I’ve been tying flies, trying to complete orders for several customers. But I have a dilemma. Fish are still rising on my home waters, although for shorter durations. Shall I tie flies for customers or myself? I’ll try to squeeze in both! Included in the image above are #14 Sparkle Dun Green Drakes (left), #8…
This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is another Pray’s Optic Steelhead Fly. This is the second of Pray’s Optic steelhead flies in a friend’s collection with a note on the fly stating it was tied by C. Jim Pray (1885 – 1952) of Eureka, CA in 1947. I did some research but didn’t find a…
This is the fifth year I’ve prepared a holiday wish list for fly fishers. If you read prior year’s lists, there are several items remaining, because I really believe these are great gifts! I hope you find something useful on the 2020 Fly Fisher’s Christmas list. Many of these items can be purchased at your…
This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the In-The-Film CDC Midge Emerger. I found this fly recently while reviewing Ed Engle’s Tying Small Flies book. I tied up four size 22 In-The-Film CDC Midge Emergers and placed them on a dime to show how small they are. I met Ed through a friend while fishing…
I’m back to tying flies and filling orders. Why? The weather changed. Remember last week’s Fall Fly Fishing on the Metolius post where I mentioned someone throwing a switch on November 1? Well, they finally did, although a few days later. What a difference a week makes. A week ago our high temperature was 67…yesterday…
This week’s Throw Back Thursday post is about Hoffman Super Capes. The image above is of two grade 1 Hoffman Super Capes from many years ago. For perspective, I placed them beside a Whiting bronze grade cape I purchased last week. The Hoffman Super Capes are grizzly dyed brown and black. The cape on the…
It’s the first week of November and fishing, or more like catching, is changing. I always say it’s like someone throws a switch on November 1. Some years there is a bonus week as the mild weather continues. But usually, the first week of November is my transition week where I get back to tying…
This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Pray’s Silver Demon steelhead fly. C. Jim Pray (1885 – 1952) of Eureka, CA is known for starting fly fishing for salmon and steelhead on the heavy winter waters of the Eel River and other Northern California rivers. Joseph Bates, Jr in his Streamers & Bucktails The Big…
I’m putting together a few flies for a new fly fisher. The question is, which ones do I send him? There are so many effective fly patterns to choose from. I’ve thought about a list of flies for a while. The problem I have is it depends on where and when he plans to fish….
This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is a Pray Optic Fly. This is another fly in a friend’s collection with a note on the fly stating it was tied by C. Jim Pray (1885 – 1952) of Eureka, CA in 1947. The Optic series of flies were some of the popular steelhead flies he tied….
