One of the Last Tying Skills I Needed to Learn!

I've been tying flies for about 20 years with 10 of them being serious.  For my first few years, I refused to tie anything that was complicated and stuck to simple flies that required a small number of materials and could be tied quickly.  Over the last 10 years, I've tried to branch out and get outside of my comfort zone.  I feel like I have done just that and I'm glad that I did.  With all of the tying skills that I have picked up from others, one has intimidated me for a couple of reasons.  I am referring to stacking deer hair.  

The first few times that I tried to tie with deer hair was ugly and I mean that literally and metaphorically.  I didn't follow instructions that were given, I didn't pay attention to detail, and things turned out about how you would expect...poorly.  Since then, I didn't want to tie with deer hair.  I always remembered my failures and didn't want to relive them.  However, after being pushed by one of my good friends (thank you Milo), I realized that I needed to revisit deer hair.  

This time, I was more focused.  I listened to instruction intently and followed directions carefully.  I paid attention to every wrap of thread and the amount of pressure that I was applying to the material.  If you have ever tied with deer then you know that attaching the material to the hook is only half of the task.  Trimming the deer hair to the shape that you want while using a double-sided, flexible razor blade is the next step.  Again, I attempted to lean heavily on the teachings of others and while the first few flies didn't turn out perfectly, I felt like I was headed in the right direction.  After tying another 4-5 flies, I had an "ah-ha" moment and it all clicked. 

I now feel like I can tie with and trim deer hair at a level that I feel comfortable selling flies that require this material and skill.  It was a good reminder of what it takes to learn a new skill and that learning takes time.  Sometimes learning something can come to a person quickly but everyone is going to struggle to learn and apply some concepts.  For some folks, it's algebra.  For some folks, it's learning Spanish.  For me, it was tying with deer hair.  However, things that require effort and focus, typically end up being more rewarding than things the come easily.  On top of learning a skill that makes a good-looking fly, I can attest that the flies can catch fish as well!

First Fishing Trip of the Season in the Boat

Last weekend, I was able to take my 16 foot jon boat for the first time this season.  While I have fished quite a bit this season, I have stuck to smaller bodies of water in my smaller boat and bank fishing up until this point.  I was incredibly nervous about getting it started and concerned about how it would run on the water after sitting in my garage for 6 months.  After some priming and choking (and maybe a little praying), it was music to my ears to hear the small 20 horse motor roar to life and purr like a kitten on the water.

My main objective was to clear some cobwebs out of the motor but my second goal was to target prespawn bass.  While I wasn't positive that the bass would be in prespawn mode on Lake Jacomo, it was my hope that they would be and thus, more aggressive.  That increased aggression, I was hoping, would make them more apt to hit a streamer.  While I didn't catch a lot of bass, I did catch the new "boat record" largemouth.  I started keeping track of big fish the first time that I put my boat on the water and it's just a way to make things more interesting and exciting when someone catches a nice-sized fish.  It also gives a nice reference point for us to compare fish to if someone is wondering if they caught an above-average sized fish.  

The bass I caught, while not a monster by any means, measured almost 18 inches long and broke the previous boat record of 15 inches.  It made a couple of acrobatic jumps and put up a heck of a fight!  It appeared to be spawned out (it looked a little skinny in the gut) but I'm not a bass expert so I could be wrong.  On the other hand, it was in the shallows (more specifically in vegetation) so maybe it was just a male with a high metabolism (kind of kidding, but maybe it was just struggling to catch food).  

Overall, it was a wonderful morning on the water!  The motor ran, the boat didn't leak, and I caught a nice bass on The Brave (my favorite streamer).  I'm already excited to get the boat on the water again and with only 13.5 days of school left, more days like this are hopefully on their way.  Speaking of way, Waylon had a good time too!

Unhackled Buggers and Steel Bunnies

Within the last year, I have been experimenting with a couple of flies.  The first is a very simple but really effective fly.  Essentially, it is a wooly bugger without palmered hackle.  If you aren't familiar with fly tying, it's just a wooly bugger that is missing a feather.  I started fishing this fly to save money (hackle is a little pricey) and because it's easier/quicker to tie.  What I have found is that when compared to its counterpart, it isn't any less effective.  I tend to fish two of these at the same time with 12-18 inches of line between them.  I simply tie some fluorocarbon from the bend of the lead fly using an improved clinch knot to the eye of the second fly, again, with an improved clinch knot.  Even though I am not the most proficient caster in the world, I still don't end up with very many tangles.  This setup catches a lot of small largemouth, bluegill, and even crappie.  On three occasions last summer, I actually managed catching two fish at once!

The second fly that I have been playing around with is called a Steel Bunny.  This is a fly that incorporates a fish skull from Flymen Fishing Company as well as some Hareline laser dub, marabou, and a rabbit strip.  The fish skull is probably the most prominent part of this fly and makes this fly sink like a rock!  It is great to use with floating line or if you want to fish really deep with a sinking or sink tip line.  The profile and wiggle of the fly is great to fish for postspawn bass.  I haven't spent a lot of time on the water with it but it has proved to be a successful fly so far.  It still needs more time on the water to prove itself but the early impression is positive.  Both flies are for sale in my Etsy store and I am including aYouTube video if you're interested in tying your own Steel Bunny.

Online Fly Shop

Olive Unhackled Bugger: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1523300042/3-pack-of-olive-unhackled-wooly-bugger

White Unhackled Bugger: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1537476279/3-pack-of-white-unhackled-wooly-buggers

Olive & Yellow Steel Bunny: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1537760313/bluegill-steel-bunny-fly-bass-fly

Olive & White Steel Bunny: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1518502666/baitfish-steel-bunny-fly-bass-fly

Steel Bunny Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrlAKcKJLtg&t=49s

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/607031796/the-brave-streamer-bass-fly-zonker-fly

I'm not the smartest guy that you will ever meet.  I'm a person that's a lot like everyone else.  I have a lot to learn and I do dumb things quite often.  That's not self deprecation but rather just the honest truth.  However, what I do have working for me is that I am curious and I love to learn.  Specifically, I love to learn about fly fishing and how to catch fish in local waters.

Thanks to some mentors and fellow anglers, I have learned how to catch hybrid striped bass on Blue Springs Lake.  I have fished this lake for over a decade and I don't know much about it, with one exception.  I know that if three factors are combined, an angler has a decent chance of catching hybrid striped bass from the bank and more specifically from the dam of the lake.  On Sunday morning, all three factors aligned along with the chance for me to hit the water.  Here are the aforementioned factors in no specific order:

1. It has to be the month of April.

2. There needs to have been a substantial amount of rain.

3. Wind needs to be out of the south.

When you put those three things together, you have a very good chance that you are going to catch some hybrids on Blue Springs Lake.  Is it a foolproof plan?  No, because nothing in fishing is foolproof in my opinion.  However, I have caught hybrids on Blue Springs Lake more times than not when all of these factors are present.  For that reason, I only fish the lake based around these factors aligning just like they did on Sunday morning.  The results were what I was hoping for.

I arrived at the dam around 7:30 and started throwing my favorite streamer on an 8 weight into the wind.  That's a bit of a problem with these conditions though.  When the wind is out of the south, you have to cast into the wind.  But like an old-timer once told me, "If you aren't casting into the wind, you are wasting your time."  I was able to cast as far as I thought I needed to and I watched my floating fly line for takes.  After about 30 minutes of fishing, and missing a couple of hits, I watched my fly line dart down in the water and then start moving to my left.  I knew it wasn't a rock or a branch so I gave a proper strip set and the fight was on.  

There was a solid run, followed by some violent head shakes, and then a prolific run that was into my backing in a matter of seconds.  It was a long fight with a lot of gaining ground and losing ground but eventually I netted the beast.  The tale of the tape was24 inches and over 6 and 1/2 pounds.  The leviathan was released  and swam off to fight another day.  I ended up catching another hybrid that was about 2 pounds as well to complete my successful morning.  I wish I could fish for this species all year long.  I honestly think that this is the hardest fighting freshwater fish I have ever encountered.  Unfortunately, I only know how to catch them in optimal conditions.

Oddly enough, every fish hybrid that I have ever caught in Blue Springs Lake has been caught on the same fly.  It is called The Brave and I've written about it many times on this blog.  It's profile, motion, and color combination are apparently something that the hybrids like which means I like it as well.  If you're thinking about chasing hybrids, smallmouth, largemouth, or any other species of fish that eats 3-4 inch baitfish, it would be a pleasure to fill and order for you.  I'm not trying to pressure you into buying flies from me but would sure like to help you if you want to try this streamer out.  On the other hand, if you want to tie your own or just want to see what all the fuss is about, just click the link below for more details about the fly or to place an order!  Regardless, thank you for reading and good luck on the water.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/607031796/the-brave-streamer-bass-fly-zonker-fly

You Never Know Unless You Go!

Last Sunday, I felt antsy.  I needed to do something but I wasn't sure what to do.  I offered some options up to Wendy and she opted to lounge around and take it easy.  Then she gave me "the look".  I played coy and said, "What?"  She said, "Just go!  It's a nice day but don't be gone for too long."  I wasn't about to turn down that invitation but I did so with a little reluctancy.  I wanted to get out of the house but the wind made conditions less than ideal.  With a little hesitation, I grabbed a 5 weight, a box of flies, and headed to the truck with Waylon.

When we arrived at the HOA pond that I had decided to fish, I was greeted with a little good fortune.  The wind was blowing against the dam that I like to fish.  For most of my life, I have been told, "If you're not casting into the wind, you're wasting your time."  I knew that there was at least a chance that I could hook into one or two of the white bass that live in this pond.  Experience told me that they usually start moving into the dam and are pretty aggressive starting in April.  On my 5th cast, I hooked a fish.  It didn't take long to feel power that was greater than a bluegill and runs that were unlike a largemouth.  When I saw the fish twist and flash just under the surface, I knew I had a white bass on the line.

It fought hard and put a heck of a bend in my 5 weight.  I was hoping that I wouldn't lose him as he started to tire and allow me to bring him into the shallows.  As he approached, I reached out as far as I could to grab him by the lip but had to be careful to not slip.  I was only wearing some slip-on shoes (Hey Dudes to be specific) and didn't want to ruin them with lake water and muck from the bottom of the lake.  As he came closer, I saw 2-3 other white bass with my catch and was both scared they were going to interfere and excited that their presence meant the possibility for more catches.  

I ended up putting a strong grip on the catch (not too strong though) and landing the critter.  While I will readily admit that I am not a white bass expert and that I don't know much about what qualifies a white bass as "big" I feel confident in stating that this was a big white bass...to me and for this lake.  It ended up weight almost two pounds and was 17 inches long.  I've heard stories of folks hitting white bass runs just right and catching fish like this all day long, but for me, this was a memorable catch!  On top of things, I actually completed a slam.  I caught four different species and they all fell to the olive tail/white body/olive hackle wooly bugger.

I have to admit, I sure am glad that I took Wendy's advice.  I could have stayed home in my recliner.  I could have avoided the windy conditions.  I could have went to Bass Pro, ran errands, or changed the flapper in the guest bathroom.  However, I'm glad that I took the opportunity to go fishing and experience a surprisingly good little trip.  It's also a reminder that you never know what is going to happen when you go fishing.  I've stated it a thousand times and I will state it a thousand more times; this is one of the most alluring parts of our sport.  Fishing can be a little predictable but you can never predict exactly what is going to happen.  The state longnose gar was caught when some folks were crappie fishing.  Just click here to watch the video and I suggest you do because it is an incredible story!  I took my middle school fly fishing club on a fishing trip in a wind advisory after a weather roller coaster last week.  They had never caught or seen so many fish on any previous trips.  One club member caught 43 hybrid bluegill!  So the next time you have a chance to go fishing, and even if you go halfheartedly, just remember that you never know what is going to happen!

I (Finally) Completed My Final College Degree!

I am still in the process of getting readers caught up on events that occurred during my hiatus from posting on this blog. While this post isn’t fishing related, I wanted to let everyone know that I was able to close a chapter in my life last spring. Before my break from the blog, I had mentioned quite a few times that I was working in my third and final college degree. Last May, I was able to participate in the graduation ceremonies for my Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Technology. This degree is between a Master’s degree and a Doctoral degree. In the education system we refer to it as a super Master’s or baby doctorate. Either way, I’m done with college! The next college classroom that I am in, I will be the professor. I’m not sure if that is something that I want to do or not, but it’s at least a possibility. The good news for me can be boiled down to this: less school work equals more fishing and that sounds good to me!