A Warm Fall Afternoon

Creek levels were well below what I experienced here in April. The stream and fish were in very good shape. I took my daughters and 2 of their friends - everyone that fished caught a hybrid Apache Trout.

Almost all my fishing gear is still in storage. I had to borrow a reel and a box of flies. I had no tippet material and this little stream demands sacrifices of mono. I was fortunate in that the fish were very accomodating, in a fall feeding kind of mood.

I would have preferred fishing nothing but dries, but I figured it was easier for my novice partners to hook the fish on nymphs. A Hare's Ear was perfect and kept working even when my tippet was more suited to bass bugs.

All fish were promptly returned, I hope to see them when I return. I hit it perfectly this time.

RUNOFF IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA!

It's been a few years but I have visited this small Southern Arizona stream off and on for over a dozen years and I have never seen it this full. As you can see from the first picture, I did get a hybrid Apache on a Zug Bug, but finding quieter water was the challenge. I figure at least 2 more weeks before I can even think of dry fly fishing. Any fish here is hard won, but it's nice to know you can catch a trout within 2 hours of Tucson. I always like to explore while I'm here and the third shot is one of several Metates I came across in the area. It makes sense this was seasonally occupied being one of the few streams with year-round water - even now deer hunters have good luck in this area. I wonder how much more water it held in the past?

Yellowstone 2010

I'm very happy despite the specter of paying taxes next month. I have the rooms booked in Yellowstone and will be driving instead of flying this year. I am debating whether I should allow one or two days for driving and where to stay. I look forward to hitting the Lamar as I did in '08 (the picture above with Tom.

I had to share this painting, done by a very special artist. You will note that the expectant pose is the same. I have this painting in my office below the print of the Conejos River, between my bronze flyfisher and crystal trout. Hmm, I must hang a better bamboo rod to complement these lovely pieces. I will post some more restorations in a couple of weeks, I've been doing clean up and repairs. Did a 7 1/2' Montague Fishkill but forgot to take pictures of the after! It's 6 months away, too soon to start thinking of what rods to take?

Latest Work

Here's a nice little Devine Fairy rod I just re-did for my good friend Whitey. Those intermediate wraps were hell, but I had them down by the last section. I love the way the wraps went up the grip vs. a winding check on this rod, I may try this design the next time I turn a grip. I'm not sure this was the original wrap pattern - in Michael Sinclair's book, he mentioned red wraps, nothing about black trims. There was a delamination on one tip, but the invisible repair wrap seems to have done the trick. If the pattern works, you should see the new, then the redone section. This is such a delicate little rod, I don't know if Whitey has even fished it - it was an honor to work on it.