Colorado Skies Outfitters Tying Demo

I will be in Parker, Colorado this Saturday for Colorado Skies Customer Appreciation Day.  I'll be doing some tying, starting at 10:00AM until 11:00am or so.  I hear that there is going to be a BBQ after and that may be the main reason I am headed that way!  I am planning to tie a few of my patterns including the newly re-named 719 Baetis Nymph.  Stop by and say hi.

11020 S Pikes Peak Dr. Suite 105 Parker, CO, 80138
720-851-HOOK

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Tying the Stimulator, Step by Step.

The Stimulator is one of my favorite flies to tie and to fish.  Year after year, I find a "Stimi" tied to the end of my fly line, usually while I am on some pocket water or a small to medium sized stream.  It works well in a hopper/dropper set up, usually holding up a BH Prince Nymph or BH Pheasant Tail.   While fishing the tailwaters, this is usually not my first choice as an attractor, but on the freestone rivers like the Arkansas, it is definitely in the top 3 for an attractor.  Over the years, there has been many "additions" to this fly, but I generally prefer the "standard" or original style over the pimp my Stimi styles.  Now I have plenty of these tied with legs and overwings stashed in my boxes, but I find the original style usually works just fine.  As for colors, the orange/yellow body and yellow/orange body is a great start, but don't forget to try these in a peacock style or a golden tan color for both Caddis and Golden Stoneflies.  I think if I had only one choice to carry a dry fly for the rest of my fly fishing days, I would have trouble making a case for not picking this pattern.  It covers the Caddis, Golden Stones, Salmonflies, Hoppers, Yellow Sallys and a few others here and there so well, the fish can't resist it.  

The following pattern is how I like to tie my Stimulators.  A well tied pattern will last for many fish and makes for a more enjoyable day on the stream not having to change flies so many times.  I don't mind changing out flies after a fish has chewed it to shreds, I just prefer that I don't have to do it after 3 fish.  

Stimulator

Hook:  TMC 200R, MFC, 7002 #4-16

Thread:  UTC 70 Deiner or MFC 8/0 Flour. Fire Orange

Tail:  Nature's Spirit Deer Hock

Rib:  X-Small copper Wire

Body:  Nature's Spirit Fine Dubbing or Antron Dubbing, Orange

Hackle:  Whiting Farms Neck Hackle, Brown and Grizzly

Wing:  Elk Hair

Thorax:  Nature's Spirit Fine Dubbing or Antron Dubbing, Yellow

Start your thread and work it back to opposite the barb.  

Tie in the deer hock.  While it is short and stiff, it has just the right amount of flair for the tail.

It also compresses pretty well so my body doesn't start out too fat.  

Clip the butts close to the body and start to compress the body.  

Note the well-compressed hair and a flared tail.  Don't forget to tie in the copper wire for the rib.  

Start dubbing the body with even wraps of dubbing.

Notice the even body and the location of where I stopped the body.

Tie in a good hackle for the body.  I prefer to use necks for the hackle, but saddles also work well.  

Start wrapping the hackle in even wraps back to the back of the fly.  

Once you are there, hold the hackle at a 45 degree angle and capture with the first wrap of the wire rib.  

Wrap the rib to the front of the body and tie off.  Clip the hackle tip from the rear of the fly.  

This is the completed body.  

Clean and stack some good cow elk hair; I also use deer hair for the wing.  Make sure you use good hair for the wing.  Good hair=good flies.  

Tie down the hair and compress the butts...

And make a good, clean-angled cut.  You will want to cover all the butts for the next step.

Notice all the butts are covered by the thread at an angle; this is important for the next step.  Tie in an appropriate sized hackle for the thorax.  I like this hackle to be a bit bigger than the body hackle.  

Dub the thorax area, starting from the bottom of the taper and work your way up.  This helps the thread and dubbing from slipping down to the eye.  

Work the hackle down to behind the eye.  Don't crowd the eye! Tie off a nice head and make sure to clip  any stray hackle fibers that might be in the way.  

Finished Stimulator.  Note the proportions on the fly and the full hackle, wing and thorax.  Now tie up a few more and get in the hills.  There isn't much time left!  

Nature's Spirit Fly Tying Materials

This afternoon I came home from work to find a package filled with Nature's Spirit fly tying material.  If you haven't heard of Nature's Spirit, you are in for a treat.  Not only do they have some top notch fly-tying materials, but the have, bar none, the best tying hair out there.  They do a tremendous job sorting through the deer and elk hides to deliver you the best possible hair.  Not all fly shops carry this product, but when you do find one, pick up some of their materials and make sure you try out some of their hair.  You will not be disappointed.  This hair has made a huge difference in how my flies look and fish.  There is not a web site for them, but click here to see some of their product.

                                              

 Awesome piece of hair for Hoppers, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulators and more.  Select Cow Elk.

 Early Season Cow Elk, Bleached

 Deer Hock, Bleached

If you can help...

Please come fishing with us!

Catamount Institute’s after school club kids are studying all things water this semester, catching bugs in the creek, tying flies, and going fishing.  We are still short on volunteers, especially for fishing.  If you think you’d like to fish Catamount’s private ponds at the end of Edlowe Rd past Woodland Park, please give me a call or email. 

·         Fishing groups are small-TU is lending youth rods for kids

·         I will teach as much as you need me to

·         You cast (my casting needs work)

·         You catch a fish (We hope- for the kids to see)

Here is the most recent schedule for fly tying and fishing as of 10/6/10.  Not much has changed- which is why we need your help!

·         Strike through indicates passed event

·         Highlighted “Volunteer Needed” indicates we still need an experienced fly fisher

I look forward to hearing from somebody ;)

-Tracy Jackson

Education Director, Catamount Institute

Jackson@catamountinstitute.org (719) 471-0910 X104

Fishing –Call Tracy for exact times

ALL fishing events are at the Catamount Mountain Site at the end of Edlowe Rd between Woodland Park and Divide between ~3:00 and 5:00pm

9/23 Thursday- Columbine Elm- Sam Humpert volunteered

9/27 Monday- Howbert Elm Chris Powell volunteered

10/4 Monday- Taylor Elm- Doug Downey is volunteering

10/11 Monday- Lincoln Elm- Volunteer Needed ~3:00-4:30pm

10/12 Tuesday- Manitou Elementary- Volunteer Needed ~4:00-5:30pm

10/13 Wednesday- GLOBE Charter School & Summit Elm- Volunteer Needed  ~3-5 & 5-6

10/14 Thursday- Stratmoor Hills Elm- Volunteer Needed ~4:15-5:45

10/20  Wednesday Cresson Elm - Volunteer Needed

10/21 Thursday- Lake George- Volunteer Needed

Tying- Call Tracy for Exact times (all between ~ 3:00 and 5:00pm)

ALL tying lessons are at the schools listed below

9/20 Monday Howbert Elm- Sam Humpert volunteered

9/23 Wednesday Cresson & Summit Elm- Sam Humpert volunteered

9/30 Thursday- Doug Downey volunteered

10/4 Monday- Lincoln Elementary- Mike Clifford is volunteering

10/5 Tuesday- Manitou Elementary- Mike Clifford is volunteering

10/6 Wednesday- GLOBE Charter School- Juan Ramirez is volunteering

10/7 Thursday- Stratmoor Hills Elm- Mike Clifford is volunteering

10/14 Thursday- Columbine Elementary Travis Newsome is volunteering

10/28 Thursday- Lake George- Volunteer Needed

I helped the fly tying class on 10/06 and it was fun and the kids are excited about tying and fishing.  If you can help, that would be awesome!  Contact Tracy Jackson at her e-mail listed above.  

Thanks,

Juan 

Pretty in Pink

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, my fly of the month is the Pink San Juan Worm.  Following is a step by step on how to tie the SJ worm.  

Step 1.  Gather all your material.  #14 Scud hook, pink chenille, pink thread and a lighter.  

Step#2.  Start your thread and wrap down the chenille with the thread at 2 or 3 locations.  Tie off, cut chenille to length and singe the end.  That's it!

Ha!  In all seriousness, this is an often overlooked color of the SJ worm.  While I have never seen an actual pink worm, apparently the fish have or maybe they just have a pea sized brain.  But then again, I don't spend much time with my head underwater, so maybe they do exist, I just haven't seen them.  But the fish eat them and even those technical tailwater biggies like a pink worm every now and then.  The NFL isn't the only ones to be rockin' the pink this month.  I'll be throwing pink all month as it has been one of my most productive patterns in October.

I need a name.

Hi, I am a baetis nymph and have been going by the name, Juan's Baetis Nymph for  awhile, but recently my name was changed to "Bringing Sexy Back Baetis".  Yea, pretty lame.  So now I need a new, cooler name.  I need your help in finding a new name for myself. So go ahead and let me know if you have any ideas.  Once I have a good name, I'll have my creator post a tying tutorial for you.

Thanks,

____________Baetis Nymph.  

Bringing Sexy Back?

Bringing Sexy Back Baetis Nymph

Last evening was the Autumn Splendor Fly Tying event at Anglers Covey.  It was a great time and although the crowd was somewhat light, I think it was because they were still out fishing or on the couch watching college football.  There was a nice little fly tying contest going which had three prizes for the winners.  For the first hour or so, there were only two of us entered, so my chances of placing were really good.  I was pretty sure I had at least 2nd locked up.  My fly I entered was my Baetis nymph that I think I have shown on here.  I needed a catchy name for it other than Juan's Baetis Nymph.  All week I tried thinking of a name but nothing came to mind.  Driving to the event, I tried and nothing.  So at the time of submission, I asked a few people for ideas.  Here is what I came out with:  Bringing Sexy Back Baetis.  Yea, that's what I went with.   The fly is tied with a cream belly and a dark hen back, hence the idea of having "back" somewhere in the title.  The top 3 winners would have their fly taken back to Umpqua headquarters by Riley Cotter, one of the fly managers at Umpqua.  I wasn't really interested in having my pattern sent to Umpqua, since I already have a contract with MFC.  Here were the prizes:
First Place Prize: SAGE TCX 590-4 Fly Rod ($795 value)
Second Place Prize: Assortment of Temico Tying Tools (+$100 value)
Third Place Prize : Umpqua Pro Fly Box Assortment ($100 value)

I ended up in 2nd place behind the powerful Shea Gunkel and his new Trico Splatte .  I think there may have been some cheating on his part though since he had his whole Familia in the house.  I bet he paid them to vote or something.  Even his kids.  Oh, well, it's not like I need a new rod or anything, I only have two arms I can use at the same time.  But what I did score was the Metz tying Tools.  Remember in my earlier post of the new products for 2011 that I really liked the new hair stacker that they offered?  Well, I have one now.  Along with a good score of tools, I think I may have gotten the better deal.  Sorry G-Love! I have already used most of the tools and can say they are top notch.  Umpqua/Metz makes some really good stuff.   I'll post more later on the individual tools.  Thanks to Anglers Covey and to Umpqua for sponsoring this event and for the tools and the fly boxes that were donated for prizes.  Thanks to the tiers who traveled from out of town to tie for this event.  Shea Gunkel, Larry Kingrey, Taylor Edrington, Carl Pennington, Al Ritt, Frank Smethurst, and Ed Engle.  

All of the winnings! 

Big Ben Tying  a Woolly Bugger 

Jackson tying something.

Ed Engle reaching for a snack?  No, he was looking for some material.  

Jamie tying a hot, new fly. 

 Good stuff here.

A Peacock Caddis tied with some of the new tools.