Show Time

Lisa and I at our Booth
Every year we head up to Phoenix for the I.S.E Show ,for us it is a getaway to the big city and a chance to re-connect with old friends and meet some potential new clients .The fun for me is getting on the casting pond , trying new rods and getting the bugs out of my fly-casting .
Orvis was all over the show this year offering  some excellent programs geared at getting the curious into Fly-fishing.The Orvis Staff also where all over the casting pond placing 1st ,2nd and 3rd in the Men's best of the West Casting Competition yours truly choked and placed 5th.
Overall it was a good show and we are looking forward to seeing some of the folks we met either in the field or on the river .


Trade shows are great places to practice your casting

AZ Game and Fish was at the show in a very big way

The Gang from Lees Ferry Anglers




Living in a dream - Harvard MCZ museum

Living in a dream - Harvard MCZ museun.
Harvard MCZ (museum of comparative zoology) is AMAZING! I can't be happier to have my office just in the museum! It is a treasure cave and a heaven for a bird lover!!
Just the other day we had a public touring event, we pulled out some amazing bird specimens, include this amazing baby! - paradise tanager! regardless almost one hundred years old soul of this cutie, the plumages are shinny just like a jewel! See how my hand was shacking when holding this pretty! How amazing! I am living in a dream to be with those amazing specimen! : ) If you are living in the NE Boston area, you got to visit this place! more to come...


(noted: those images are all copy righted, so if you are interested in using them for educational purposed, please contact me first. Thanks)

What is a intruder fly?!



what is a intruder fly? some orthodox hard-cord tyers say: only flies that were tied from original materials and method can be called Intruder fly! Here is the suggestion for them. Look up the skgitmaster DVD1 - featuring Ed Ward. Intruder is a style of tying big profile fly!
I really don't have any idea how those hard-cord tyers come to a conclusion that everything should be on "original". If "original material" is a essential element in tying flies, I think I won't enjoy tying fly as much! The fun part of fly tying to me is NOT follow the instruction step by step, instead, it is SO fun to just use a idea and make your own! Just like cooking! see below how Mr. Ed Ward response to those people! Brilliant! I have been waiting for his response sooooo long!! Thanks Ed!
Original LINK: http://www.speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=46677&page=2&highlight=riveraddict
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Riveraddict
Registered User

Keep in mind...
...that the Intruder isn't just "my" fly. It is a collaboration of efforts of several individuals, myself, Jerry French, and Scott Howell being the most "public" of the "clan". An "official" definition isn't on the books. Personally, I consider it to be a descriptor for a general "style" of tie. If one were to see a sampling of mine, Jerry's, and Scott's flies together, there would be a perceivable difference between our ties, but also a definite similarity. That similarity would be the incorporation of a wound or spun "under collar" to provide a "propping up" of another larger-than-standard wound or hackled material in order to create a large-yet-not-solid or opaque, fly profile with maximum animation and better large fly castability due to the "size" of the fly being established via material "hydrodynamics" rather than "amount" of materials used. This under collar plus propped material we call "stations". We have Intruders tied with from only one station, all the way up to four, depending on size of fly. My "summer box" is stuffed with SINGLE station Intruders. I generally use deer hair collars on my stations, while Jerry and Scott are more into Arctic Fox and Polar bear. Our propped materials have ranged from Ostrich and Rhea, to marabou, turkey, swan, various pheasants, Arctic Fox, craft fur... you name it, we've probably used it. With the use of a little imagination outside traditional concepts of a fly, the opportunities for creating unique ties are almost limitless. We don't claim to be the originators of "propping" materials in flies by any means, but, prior to the Intruder, propping had not been a "mainstream" tieing method, nor had it been employed to the extent with which the Intruder has taken it.

Today's Catch


A break in the weather permitted a couple hours on the water.

This just in...

AnglerSurvey.com has posted the list of the most popular fishing equipment purchased during 2010. And the winners are:
* Top rod and reel combo brand: Shakespeare (23.6% of all purchases)
* Top fishing line producer: Berkley (12.8% of all purchases)
* Top hard bait brand: Rapala (25.7% of all purchases)
* Top soft bait brand: Zoom (13.3% of all purchases)
* Top spinner bait brand: Strike King (16.7% of all purchases)
* Top hook brand: Eagle Claw/Lazer Sharp (28% of all purchases)
* Top sinker brand: generic (29.7%), Water Gremlin (12% of all purchases)
* Top fly rod brand: LL Bean (25.6% of all purchases)
* Top fly reels brand: Orvis (17.5% of all purchases)
* Top fly combo brand: Pfleuger (6.5% of all purchases)
* Top fly line brand: Rio (32.1% of all purchases)
* Top fly leader brand: Rio (31.2% of all purchases)
* Top fly tying material brand: Wapsi (14% of all purchases)
* Top fish finder or sonar brand: Humminbird (34.7% of all purchases)
* Top tackle box brand: Plano (45.5% of all purchases)
* Top landing net brand: Frabill (33.4% of all purchases)
* Top fishing knife brand: Rapala (22.4% of all purchases)



Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/illinois-outdoors/2011/02/top-fishing-equipment-brands-for-2010.html#ixzz1FCN3WsPt

New Fly Fishing Show coming to a T.V. near YOU?

Having a good time

Those videos just reminded me how much fun I have in shooting wedding photos..

West Branch Resort Video

You'll want to turn down the volume on this trip report for Browns on the Upper W.B.

Brown Trout in the Morning from West Branch Angler on Vimeo.

Deadliest Catchiest

A new fishing crew member of the popular TV show “Deadliest Catch” was found dead in a motel room in Alaska, the police reported on Wednesday.


‘Deadliest Catch’ is a Discovery channel reality series. One of its ships called Time Bandit, where Justin Tennison had worked, films the crab fishing industry in the treacherous waters off Alaska.

Authorities said Tennison was found dead in Homer on Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Randy Rosencrans, a Homer officer, said they discovered beer, hard liquor and small quantity of marijuana inside the room.

Two rooms were listed under the name of Tennison and guests staying near the rooms had complained about loud noise. Police supposed a party was being held Monday night in the motel room.

Discovery spokesman Josh Weinberg said Tennison’s posthumous debut will be on the series’ upcoming season that is scheduled to start in April. A statement posted on the official website of Time Bandit said that Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand.

Weinberg released a statement that says Discovery was disheartened by the news. They are sending their sympathies to his family, as well as his fellow crew members during these tough times.

On Wednesday afternoon, the cause of Tennison’s death was still unknown. Rosencrans informed that foul play is not suspected. Later Wednesday, an autopsy was performed by the state medical examiner’s office.

Tennison’s death comes more than a year after the “Deadliest Catch” fishing vessel Cornelia Marie Captain Phil Harries died of a massive stroke at the age of 53.

tuna

Friday Bacon!

Something to freshen your breath prior to your big night out on the town...
the reason you freshen your breath prior to a big night on the town.


Somebody told me there are 2 beautiful women in this picture.  I didn't notice.  All I saw was bacon:-)

Redneck Ice Fishing or Resourceful ???

Well Brett, our guide decided to grab a buddy and go ice fishing.  With his auger not working he decided to become a redneck or to be resourceful.  Take a look and let us know!!!








Thanks Guys!!!!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow; Can you say RUGBY?

11:30 am = Pregame Festivities
12:00 noon to 2:00 pm = THE MAIN EVENT, ENGLAND vs. france
All the glorious awesomeness can be found on BBC America

babies are joys and hopes



suddenly, our lab is full of babies! they are joys and hopes of our future! go babies! : )
With rain forecast for this afternoon, I thought I'd seize the opportunity to get on the river in search of a few grayling. We've had so much rain that, even with the drier weather yesterday, the water was carrying the colour of well-brewed tea. Not a bad looking colour to be fair; hopefully enough to give the fish some confidence to feed in the shallower runs and pockets.



Success came fairly quickly as the leader tip darted forwards and a stuborn, out of season brownie fell to a bug trundled along the bottom. It parted company quickly and thankfully it had not thrashed about too much. Another few casts and the leader lifted again. This time a lift was met with that typical roll of a grayling, a flash of silver flank and some dogged pulling:


The river is literally full of life. The Rhyacophila larvae are a main-stay of food for grayling and trout. It's good practice to turn a few stones and check that your imitation matches the natural. It's also good to see the good health levels of the stream. These indicator species are vital early warning signs of problems.


There's alot of variation in the size of the food on offer. Here you see a Rhyacophila larva above a much smaller larvae. Remember, sometimes you can take fish on a #10; other times they demand a #20. A decent imitation fished through each run is likely to bring some success.


This small piece of submerged bark must have had several hundred specimens on it. The fish's larder!

... and a cased caddis showing itself. Note the green head:

A useful imitation of the cased caddis:

Photobucket


Plenty of fish were willing to take. None of them huge, but on long, light rods, they give a good account of themselves:


A better handful:


The forecast was spot on too. The rain started to fall and the river started to colour a little more. Mind you, Spring is in the air and it's good to be on and in the water.


~Dave

amazing!

Another WINNER from Third Coast Fly Fishing

Winter Swing from Third Coast Fly on Vimeo.

photography and projects


a very interesting talk, to see how a photography project was started from a scratch and come to alive... cool!

Salmon Fishing at Endsleigh



We now have our Endsleigh dates available for 2011. On the lower River Tamar, Endsleigh offers unquestionably the finest salmon fly water on the whole river system. Last season was superb, with an incredible 25 fish landed on one day alone!
We have four weeks available, with two rods per day. Please contact us for more information and for special package deals if taking a whole week.

2011 Endsleigh dates:

Thurs 16th June to Wed 22nd June. £50 per rod/day. £25 sea trout (5pm to midnight)
Thurs 23rd June to Wed 29th June. £50 per rod/day. £25 sea trout (5pm to midnight)
Thurs 30th June to Wed 6th July. £50 per rod/day. Sea trout rods fully booked
Thurs 12th Aug to Wed 17th Aug. £60 per rod/day. £25 sea trout (5pm to midnight)


Fumbleruski !!

Some more light hearted fumble pics!!!





The Large Dark Olives were pealing off the river today, making the most of the milder weather. Certainly seeing the duns fluttering through the air gives you the sense that spring is here and that can only mean one thing... the trout season is just around the corner...


Large Dark Olive Dun (Baetis Rhodani)

But, in search of the grayling today, there was nothing showing at the surface, so it was a caddis pattern on the dropper and a constant changing between PTNs and beaded nymphs on the point. The heavier caddis / shrimp pattern was helping to get down to the fish, especailly in the faster water. However, it was also the prefered choice of the fish.


A welcome grayling on the the heavy weight bug took in faster streamy water. The short-line approach worked a treat:


Another falls to the heavy bug:



Even a few out of season trout showed an interest in the pattern:


Working the water methodically gave plenty of takes and the grayling were gathering in fast and quite shallow water. The warmer air temperatures and recent rainfall has seen the rivers in fine condition. More rain is forecast which may put a stop to sport for a few days... so I'm watching the clouds.

~Dave

rusty brown


Phew... finally find some time and get my hands back to paints an brushes, 2011 season! A bit rusty, so called it "rusty brown" : )

The Perfect Cast...

ala, Goofy.

Training day Pics

Cruz and Martha
Mixed Scaled and Mearns Quail Habitat

I am trying to get out 4 times a week with the dogs as  they need it and so do I .Today we went to a spot that over the years holds all three species of Quail , today we found two species.One huge covey of Scaled  Quail and two decent sized coveys of Mearns .As usual Ted had the first find  on Scalies ,due to the wind the birds ran up the wash.More points where scored by Hilda and Sam ,Dixie got in a back and Tish a flush .Next out was Buddy, Cruz ,Martha ,Reba along for the run was Dixie  who is really starting to figure things out .
Martha and Cruz scored on a Covey of Mearns  then Buddy found another covey which Dixie also pointed or backed on ..all and all a great day.
The pictures where taken with my new Iphone ,not bad for a low tech guy and camera  .

Tish sits while Ted and Sam point a Scaled Quail,she goes in for the flush once when everyone is ready
Mountain Shot
Dixie backs Martha who is backing Cruz on Mearns

The reliable GRHE

It's one of those answers to the 'If you could only carry half a dozen flies...' question. It may have started life as a dry fly, but the Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear makes a very fine nymph. A good early season searching pattern, with a decent tungsten bead it can make its way through the deeper channels and runs where the fish will be lying.



On the RFB tutorial, I am using a Varivas 2120WB hook. The wave barbless has an interesting profile, especially at the point, but I have been impressed by its hooking capability. I have several friends tying their dries on them too.



Keep things simple: A black or gold coloured tungsten bead and I like just three (or so...) turns of the gold rib.

I like to the hare's mask to ensure there are plenty of spikey, buggy guard hairs that give this fly its pulling power.



~Dave