The Complex Bugger, Hunger Strike and Lockdown Minnow in the Tester Tank

Last week I detailed some new flies that I have been working on and developing.  I finally got them in the tester tank and wanted to show some footage with you.  The olive and white articulated streamer is the Hunger Strike.  The white articulated streamer is a Lockdown Minnow.  The streamer with the black tail is a Complex Bugger.  I am also working on getting these into the Etsy store and will announce when they are available if anyone is interested in purchasing them!

Black Fly Creations- One of My Prizes Arrived

Last week, I posted about how I won a contest on Instagram that Black Fly Creations was conducting.  You can click here for that post.  Yesterday, I received part of my winnings from the contest and I could not be happier with my prize.  That smile you see in the picture below is 100% genuine!  The design, the fit, and the feel of the sweatshirt is outstanding.  It also screams that I am a fisherman, which I also dig.  I saw a meme the other day that said something like, "I do four things in life: fish, buy fishing stuff, research fishing, and talk about fishing."  I am sure this shirt will be a great conversation piece and a way to show my passion for our fine sport to the world.  Black Fly Creations has many more products to offer and you can see all of the links below the pictures.  I have had the pleasure to communicate with Steve, the owner, a few times and I can vouch that the folks that run this company are kind, generous, and thoughtful people.  If you're ever concerned about who your money is going to when you spend it, you can rest assured that it is going to good folks at Black Fly Creations.

Website: https://www.blackflycreations.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/BlackFlyCreations/BlackFlyCreations/page/F3FD0B5E-FEA3-403D-B7E7-6833813B523F

Instagram: @blackflycreations

Use #blackflybugs and #blackflycreations

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blackflycreations/

YouTube Channel Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT4gBy6nA4VJA82U4eea2EA

New Record Black Crappie in California

There are A LOT of crappie fishermen in Missouri!  I some some folks that target this species exclusively and spend quite a bit of time chasing these tasty fish.  It is with those folks in mind that I post this article that I ran across on field&stream.com a couple of days ago.  Can you imagine reeling in a crappie that went over 4 pounds?!?!  It is a pending new state record as well!  That's a pretty impressive fish and a heck of a story.  For the full write-up, just click on the link below.

Link: https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/fishing/california-black-crappie-record/

Shed Hunting with Mason and Cody

It has become a tradition that my sons and I go shed hunting at least one day a year and it is usually in late February.  Each one of them has found antlers in the past with a little help from dad, but this time, they did all the work and found success on their own.  We hit a couple of conservation areas around the Kansas City area last Saturday and finally had some success late in the day.  The antlers are definitely starting to drop in this area but some of my buddies have reported seeing bucks still holding antlers as well.  It is a great time to hit the woods and fields to find some antlers and other treasures.  I'm not sure who originally made this statement but I believe it with all my heart: "I've never found time spent amongst nature to be a waste of time."  Good luck if you decide to go antler hunting and even if you don't find an antler, you will probably find something that you didn't even know you were looking for!

 

2021 F3T Stoke Reel

I'm a sucker for a thoughtful, exciting, heartfelt film that involves pretty scenery and prettier and/or large fish.  I think I just summed up the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) in one sentence.  In all honesty though, if you like to travel, fly fishing, or both, this is a special event.  As with most things, this event is going to look a little different this year but that's okay.  Fly fishers are flexible if we are nothing.  And while it isn't going to be as fun as sitting in a theater oohing and awing and geeking out over your favorite thing with a bunch of other like-minded folks, please consider supporting this event.  Many events and businesses are still struggling to navigate and survive in the current economic climate.  It is my fear that if we don't support the F3T, it might cease to exist and that would be a darn shame.  I am including some links and details below as well as the F3T Stoke Reel in case you are interested.

Link to the F3T homepage: https://flyfilmtour.com/

How to watch: https://flyfilmtour.com/fly-film-tour-2021-tickets/

From the F3T website in case you were curious about how and when the film tour can be viewed.

"This special online event for the 2021 Fly Fishing Film Tour will take place from March 10 - April 4th, 2021 (ends at 11:55pm MST). You can watch the film at your convenience, any time within this window. As long as you are accessing from the 1 linked device that you initially logged in from (linking begins when we go live at 7pm EST on March 10th), you may start/pause/restart/rewatch at any time until April 4th at 11:55pm MST. "

Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOHRyBTZGniG7-1s6fI-MQ

Black Fly Creations

Recently, Black Fly Creations conducted a giveaway on Instagram.  The giveaway involved some flies, a sticker, a hooded sweatshirt, and some face mask covers.  I was fortunate enough to win the giveaway and I felt compelled to pass along their information.  After doing a little digging, I quickly realized that Bly Fly Creations is WAY more than just an interesting Instagram follow.  The Black Fly Creations website has some creative and innovative products that range from cell phone covers and pop sockets to apparel and facemasks.  All of the designs are thoughtful and original.  If you're in the market for some new fishing gear, just click on the links below.  If you're looking for a good Instagram follow or some great YouTube videos, their social media is as impressive as their products. 

Website: https://www.blackflycreations.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/BlackFlyCreations/BlackFlyCreations/page/F3FD0B5E-FEA3-403D-B7E7-6833813B523F

Instagram: @blackflycreations

Use #blackflybugs and #blackflycreations

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blackflycreations/

YouTube Channel Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT4gBy6nA4VJA82U4eea2EA

Project Update! - Gateway Trout Unlimited Brown Trout Project

I had literally never seen baby brown trout...until I watched this video.  (Fine, I'll call them fry for all you smart folks!)  This is such an amazing experiment to watch unfold and I'm really glad to have such good documentation and updates from the Gateway Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Westover Farms of Steelville, Missouri.  The purpose of the project is to better understand the mortality rates of stocked brown trout in the Meramec watershed.  The study seeks to learn whether brown trout that are hatched in a stream would have a lower mortality rate and thus establish a better foothold in the fishery.  For more information, just click on the links below.  

Gateway Chapter of Trout Unlimited Project Brown Trout: https://www.gatewaytu.org/project-brown-trout.html

My previous post about this project: https://showmeflyguy.blogspot.com/2021/01/westover-farms-gateway-chapter-of-trout.html

Outdoors Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmK0NwFfEuDAn0gS4aq4kFA

The Lockdown Minnow- My Best Attempt

To my surprise, I ran across some gamechanger chenille yesterday and had to give the lockdown minnow it's original workup.  I also shortened the shank to a 1 inch/20 mm shank as opposed to the 35 mm shank on the complex lockdown minnow.  To be completely honest, I think this is one of the best looking flies I have ever tied.  In fact, it will be for sale in my Etsy store soon as long as it performs well in the fly tester.  Here are the step-by-step photographs in case you would like to tie your own!  Again, all credit goes to Nomad Anglers for sharing this information with me in the first place.

Materials List Link from Nomad Anglers: https://nomadanglers.com/blogs/fly-tying-patterns/lockdown-minnow

Nomad Anglers YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpqV0Of04Xc&t=464s

The Lockdown Minnow- My Version

There were a lot of things that I liked about the lockdown minnow that was featured yesterday but the thing I liked the most was the articulation that didn't feature a second hook.  I thought this was creative and original without being as complex as a game changer platform.  I also liked the chenille that was used on the fly but I have had a hard time finding that material.  As with most flies that I try to recreate, I didn't have the right materials on hand so necessity bread invention.  That fact also necessitated a lockdown minnow variant that I call "the complex lockdown minnow".

I love using complex twists!  If you don't know what a complex twist is, please allow me to summarize.  You tie in three materials, overlap them, and then twist them together.  No, that is not very complex.  I am guessing the name was derived from irony and used as humor.  Complex twists  add bulk to flies without adding weight and can incorporate multiple attributes at the same time.  I can add a lot of flash, different colors of flash, or muted flash but using a complex twist.  Yes, it does indeed consume a lot of material, but to me, the ends justify the means.  

Here is my step-by-step for the complex lockdown minnow.  I used a size one Gamakatsu B10S hook which was a little bigger than the original version.  I also used a 35 mm shank instead of a 25 mm shank because I increased the hook size.  Finally, I went with an olive and white color combination as well as some dumbell eyes.  I primarily fish floating fly line to I live for my flies to have enough weight to get down in the water column without the need for sinking line.  I hope you like the changes that I made and this little devil just might be working its way into the Etsy store!  I don't currently have any articulated streamers available for purchase and this one seems like a winner.