Spring Creek Update (08/29/2012)

Spring Creek is always a safe bet as a fly fisherman.  An angler always has a great chance of hooking into good trout on a variety of fly patterns.  These trout feed frequently and when a fly is presented to them in a drift free manner, they do not waste an opportunity to eat.  Sure the fish are a bit sluggish compared to early fall and spring months but if you fish during the coldest temperatures of the day, you will be able to hook into several trout.  

Enjoy a few of the pictures from a recent trip on Spring Creek.  One of the most memorable moments on Spring Creek this summer happened when I caught the first two trout pictured on back to back casts.  They aren't gigantic but they were extremely beautiful fish between 15 - 17 inches.  

Cast #1

Cast #2

Clay Blunk's biggest trout on the fly!

Nomad nets get the job done again!

"Treat" of the Week

This week I bring you... More memorable moments as I see them in my little world of fly fishing. 

Doubling up on 40+ inch Northern Pike on mouse patterns

Catching King Salmon on the Fly

Landing this Lake Trout on an 8 Inch live Rainbow.. (It ate the rainbow I had on the fly)

Fishing a Waterfall in Patagonia, Chile

There were fish in there it's not just a great photo.

Make each moment important, and you will remember it. 

Spruce Creek (08/25 - 08/27)

This past week I spent several nights fishing Spruce Creek.  The temperatures weren't extremely warm so Jeff Scipione and I decided we would go and check out the big fish that lurk in Spruce Creek.  We did very well fishing inch-worms, stoneflies and slumpbusters once the sun went down.  It was a lot of fun and we caught several fish near or around the 20 inch mark.  Two of the fish that I hooked into the first night were ones that I will be going back for because I didn't get a chance to land them.  One was a huge rainbow that I've caught once before on a pheasant tail earlier this year and the other was a massive brown that I've never seen before.  Needless to say it lies at the top of my most wanted fish to hook into!!

The craziest thing was, right before the rain shower and thunderstorm the trout went into a feeding frenzy.  It was like a switch went on, unfortunately we didn't get to fish it through because we had to get out of the water once the storm rolled in.  I'm sure the fish continued to feed voraciously, but we didn't want to get struck by lightning!

Enjoy some of the pictures that we've compiled over the last few adventures on the public section of Spruce Creek!

Logan Branch Submission

Here are a few pictures of Matt Buterbaugh with a massive rainbow trout (Logan Branch) and brown trout that he caught on close to the confluence of Logan Branch and Spring Creek.  I can attest to this stream holding some large trout, but these two are at the top of the food chain. Great catches Matt!  Thanks for the photo submission. 

Huge Spruce Creek Brown Trout!

My older brother Brett shows us that fly fishing is in the genetics. Here he is with a gigantic 27" brown trout caught on Spruce Creek this past week. He caught this slab on a green weenie of all flies. The Hoover - Michelotti hook-up at it's finest (The Hoover family has a patent pending on the green weenie trying to legally change the name to the Hoover weenie.) Brett taught me much of what I now know about fly fishing, when I was first starting out, now I teach him a thing or two every time we fish. All kidding aside this fish is an absolute monster. I appreciate you sharing it with us, I do definitely miss trout fishing. 

Hey there Isaac...

Well it's officially Florida living I guess.. Today we are being evacuated from the Florida Keys. Tomorrow into Monday this nasty little storm is going to cruise it's way up the keys bringing some flash flooding, gale force winds, and some serious thunderstorms, not to mention the possible tornado or two, OH MY! I guess it's all part of southern living, but you'd think that these people would be used to it by now. I was in the grocery store yesterday and people are panicking already?? We haven't even had a thunderstorm yet.. You have time people. I mean it's not like I'm not preparing myself I have 5 cases of water but I'm not freaking out, I guess maybe it's because I haven't seen a thund-herr-hurricane since I've been here and maybe it'll be different when it's all said and done. Maybe I'm just being optimistically pessimistic about the size of this potential storm. Either way I think it's only fitting that I finish my initiation into South Florida living with a hurricane in the same week I landed my first bonefish on the fly. If only everyone could be as lucky as me. Who knows what's going to happen let's at least hope for the best. But, if you don't hear from me for a few days it's probably because this asshole Isaac knocked out our power. 

Bonefish Video

As promised here is the video of all the pictures and couple of short video clips of my trip to the flats the other day with Captain James Koch.

First Bonefish on the Fly

My First Bonefish on the Fly!

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to go out and fish the flats to chase some tailing bonefish. Okay wait let's preface this story with some details.

I was in the Orvis store this week and one the flats captains walk in, James Koch, he had been out bonefishing the last two days with the same client. They had been seeing tons of tailing fish but were unable to connect with any.. He was a little frustrated so he asked me if I would go with him before work really early in the morning. "Be off the docks at 6:30 at the latest," I told him I would be there at 6:15. 

Of course I wasn't going to hesitate. I haven't had any real opportunities to chase bones yet so I wasn't going to pass. Now the weather just had to cooperate and we were golden. 

5:30 am we check the weather. Confirmed a go I showered and left my house. Arrive at dock 6:17... two minutes late. 



Imagine if you will the sun rising over the ocean. Just enough light to see and barely a breath of wind on the water. Just enough wind to break up the silhouette of the boat without hindering a cast at all. The sun starts peaking up over the horizon and we start poling the flats. I have to fight not to cast at a needle fish I am so excited...

I kid you not we are maybe there for 20 minutes and I see my first tail. James poles over to it slowly and a few more pop up. The next few seconds feel like an eternity I shoot a cast out in front of them it's a short cast really maybe only like 40 feet. I drop it at 30... too short. Recast closer but still too short.. I'm starting to panic a little, I reach back and just drop one in about 3 feet in front of my last cast and right on length wise. "STRIP, STRIP, STRIP!" FISH ON!! BOOOM that thing just explodes line out, I'm doing all I can not to wrap it around the rod, reel, my feet hands, all the experience I have with big fish melts in front of me as this 6 pound bone fish tears off 200 feet of line in 5-6 seconds. It's on, I can celebrate making it through the most difficult part. I look at James and he says to me "I never really do breathe while all of that is going on." Me either. Several minutes later it is such a relief when that fish is up to boat for a good photo opp where I can "Grip and Grin" with the best of them. 

I had two more good shots at bones this morning. The first I spooked, just didn't lead them quite enough. The second which was a way better shot, I hooked into. When it took off I had almost all the line out, it circled and it ran right back at me. I stripped it tight only to have it take off again! I was all but in the clear when I put just a little too much pressure on the last 6 inches of line and it jumped up and wrapped the butt section of my rod. It about broke my heart. But, I guess that's why we get the itch. If you land all of them why would you keep fishing for them. It's the challenge we want. A wise man once told me "If fly fishing was easy, nobody would do it."

Special thanks for Captain James Koch. A fantastic, knowledgable, easy going, experienced flats guide. I highly recommend fishing with him if you get the chance and are down our way. If you want to fish with him you can either ask me or call the charter desk at 305-367-2227 ext. 2! Thanks James!

"Treat" of the Week

Memorable Moments

I have put together a couple photos to go with some of the more memorable moments of the last couple years of fly fishing, this particular post is all about Alaska. 

Getting to take my Dad and Cousin (cupsquatch) fly fishing down one of the premier rainbow trout rivers in all of Alaska.

There are some Northern Pike in Alaska too.. 

Witnessing my first 10 pound rainbow.

The Sockeye Salmon circle of life.

All of this and more I have had the luxury to enjoy. Some memories are best shared. 

Plenty more to come in next weeks installment of the "Treat" of the Week. Feel free to share with us some of your more memorable moments of fly fishing! We'd love to see them!

Fly Spotlight - Soft Hackle Ant

Here is a great fly pattern that I have been using throughout the early mornings and afternoons.  Another great tip for using this fly is to fish it as a wet ant.  The trout still feed on it just as heavily.  It is easy to tie and fun to fish!

I came across this tyer by searching the internet for new and different terrestrial patterns.  This ant pattern is a classic ant pattern but there was one thing that caught my attention.  The cool thing about Tyler Befus is that he is a younger kid who is extremely passionate about fishing and tying flies, so I thought I would give him a little shout out for his great work! Enjoy!

.  

"Ants get blown into the water by the wind and washed into the water by rain.  Sometimes they float and sometimes they sink.  This fly sinks real slow like a drowned ant.  I tie this on a nymph hook and use a soft hackle to help it sink just below the surface.  Trout and panfish love to eat these during the spring and summer.  You can tie the same pattern using a dry fly hook, dry fly dubbing and rooster hackle so it will float on the surface.  Try different colors and sizes.  I hope you catch lots of fish this ant pattern."

-Tyler Befus

Hook: Tiemco 3769, Size 10 - 20

Thread: Black Ultra thread 70 denier

Abdomen: Peacock Ice Dub

Thorax: Peacock Ice Dub

Hackle: Whiting Black Hen Neck

Big Centre County Rainbow

This photo submission comes to us from Bryan Doyle. Another member of our following introduced by the intern, Harry Tomlin. This is a great picture of a pretty huge rainbow from Central Pennsylvania. So thanks Bryan for sending this to us and thanks Harry for pointing him in our direction! 

Keep the pictures coming and we will keep posting them. I'm missing central PA trout fishing more and more every day... 

Here you go fella's, got this huge bow early this morning in central pa. I'd like to keep the location on the down low since its hard to find public waters that isn't regulated with fish like this swimming around, I like to call it my little honey hole. However, I caught this bow on a size 16 frenchie in about a mile of non stocked water while fishing for wild browns. I also released the fish after a few photos to catch again someday.

Bryan

Buffalo Run and Logan Branch Update (08/15/2012)

Buffalo Run and the Logan Branch have continued to be exciting areas to fish.  I didn't remember to take a stream temperature for Buffalo Run because I only fished it for a minimal amount of time.  Logan Branch registered 56 degrees on the thermometer which is a big reason why I've been going to fish there regularly.  To go along with the cold temperatures, it has an uncanny ability to capture your attention with it's pure, pristine beauty in certain areas of the stream.  Below are a few pictures from some of the fish that I've caught recently.  Enjoy!  

"Treat" of the Week

Measuring Fish

How big do you think that is? 

Answer - Approximately 3 inches bigger than it really is. You don't have a tape measure, it's a guess why guess small?

How much does it weight?

Answer - Hard to say. What do you think? Yea that seems about right.

These are questions you will hear about every other fish on the river and ones you have to be prepared to answer, and answer frequently.

Look people hear what they want to hear, and they want to hear that they just caught a big fish because they are awesome at fishing. Chances are they aren't awesome and they got lucky but what does it hurt to blow a little smoke. 

Is that fish 18 inches no it's 20 inches because to an angler a 20 inch trout is something to covet an 18 inch trout isn't. So add a couple inches I'm not saying lie, well I'm not saying outright lie...  I'm just saying stretch the truth, and the trout. Don't bring a tape with you, nobody wants to know the exact measurements of their fish unless they are fanatical in which case they can measure their own fish.. 

Spring Creek (08/12/2012)

Spring Creek has continued to fish very well in the early morning hours between 6:00AM - 11:00AM.  I've been having a lot of success using Elk-Hair Ants, Inch Worms, Olive Scuds and a variety of other terrestrial patterns.  The key spots to fish have been shaded areas and deep cuts along riffles or a combination of the two.  Setting the hook has been extremely easy because the trout will go out of their way to destroy any of the patterns listed above.  

If you are going to go out, make sure to set the alarm early or find a fishing buddy and do some night fishing after dark!  I have a most wanted trout that I'm going after this morning (probably as you're reading this post)!  Hopefully it agrees again today as I had a mishap the first time I had it on the line, but that's another story for a later post!

Enjoy!