Salmonfly female|www.johnkreft.com

Salmonflies

Yup – it’s time for Salmonflies to hatch. We all wait for this time of year when these BIG bugs become active and the fish go crazy. As in reckless with voracious appetites. Trout have already seen March Browns and Caddis this spring. But these bugs are BIG! Have you ever looked into the gullet of…

Fly wallet|www.johnkreft.com

Antique Fly Wallets

Old leather, sheepskin, metal. Those are the materials for what was a very common sight years ago – fly wallets! We didn’t have the plastic containers so many of us use today. Many of our fly boxes consist of foam slots or clear plastic, materials unavailable decades ago. A friend of mine recently gave me this…

Shrew and fishing | www.johnkreft.com

Mouse patterns?

OK, so I’m walking up the river trail yesterday and something caught my eye. Floating down the edge of the river was this little guy: My immediate thought was, why is this mouse floating down the river? Secondly, I wondered what would happen if a Bull Trout was near?

$3 Dip - Gold Bead | www.johnkreft.com

Simple Flies

I like simple flies. There’s something elegant about making a beautiful fly with only a few materials…that catches fish! Some people call them “guide flies.” While I’m not a guide, I enjoy sharing my flies with friends and strangers. And it feels good when someone says “hey, I caught a fish on your fly!” The…