  I was at the base of the South Fork of the South Platte River drainage and there is not a lot of snow up there.  Runoff is going to be small this year and hopefully people will start to conserve water.  The fishing has already been great, due to these lower flows, but I hope that changes with rainfall this summer, otherwise we and the fish will be in another bad situation.  Also included for your viewing pleasure is the snow pack totals from 2005 to 2012.  Let me know what your thoughts are and how things are in your neck of the woods.  

Ghillies Fly Shop closes it's doors.

This week, one of my favorite fly shops closed.   Ghillies Fly Shop was my local shop and I say that because it was just a block away from my office in Downtown Colorado Springs.  I spent many hours there in the last year and a half as it had moved from central Colorado Springs to the downtown location.  I tied flies and did all of my fly tying classes there since I was basically able to do what ever class I wanted and to introduce anglers to some of my favorite fly patterns for sale.  With the shop goes a place to get locally tied patterns and regionally favorite patterns that weren't available in the big box stores.  I owe a big thank you to Gary for allowing me to come into the shop and invite some of the best tiers around the Front Range to come down on Saturday's in the winter to tie for the customers.  Sitting, watching these tiers was such a great experience and I certainly learned a ton of new tricks and great ideas.  I also owe Gary a big thank you for never saying anything when I went rummaging through old boxes looking for hidden treasures and through the new boxes of material when they arrived and taking things before he could ever mark them off the receiving worksheet.  It was a fun ride and I will miss tying flies for the customers, many of who never knew who tied them.  I am proud to say that I did.   I plan to offer some patterns on my blog for sale, but need to plan that out.  I love tying and even though I won't be tying for Ghillies, I will still be tying, possibly at Anglers Covey, to offer a few of the local favorites.  Thanks Ghillies Fly Shop and thanks Gary for a good time!