First & Last Light.

It started with a plan. After checking water levels and all the reports, we were on the road by two in the morning and making our way to our intended destination. We knew exactly where we were going to park, hike, swing, and hopefully slay some steelhead. Around six in the morning, a good hour before sunrise, we hit one of the main roads and started to see them. Fishermen gearing up along the side of the road, and already hitting the water. We were beaten. Hitting the parking lot, we were the fourth car there and by the time we exited the truck to gear up, three more came in. These guys were rigged and ready to go, having driven to the river in their waders with rigged rods in the back. By the time Adam and I made our way to the river side, it was too late. I herd of anglers could be seen in the distance, some three hundred yards away. Their bright headlamps could be seen in the darkness, flashing in and out of the trees as they made their way down the footpath to our intended spot. Adam and I soon chose a new spot and rigged up our rods. The herd crossed the river and took up shop directly across from us on the skinny run. They were sixteen deep, and after a brief discussion, Adam and I got the hell out of there. 

        

Salmon Carcass.

First Light Swinging.

Option number two was a few miles away, and to our surprise, only a few cars were stationed at this pool. We hiked a quarter mile through the woods and set up shop on one of our favorite tail outs. In the first light of the morning, after a few practice casts, Adam had a tug from a small and feisty Atlantic Salmon. The little guy was full of fight and after the land, would not stay still for a photo. Soon thereafter, I hit the water and after a few casts, hooked into a hen on a fast swing directly across the current. Escorting her across the river near the tailout, we played chicken as she attempted to get into the current and rush downstream. I took her to a small eddy by a side channel and landed her for a few shots. It seemed like the perfect start to the day. 

Small Atlantic.

Full of Fight.

Squirming To Break Free.

Not a Bad Way To Start The Day.

We've Got a Jumper.

Risky Business in a Side Channel.

Black Stinger Missile FTW.

One Last Look.

Powering Away.

Like giddy school girls, Adam and I thought we were in store for an epic day on the water. Our high hopes, were left dashed, after a good nine hours of nothing. Not even a grab. Swinging flies has a way of testing an angler's resolve. We patiently worked our way downstream and then back upstream working every fishy piece of water while enduring freezing temperatures and a brutal wind. Driftboats kept working their way downstream, stopping in viable holes and we were left watching as egg sacks and beads showed us how many steelhead were not interested in our swung flies. In between sips of Red Bull and some beef jerky, flies were swapped out, eventually testing every conceivable color, size, and weight of streamers in our arsenals. We were left, perplexed. The day had warmed and the fish had shut it down. 

Lovely.

Taking the Path Less Traveled.

UV Ice Man Minnow w/ Kustom Flyz Eyez.

On every Great Lakes fishing trip, you are bound to see, find, and hear things that leave you shaking your head. For instance, flies litter the landscape, especially along the shoreline. I found an estaz egg on a tarpon hook. I'm assuming to increase the snag rate as it rakes across the bottom of the fast current attached to a few ounces of lead. I am also assuming, the hook was bent on a rock and the fly was discarded onto the ground. In the parking lot, a nice ways from the river, we found a brown trout carcass that was left to rot by a tree. I guess after landing the fish, deciding to keep it, and dragging it around all day, the angler decided, that it wasn't worth the trouble. Awesome. Finally, on multiple occasions while swinging flies through a run, I got a tug from a hundred feet of monofilament. 

Someone Else's Estaz Egg on a Tarpon Hook.

Someone Else's Brown Trout Left in the Parking Lot.

Someone Else's Rig Caught on the Swing.

Later in the day, with the sun setting in the sky, we were hoping that the steelhead would turn the switch back on and go after our streamers once again. We were right.  Just like in the first hour, the last hour of the day produced. On a new run that looked really good, Adam had a soft grab on the other side of the river behind a larger underwater boulder. The fish put a capstone on our day and Adam got his steelhead. Exiting, we discussed the days tactics: point of entry, mends, swinging speed, and bumps. Even though the day was slow, the few tugs received brought us to our knees, egging us on for the rest of the day and surely, bringing us back for more in the future. 

This Time a Male.

Stinger FTW.

Great Looking Fish.

Adam Finished the Day Strong.

Olive Barred Marabou Sculpin FTW.

Another Male.

Blurry Close Up. 

Well Worth the Wait.

Until Next Time...

14 Months in the Making.

My local fishing buddy, Zach, and I have hit the flats pretty hard over the course of the past year. Usually, Thursday afternoons would find us rushing to the nearest flat after faculty meetings at the school where we both teach science. Most weekends we'd make it out, as well. Its a good thing that fly fishing isn't entirely about catching fish, or we would both be rather regretful over all of those bonefishless days.

We would consistently see fish tailing, but our early ineptitudes kept us from bringing one to hand. In all of those days, we hooked one single, solitary bonefish. As it ran over the drop-off, we ran after it, knowing all too well what was about to happen. As I reeled in the severed line we alternately laughed, high-fived and cursed.

Lately, things have clicked for me, at least. I've had a few unforgettable days on the water when Zach couldn't make it and I felt more than a little bad at rubbing in my good luck, knowing that he had yet to land a bone of his own. My success, I think, is more a case of being able to be in the right places at the right times than any major increase in skill. Although, I know my eyes are much more attuned at spotting fish than ever before.

Now, Zach had hooked a few fish recently, but something would always go terribly wrong. There was that time at a newly-discovered flat where he hooked up with a nice fish, but as it ran, the line looped around his reel seat. From afar, I watched him take some steps forward to relieve pressure and unloop the line, then it went slack and his shoulder slumped. There were broken hooks, broken leaders, broken rods, old and curling fly lines, scratched corneas, urchins, bonefish coming 'unbuttoned,' and a ton of other things that conspired to prevent him from landing a bonefish. He's got an old Ross reel with not much backing on it and my biggest fear was that a bone would run deep and spool him, snapping an old knot and swimming away with his fly line and backing dragging behind.

My girlfriend had even stopped asking me if I had caught anything, instead asking if Zach got anything before she inquired about my luck. She wanted him to land a fish probably as much as he did.

So it was after I landed my last bonefish, number 9 or 10 to his 0, that I texted Zach and solemnly vowed to put him on some fish.

And thats how we found ourselves on a recent Thursday afternoon. Zach headed to the coast about 30 minutes before me as I finished a tutoring session with some students. I ended the session 5 minutes early as I received a text saying "Dude, there are a lot of bones here."

Less than 4 minutes after locking my classroom door, I was in the water. I threw my bags in the truck, sped to meet him on the coast, changed into my wading gear on the sandy shoreline and stepped into the water as I lowered my polarized lenses over my eyes, scanning for Zach's fish. (I timed myself, a new record.)

It wasn't long before we worked out a system. I would stand down current and call out numbers and locations of bones as they moved up towards Zach, feasting on small baitfish corralled against the shoreline. After a few good shots, Zach's line went tight as he lifted the rod. He palmed the reel to aid the drag as the fish ran.

I was super pumped, but weary of that backing knot. Visions of diving into the sea for a grip on the disappearing line didn't seem unrealistic. I prepared myself.

Zach played the fish well, and I landed it for him in knee-deep water. It was a solid bonefish, easily 6lbs, but the sweetest fish we've landed down here, easily.

Tying Materials I Love.

Giving Thanks.

This Thanksgiving I am actually at home with friends and family rather than fly fishing the Great Lakes tributaries several hours from home. However, the festivities are closing out and the Cowboys just lost. Soon I will be leaving my friends and families and heading to the aforementioned tributaries. I thought it would be a good time to talk about several products that I have been tying with over the past few months that have really added some great effects to my fly patterns. 

The first product is Bug Bond. This has taken the tying world by storm this past year and I have found it a very appealing alternative to the Loon products I was using. Bug Bond dries completely without any sticky residue with a quick few seconds of their UV Torch. It is also very useful for layering and building bodies on saltwater patterns. The torch is top notch and it cures Loon's UV products much better than the various Loon torches that I have used in the past. 

Bug Bond and a Bug Bond UV Torch.

Loon UV Products.

The second product is several fish eyes from Richard Johnson of Kustom Flyz and the Pike Flies Blog. Often when fishing streamers or baitfish imitations the targeted fish will follow your fly before inhaling it. Often, they turn away at the last moment leaving you heart broken. This is when it pays off to be using eyes on all your patterns. The eyes will be a triggering mechanism that elicits a predatory response from your targeted species. Richard's eyes are incredibly realistic especially his Realistic Flyz Eyez. 

Large Saltwater Eyes.

Rich's Bread and Butter and My Favorite Fish Eye.

Green and Purple Versions.

A Unique Eye.

An Awesome Tear Drop Eye.

More Unique Realistic Eyes from Kustom Flyz out of the UK.

The next few tying materials are the brainchild of Greg Senyo, an Orvis endorsed Guide and tier from Steelhead Alley Outfitters. They are Senyo's Laser Dub and Senyo's Shaggy Dub. Over the past year I have been incorporating UV and UV resistant materials into all of my flies. Research has shown, that UV materials are seen better by fish, especially in low light conditions. Senyo's Laser Dub works well tying nymphs and all manner of streamers and tube flies. I find it very useful in building heads on my streamers and tying Senyo's Ice Man Minnows. His Shaggy Dub is a rubber material that is UV resistant and will not breakdown or fade over time like most rubber currently out there. I have found it extremely useful on my articulated streamers. The rubber comes long which is perfect for tying because you can always trim it to your desired length. Left alone and long the material pulsates in the current and provides a larger profile for swung flies. 

An Articulated Streamer Incorporating Senyo's Shaggy & Laser Dub.

Realistic Eyes Seal the Deal.

Articulated Black Streamer With Shaggy Dub Body and Laser Dub Head.

Brown & Rust Version.

A Non-articulated Sculpin Pattern w/ Realistic Eyes.

Olive Version.

Olive Realistic Flyz Eyez.

Heavily Influenced By Kelly Galloup and Nick Granato.

Small and Large.

Standard Ice Dub Works Well Combined With Laser Dub.

My Stinger Missile With a Shaggy Dub Head.

Another Olive Version.

Bonefish Minnows With Bug Bond Body and Eyes From Kustom Flyz.

Bonefish Minnows With the Unique Plated Eyes From Richard Johnson.

A Different Angle.

A Mini Scott Sanchez Double Bunny Using Senyo's Laser Dub and Realistic Eyes.

Gray Over White.

Brown Over Yellow.

Four Inch Long Mullet Pattern With Large Eyes from Kustom Flyz.

Close Up.

Awaiting Further Testing.

Another great product comes from D's Flies. It is called UV Chewee Skin. It works well building bodies on caddis larva, stoneflies, and san juan worms.

Weighted Tungsten Caddis Larva With UV Chewee Skin and Senyo's Laser and Shaggy Dub.

Swimming Version and a Grub.

Side View.

Senyo's Ice Man Minnow w/ Kustom Flyz Realistic Fish Eyes and Bug Bond.

Orange and Rust Version.

The next few flies come from my partner in crime, Adam Hope. Adam and I are very different fly tiers. He is a perfectionist that is known to spend an hour or more on single patterns. He is also a fan of incorporating materials from the Bass fishing world. He likes to work in jig heads, rattles, and bass fishing skirts. He also has been known to fashion his own weighted heads. The following are a sampler of some of his streamers he used this past weekend to slay a few steelhead on the swing. 

This Bad Boy is Heavily Weighted With Spey Plumes For Added Action.

A Lot of Pheasant Butt in This One.

Articulated.

This Fly Kicked Butt.

Proven.

An Absolute Monstrosity. 

Upside Down.

Bass Skirt.

Custom Built Weight.

Also, if you are looking for a new rod or gift for the holidays be sure to check out the latest and greatest from Sage: The Sage TXL-F. These are perfect for the small stream waters in the Mid-Atlantic area. Here is the press release:

"November 22, 2010 (San Francisco, CA): Since 1985, Sage has endeavored on perfecting performance by handcrafting fly rods in Bainbridge Island, Washington. This year, Sage’s master rod builder, Jerry Siem, has developed a new series of dedicated small stream fly rods named TXL-F. This latest rod offering provides big rod performance in a small package.

Celebrate small stream fishing: Ultra-light rods in general have a reputation for being "noodly". Not so with the TXL-F, which responds to the same casting stroke that efficiently loads and unloads Sage's high-performing, fast- action rods. Now an angler can play “small ball” on tight trout streams without sacrificing performance.

Bottom Line on TXL-F: The ultimate small-stream performance fly rod. Adds a new level of enjoyment when fishing creeks and tighter streams. Makes every cast fun and small fish feel big."

New Sage TXL-F Fly Rods