Going Fishing

Is there anything that makes optimism and excitement swell inside you like driving towards a fishing spot?  It is something that all of us have probably felt (since you are probably a fisherman if you are reading a fly fishing blog) but we sometimes overlook or fail to appreciate.  I don't know about you, but trying to anticipate where the fish will be and what the conditions will look when I reach the water, get parts of my mind processing information, recalling past experiences, and forming solutions that would rival the speed of a supercomputer.  It also seems the further you have to drive, the more you start to formulate a plan for the day.  This plan might be partially implemented while you fish, but most of time, the plan gets thrown out the window and we adjust to what the fish tell us.  For example, I had grandiose ideas about fishing with a scud in deep holes at Bennett, only to find large schools of fish located at the top of the holes so I used a nymph instead.  Memories come rushing back to you and you can almost smell the water even when you are still 50 miles away from your destination.  This feeling of excitement can also be magnified if you have too much coffee.  The point is, ONE of the best parts of the trip is sometimes found in the anticipation of the fishing and all of the feelings that come along with going fishing.

More Poaching in Missouri

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news two weeks in a row, but there was another deplorable act of poaching here in our great state.  An immature bald eagle was shot and killed in southeast Missouri.  The thrill or enjoyment that someone gets out of doing something like this is beyond my understanding.  As always, if you come across any information that might lead authorities to catching the person that committed this crime, please contact the Missouri Department of Conservation's Operation Game Thief at 1-800-392-1111.  More info about Operation Game Thief can be found at this link:
http://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/how-contact-us/operation-game-thief

Here is a video about the program:



Finally, here is some information from some media outlets about the bald eagle that was killed.

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/31052933/juvenile-bald-eagle-shot-killed-near-patterson-mo

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2016/01/26/bald-eagle-shot-dead-in-southeast-missouri/

http://www.wsmv.com/story/31063218/bald-eagle-shot-and-killed-in-wayne-county

New Hank Patterson Videos

New Flies to Learn- The Midwest Drift & Frankenfly

The guys at The Midwest Drift never cease to amaze me with their photography and useful content.  A few new patterns and instructions just went up on their site.  Check it out if you are looking for some new patterns or just want to try some new flies on the water.

Link- New Fly Patterns at The Midwest Drift

Paul Beel at Frankenfly is featuring new fly patterns and new techniques on almost a daily basis.  This particular pattern, "Silverside," has some interesting materials (that I would not be afraid to substitute because I don't have any polar bear laying around) is an interesting pattern that would probably fish well for white bass, largemouth, and wipers around Missouri.

Link- New Fly Patterns at Frankenfly

Kansas City Sportshow & A HORRIBLE IDEA

For those of you that live in the Kansas City area, the annual Kansas City Boat and Sportshow is going on this weekend.  While I certainly wish that there was more fly fishing specific vendors and outfitters that catered to fly fishermen, it is still a great time.  It is a nice reminder that while the weather across Missouri pretty much stinks, warmer temperatures and sunnier days are on their way.  Heck, I've even noticed the days are starting to get longer.  

On another note, I have wanted to do something at the Sportshow for years but I don't have the guts. I have been going since I was a kid and I have always been fascinated by the trout pond they have set up.  I've hooked a few fish but never landed a single one.  Not that I mind because it's indoor fishing for Pete's sake.  What really bothers me is that I have to use the equipment that is provided.  Usually it is a rod with a little line let out and a fly of some sort on the end.  It is a glorified cane pole in the sense that you can't reel in or let out any line.  So here's my thought.

The trout pond in question.

WARNING: THIS WOULD GET YOU IN MAJOR TROUBLE.  YOU WOULD CERTAINLY GET KICKED OUT OF THE SPORTSHOW AND POSSIBLY ARRESTED!  I am only sharing a funny thought here and in no way encouraging anyone to carry out this stupid and foolhardy plan.  Enough with the disclaimer, let's get to the horrible but awkward idea.

Crowded conditions, amateurs, sub par equipment...feels like Bennett Spring!

Are you tired of fishing your local indoor trout pond at your local sports show using local, hand-me-down, overused equipment?  Well the last time I checked buddy, we live in the United States of America!  To force me to use sub par equipment to catch a beautiful rainbow trout out of a makeshift aquarium seems like an abuse of power imposed by those that wield far too much power over this particular situation.  Friends, rodents, quadrupeds...led me your rears as I invoke a point of parliamentary procedure!  I'll be brief.

If those tyrants that are empowered are able to force their lousy gear on us to fish with, well then isn't this an indictment of the entire indoor/captive fishing system?  And if the entire system is guilty, then isn't the entire fishing industry to be blamed?  I put it to you fishing pole hander-outer guy, isn't this an indictment of our entire American society?  And to impose such heinous, deplorable sanctions upon us is to strip us of our rights which are granted to us by the United States Constitution?  Well, you can do what you want to us, but we are not going to sit here and watch you badmouth the United States of America.  So here is what I propose...stay with me here.

Did this guy some up with the idea of the trout pond?  Possibly.

My vision is of a man wearing a floppy bucket hat with flies adorning the base of said hat.  Red flannel drapes this master of the universe as he ascends up the escalator of the sports show.  That's when you notice the waders and olive vest.  It finally sets in the the subtleness of a broken shoelace, this guy came to catch some fish and chew some bubble gum...and he's all out of bubblegum.  He assembles his four piece, 6 weight rod and gets strung up obviously not in the line of site of the people that run the trout tank.

Picture this guy coming up the escalator headed toward the trout pond.

He makes his way to the front of the line and studies the annual sports show hatch.  Just as he thought, Winteress Hexagenia has emerged from its slumber right on time.  He attaches a midge dropper to his size 4 dry.  Upon gaining access to the pool, he steps over the side of the tank and casts slightly upstream with pinpoint accuracy in order to avoid the 12 children and 4 novices that have also begun fishing the same pool.  This is extreme combat fishing which calls for extreme measures.  After landing his limit (which happens to be one fish on this particular day), being threatened with pepper spray, and making a child cry, he steps out of the water like a conquering warrior.  Security escorts him through the crowd which only shows the level of fame and notoriety that this man amongst boys has achieved.  As he exists the convention center onto the concrete sidewalks and 18 degree weather, he does what any fisherman of his status should do.  He finds a two year old child and gives him his go-to fly, wishes him luck, tells the little guy where they are biting, and heads to his 1996 Ford Tempo and chases the sunset which will only lead him to his next adventure...a fly tying competition at a local watering hole.

Making fly boxes from scratch...or pine.

Remember a few months ago, when the weather was warm and the fish were biting and there was the occasional light warm breeze out of the south?  That was awesome wasn't it?  During that same time I ran across an interesting post on The Fiberglass Manifesto that featured a company called Blackland Woodworks.  The post showed how the owner makes beautiful fly boxes from scratch and it got me thinking about trying my hand at the same project.  Like I said, this was during a time when you could actually go fishing so I didn't pursue this project right away.  However, since the weather has turned and I have some time to dedicate to more "indoor friendly" projects, I am making an attempt at my own version of one of these boxes.

A Blackland Woodworks custom-made fly box.  Beautiful huh?

Here's a link to the posts I read that inspired my own project: http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.com/search?q=blackland 

As with most of my woodworking projects, there has been a definite learning curve.  While I am not skilled enough to get things perfect the first time, I am experienced enough to know that I am not going to get things perfect the first time.  I don't get frustrated as a result and now I just expect to encounter obstacles.

I stared off with a piece of cheap pine from Lowe's.  I chose a piece that did not have knots (kind of difficult) and a piece that was not warped (even harder).  I knew that this would be my prototype so I wasn't incredibly picky.  I then determined my dimensions in terms of length and width.  I then ripped the board to be 4 1/2 inches wide.  Next, I sketched out the sizes of the boxes on the wood, accounted for the width of the saw blade when I cut the pieces later, and determined the distance from the edge of the box to the pocket that I was going to router.  I also accounted for space to insert magnets and pockets for hinges.  I didn't like the way the hinges were on the outside of the frame for the Blackland Woodworks box so I decided to embed them inside the box to make it look nicer but still close flush.

The notes are reminders about where I made mistakes.  You can see where the router got away from me and where I tried to recess the hinges.  Ugly huh?

Here's what I have learned so far.  Routers are hard to control even with a guide attached to the router, and smaller bits are both more forgiving as well as useful for making corners that are less rounded.  When making a pocket for the hinges to set inside, it is important to remove layers or wood so you work with the grain rather than against.  Using cheap wood as a prototype hurts less when your all your work gets tossed in the trash can because I got carried away with router depth.  Rounding over the edges of the outside of the box looks really nice.  Taking a torch to the outside of the pine box looks really cool!

The outside of the box from above that I burned with a torch.

This is still a work in progress but I am getting closer to finding the process that will turn out the product in the exact way I want.  I am now experimenting with some magnets that I want to use to keep the boxes closed and purchased some more expensive wood.  I am also experimenting with some different types of foam and felt that I might use to secure the flies to.  I will post again when I am perfected my process and let you know about what else I learned.

Things I have learned:

I changed to a smaller router bit.  This allows for errors to be less glaring and easier to fix.

I made a jig on the advice of some friends.  This maintained a framework to keep the router within.

A blank fits in the jig tightly.

At the bottom of the base of my plunge router, a guide keeps the router inside the jig.

These blanks were routed with a 1/2 inch bit.

These blanks were routed with a 1/4 inch bit.

The hinges were recessed and I burned these blanks as well.

Prototype #2.  The felt was easy to shape and fit, but DO NOT put a fly in the felt beyond the barb...unless you never plan on using the fly again!  

The hole for the magnet is too large and I have since bought a bit that will ensure a more secure and snug fit.  I wish I could find some magnets that are smaller in diameter as well.  However, the magnets are strong and hold the box closed really well.

Left side of the same box.  You can see where the hole I drilled for the box kind of "blew out" the side of the box.  Oops!  That won't happen again!

I will post again when I have perfected this process, but I feel like I am getting close to a process that will work for me and produce a really nice box.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Thank you very, very much for taking time out of your day to stop by this blog.  I know we all have busy schedules and the pace that life moves at seems frantic at times so the fact that you are even reading this means a great deal to me.  I might not know you personally, but you obviously have at least an interest if not a passion for fly fishing, conservation, the outdoors, and/or the state of Missouri.  Whatever the reason, we have a connection and I am grateful for that.  Now time for a moment of honesty.

After Christmas and New Year's I took a break from posting because I wanted to enjoy some family time as well as the fact that the number of views for this site were really low.  I wondered what was the point of posting information if no one was reading it.  Ultimately I decided to give it another month and I could not be happier with my decision.  I'm not sure why but views of this page have EXPLODED over the last couple of weeks.  More people are viewing this page than ever and I have no idea why.  I also have to admit , the more people view this page, the more I am driven to post content so as long as you keep visiting, I'll keep posting!  Also, it would be greatly appreciated (if you feel so inclined) to email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com and let me know what you want to see more of or less of.  I'm wondering what people have found so compelling lately and I am more than happy to post more content that people are interested in.  Whatever the reason for you visiting this page, thank you for stopping by and please know it means a lot to me!

Fly Fishing Film Submissions

Here's a few minutes of some fly fishing action to get you through your day.  They are submissions to The Fly Fishing Film Tour and look pretty awesome.  Enjoy and have a great weekend!


Fish Tour_Open_CC_1 from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.


The Scandinavian Way from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

The ugly face of poaching!

I was recently forwarded an email by a buddy of mine which made me aware of an ugly poaching situation that recently occurred here in Missouri.  This has nothing to do with fly fishing or fly tying, but it has everything to do with conservation here in the state of Missouri and that is in large part of the purpose of this blog.  I highly encourage you to educate yourself about the situation if you feel strongly about conservation efforts here in our great state.  I thought about writing about this situation myself, but decided to let the professional writers communicate the situation to you in a much better way than I can.  And to be honest, I would have a hard time not expressing my anger and sadness without expletives.

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-seeks-info-about-poached-bull-elk-found-current-river

http://www.lebanondailyrecord.com/news/local/article_aa825a8a-af43-11e5-a17d-c7361573eeb3.html

http://ksmu.org/post/mdc-seeks-information-about-poached-bull-elk#stream/0

http://www.newstribune.com/news/2016/jan/03/driftwood-outdoors-throw-book-bull-elk-poacher/#.VpE9qT4FmWw.blogger

Fly Fishing Film Trailer

The trailer for the 2016 Fly Fishing Film Tour came out about a week ago, and as usual it looks to be incredible.  I have never attended this event before but would love to see it come to Kansas City some time.

2016 Fly Fishing Film Tour Trailer from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Building a Fly Tying Workstation

Deer season is over (for me at least), the water is getting hard, the weather stinks here in Missouri (especially for those that have experienced flooding and my thoughts and prayers are with you), I don't have any plans (currently) to head to any trout streams down south, and it is going to be a while before I get to hit the woods to do some shed antler hunting.  That means only one thing; it's time to grab some lumber (mostly scrap) and start slapping some woodworking projects together.  Admittedly, I am not much of a carpenter so please don't take the following project as some sort of masterpiece or that I am some sort of Da Vinci with a table saw.  I am not.

I like simplicity, appreciate functionality, and like to keep my hands busy during this time of year.  The project featured in this post is a table-top workstation for tying flies.  I have my own desk at home, but I decided to make this "bench" that will act as a grand prize for a contest I am having with some students that I tie flies with once a week.  The kids have been tasked with the mission of creating a creative, functional, and well-constructed fly box for their own personal use.  A panel of judges will grade them based on a set of criteria and the winner will receive this workstation.  But I digress, here's what I did.

Step 1- Find a piece of wood that will be the base of your workstation.  This will dictate the overall size and space that you will have to work with and work on when you are completed.  You definitely want to put some thought and consideration into how much space you want to work on and how much space you want the station to take up.  You might try putting the base on a kitchen table to give you a sense of scale.

Step 2- Now that your base dimensions have been determined, it is time to get creative!  I like to do a Google image search for other fly tying stations to get some ideas to include in my station.  I have made a few of these in the past and this is by far my favorite configuration.  I like to have a piece of wood in the back to keep things from falling off the back of the station and I like to have a section on each side that will eventually be elevated.  These sections can be used to hold thread, mount vises, or even store tools vertically or horizontally.

Step 3- again, I like simplicity.  The back is attached to the base with two wood screws and then to the elevated sections with a screw for each section.  In terms of the elevated sections, you will need to find a dowel rod that will be used to anchor the sections and a corresponding drill bit.  If you have access to a drill press, it would be to your benefit to use it to drill the holes.  Perfectly vertical holes make a BIG difference and make the overall piece look much better.  After screwing the sections to the back, I use wood glue to on each end of each dowel to ensure security.

Step 4- Remember when I said it was time to get creative?  Well, it is that time again only this time the sky is the limit.  Much like a car, the overall design is wildly important but if it doesn't have a good paint job and added little details then it is going to lack in overall beauty.  I decided to give this table topper a coat of army green and I really liked how it turned out.  I also added a rounded over piece of wood that will act as a book/paper holder to help the young tier that wins it.  Finally, it looked a little bland so I added a window decal that I purchased a while back from The Fiberglass Manifesto.  I wasn't sure if the sticker would adhere to the paint very well, but it sure did.  Finally, I put some rubber feet on the bottom that I found at Home Depot so neither the kid nor I will get blamed for scratching up mom and dad's kitchen table.

So there you have it.  Simple, functional, and rewarding.  Good luck if you decide to attempt this project and please send me a picture of your final product if you can.  I would love to see your creative take on this workstation project and see what you come up with.

What makes you a fly fisherman?

I recently purchased a copy of A River Runs Through It by Norman McLean. After buying it, the passing thought of "well I guess I am really a fly fisherman" passed through my head. It seems like some guys that consider themselves"real" fly fishermen not only have a copy of the famous story but some go as far to brag about the fact it is hardback or even a first edition. I will be honest here, my copy cost 12 bucks, is paperback, and has other Norman McLean stories in it as well. Does that make me less of a fly fisherman? Heck no it doesn't but there are some that might argue otherwise. It seems that fly fishermen sometimes base their "status" on where we fish, what we fish for, or even the gear we carry. Does my eagle claw fiberglass rod make me a lower rank when I stand next to a guy with a 700 dollar Orvis set-up, or do my neoprene camouflaged waders make me a novice when standing next to a guy in some Simms guide series breathable waders? Maybe it is a societal thing or maybe we, as fly fishermen, are confirming the stereotype that our sport is uppity and that it a sport for those of nobility. I don't know the answer, but it does tick me off to think about sometimes. What we  your thoughts? Does fly fishing come off as elitist or am I way off here?

***Warning- this video should probably be rated PG-13.  There isn't any really bad swearing, just a couple of slang terms that could be deemed inappropriate.  Viewer discretion advised.

I started this blog to dispelling the very myth that I believe exists, so I guess the question that begs to be answered is, what makes someone a fly fisherman? Do you have to own several fly rods? Do you have to fly fish 50 days out of the year? Do you have to tie your own flies?  If you have seen or read A River Runs Through It, does that make you a legitimate fly fisherman? Do you catch and release 90 percent of the time? I honestly don't know. To me, a fly fisherman has a rod, a reel, a fly box, an appreciation for the environment, and likes to catch fish. That's good enough for me.