This week’s Throw Back Thursday fly is the Zebra Midge. Some quick Internet research indicates the Zebra Midge was developed in 1996 by Ted Wellington. Ted had completed a fly order for Wendy Gunn of Lee’s Ferry Anglers in Arizona and continued to sit at the fly tying desk and tyed a dozen each of…
I’m really looking forward to this weekend, February 21 and 22, 2015. Craig Mathews from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana will be in Bend to provide a 2-day fly fishing seminar entitled Exploring Yellowstone Country’s Overlooked Waters. Craig is a wealth of information, so you better not miss an incredible opportunity to learn…
John Barr’s Copper John is this week’s TBT fly. He completed the fly design in 1996 after three years of development. The Copper John is such an effective fly design, John Barr ties it in many colors and variations. The original fly is tied in sizes 10 – 18. But in his book, Barr Flies, he…
A few weeks ago, I highlighted a new page on Crooked River Flies. Well, I’ve had time to add a few fly pattern sheets and thought I’d share them with you. The best way to show my progress is with a picture of my “work in progress” fly box. Here’s what’s in it so far…60…
The Birds Stone Fly was created by Cal Bird and is this week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly. Cal Bird had a small fly shop in San Francisco in the 1940s and 50s. At least that’s what my quick Internet search found. An interesting side note is he lived across the street from Frank Matarelli. Does…
Have you ever heard the term “throw back Thursday”? Seems to be fairly common on Facebook these days. So, several weeks ago I decided to start my own version. It will be my new Throw Back Thursday Fly posts. What does that mean, you ask? Good question. I post pictures of old flies along with…
It’s the middle of winter and the major hatch on the river these days are Blue Wing Olives. I get confused what to call these bugs…Blue Wing Olives…Blue Wings… BWOs…Baetis … I’m no expert, but I think they are all the same insect. Or close enough for a fly fisher. To be sure, I consulted one…
Look out your window and you’ll be convinced it’s a good time to attend a winter Fly Tying and Fly Fishing show. If you get a chance, attend one of the shows in your area and learn new techniques or check out new fly patterns and gear. I just returned from the Western Idaho Fly…
It’s the holiday season, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! My wife suggested we take this net to the river the other day hoping we’d catch some rainbows to use on our Christmas card. Well, the first day the pressure was too much I guess as I lost…
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I talk about Craig Mathews and Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana. Craig and the rest of the guys in the shop are responsible for many of the flies I fish. The flies they develop fit my description for success – simple to…
