What should we do on a warm summer evening? How about head to the river with popcorn and a beer to see if any fish are rising? We’d taken a few days off because of the forest fire around Sisters. Lots of homes were evacuated and the fire was stopped about 2 miles from town. Miracuously, only 5 homes were lost, which is tragic for those families, but the fire could have been much worse. Thank you firefighters!!!
After we enjoyed our popcorn and beer, a couple trout were indeed looking up! This fish took a small Sparkle Dun BWO.
We decided to change up our routine and hit the river a little later in the day. While a few fish were rising to our flies on occasion, we wondered if there might be more fish rising in the evening. My guess was we’d find a few Caddis, a BWO, Little Olive Stones, and perhaps some Rusty Spinners.
I tied up a new fly the other day I call a CDC Little Olive Stone to imitate those size 16 and 18 little stoneflies we see in the streamside vegetation and on the water.
Here is a closer view. Be sure to check out my new fly pattern sheet for the CDC Little Olive Stone.
I’ve had several fish rise to this fly and two more rose to eat the fly that evening. I love the segmentation a turkey biot provides and the CDC silouette looks like wings moving.
Our best flies have been the CDC Little Olive Stone and the Sparkle Dun BWO. I’ll be back at the river soon hoping more fish rise to those flies!
I’m working on a couple customer fly orders. The Woolly Bugger below (top) is one a customer sent to me hoping I could replicate the fly. My version is on the bottom. I’ve ordered some Krystal Flash Chenille in pumpkin to make a thicker body like the original.
And that original tail…way too thick in my opinion.
In addition, I’m working on a different customer order for Quigley Cripples to imitate a Gray Drake (14), PMD (16) and BWO (18 & 20). He’s a repeat customer and those flies have worked well for him.
Here is the Gray Drake version I’ve been tying.
It’s been a while since I’ve tied, but it feels good to be back the the fly tying bench!
Enjoy…go fish!
