Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

The annual salmon fly blitz draws fisher folk to Montana (and elsewhere) literally from around the globe. This is nothing new, however, for according to Paul Schullery (Cowboy Trout, an excellent read by the way) Montanans have been fishing the hatch religiously for at least 120 years and counting. But it wasn't until later in the 20th Century things really got rolling thanks to pioneer fly innovators such as Dan Bailey, Pat Barnes, Charlie Brooks, George Grant, Bud Lilly and a few others, somewhat lesser known.

One would think after all these years, all the many trials and tribulations, new Salmon Fly patterns would be a thing of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth as I cannot recall a single season when at least one new hot must-have-pattern has not made its way into the fly shop bins and, while it pains me to admit, most, if not all, have found their way into my box...even though I should be old enough, wise enough at this point to know better but don't. The list is long--Sofa Pillow, Improved Sofa Pillow, Orange Sofa Pillow, Bullet-head Salmonfly, Chernobyl Stone, Bird's Salmonfly, Henry's Fork Salmonfly, MoJoe Salmonfly, MacSalmon, Mystery Meat Salmonfly, Drowned Salmonfly, Salmon Fly Convertible, Norm Woods, Norm Woods Rubber-legs, Chubby Chernobyl, Clark's Stonefly Golden and, believe it or not, I count at least four more whatchamacallits in my box--and note these patterns are all dry.

At one time or another I've probably tied on just about every stone fly nymph pattern known to mankind...Montana Stonefly, Pat's Rubberlegs, Brook's' Montana Stonefly, Brook's Stonefly, AP Stonefly, Girdle Bug, Pepperoni, Bitch Creek, Kaufmann's Stone, Woven Stones and, you guessed it, several whatchamacallits.

I regret never having fished (just too-nifty-to-risk) A.P. Potts or George Grant Woven Hair Patterns (the Feather Back in the center of photo was tied by my friend Tom Harman) or the infamous Bunyan Bug (carved wood and horsehair) but fishin gods willin and the crick don't rise...well hell, you just never know what the future holds, eh?

Merry Christmas....

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

Ruby River

Hard for me to get the ol' bald noggin' round the idea but no denying 2011 is all but ancient history. Where the year went has me more than a little baffled. But no use bawlin over spilt milk, right, time a move on, so...Of late I started once again workin' on my bucket list--you know the must do stuff afore roastin' in the big fahr...Alas, much like my must-do-chores list it too just keeps getting longer and, knowing me as I so well do, not much hope of ever running out of stuff I could/should do but in all likelihood won't so...no surprise there, eh?

The somewhat doctored up photo above is of course your irresponsible reporter doing what he used to do often--e.g. fool enough to stand all day in ice water waving a stick in hopes of fooling a foolish, half-frozen trout to bite, knowing full well frozen fingers are so far gone removing the hook is a joke and breaking it off...well, as we all know, only works when you least want it too...Anyway, for reasons now escape me, "do more winter fishing" is right up there just below "hunt more birds" and right above, "tie more flies." If I were to guess I'd say two of the three ain't got much chance but then as they say, "dealin' with an addled soul you just never know"...OK I forget who but someone must a said it, right? Right.