Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Bridgeport CA’

Cairo and his Mom and Dad along with his GMa on Aimee’s side, ventured up to the Eastern Sierra in early July 2023 after the wettest year since 2017. There was still a tremendous amount of snow piled up in the higher elevations around Bridgeport, CA…

Cairo prepping with his new sleeping bag…

…and his Patagonia “puffy”…

Some casting practice with Dad at the Pasadena Casting Club after having his bubble filled…

…like a Pro…

Virginia Lakes Resort, still not open on July 1, 2023…

Portions of the parking lot have over six feet of packed snow…

…early dinner at the campsite…

…then some fly and bubble tossing at Little Virgina Lake…

Little Virginia Lake…very cold water…

…another view from where the boats and float tubes launch…

With Mom at campsite…

…Sunset at Little Virginia Lake…

Big Virginia Lake…

Blue Lake Brookie…

Roaring falls in the backcountry…

Rainbow for Cairo…

…it tasted real good…

Cairo preparing to trek…

Michael and Cairo in the aspens and mule ears…

On the trail to higher elevations…

The meadow at Green Creek…

A roaring Green Creek…

On the trail…above Parker Lake…

Parker Lake…

Michael packing Cairo in a snowfield with avalanche downed trees…

A waterfall coming off a snowfield above Parker Lake…

Coming back down the trail from Parker Lake…

…another waterfall coming off a big snowfield…

At the campsite with Mom and Dad…

Strawberries and pancakes…

On an after dinner hike with Dad and Bob…Mono Lake is the the background…

Taking care of business…

Watching Dad cast at Blue Lake…

Michael working the water for Brookies at Blue Lake…

Intensity with a snowbank in the background…

The dudes at the Jolly Cone in Bridgeport…

Nightfall above Bridgeport, CA…

 

NEXT…Montana, August-September 2023…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Cario and his Mom and Dad are currently up in the Eastern Sierra, around the Bridgeport area. A full post will be coming on their exploits . Meanwhile…

Cairo prepping his fly and bubble cast at the Pasadena Casting Club…Saturday, July 1, 2023…

Cairo at Little Virginia Lake , in the evening of Sunday, July 2, 2023…using a soft hackle…

 

 

PT/TB

Read Full Post »

Some smaller patterns for use up in the Eastern Sierras in May when I can get Ally, Hero and Nick rolling towards Bridgeport, CA and the flows increase in the East Walker River. Hopefully, we will experience some snow in the mountains before then. Right now it isn’t looking real good… ( 3.3.2018…it’s coming down BIG TIME in the Eastern Sierra :thmbup:  and looking like the will be more… 3.14.2018

Completed BOX OF SMALL…

UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE …

HOOK: Hanak H130BL, #18 – #20

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier, Black thread

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Gunmetal Blue, x-sm

THORAX: UV2 Kingfisher Blue Dyed Peacock

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Metallic Blue, sized to hook

Before I went up to the High Sierra with my entire family, in August of this past year, I tied up a bunch of soft hackle flies using this UV2 Kingfisher Blue Dyed Peacock. It was a fish catching machine in the high elevation lakes then and again above Bishop in early November. This is a little attractor pattern for moving water using the Peacock Herl in the thorax. Try it with a black or Nickel Bead too !!!

Materials UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE…

UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE(s)…# 18’s…

JOLLY KONE in Bridgeport, CA…

Bridgeport, CA in the early Spring…

YELLOWCAKE MIDGE …

HOOK: Firehole Stick 316, #18

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Dk. Brown – Thorax forward

SHUCK: 3 short strands, Fire Orange, Pearl Midge Flash

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier thread, Brown

RIB: UTC Wire, Hot Yellow, SM

WINGS: 2 strands Krystal Flash, Hot Yellow

THORAX: Larva Lace Salmo Supreme – Rainbow

GLASS BEAD: Hi Lite Glass, Quicksilver, x-sm

One of the first glass bead Midges I have tied in quite awhile. This one is a flashy little critter for attraction and water that is tinted. I have a bunch of Larva Lace dubbing that needs to be used…

 

Materials YELLOWCAKE MIDGE

YELLOWCAKE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

Midge water on the East Walker River…

CREAM MERCURY MIDGE – Dorsey Variant…

HOOK:  Daiichi 1130, #18 – #22

TREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Cream

RIB: UTC  Wire, Copper, x-sm

GLASS BEAD: Killer Caddis, Diamond Bead, Midge

It’s been awhile since I have tied any glass bead midges. Pat Dorsey’s Mercury Midge is an excellent pattern for the East Walker River, in the Spring…Right in here:

Michael with yet another Brown caught on a Midge on the EWR…

Materials CREAM MERCURY MIDGE…

CREAM MERCURY MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH …

HOOK: Firehole Stick 419, #18 – #20

THREAD: Nano Silk 12/0, Olive – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: Nano Silk 12/0, Olive

RIB: UTC Wire, Hot Yellow, SM

WING: Oral-B Dental Floss – teased out

THORAX: Zelon Dubbing from BRF, Brachycentrus Olive

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Jet Black, sized to hook

Just another simple little Olive Nymph on a wide gape hook. Rumor has it that Oral-B Dental Floss moves exceptionally well underwater… 🙂

Materials O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH…

O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH(s)…#18’s…

HALF PINT MIDGE – Blue Ribbon Flies / Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Black

SHUCK: 6 strands Pearl Midge Flash, cut short

ABDOMEN: Working thread

RIB: UTC Wire, Gold, x-sm

THORAX: BRF Zelon Dubbing, Midge Black

WING(S): 3 strands each side, Pearl Midge Flash

BEAD: Tungsten, Gold, 5/64″

A Blue Ribbon Flies pattern tied here by Alan Freed. I use a lot of BRF patterns because they are simple and work REALLY well. I did this one with a gold bead and gold wire…Copper would also work as an alternative…

Materials HALF PINT MIDGE…

HALF PINT MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE …

HOOK:  Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Underabdomen / Tiemco Charcoal Gray – Thorax forward

OVERABDOMEN: Flashabou Dyed Pearl Pink #6965, 2 strands

RIB: UTC Wire, Red, x-sm – * coat with Hard As Hull

THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock Eye, Hot Pink

BEAD: Tungsten Nickel, sized to hook

I have found that Pink can be a very useful color to use in the Spring up on the East Walker River. This is toned down a bit from another Pink pattern I use up there and a some what midge-like instead of mayfly-like – “PINKY” – I also choose NOT to slather a lot of my small midge patterns with UV Resin which, I believe, is detrimental to the segmentation effect of wire ribbing on fly patterns and extensively overused…

Materials PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE…

PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA – Frechette/ Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #18 – #22

THREAD: Veevus 12/0, Tan

RIB: Veevus Body Quill, Black, lightly twisted – * coat with Hard As Hull for durability

This is a Norm Frechette Midge pattern one may visit his vast collection of tie on his Blog, Flytying: New & Old. I like using Midge patterns with dramatic , accentuated ribbing.- particularly when the water is off-color in the Spring…

Materials TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA…

TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA…#18’s…

RAMBO NYMPH – Fulling Mill / Variant …

HOOK:  TMC 113BLH #16- #20

THREAD: UTC Light Olive – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Light Speckled

RIB: UTC Wire, Amber, SM

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Olive

BEAD: Plmmeting Tungsten, Metallic Olive, sized to hook

This in a generic, all-purpose Nymph based on a Nymph pattern developed by Fulling Mill in the U.K. Their version listed on their own hook in a size #14…

Materials RAMBO NYMPH…

RAMBO NYMPH(s)…#16’s…

BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY (Brown/Black)… 

HOOK: Firehole Stick 637, #18

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Dk. Brown – Thorax forward… * neither are pictured

RIB: Micro Tubing, Black

WING: Krystal Flash, Medium Brown, 2-3 strands

THORAX: BRF Zelon dubbing, Midge Black

A simple threadbare Midge pattern on a wide gape hook. These kinds of Midge patterns work well on the East Walker River,near Bridgeport, CA…

East Walker River in the Spring…

Materials BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY (Brown/Black)…

BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY(s)… #18’s…

SALSA VERDE MIDGE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #4 Pale Yellow – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

RIB: Micro Tubing, Pheasant Tail

WING: Krystal Flash, UV Pearl, 3 strands

THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock, Brown

I have become enamored with using micro tubing as a rib material over the past year. Both Michael and I had a lot of success up on the Madison this past Fall using a couple of simple midge patterns that incorporated it. It also worked well for me when I fished the East Walker River in September and I have a feeling that it will work in the next few weeks down below 5 Bridge on the Lower Owens River where it did not burn…

Lower Owens River below 5 Bridges…

Materials SALSA VERDE MIDGE

SALSA VERDE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

GREEN MACHINE MIDGE – Keefover / Variant…

HOOK:  Firehole Stick 633, #18

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Chartreuse – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Chartreuse Thread

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Black, x-sm

THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Lt. Olive

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, 5/64″, Metallic Green

Another pattern from “Colorado Guide Flies”, not to be confused with Vince Wilcox’s “Little Green Machine”. This pattern was designed by John Keefover who guides for Blue Quill Angler in CO. He ties it on a TMC 101 Hook…

Materials GREEN MACHINE MIDGE…

GREEN MACHINE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG – Parrott / Variant …

HOOK:  TMC 2499SPB-BL, # 18 – or TMC 2488, #18 – #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0 Charcoal Grey

ABDOMEN: Flashabou, Purple, 2 strands – Deep Pearl Purple #6966

RIB: Lagartun, Silver, x-fine * coat with Hard As Hull

WING BUD: Razor Foam, Opaque White, 1.0mm

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry, Adams Grey

A variation on a Steve Parrott Midge pattern which can be found  in this book. I use a similar pattern with a yellow foam wing on the East Walker River, in Olive, in the Spring. The foam tied above the thorax area causes the fly to bob and weave in the water column – subsurface…

Materials UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG…

UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG(s)…#18’s…

 

 

PT/TB

 

Read Full Post »

I arrived in Bridgeport, CA around 6:30PM from West Yellowstone, MT on Tuesday September 26 and checked into my usual haunt, the Walker River Lodge…

Walker River Lodge in Bridgeport, CA…

After unpacking, I walked over to the Bridgeport Inn for a bite to eat and the best Virgin Bloody Mary in the Eastern Sierras…

On Wednesday morning, September 26th., I drove up to visit with my friend Carolyn Webb, who, along with her husband John, operates the Virginia Lakes Resort

It had snowed up there while I was in Montana and some remnants remained in the parking lot…Carolyn fixed me a great bacon breakfast and I reviewed a lot of the photos Michael and I had taken on our Montana trip with her…

As I made my way back down the mountain, I stopped to take some photos of the foliage that was just beginning to change with the colder weather…

This is a view looking East towards Nevada…

After a stop at the Walker River Lodge to get wadered-up, I headed on down to the meadow section of the East Walker River to finally fly fish in some warmer temps and wear a T-Shirt… the couple that had parked next to me were kind enough to take this photo … 🙂

This is the meadow section of the East Walker River just below Bridgeport Reservoir

Because of the drought here in California, the East Walker River has not sustained any heavy fishing pressure in the last five years. Subsequently, there has been an explosion of stream side vegetation growth over that period of time…which is great. The problem is the effect that the drought has had on the quality of fishing on this river. To put it mildly, it has suffered…particularly in it’s once legendary population of large Brown Trout…

There was once a small island in the middle of this run that disappeared after 1988 when the reservoir and river were de-watered. The die-off of Trout and other creatures in the biomass, affected the quality of fishing on the river for the following twelve years or so…the island disappeared after the silting was removed from the river in this stretch… Here & Here 

Back in the 1970’s, this meadow was like a giant sponge. Walking on it, a swishing sound could be heard…

The water was a bit off color, but the heavy flows through the Spring and Summer removed the weeds and moss that made fishing in here a disaster the previous year (2016)…

This is a few hundred years upstream and closer to the dam…I caught two Trout this afternoon, both were small Rainbows on Midge patterns. The couple that parked next to me got nada…

On Thursday morning, I decided to try the water closer to the dam and parked here. I was the first vehicle in that spot at about 8AM…

I used some caddis patterns from this box first…

…and decided to give the Winston BIIIX Super 10, 5wt. a work out…

I played around in here for awhile…Supposedly, the flows were running at 195cfs.

Uni no…watching this blow out of the pipe at the toilet bowl and checking the gauge confirmed something was way off…

So I moved down river to one of my favorite spots….

Tied one of these on as a dropper…

This pattern…

Over the next couple of days, I worked this general area over from bank to bank, using Midges for the most part. This anchor pattern produced a couple of nice fish too…

I also hooked a couple of larger Trout that I LDR’d and never saw once they got below me here…

Strangely, for the first time, I dredged a number of these guys off the bottom fishing in a couple of different sections. Time to tie some of these up in a couple of sizes for use next year. These were about 6″ long…

Snagged a couple in here…

I also used a lot of various deer hair wing Serendipities that proved productive…

I really didn’t need to trip over a concealed fire ring in the underbrush and fall flat on my face…

The colors in the fading sunlight were spectacular…

Ate a bunch of great meals…

In some great places…Virginia Creek Settlement

Fast food Gourmet…The Jolly Kone

Got to see a great sunset from the porch at the Bridgeport Inn…

A few memories with these guys…I had a discussion with the guys at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport about the ratio of Rainbows to Browns that I was eating ing the MM section of the East Walker River. They were of the opinion that a good number of Rainbow Trout were blown out of Bridgeport Reservoir during the heavy releases during the Spring and Summer. I would have to agree …some of those fish were really grotesque and distorted…

 

…and back down the grade into Bishop towards LA…

NEXT: … back to tying

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

So Michael and Aimee flew into San Francisco from NYC and spent five days in the Virginia Lakes Basin before the rest of the family came up from Los Angeles…

Bridgeport, CA …a bit overcast and stormy up in the Sierras…

This dormant cinder cone, near Little Lake, CA, let’s one know that they are truly out of smog city…

The usual stop at Mahogany Smoked Meats in Bishop, CA to stock up on all things jerky…

Heading up the road (395) to Mammoth Lakes, CA…

Past Lake Crowley home of the very large Cutthroat Tout that make their way up into the Upper Owens River in Winter…

The TroutFitter in Mammoth Lakes, CA to pickup few items for Lil’ Moo’s first Trout experience…

Crusin’ by Mono Lake

Lil’ Moo explores the East Walker River behind The Walker River Lodge at 6AM…

BIG MOO has his cup of coffee with Lil’ Moo…

The East Walker River…

High mountain trail near Virginia Lakes…

Heading up there, out of Bridgeport with the gang in tow…

Dunderberg Peak on the right…

This guy’s first attempt at Trout fishing…with a fly and bubble

SCORE!!!

Boarders want Lil’ Moo… Aimee’s Dad, Michael & Aimee…

Little Virginia Lake in the setting sun…

A “SECRET” Bugger pattern that scored for BIG MOO…

The fly of the trip…Kingfisher Blue Peacock & Partridge…This, in #13 tied on an Alec Jackson covert nymph hook rocked the Rainbows…

High country mushroom…kinda’  Psychedelic…

The HIKERS…Hero, Michael, Ally Lalo, Greg, Aimee & Nadia…

Captain Moo & Crew…

The Old Guy with Mini Moo & Nick…Lalo observes…

Coming down from Virginia Lakes to 395…

395 to Bridgeport, CA…

The mob at the Bridgeport Inn under terrible lighting…but good eats…

Snowline hikers…Nadia, Greg & Ally…

Ally & Hero getting ready for the salami, cheese and Chileno Pepper tailgatefest…

East shore of Little Virginia Lake in the late afternoon…

West shore of Little Virginia Lake at sunset…

Oh…did Lil’ Moo mention ha caught some Trout ?… 🙂

Those guys just can’t stop hiking…

Last shot of Little Virginia in the late afternoon…

The family, on the steps at Virginia Lakes Resort…all of us have been coming up here since the kids were tiny…

Ally & Hero check out Jolly Cone T-shirts…

Ally makes a call from a Bridgeport “antique”…

These are some places Ally, Nick and I stopped by on our way back to Los Angeles:

Up to Lake Sabrina above Bishop, CA…

Lake Sabrina…Full for the first year in a very long time…

The Aspen Groves above North Lake…

North Lake where Nick tossed my Blue Peacock Soft Hackle and caught his limit in 15 minutes…

HERO makes friends with released Rainbow…

George’s Creek Sandtrap near Lone Pine where Michael and Ally learned how to catch Trout…

…another view of the sand trap looking East towards the spillway…

…and no trip to the Sierras is complete without a serious walk around this place…been doing it since I was seven…

 

NEXT: Completing the Soft Hackle Box with more photos, links, recipes and information…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

  1. Complet a post on the family trip to the Eastern Sierras in August…
  2. Complete the post on Montana Soft Hackle Patterns…
  3. Sift through 1500 + photographs on the Montana and back through Bridgeport and the East Walker River trip…post them..

Meanwhile some things I brought back:

Lil’ Moo’s Montana score…

ZELON tying materials from the Zelon capitol of the Universe…

 

 

PT/TB

Read Full Post »

What a trip ! Michael flew out from NYC for some time in the Eastern Sierras with me, his sister Ally and HERO the DOG…Oh… and Nick too! This is where we went…and what we experienced…

A BP MAP

Bridegport, CA and surrounding area…

1 BP 15

One knows they are well out of Los Angeles when arriving at Red Rock Canyon, on both sides of Hwy. 14, outside of Mojave, CA…

2 BP 15

…and this would be Little Lake, CA

3 BP 15

The volcano, at the entrance to the Owens Valley and Fossil Falls, just to the right and foreground of the mound…Me and the kids have spent a lot of time wandering around that cinder cone, looking’ for stuff…

3.5 BP 15

On this trip, Michael and I did not make the usual climb up to the portal at Mt. Whitney, so we let Ally, Nick and Hero do that for us on their trip up to meet us three days later…

4 BP 15

This is Eastside Sports in Bishop, CA. I make a point of frequenting this shop every time we hit the Sierras…never know what I might find and then need. These are the hats that Michael was going through for his wife Aimee…

5 BP 15

Wait !…Michael got one for himself and me to keep the sun off of the back of our necks while fishing the lakes…

6 BP 15

One just does not go through Bishop without stopping at Mahogany Smoked Meats…It’s more important than Sierra Trout Magnet (The Fly Shop), across the street (sorry David !)…

CHILENO PEPPERS

Then the quest to pick up some of these...the MOST RIGHTEOUS peppers on the planet…normally, MSM’s carries these but they were (horrors!) out of stock and nobody else had them in Bishop either…that, required a quick phone call to Ally to implement plan “B” and she picked them up at a shop in Lone Pine on the way up. F.Y.I. these are going to be difficult to get for the next year because of a crop failure on the other side of the Sierras during the growing season…

7 BP 15

Mono Lake, about 35 miles South of Bridgeport, CA where road repairs required us to wait, while only one lane of traffic was open at a time…This is where brine shrimp are cultivated for use as fish food in aquariums. At one time, an interesting group of native Americans, known as the “fly eaters” dwelt on this lake’s Eastern shore. It is too salty to support any fish populations…

8 BP 15

I get to say, “Are we there yet?”…

9 BP 15

Yay !!!…The Walker River Lodge … I have been staying here since 1974, when I first brought my Father up to Bridgeport…

9.5 BP 15

…time for dinner at the Bridgeport Inn

10 BP 15

The “Virgin Mary”…extra spicy…

11 BP 15

…and garlic bread, of course !

12 BP 15

…up at 6AM and a visit to Nugent’s Bakery, before heading up the mountain…

13 BP 15

…main street, Bridgeport CA at 7AM…not too alive…

14 BP 15

…the arrow designates the way South to Conway Summit and the turn off to Virginia Lakes…

15 BP 15

…along Hwy. 395, headed South…The peaks to the left, in the photo are our destination…

16 BP 15

…getting closer…Michael wanted to pull off the road to make a call back East to his wife…the bars indicated service…

17 BP 15

…my phone does not get service ( thanks, unmentioned carrier) up here so I used it for some photos…Looking South towards Mono Lake…

18 BP 15

Little Virginia Lake…our first spot on the Itinerary…

19 BP 15

…The “Old Guy” in a reverse view…Virginia Lakes closes up for boat rentals at 11AM on Tuesdays so that the staff at Virginia Lakes Resort can go down the mountain to Bridgeport or Mammoth Lakes for recreation and taking care of personal business…be aware if ya’ don’t take some other type of water craft with ya’…

20 BP 15

…so Michael and I headed over to Trumbull Lake to fish from the shoreline…a trek through the “Mule Ears”...

21 BP 15

Trumbull Lake, looking East…this lake has Browns, Rainbows (planted) and Brookies. The Rainbows are the most plentiful. I have seen a 7 lb. + Brown taken from this lake and there are probably some larger ones in here as well…

22 BP 15

…on the far side of the lake, by the scree and talus…one of my favorite spots, here…

22.5 BP 15

…Michael slackin’ off with his new brim…

23 BP 15

…looks like a rise to me…

24 BP 15

…yep…

25 BP 15 copy

…a typical Trumbull Rainbow…

24.5 BP 15

…and another…

25 BP 15

Trumbull Lake… approaching sunset…

Processed with VSCOcam with m5 preset

…a rise in deeper, dark water…

25.7 BP 15

,,,a beaver lives just below that fallen pine…

26 BP CALLIBAETIS 15

...A Callibaetis Spinner Michael picked off the surface film…

29 BP 15 copy

…down the mountain for dinner at the Virginia Creek Settlement

27 BP 15

…what’s on the menu ?

28 BP 15

…well, this is just part of what is offered…the Italian servings are great and so is the pizza…

29 BP 15

…after dinner moon…

32 BP 15

…the following day, back at Little Virginia Lake with the “Old Guy” rowing…

33 BP 15

…Michael nails a 2lb. / 10 oz. Rainbow on an Owens “Offender”…The overall fishing on this trip was difficult. Normally, we catch and release a lot of Trout when visiting these lakes. Jim Reid, owner of Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport, had some thoughts on just why this was occurring this season. I will not go into his explanation – but I do concur…

34 BP 15

This is the East Walker River, an Eastern Sierra classic, “Blue Ribbon” water. Because of our current drought, the water flows are very low and warm. The river is choked with weeds and algae and the mosquitoes are out for blood…Michael and I left our favorite river – alone…

35 BP 15 EWR 7.30.15 - SZD

…more East Walker, close to the Nevada state line…

36 BP 15

…looking downstream…

37 BP 15

…another downstream view…

38 BP 15

…Bridgeport Reservoir …the source for the East Walker River and the lowest I have seen it since it was drained in 1987…

39 BP 15

…one fellow, working the river below the dam. Michael watched him take a 18″ Brown from this section…like I said, I leave it alone…

40 BP 15 LOWER TWIN LAKE

…this is Lower Twin Lakes, outside of Bridgeport. The level is down 15′ and we took photos rather than fish it…

41 BP 15

…another view, looking Southeast…

42 BP 15

Upper Twin Lakes…more water, deeper and colder…there were only two boats out on the lake when we passed here and we did not fish it…I visited again with Ally,Hero and Nick on a very wet evening, a few days later…

43 BP 15 LAKE MAP

…exploring time for Michael…what follows are some places and images that Big Moo documented while Pop pounded the water with a gazillion fly patterns…

44 BP 15

..Red Lake…

45 BP 15

Red and Copper…

46 BP 15

Carolyn Webb told me there was a submarine sized Brown in here…haven’t met ’em…yet…

47 BP 15

…more Red Lake from the non-red side…

48 BP 15

…patterns in the water…

49 BP 15 SUMMIT

Summit Pass …11,100’…

50 BP SUMMIT 15

…more form and texture from Summit Pass…

51 BP 15

…Alpine flora…

52 BP 15

…something for Nadia’s next kitchen counter project…

53 BP 15

…and Koi Pond…

54 BP 15

Alpine trickler…

55 BP 15Lone Pine by the lake…

56 BP 15

Big Virginia Lake and the WALL…sit over there in the evening with a float tube or pontoon and use beetle and flying ant patterns…

57 BP 15

…looking back towards Big Virginia Lake…

58 BP 15

…a good casting location which Michael always seems to find…

59 BP 15

…another view from the Summit Trail back towards Virginia Lakes…and Nevada in the background…

60 BP 15

…another lake I don’t know the name of..way up there…

61 BP 15

Peak scenery…

62 BP 15 JOLLY KONE

The Jolly Kone in Bridgeport…the burger and hot dog palace, which appears to have a new offering…

62.5 BP 15

Nope, don’t see it on the regular menu…

63 BP BT 1 .15

Enough food…back up to Little Virginia on an overcast day which was marked by thunder and showers…

63.5 BP 15 SCUD VL SZD

One of the locals (Scud) that motored by our boat just as the rain stopped…

64 BT BP 2. 15

Then, Michael added this to his tippet…

65 BP BT 3 .15

…and BAM !!!

66 BP BT 3 .15

Michael brings the Trout up to the Lodge to have Carolyn put it on the digital scale…

67 BP BT 4 .15

Carolyn lets Michael know the scale is off by 2 ozs. under…

68 BP BT 5 .15

…almost ready for the report photo…

69 BP BT 6 .15

Carolyn shoots…

69.5 BP BT 6.15

Michael goes on the board a second time…

70 BP 15 MOO BIG TROUT LVL

Pop shoots Michael for posterity…this is the largest Trout he has landed, to date…

74 BP 15

…and who shows up moments later…ALLY !!!

75 BP HERO AND ALLY BP 7.30.15 SZD

…and Hero…

72 BP LVL SUNSET 7.29.15 SZD

Meanwhile, back on the lake, I pick up…

71 BP BROOK 1 15

…a few Brook Trout…

74 BP 15 red-herl-n-hen-1

…using this little red peacock soft hackle…

73 BP BROOK 2 .15

Pretty little guys…

76 BP 15

Back down the mountain to celebrate with pizza at the Virginia Creek Settlement…

77 BP 15 MOO ALLY DAD

Thanks Nick !!!

78 BP CLEAN  1 . 15

Back to the Walker River Lodge and some work for Michael…

79 BP CLEAN 2 . 15

Michael cleans a Big Trout…

80 BP CLEAN 3 . 15

Step #.1, – with a good sharp knife…

81 BP CLEAN 4 . 15

Step #.2, all the way up to the initial cut…

82 BP CLEAN 5 . 15

Step #.3, take the gills and entrails rearward…use  finger nails to remove all veining and blood…

83 BP CLEAN 6 . 15

Step #.4, breathe…place in freezer…get ready for yer’ last day…

85 BP 15

…first on the lake, early in the AM on a day that did not see much action…

84 BP 15 MOO ALLY NICK BP INN

Dinner and not mint juleps on the veranda at the Bridgeport Inn. Michael left the following morning to pick up his wife in Reno and spend a few days with her family up in Lake Tahoe…

86 BP 15

So it’s Ally, Hero and Nick. I got him started with a fly and bubble on a rainy day. Nick’s fishing experience on freshwater lakes was, shall we say…limited. He got a nice huge strike on a Tan Seal Bugger but did not set the hook in time – doh…

87 BP 15POP MINI RAINBOW SZD

…and I was having this kind of day…

88 BP 15

…while Ally, Hero and Nick went looking for Frodo and Mordor…

89 BP 15

…Nope, not here…

91 BP 15

…getting wet…

91.5 BP 15

Ally and Hero up there…

92 BP 15

A short trip up to Upper Twin Lakes in the rain…

93 BP 15

At the marina…

94 BP 15ALLY UPPER TWIN LAKE 8.1.15 SZD

Ally and Hero … posing…

95 BP 15

Boats at rest…

96 BP 15 MOO'S BEST BURGER 8.1.15 SZD

The cafe at Annett’s Mono Village where Michael swears he had the best cheeseburger ever…( kid was delusional )…

97 BP 15 SUNSET WRL 1

Last sunset before leaving Bridgeport…

98 BP 15 MT. WHITNEY FH 8.215 SZD

Since Nick had never been here, we made a point of stopping at the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery which I have been visiting since 1952…

99 BP 15

The brood stock pond…the race ways, where large Brook and Rainbows were kept, were destroyed in a flood in 2008…they have not been replaced…More HERE

100 BP 15

When I was a little kid, my Dad would bring my brother and I here. There were thousands of Rainbow, Brown, Brook and Tiger Trout in the metal rearing pens inside this structure…

101 BP 15

Bring your kids too !!!

102 BP 15

Yep…Ally and Michael have been coming up for quite awhile…

ALLY Mt. WHT FH

Ally, 1995, by the raceways that were destroyed…

MOO MT WHT FH

Michael spies some Brook Trout…

103 BP 15 RAINBOW MT. WHITNEY FH 8.2.15

Why I love this place…

104 BP CK 1 . 15

No story is complete without an ending…and nothing goes to waste…

105 BP CK 2 . 15

Michael does filets…

106 BP CK 3 .15

Marinate for a little while…

107 BP CK 4  . 15

Grill…

108 BP CK 5 . 15

Add the sides…

109 BP CK 6 .15

Enjoy !!!

110 BP 15 T BIG MOO LT 2

A little paddling on Lake Tahoe…and there’s the hat Michael got Aimee…

111 BP T 15 BIG MOO LT 1

Until next time…

NEXT:…

CONES HOOKS

…more of patterns tied on these…

PT/TB

Read Full Post »

 It was time to test out patterns for water at high elevation…me and two of the guys spent a day and a half up at Virginia Lakes in the Eastern Sierras. What follows, is a photo journal of that trip August 1-3, 2014…The lakes in the area have Rainbows, German Browns, Eastern Brookies and some Goldens in the higher lakes…VIRGINA LAKE -1-  Or destination, Virginia Lakes, at 9700′ near ,Bridgeport, CA… SUNRISE RRCAN -1-  Sunrise on Hwy. 14, in the Mohave desert, just nort of Red Rock Canyon… BT-42- ALLY, passing The Homestead, in Indian Wells Valley, off Hwy 395, as the sun comes up… BT-34R- The volcano…one has arrived at Little Lake and the gateway to the Owens Valley… DINO HUT OANCHA -1- The Dino Hut in Olancha, CA… BT-39- Mmmmm….Mahogany Smoked Meats, in Bishop, CA…the best jerky on the planet… BT-4- Just  a portion of what they have… BT-9- Pit stop for Hero in Lee Vining…. BT-40- Finally, after eight hours, the back porch…at the Walker River Lodge, Bridgeport, CA… LITTLE VIR IPHONE -1- We arrive…Little Virginia Lake…Tubers go left! I like to fish from a boat because it provides a high platform to spot cruisers… Some of the patterns that I used on Little Virginia: SOFT HACKLES LVL BLOG -3- SOFT HACKLES… STREAMERS BUGGERS LVL BLOG -1- STREAMERS/BUGGERS… SCUDS LVL BLOG -2- SCUDS…not the sowbugs !   WHAT worked best on this particular trip… pea-pt-n-part-1   Pheasant Tail & Partridge…ticket was #16 / Peacock & Partridge, #12 was the champ… strip ’em fast on an intermediate line… BT-45R- STRIPPING SOFT HACKLES… pur-pea-n-part-1 Purple Peacock and Partridge, #12…I used this pattern first, stripped fast on an intermediate line and it slammed…but, I had others to try… ypt-quicksilver-1 YELLOW PT/ QSB/ STARLING SOFT HACKLE , #18 – I fished this over the weed beds on a floating line and caught Brookies and Rainbows around mid-day on Saturday… this little guy was a blast ! VIR LK BF SUNSET -1-  Little Virginia about an hour from sunset… kgs-spring-ck-sc-var-1 KELLY GLISSMEYER’S SPRING CREEK SCUD – #18…Stripped slowly then a six inch burst, or using a hand twist retrieve with a rod twitch, near or over weeds or weed beds, this pattern is a High Sierra Lake KILLER…use an intermediate line if the air temps. are warm during the day…a floating line works well in the evening or early morning when the light is low and scuds are more active near the surface… owens-off-ch-hs-1 OWENS “OFFENDER” HS CH  #6 – I designed this pattern for use in the Fall on the Owens River but had an idea that it would also work in some high elevation lakes…strip this fly FAST, on an intermediate line (the cone gets it down) with pronounced jerks of the rod tip…and hold on…this took my largest fish of the trip, a 4lb. Rainbow… LEFT OVER KLINKS LEFT OVER KLINK – This was a surprise..I had tied these up several years ago and have used them on a number of rivers with some success…these, in Olive, Brown and Black were absolutely fish slayers on Little Virginia Lake in #14 & #16…Srrip ’em fast on an intermediate line… POP TROUT -2- The old guy with a 4lb. Rainbow that Ally took home…on this trip, I caught more fish in a day and a half than on any other visit of the same duration. Most were in the 10″- 12″ category with a couple of 16″ – 18″ Trout in the mix… BT-41- Coming down the mountain, for dinner… BRIDGEPORT INN BT -54- …at the Bridgeport Inn BT-21- THE Garlic toast…this is as far as we got taking pictures…too famished !!!

——————————————————————————————————————————-

The next day: BT-16- Ally in the boat… BT-37 HERO in the middle…Then these two split… again… for some trekking while I stayed and fished… HERE is a compliation of trails, curios and lakes in the surrounding area…Thanks ALLY !!!! BT-24- Cooney Lake…on the trail to Summit Pass (11.100′)… BT-23- HERO takes a break… BT -1- Frog Lake #2… BT-11- HERO getting a workout… BT-2 The Trekking Pup..with six legs..I gotta’ ask Ally how she did this… BT-14- The Miner’s Cabin on the trail to Summit Pass, just before Cooney Lake… BT-47R- Another view… BT-50- On the trail… BT-35- Frog Lake #1…loaded with stunted Brookies… BT=49- Ally… Creek break… BT-46- Oh…doe deer… VIR LAKES IPOD -2- Above Frog Lake #2… BT-13- Hero…taking in the view… BT-5- Meandering (mostly) dry creek… BT-31- Ally & Hero on the Alpine beach… BT-26- A smoky look down the mountain…smoke from fires burning on the West Slope really got bad on Saturday… BT-27R- The same lake (Moat) without the beach dwellers… BT-10- Up a creek… BT-20- Hero plays it cool…   BT-8- Ally and Hero selfie… BT-18- Hero in the pines… BT-7- Ally takes a short drive up to Twin Lakes… BT-12- …and hikes a trail near there… UP VIR LAKE -1- Back up the mountain to pick up Dad… SUN SET BP -1- …and back down towards Bridgeport…the smoke is worse… BT-43- Time for dinner at the Virginia Creek Settlement BT-19- Oh yeah…

—————————————————————————————————————————-  

We we going to fish again on Sunday morning , however, the weather took a turn for the worse…so.. KENS SPORTING GOODS ...a  quick visit to Ken’s Sporting GoodsFLIES KENS SG -1- A view of the fly box…now that’s a FLY BOX…then off tho check out Bridgeport Res. and the East Walker River… AL HERO BRIDGE RES -1- Bridgeport Res. …not good…the water is very, very low… BT POP RES -1- <- Bridgeport Res – East Walker River -> EWR DAM -1- The first pool on the EWR…the flows are low and the water is warm with lots of algae…we needs a ton of snow this coming Winter… BT-25- …Back up the mountain to say goodbye to fellow tier and operator of Virginia Lakes Resort along with her husband John – Carolyn Webb… BT-36- Ally takes a seat and admires… BT-22- …This six lb. Brown that came out of Little Virginia Lake in 2006… BT-17- Where Carolyn server up some fantastic pies… BT FISH BOARD -52- The Trout board in the cafe… ALLY HERO VIR LK -1- Ally and Hero…one last bite of left over pizza and a goodbye… BT-29R- …down the mountain to Conway Summit… BT-30- Hero wants to see… BT-51- The Mono Inn over looking Mono Lake…we have had some great meals here through the years and it has finally re-opened… BT OWENS RAIN -1- Rain in the Owens Valley…Near Big Pine… BT-33- The volcano and back to what passes as the real world…

MOO n' DAD BIG VIRGINIA -1-

Pop with Michael at Big Virginia Lake in 1987…

10562620_825346980818242_7312704035442934890_o Just below Summit Pass… looking back towards Virginia Lakes…1987 – two years before Ally was born…Yup I like it up there…

NEXT: Gettin’ ready for Fall…

PT/TB  

Read Full Post »

These are some patterns that we use up on high elevation lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. I put together some simple little soft hackle ties that work extraordinarily well for me and my guys. I generally use these  fly patterns in sizes #12 – #18 and vary the retrieve based on what the Trout are liking at any given time…I also used some other patterns that I have wanted to try out on this trip, in a lake. Those will be included in my next post . The largest fish I took, on this trip was 4lbs.(end of post). I won’t go into numbers, but I caught more fish in a day and a half of fishing than I have EVER caught on Little Virginia Lake…

LIL VIR SH POST -1-

Little Virginia Lake, Bridgeport, CA…

DAD BOAT BRIDGE -1-

…and they all got tested out this weekend (Aug. 1-3)…

SOFT HACKLE BOX -2-

 

BOX…done…

PEA PT N PART -1-

PHEASANT TAIL & PARTRIDGE / PEACOCK HERL & PARTRIDGE…TMC 5262, #12-#18/Daiichi 1560, #12-#18…

Mat PT N PART-1-

Materials PHEASANT TAIL & PARTRIDGE…

PT N PART GRP -1-

PT’s & PARTRIDGE  Soft Hackle – Natural… 

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold or Copper, SM or xsm

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Natural

Hackle: Partridge

These are one of the soft hackle patterns, including the one next to it, that have probably taken more Trout – world wide – than any other soft hackle patterns. I never have enough and #16 was what worked on this trip up to Bridgeport…

Mat PEA N PART -1-

Materials PEACOCK HERL & PARTRIDGE…

PEA N PART GRP -1-

PEACOCK HERL & PRATRIDGE(s) SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Peacock Herl, 4-2 fibers, twisted around thread for durability

RIB: *Optional. Gold, Copper or Red wire , SM or x-sm

Hackle: Partridge

These are a required soft hackle pattern for anyone’s boxes. They just plain work…EVERYWHERE..#12 was the ticket for this trip to Little Virginia…

aimees-trout-1

Michael and Aimee on Little Virginia Lake…she’s using a PT & Partridge…

RED LAKE SPECIAL SH -2-

ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Black

RIB: Ultra wire, Hot Orange, SM

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Brown

THORAX: Peacock Herl, Strung Red, 4-2 fibers twisted around working thread for durability

This is another pattern that there was not enough time to use in it’s intended destination – Red Lake…I give this a shot next time…

Mat A RED LAKE SP -1-

Materials ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL..

ALLY RL SPECIALS -1-

ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL SOFT HACKLE(s)…

PEA RAIN SH -2-

PEACOCK RAINBOW SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0,Black

ABDOMEN: Midge Diamond Braid, Peacock

THORAX: Multihued Rainbow Brass Bead, Sized to hook

HACKLE: Partridge

I put this pattern together with Trumbull Lake, in the AM, specifically in mind…never got over there so the testing on this fly will have to wait…

Mat PEA RNBOW SH -1-

Materials PEACOCK RAINBOW SOFT HACKLE…

RAIN BOW SOFT HACKLES -1-

Over the PEACOCK RAINBOWS…

PUR PEA n PART -1-

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SH …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Ultra 70 Denier, Purple

RIB: Lagartun Silver wire, Fine or X-Fine

ABDOMEN: Purple Iridescent Peacock Herl – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

This was the first pattern I tried out starting around 1:00PM on Friday afternoon…Yeah it worked, in #12 –  consistently.. .but I had more flies to test…

Mat PURP PEA SH -1-

Materials PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SH…

PURP PEA SHs -1-

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLE(s)…

ALLY RED LAKE

Ally…early in the morning at RED LAKE…

RUSTY ORANGE SH -1-

RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #18

THREAD: Abdomen- Tiemco 16/0, Brown / Thorax forward – Veevus 16/0, Orange

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Midge Diamond Braid, Rust

THORAX: Orange Iridescent Peacock – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

I took some nice (12″-16″) Rainbows on the fly early in the AM on Saturday morning then, the bite just turned off on these guys. I was using a hand twist retrieve with them…

 

Mat RUSTY OR SH -1-

Materials RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE…

RUSTY OR SHs -1-

RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE(s)….

HARES ICE N DAZZLE SH -1-

HARE’S ICE DUB (Hare’s Ear) DAZZLE BEAD & PARTRIDGE SH …

HOOK: Alec Jackson Phantom Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15

THREAD: Tiemco or Veevus 16/0, Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Copper Brown, SM

ABDOMEN: Hare’s Ice Dub, Hare’s Ear

THORAX: Dazzle Bead Metallic Pheasant Tail, sized to hook

Hackle: Partridge

I took a few Rainbows on this pattern. It occurred to me…later,  that for lakes, using Peacock Hare’s Ice Dubbing might make a better choice…Oh well…

Mat HARES ICE SH -1-

Materials HARE’S ICE DUB (Hare’s Ear) DAZZLE BEAD & PARTRIDGE…

HARES ICE BEAD SHs -1-

A BATCH OF THE ABOVE…

RED HERL N HEN -1-

RED PEACOCK & HEN SH…

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Red

RIB: Ultra wire, Metallic Blue, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Peacock. Iridescent Red – Spirit River

HACKLE: Hen Neck, Furnace

I was really looking forward to trying these out after the sun had set behind the mountain and the lake goes calm with a mirror surface. Unfortunately, I had to have the boat back in by 7:00PM and it wasn’t going to happen on this trip..maybe later when it sets sooner…

VIR LK BF SUNSET -1-

Not DARK enough…

 

 

 

Mat RED PEA N HEN -1-

Materials RED PEACOCK & HEN…

RED PEA N HEN SHS -1-

RED PEACOCK & HEN SOFT HACKLES…

p10108121

Ally… goofing off on Little Virginia Lake…

YPT QUICKSILVER -1-

YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold, Sm or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Yellow

THORAX: Hi-Lite Glass Bead, Quicksilver, SM or x-sm

Hackle: Bleached Ginger Starling

I used these in the morning, on the second day, fishing over the weed beds on Little Virginia…Oh Boy! I haven’t caught so many Brookies in years, along with a bunch of Rainbows. I was stripping them moderately fast with some added rod twitches…

Mat YELP PT N STAR -1-

Materials YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE…

YELO PT N STARLING -1-

YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE(s)…

little-vir-1

Little Virginia Lake…way up there…

BRN PEA PART -2-

BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE – 

HOOK: Alec Jackson Phantom Covert Nymph Hook, #11 -#17

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Copper Brown, SM

ABDOMEN: Peacock, Iridescent Brown,- Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

These guys took a number of Rainbows, stripped FAST, in 6″ bursts, in the late afternoons of both days…

Mat BRN PEA PART -1-

Materials BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE…

BRN PEA PARTS -1-

BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES…

OLIVE CHART SH -2-

OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 -#18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

RIB: Ultra wire, Chartreuse, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Olive Pheasant Tail fibers

HACKLE: Olive Partridge – Hareline

This pattern worked well for me on the trip, fished near and over weed beds and stripped at a moderate speed, on an intermediate line with a 12′ leader and tippet…

Mat OL PHEAS PART -1-

Materials OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE…

OL PHEAS PARTS -1-

OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES…

ally-and-dad-vl-1

Pop and his rower…on Little Virginia Lake…

BP SH -2-

BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE …

Add Contact FormHOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

RIB: Ultra wire, Silver, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Peacock, Iridescent Black – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

An alternative to the standard Peacock and Partridge, fish it in lakes with a hand twist retrieve or stripped. The Trout will let one know the speed at which they prefer the pattern stripped…

Mat BP SH -1-

Materials BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE…

BP SHACKLES -1-

BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLE(s)…

 

dadvirbig

Nah, they don’t work AT ALL…

scan-9-6

Ally at Trumbull Lake, with Michael, expressing her opinion on Dad’s Trout…

POPS VIR TROUT -1-

 This one Ally took home…to eat…

 

NEXT: ME, ALLY & HERO – lakin’ it…

 

PT/TB   

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Some that are old, with a new twist for Spring… fellows like these on the East Walker River in Bridgeport, CA:…and something to check out !!!

BLUE RIBBON FLIES – ONLINE CATALOG 2013

CADDIS EWR -1-Michael’s “leetle frens”…as usual, recipes as I finish each dozen followed by photos of materials , links and additional information (which may or may not be useful… )

SPRING CADDIS 2013 -1-COMPLETED…Spring 2013, Caddis box…

POP N' MOO EW -1-PT and Michael plotting strategy on the East Walker River…

DNA DIPPER TAN -1-DNA SPARKLE DIP (Tan) …

MAT DNA SP DIP -1-Materials for the DNA SPARKLE DIP…

HOOK:  Daiichi 1120, #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Light Cahill, Under Abdomen – Tiemco 16/0, Brown – Thorax forward

OVER ABDOMEN: DNA Holo Fusion, Tan then covered with Tan Micro Tubing

WING: White (Clear) Sparkle Emerger Yarn

BEAD: Gold Tungsten, sized to hook

I always tie up one of these simple little patterns to mimic the Amber and Tan Caddis which hatches on the East Walker River, in the Spring. One could also use White Zelon for the wing or Antron yarn or Darlon for a size #18. This DNA material is interesting and has a lot of applications for under wings, wings and tailings. It may be layed flat on the body or by using less, twisted into a rope much like Krystal Flash mixed with Zelon or Antron yarn. When twisting, I like to use these hackle pliers to grab the material:

HACKLE PLIERS -1-DO NOT over twist !!!

GRAPHIC CADDIS TAN -3-

GRAPHIC CADDIS -Tan- John Barr …for Hydropsyche…

DANVILLE 6-0 THREAD -1-The Danville Flymaster 6/0 threads I like for these two GRAPHIC CADDIS…#2 and #61…

MAT GRAPHIC CAD TAN OLIVE -1-Materials for the GRAPHIC CADDIS…Olive and Tan…

HOOK: TMC 2499 SPBL, #14 – #18

THREAD: OLIVE version Danville #61, Olive 6/0 –TAN version Danville #2, Cream 6/0  – Under abdomen…Tiemco 16/0 Olive or Brown – Thorax forward Olive and Tan versions

TAG: Silver Holographic Tinsel

ABDOMEN: 6/0 Tying Thread

OVER ABDOMEN: Olive or Tan Micro Tubing

THORAX: Natural Gray Ostrich Herl

WINGS/LEGS: Brown Partridge Fibers, V- Notched

This pattern, for me, is one of THE most productive Caddis Pupa I have ever used…there are two basic ways to use the under abdomen threads: Charlie’s Way and John Barr’s Way…One uses white thread… the other, the Danville threads – in colors. I have also experimented with Ultra 70 Denier and Lagartun 74 Denier Threads for the under abdomen…there is also the option of using Prismatic or other markers (or DNA Holo Fusion ) as an under abdomen…play around and see what works best in your area…

GRAPHIC CADDIS JB 2499 -1-GRAPHIC CADDIS – Olive – John Barr…TMC 2499 SPBL, #14 -#18…can never have enough of these in Olive, tan, Gray, Chartreuse and Brown…

OWENS BURN -2-Graphic Caddis and the Serendipity pattern below, are my “Go-To” patterns for the Caddis hatches on the Lower Owens River …

MOO IN SOHO NYC -1-My son Michael…gourmet dining in his new hometown…SOHO, NYC…(Photo: Aimee Brodeur Barker)

CADDISTROPHIC PUPA VAR CC OLIVE -1-CADDISTROPHIC PUPA – Craven/Variant…

MAT CADDISTOPHIC PUPA -1-Materials for CADDISTROPHIC PUPA…

HOOK:  Daiichi 1120, TMC 2457, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive or Lagartun 74 Denier, Olive

ABDOMEN: Ice Dub UV Light Olive

WING BUDS: Brown Flexi-Floss

HACKLING: 2-3 CDC, Medium Dun, Fiber Tips – V-Notched

ANTENNAE: 6 strands Nymph Shear, doubled over – Cascade Crest

SHELLBACK: Brown Flexi-Floss

RIB: Metallic Olive Wire, Brassie or Small –  Wapsi

HEAD: 50-50 Mix SLF Spikey Squirrel, Black and SLF Prism, Black

BEAD: Black Tungsten, sized to hook

A Charlie Craven pattern from his book, Charlie’s Fly Box: Signature Flies for Fresh and Salt Water also seen HERE. So I didn’t have that exotic Morpho Fiber from Tiemco, but have a lot of Nymph Shear from Cascade Crest in different colors – I don’t think the Trout will mind….

SNOWY DAY EWR -2-Michael works the water on the East Walker River on a cold, snowy afternoon…

MOTHER'S DNA DIP -1-MOTHER’S DNA DIP – for THAT hatch and – it SLAYS…Matthew’s/Variant

MAT DNA DIP -1-Materials MOTHER’S DNA DIP …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #14 – #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Strands of DNA, Holo Fusion, Chartreuse

RIB: Ultra Wire, Black, x-sm

WING: 1 Strand of White Zeloon, cut short -ish

For those who have followed this BLOG for awhile, this will be familiar as a reincarnation of Craig Matthew’s Guide Serendipity. I tie these in many different configurations because they just plain whack a lot of Trout. Some of those variations may be found:

HERE

HERE

HERE

HERE

I don’t go anywhere without a bunch of these, easy to tie, critters in my boxes…

CADDIS POP EWR -2-These guys love that “DIP” pattern…

GILL RIBBED LARVA TAN - BR -1-GILL RIBBED LARVAE Tan/Brown…

MAT TAN GILLED LARVAE -1-

 Materials GILL RIBBED LARVAE Tan/Brown…

HOOK: Daiichi 1250, #12- #16

WEIGHT: 0.10-).15 Lead or Lead SUB., 8-10 wraps, dependent on hook size

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown

ABDOMEN: Tan Micro Floss – Cascade Crest

RIB: Dyed Brown Iridescent Peacock Eye Fiber, wrapped around Brown Ice Thread

This is another, just a bit updated version, of an old free-living  Caddis Larvae pattern that has taken a lot of nice Trout for me over the years…it’s nice to bring some of these older patterns back and the fish have not seen them in many generations…

SPARKLE MESS PUPA -1-SPARKLE MESS PUPA -Olive/Brown…

MAT SPARKLE MESS CADDIS -1-Materials SPARKLE MESS PUPA -Olive/Brown* NOT SHOWN – Natural Partridge, Nature’s Spirit…

HOOK: Mustad 3906B, #12 – #16

WEIGHT: 0,10 -0.15 Lead or Lead Sb. , 8-10 wraps, dependent on hook size

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown

ABDOMEN: Hare’s Ear, Ice Dub, Olive-Brown

RIB: Insect Green Glitter Rib – Cascade Crest

WING(s): Black Thin Sking, cut short

LEGS: Partridge Fibers, Brown-ish

HACKLING: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Olive,  spun and cut to hook bend or slightly longer

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel dubbing, Brown-Olive

Something fuzzed out and messy to imitate an Emerging Caddis Pupa..I’m playing around with different winging material…Medallion Sheeting will be in the next Emerging Caddis Pupa…

GLO BUBBLE CADDIS PUPA VAR MM -1-GLO BUBBLE CADDIS PUPA, OLIVE – Mike Mercer/Variant (DNA – UV 2)…

MAT GLO BUBBLE CADDIS PUPA -1-Materials GLO BUBBLE CADDIS PUPA, OLIVE – Mike Mercer/Variant (DNA – UV 2)* NOT SHOWN – Natural Partridge, Nature’s Spirit

HOOK: TMC 3761, #14 – #16

THREAD: Ultra 70 Denier, Olive for underabdomen – Tiemco 16/0, Olive, thorax forward

OVER ABDOMEN: Olive Micro Tubing

BUBBLE SHEATH: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Light Olive

WING(s): Partridge Fibers, Brown

WING CASE: DNA Holo Fusion, Brown

THORAX: UV 2 Peacock Eye Fibers (2) – Spirit River

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

A Mike Mercer Caddis PUPA that has been around for awhile…done a bit differently…

BUBBLE BUTT PUPA VAR -1-BUBBLE BUTT PUPA (Chartreuse) – Doudy/Variant…

MAT BUBBLE BUTT CADDIS -1-

Materials for BUBBLE BUTT CADDIS PUPA (Chartreuse)…

HOOK: TMC 2488H, #14 – #18

THREAD: Ultra 70 Denier, Fl. Chartreuse – for Under Abdomen,  Tiemcco 16/0, Olive – to secure bead and Thorax forward

BUTT BEAD: Killer Caddis Midge, Caddis Green, #16 – #18, Small – #14

OVER ABDOMEN: Clear Micro Tubing

WING: Brown Partridge, V- Notched

THORAX: Black Ostrich

This is a Gale Doudy pattern that is an alternative to John Barr’s Graphic Caddis. The SBS is at the link,. I posted this pattern a number of years ago and have finally gotten around to tying it…I think the Trouties in here will like it !

CADDIS MOO EWR -1-

MOO with an AM East Walker Brown…as usual…again…

GILL RIBBED LARVAE OL -2-

RETRO UPDATING – GILL RIBBED LARVAE – Olive/Red…

MAT GILL RIBBED LARVAE -1-Materials for GILL RIBBED LARVAE…

HOOK: Daiichi 1250. #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

WEIGHT: 8-10 wraps .0.15 or 0.10 lead or lead sub. – wire depending on hook size

ABDOMEN: Micro Floss. Lt. Olive, Cascade Crest

RIB: One strand, dyed red peacock herl wrapped around Red Ice Thread

THORAX: Two separate strands dyed red peacock herl, wrapped around Tiemco 16/0 thread for durability

This is an up date on a pattern that I successfully used on a lot of Eastern Sierra waters and in Colorado as well, back in the late 70’s and early 80’s…it comes from this interesting book which was published in 1977 and pre-dates that “other” book by GLF

CADDIS AND THE ANGLER BOOK -1-I will add one or two others from this book, updated of course, before this series of Caddis is completed…

POP EWR CADDIS -1-This guy says, “They WORK !!!”…

STICK BRACHY -2-

Brachycentrus larvae – STICK CADDIS –

MAT BRACHY STICK CADDIS -1-Materials for Brachycentrus larvae – STICK CADDIS …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, TMC 3761, #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16,0 Brown

UNDER ABDOMEN/HEAD: Nature’s Spirit Emergence Dubbing, Caddis Green

RIB: Ice Thread, Brown

ABDOMEN/BODY: 3 Olive PT Fibers/ 2 natural PT Fibers for size #16…all materials are tied towards the bend of the hook

LEGS: 6-8 Small Strands DNA Holo Fusion, clipped short

This is the ubiquitous “Stick Caddis” found hanging off sticks, vegetation and rocks in Eastern Sierra waters and almost everywhere else. It is the Larvae of the famous Mother’s Day Hatch and there are a gazillion of these guys in the Lower Owens and East Walker Rivers. They produce two hatches  on these waters -one in the Spring and a smaller version in the Fall…Tie ’em in #14 – #18 and this portion of the hatch is covered. The Trout will take these case and all !!!

SPRING EWR MOO -1-Michael working some swift riffles on the East Walker River…this place is loaded with Caddis of varying species…90% of the time, the Trout in here are not looking up…fish the pattern deep, bouncing the bottom and a lot more hook-ups will result…

BRACHY SC SH -1-Brachycentrus larvae…”STICK CADDIS” – TUNG SH…

MAT BRACHY SH TUNG SC -1-Materials for Brachycentrus larvae…”STICK CADDIS” – TUNG SH…

HOOK: TMC 5262, # 14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black or Gordon Griffith 14/0, Sheer, Black

RIB: Ice Thread, Gray

UNDER ABDOMEN: Trouthunter Caddis Green Dubbing

OVER ABDOMEN: Moose Body hair – #16, 4 hairs – wrap GENTLY

HACKLE: Black Starling

BEAD: Black Tungsten, 1 size undersize (ie. 5/64″ for #16)

Another cased Grannom (Mother’s Day Caddis) pattern from Westfly . 

This pattern is meant to be fished dead drift and deep in water like this that holds many different types of cased and free living Caddis…

CADDIS WATER EWR -1-Turbulent, Caddis -y water on the East Walker River in the “Miracle Mile” section…so, I’d use the cased Caddis as my lead fly and a Cream Miracle Midge, Baetis Nymph or a small attractor like a “Pinkie” or Black rainbow Warrior as my dropper in Mid to late May…just one combo I’d try… first…here…

NEXT: “Getting Jiggy with it”...and MORE…EURO TYPE STUFF…

PT/TB

Fish smileys

 

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »