Good to Be Home

It’s good to be home.

This week has found me transitioning from fly fishing to fly tying. It happens every year about now. In my experience, there’s only a week or two of good dry fly fishing remaining until the insects take a break until next year. I’ve said it many times before, it’s like someone flicks a switch on November 1 and the fishing changes. It slows dramatically.

Sure, some insects like Blue Wing Olives hatch year-round. But gone are the days of great caddis, mayfly and stonefly hatches. I remember this year’s many trips fondly.

I returned home a couple weeks ago to fish my home waters, the Metolius River. Even though I was able to fish great water in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming I missed my river. It’s where I get centered. We call it “zen fly fishing”.

The fall colors are beautiful, but the colors are fading quickly.

This image was a couple weeks ago. It was one of the first days we fished the river after our trip and our arrival was timely to see a river friend playing a nice Rainbow Trout.

Here is an image of my fishing partner landing a beautiful fish.

Yes, I might catch a fish or two as well.

I hope to return to the river today after checking off a couple “to-do” items off the list.

I had a wonderful time at Sunriver Anglers last week. My Fly Fishing Road Trip presentation was well received. I talked about the Madison, Stillwater, Upper Columbia, Big Hole, and St. Joe rivers. Those are just a few of the many waters we have been fortunate to fish the last few years. I think at last count, we’ve fished over 30 different rivers.

These are just the water fished in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Next month, I’m scheduled to present at my local fly fishing club, Central Oregon Flyfishers about the Metolius River. How many secrets should I share? Hmmm…

I mentioned earlier about getting back to fly tying. I’m working on fly tying orders for three customers right now. In addition, I’m beginning to re-stock the “provider box” (that’s what my wife calls my fly storage boxes). I don’t carry a lot of stock, but try to tie flies I know we’ll use next year as well as popular fly patterns customers have purchased this year.

Here are a few Pheasant Tail Perdigon Variant flies I’ve been tying for personal use. I purchased a new Euro nymph fly rod that I’ll be taking out in the near future. Yes, you read that correct…I plan to nymph a little!

These simple nymphs worked quite well last winter as well as on the Stillwater River this summer.

My other favorite tungsten bead perdigon nymphs include the Olive Perdigon and Rainbow Warrior.

Olive Perdigon

Rainbow Warrior Perdigon

If you need a few fishy perdigon nymphs, just leave a Comment below and I’ll get back to you. Now would be a great time as the materials are still out on the fly tying desk.

Lastly, I already have a few demonstration fly tying events on my calendar already. I’ll be at the following events:

• Pacific Northwest Fly Tyers Rendezvous in Portland, OR on November 16, 2019
• Western Idaho Fly Fishing Exposition in Boise, ID is January 10 & 11, 2020
• NW Fly Tyer & Fly Fishing Expo in Albany, OR on March 13 & 14, 2020

I better get those “to do” items completed. I need to get to the river today!

Enjoy…go fish!