The Dirty Johnny Video

The Dirty Johnny from Juan Ramirez-Hopper Juan on Vimeo.

Here is my latest creation on the vise.  I am hoping you will all love it and be able to purchase it at fine fly shops in the future.  I studied several awesome current patterns and then tried to blend them all together into one pattern and this is what I liked the best.  It fishes great, looks buggy and can hold a dropper forever.  Other colors I tie and fish are Red/Black, Tan/Brown, Goldenrod/Black, Pink/Lavender & Lavender/Purple.  Take a look here and learn how to tie it.
If you attend the Fly Fishing Rendezvous this weekend in Denver, I will be there tying this and others.  Stop by and check it out.

Fall Fly Fishing Rendezvous

Denver peeps, make sure to stop by and visit this event.  There will be other speakers and vendors to visit also.  I hope to see you there!

BWO Stretch Emerger #24

It's amazing how quickly things change when Mother Nature decides it's time to change.  Just a few weeks ago we were still throwing hoppers and PMDs.  All of a sudden, over a couple of weeks, things changed and the food source went to BWOs and away from hoppers.  So far this Fall, I have been caught off guard with BWO hatches that I didn't have flies small enough.  They were eating a size 24, maybe a size 26 BWO.  Luckly, I have a few flies that small, but not exactly BWO looking.

The pattern listed below is an emerger.  I like fishing emergers before the hatch and even right through it.  Many fish will eat the emerger rather than the dun if presented right in front of their face. This pattern works well when you need a little flash to get the fish's attention.  It's a true guide fly, as it's easy to tie up a bunch.

Hook:  TMC 200R or similar. #18-24.  (#24=Dia-Riki 270)
Thread: Any small thread.  Olive Dun 8/0 used here
Shuck:  Amber Z-lon
Body:  Thread
Dubbing:  Any dry Fly Dubbing.  Trout Hunter Proffesional Dubbing used here.  Olive Brown.
Wing:  Glamour Madera, Pearl. Single strand.
Colors:  Olive, Gray & Brown

Tie in the shuck

Trip the shuck to length. Dub small ball in front of the wing

Tie in a strand of Glamour Madera

Dub another very small bit of dubbing to cover the wraps

Trim thread and whip finish

Trim wing rather short

Finished emerger.  Go fish it!

Is bigger really better?

In the late summer time when everyone is ready to throw big, nasty hoppers, I like to take it down a notch and throw some small hoppers.  Why?  Why not?  Around my neck of the woods, especially on the South Platte River, the fish have seen a billion imitations of cranefly larva to BWOs by the 4th of July.  On certain sections, Hoppers really don't get the love.  There just isn't many of them out there and the fish don't necessarily need to eat them.  They will if it is an opportunity to them and they are looking for anything to eat, but I have seen them completely ignore a big meaty hopper when they are eating Tricos and PMDs.  On other stretches of rivers, I just like to offer them a smaller bite, something that they are willing to eat.  More than once I have seen them half-heartidly attempt to eat a size 8 hopper, but when offered a size 12 or 14 hopper, there is no hesitation.  

The pattern below is a smaller version of my Hopper Juan.  I tie it on a short shanked size 10 hook.  It's an easy modification of the original and quite easy to tie.  I like the short shanked hook because the hook gap is large while keeping the body short and small.  I'd say it's more like a size 14 2X hook, but with a gap to hook fish.  

It's not too late for hoppers right now.  I am still offering them to fish and they are still eating them.  Tie some up and go have some fun!

Hook:  Size 10 Short Shank Hook

Thread:  6/0 MFC Sand

Body:    Med. size cut 2mm foam

Under Wing:  Pearl Krystal Flash

Wing:   MFC Widow's Web, Tan

Indicator:  MFC Gator Hair, Hot Pink

Legs:   MFC, Small Barred Tan Sexi-Legs

Pierce foam onto hook shank and make a layer of thread

Secure with 3 thread wraps

Add super glue to secure the foam to the thread

Add 2nd piece of foam and secure with 3 wraps

Add more glue and repeat

Once you get 3 segments, tie off bottom foam with several wraps and cut close

Use micro tip scissors here

You will have little "nubs" from the cut

Secure with several wraps of thread

Add more glue and secure top piece of foam

Take thread back to middle segmented add some flash

Add your overawing of Widow's Web.  

Add legs to each side

Secure wing and foam with more glue

Fold back the top section of foam and secure with 2 wraps

Add in the indicator material

Whip finish and cut material to length 

Top view

Bottom view

Fish's view

Complete!

What's the Word?

I thought I would have tons of time on my hands when I made the job switch.  I thought I would have lots of time to tie flies, to do all the things I've been putting off for the last several years.  I've found out that that is not the case!  Just like retiring, you find more that needs to be done.  But, I have been having a good time guiding.  It's not easy, but the rewards are great and enjoyable.  The Tricos in Elevenmile Canyon have been great.  I've been able to fool them with Parachute Adams, but some of them are getting pickier after getting fooled once or twice.  

Also, my Sniper Baetis has been money!  This thing has been fooling them left and right.  Along with a Squirmy Wormy, it's been great.  

The Tricos are still going strong, but the spinner fall depends on weather.  Warmer mornings gets things moving earlier and cooler mornings take it a while to get moving.  A #24 parachute or a 180 Degree Trico have been working well.  The smarter fish eating single spinners require a bit more precise imitation in a size 26!  They will eat it, but hooking them is a bit challenging with the small hook.

#24 Parachute.  You can't get these in the shop! 

The Arkansas has been fishing great as well.  If you can cast, there are hungry fish all around.  Some fish have been taken on big dries, but most have been on droppers such as the PMD Barr Emerger and now, anything with red on it.  Think tungsten to get down where the fish are in faster water.  Pocket water is key! 

If you would like to learn more about these waters, let me know and we can get out and learn a few things!  juan@anglerscovey.com

Fishing The Ark's Pocket Water

Elevenmile Canyon misty morning

Tricos!

Happy Client

New Guide in Town.......

I've decided to trade the computer screen for sunscreen, my dress shoes for boots with studs, my Dockers for Simms G4 waders and my pen for a fly rod.  As of next week, I will become a full time Fly Fishing guide.  I've been trying to make this change for a while, but now it is finally happening.  The timing isn't great, but that couldn't be helped.  I'd welcome anyone here to call me up or e-mail me to book a trip.
I will be guiding through 3 services:
Anglers Covey Fly Shop on the South Platte River

 The Broadmoor Hotel on the South Platte River

and Royal Gorge Anglers on the Arkansas River above Canon City.

Along with guiding, I am going to do some limited tying for people.  E-mail me for more information on custom tying.

Please let me know if you are interested in a trip and let's do it!

Juan

Bluewater Lake State Park Tiger Muskies

Check out this cool video by Matt Pelletier, owner and operator of Fish Enchantment Media, LLC about a special fishery in New Mexico that offers great opportunities to hook up with some monster Tiger Muskies.  Check it out and if you are interested in a trip, do it because I have being seeing photos from this place for a few years now and it blows me away!  Check out the Facebook page here: facebook.com/fishenchantment, for more photos and info.

Home

Home from Juan Ramirez-Hopper Juan on Vimeo.

Springer, New Mexico 2015
This is where I grew up.  About a 1/2 mile north of this point.  This is on an overlook, a big bluff, overlooking the river.  I was up there looking for our missing cows.  They had escaped through "the water gap" a term we use where the property lines meet at the river bottom.  The property to the east, where the video starts belongs to the "late water gap man".  That is what we had always called him.   I have no idea what his real name was.  Now the property belongs to "the water gap man's son".  Whoever that is.  If I start playing the lottery, and win it big, I am going to buy all of that property and place my porch right there.
In the video, it start's out looking east, towards Texas, about 100 miles away.  Our property and home is to the north, looking towards Colorado.  Fisher's Peak near Trinidad is directly North.  To the Northwest, is the Culebra Range in Colorado.  From here, you can see the southernmost 14er in Colorado, Culebra Peak.  The Culebra range is an awesome sight from here.  It's difficult to see in the video, but they are there.  To the west lies the Cimarron Range , which includes Philmont Scout Ranch.  Just the early morning of this video, there was a flash flood in North Ponil Canyon which claimed the life of a 13 year old Boy Scout.
Further South is the southern end of the Sangre de Christo Range near Mora, NM.  The Pecos Wilderness covers most of this area of the high peaks.   It's a great view that video can only hope to capture.  There aren't any trout in the Canadian River, but to the west, there are plenty including native Rio Grande Cutthroats.
To the south, lies more of New Mexico.  It drops in elevation and turns into more of a high desert climate.  Just a mile or less, the Canadian River joins the Cimarron River and heads southeast a bit, carving a large canyon, Mills Canyon. The rains of Spring sure made this place look like the old days!  The cows are happy and now back at home until another big rain comes and blows out the fence and the cows head to greener pasture.  Just a tid  bit of info here.  In 1965 this river just downstream from here peaked at 172,00 CFS!!  As you see, the flood plain is huge.  No wonder there are no trout in here. Thanks for joining in on the tour!
HJ

Goodbye to the Hardy Zenith?

Recently, I have heard that my favorite rod, The Hardy Zenith is being discontinued.  Like all great rods before it, it has come time to replace it with a newer material, a newer idea. While I have done many "experiments " on different rods over the last two years, I found that this rod is just a perfect all around rod for me.  Specifically, the 9' 5wt rod is perfect as an all purpose rod that can handle anything.  My favorite rod in the series is the 8'6" 4 wt. rod.  Perfect for the dry fly fishing, it is delightful.  The rods will be going on sale at your local Hardy dealer, so I'd try to find one if you can. Otherwise, you could wait for the latest and greatest to be announced.  I it appears that there will be two new line ups in the Hardy world.  The Hardy Zephrus is what I assume is the replacement for the Zenith.  It uses Sintrix 440, which was used in the Zenith series.  I am assuming that these rods will be similar in sizes and price.   Hardy has not released any information yet, so this is only speculation on my part. (I have confirmation that this is the case).
One other rod that will be released is the Hardy Wraith, a high dollar, ultra fast action fly rod.  Think Sage one and Sage Method style.  This is based off of Sintrix 550, which is the best material available in the Sintrix line up.  If you remember, Hardy used this material in the Hardy Artisian, which was featured in the Yellowstone Angler a couple years ago and got awesome marks for feel, even better than the Zenith.  The Artisan was produced in England so the cost was prohibitave to most of us and I've never even seen one.   So hang on and go grab a Zenith rod or wait to see what is coming out later this year.  I am sure they will be something special.