Laugh today!

Yea, it's pretty funny!

Got Tricos?

July, August and September mean one thing in the 11-Mile Canyon section of the South Platte River in Colorado.  Trico spinner falls are usually the name of the game mid-mornings on the river.  I usually try to have several patterns in my box for the spinner fall.  One of my favorite patterns over the years has been the 180° Trico Spinner.  I call it my pattern, but I am sure there are others out there just like this.  It has been a solid pattern and when tied on a 2488 hook, it can be tied really small, just like the naturals.  Enjoy.  

On the Water

It's been a very busy last month and a half.  I have been pretty busy doing classes and guide trips this summer.  I spent the last two days in 11-Mile Canyon throwing hoppers and PMDs.  My hopper/dropper class on Saturday was good and the guys who took it came away with a ton of new info.  Some nice fish were landed even though 11-mile Canyon is not know as good hopper water.  We even threw hoopers to rising fish eating tricos and hooked them!  Today saw some beginners in the Orvis 201 class land some fish.  At the end of the class, the fish were getting picky, but a PDM Ice Emerger did the trick and they walked away having learned a few new things today.  I returned to the water by myself after the class to some "smooth" water.  I tied on a parachutue PMD Emerger and proceeded to hook fish.  I was using my new Hardy 8'10" 4 wt. Zenith Sintrix rod with a 12' leader and that thing is the real deal.  It cast like a dream and has enough power to cast the distance and to turn over a long leader as well as handle the bigger fish when needed.   It's been a great several weeks, but I am ready for some down time next weekend!

Pile of rods and reels

Ready for throwing some hoppers.

4wt., 5wt, & 6 wt.

Fishing some of the faster, pocket water.  

Nice legs at Target.

No, not those legs.  As I was walking around Target today, I ran across this.  A rubber Koosh Ball.  

Koosh Ball

The first thing that came across my mind was "those would make really nice hopper legs".  At a $1.00, I couldn't pass it up.  When I got home, I took the wire binding the thing together and proceeded to tie up some Choas Hoppers using these new legs.  The rubber strands are square so the legs come out a lot better than the rubber legs when knotted.  The length is just about perfect for most hopper legs and the color is great.  They come in various colors so you can tie up just about any weird looking hoppers with legs you want.  As a fly tier, I just couldn't pass it up.  

After taking it apart.

New legs ready to go!

Tan Choas Hopper #10

Peach Choas Hopper, # 12

Hardy 1 Piece Fly Rods

  A great opportunity was presented and I jumped on it.  After reading and hearing that the Hardy Zenith rods were the cream of the fly rod crop, I knew I had to give one a wiggle.  I did and I ended up with a 9' 5wt.  It has been my go to 5wt. for the last 6 months.  I have thrown nymphs and dries with the thing and haven't been disappointed in any way.   Back in December at the Fly Fishing show, Hardy was there and had some new models of the Zenith rods on hand.  They had the new 1 piece rods there.  I figured what the heck and gave them a shot.  HOLY CRAP!  The 8' 10" 4 wt. rod was a dream.  I am not the world's best caster but certainly thought I was for the few minutes I had that thing in my hand.  Fast forward several months.  The super long package shows up at my office and I proceed to take the 1 piece rods out of the cases.  Seriously, how do I get these darn things out without breaking them?  Maybe I was a bit off in my thinking that 1 piece rods wouldn't be much of a hassle.  When I got them out on the lawn, I immediately remembered why I wanted to have a 1 piece rod.  They are super light, smooth and responsive.  They feel like no other rod I have ever cast.  The 6wt rod feels like a 4wt.  The 4 feels like a 3wt.  That is until you lay the gas on to them.  That is when you can feel the power you have in them.  I took them out to a local pond and cast them around.  There was a good head wind and the 4wt. did fine casting into the wind.  The 6 wt. was just spectacular.  I wasn't really fishing, I was just casting a hookless fly.  It was fun and I can't wait to get these rods out on the water soon.  I'll have more for you later on these fine rods.  Gosh, I can't wait to cast these on the water and really give them a workout.
George Anderson's Yellowstone Angler recently did their 4 wt. shoot out and the 8'6" 4wt. Hardy Zenith came out with top honors.  The one thing I came away with from that shoot out was the Hardy is good and I couldn't get this comment out of my head..... "The only other 4-weight rod in the world that might do everything better?  Hardy's 1 pc version"..... James Anderson

**These rods were obtained knowing that I would not be able to take them along every time I go somewhere.  I can safely carry these in my car rigged up and store them rigged up, ready to go.  I cannot take these on any family trips or when there is no room for a full 9' rod case.  That is where the 4 piece rods come in.  I guess you could say these are "specialized" rods.  For me, the advantages were clear.  **