The Twisted Sister Midge

Check out this new little pattern for your winter fishing.  It's simple and only requires a few materials.

The Money Midge

It's not a new pattern.  I call it the Money Midge because of the price to make it.  Putting Tungsten beads on a TMC 2499SP-BL hook makes for a great pattern, but a costly one to produce.  This is one to go after if caught in a tree or snagged on a rock.  But it will catch fish.  I promise.  

Hook:  TMC 2499SP-BL #18

Thread:  MFC 8/0 Brown

Bead:  2mm MFC Lucent Bead, Coffee Color

Wire:  UTC Small Copper Brown

Dubbing:  Hareline Golden Brown Ice Dub

The A.K. Best test

A.K. Best stopped by my table this weekend and checked out some of my flies.  He told me I had a lot of flies.  I asked him if he wanted to buy some.  He laughed.  He also looked closely at one of my patterns.  He said it looked good.  It was thin and sparse just as it should be he said.  Whew!  I guess I passed the "A.K. Best test"!

I posted this on my Facebook page.  If you haven't yet, stop by and "like" the Hopper Juan page.  I share little tie-bits and photos there that usually don't make it here.  Click on the Icon to be taken there.

The Denver Fly Fishing Show, 2013

It has come and gone, but man was it fun! The 2013 FFS was great as usual and it was awesome to meet up with old friends and to meet some new friends.  Many of you stopped by to thank me and to tell me that they enjoyed this blog.  That really means a lot to me and energizes me with more ideas and more passion.  Bringing you great content is something I strive for.  Thank you to all the readers out there for supporting me over the years.  

It seems like the tiers this year were more than usual and that was great.  The usual Denver area guys were there cranking out some of the world's best fly patterns and some really innovative patterns.  I think this area has the greatest concentration of great tiers than anywhere else.  Let me know if you agree.  There were a few highlights to the show.  One has to be seeing Howard from Windknots and Tangled Lines Blog.  With what has come to be a yearly tradition, he stopped by to talk and show me his Fiberglass Manifesto shirt. This year as we were chatting, Mike Broward showed up repping the FM shirts.  How do these guys find each other?  

Keeping it real

MFC Tier, Casey Duncan

The powerful Shea Gunkel

I was also able to meet Josh Udesen, an artist and areally cool guy.  His art work graces the water bottles and fly boxes of Montana Fly Company.  Check out his work Here.  We were trying to work out a barter involving some orginal artwork and a fly box, but since he has more shows scheduled in the coming weeks, we will hold off.  The photo above has him thinking really good and hard about the deal.  

Dave Whitlock

Capt. Bill and Molly with Royal Gorge Anglers.  

Many of you may know who April Vokey is. If not, I ask you if you really are a fly fishing fool or not?  April is one of the hottest (literally) names on the scene these days.  She is a B.C. based Steelhead guide that is taking the world by storm.  While she is not your typically looking guide, she is the real deal and a hoot to be around too.  My buddy Jake Ruthvan from Fins On The Fly blog was lucky enough to spend some time with her and I even think she has a crush on him.  What a problem to have right?  April will be joining the Montana Fly CO. design team this year, so you will see her patterns coming out soon also.  

Another highlight of the show was getting to meet Phil Rowley, a long time fly tier from Canada.  Phil is one of the most recognized stillwater tiers. When the FFS first came to Denver in 2001, I made the trip up from New Mexico and Phil's book was the only thing I bought.  I used that book to learn patterns to fish on the lakes of Northeastern NM and when I met Phil, he mentioned that he loved this blog and followed it regularly.  That was such an awesome compliment.  We hit it off and he is just an awesome guy to be around.  I am sure we will be lifelong pals.  I had him sign that book and it feels like this show has come a complete circle.  I bought a book and followed this guy's instruction for tying and now he is watching me tie flies.  Wow!  Phil, I appreciate your friendship and thank you for all the inspiration and instruction over the years.  

With that, I will unload all my crap and tie some more flies.  What else would I do?

The Fly Fishing Show

It's that time of the year again for the shows in our neck of the woods to begin.  I will be in Denver this weekend twisting up some of my favorite patterns.  I will have some Hopper Juans and Hollywood Hoppers for sale as well as Hoper Juan kits for sale.  Stop by and say hi.  I look forward to meeting new faces and followers of this blog and saying hi to old friends.

For more info, click HERE

Hank Patterson's Holiday Extravaganza!

Because Hank loves us so much, he did this for us!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!  

I hope you wake to find your stocking filled with leaders, tippet, Thingamabobbers, TMC hooks, Dr. Slick scissors and much more.  

Thank you all for taking the time to read and look at this blog.  I appreciate it. 

I hope this upcoming year is better than the last.  

Feliz Navidad!

Hoppy Holidays!

Happy Hopper Days from the Holiday Hopper, I mean the Hollywood Hopper!  

Tying Demo, 12/15/12

Juan's Hollywood Hopper

A new hopper pattern for you for you to start tying to be ready in August.  This pattern is a lower riding, more realistic pattern than the Hopper Juan.  While it may look complicated, after trying it a few times, it all comes together.  The hardest part is getting all the materials together.  A recent change has me using a Chernobyl taper cutter to get a more precise body cut, otherwise everything else is the same.
Pull out the foam and Super 77, order some eyes and legs and get started.

Hopper Juan's Gift Guide

Hey fellas.  Christmas is just  a couple of weeks away and Hopper Juan is here to help you out.  Take a look at some gift ideas below and see if any of them are desired and if so, just e-mail this page link to your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, brother, mother, sister-in-law, rich uncle or Santa Clause and let them know what item you like.  All the items here are less than $100.00.   If you want to see specific items listed here, just shoot me an e-mail (click here) and I will get them listed.  

Simms Windstopper Foldover Mitts.
If you fish in the Winter, why not have the best?
$59.95

Simms Boot Sock/Liner Combo
This will make anyone have happy feet.
$19.95

Montana Fly Company Aluminum Fly Box
Maddox "Snack"
$34.99

MFC Water Bottle
Sylvester's Rainbow Reflection
$24.99

Montana Fly Company Aluminum Fly Box
Sundell's Rainbow Skin
$34.99

MFC iPhone 4 cover
Udesen's Salmonfly
$29.99

Montana Fly Company Aluminum Fly Box
Udesen's "Hopper" Box
$34.99

Nite Ize S-Biners
These are awesome to have on your vest, pack or lanyard!  You can hang lots of crap on them.
Various sizes and colors for less than $5.00

Orvis, Clearwater Large Arbor Reel
$79.00

Morning Star Lanyards
A great alternative to vests and packs.
$31.95

Simms Headwaters Pro Waist Pack
$99.95

Trout Skin Nippers from Orvis
A great "must have item" for the vest, pack or lanyard.
$15.95

Li'l Guppie Multi Tool from Orvis
Why not carry around one of these?
$27.99

C & F Fly Boxes
These are the best boxes to your your flies.  Sizes and prices vary.

C & F 3 in 1 Clipper/Threader
This is one of the finest Nippers I have ever used.  It's great!
$21.95

Sage ONE v. Orvis Helios 2

As most of you may have figured out already, I am a fan of fly rods.  I love to compare and see what others think about different rods.  In all this study and self data collection, I have come to one conclusion:  If you ask 10 guys what they think of a certain rod, you will get 13 answers!

Here is a great comparison of two great rods, the new Orvis Helios 2 and the established Sage One.   I think both are great rods, but I would like to see where the Hardy Zenith would rank in this particular comparison.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it thought of as a better all around rod than either one of them.  I have only spent only 2 minutes with the ONE on the water and zero time with the H2.  I hope to get both the Hardy Zenith and the H2 out together soon to see what I think.  I'll let you know.
Check out the link HERE!

Thanks to Headhunters for taking the time to do this.
EDIT:  The link is gone as Headhunters lost all their data this summer.