It’s been cold out lately. As I write today’s post early this morning, the thermometer reads 7 degrees. That’s right…single digits. For some reason, I haven’t made it out to the river lately. Too cold I guess. What should I do on a cold winter day? Tie flies!
Here is a picture of Whychus Creek, which flows behind my house. I told you it was cold!
Yes, that’s ice building up along the creek shore and extending out towards the middle. Water flows over the ice, creating more and thicker ice. Like I said, it’s been cold!
I’ve cleaned up a small area of my fly tying bench (yes Al, I’m really trying to be more organized and clean up my act!) and I’m back to tying flies. If you want to chuckle, be sure to read about My Fly Tying Desk where I shamelessly showed my messy fly tying area.
Here is a box of four dozen lake flies for a customer. These are some of my favorite dry flies.
Let’s see, from left to right there are Beetle Bailey’s, Callibaetis Cripple (a fly pattern from my friend Phil Fischer), RiverKeeper Callibaetis Emerger, Callibaetis Spinner, Parachute Adams, and a Callibaetis Hatchmaster. I tied four flies each in two sizes.
I enjoyed tying all these flies, but the last of the batch were Callibaetis Hatchmaster flies. They only use two feathers and thread to tie the whole fly…a mallard flank feather and grizzly hackle. Couldn’t be more simple than that!
The other side of this fly box will have river flies. I’m still working with my customer to finalize the fly patterns. So far, it includes Purple Haze and a PMD Parachute. I think the list will include a few more PMD patterns, along with BWO and caddis fly patterns. I wonder how many dozen flies this Umpqua fly box really holds without smashing flies?
That reminds me, I need to get back to the fly tying bench and finish this order…
Nothing else to do on a cold winter day.
Lastly, remember to check out my 2017 Fly Fisher’s Christmas List if you need a few ideas you may want or perhaps you need a gift for a fellow fly fisher. It’s less than two weeks until Christmas!
Enjoy…go fish!
