10-16-14 New patterns and variations on some existing patterns

Check out the new patterns that will soon be posted to the Flies for Sale Page. As you will see, I have discovered super hair, or discovered Craven's fondness for it anyways. This stuff is great, and makes some real life like patterns. Thanks Charlie!

The first pattern is Craven's new tie, the Juju Emerger. Found the recipe in a new magazine, tied it up, caught a lot of fish for client. Period. What else do you need to know. I fished the Zebra first, to replicate some mayfly emergers, specifically BWO's because I hadn't tied that one up yet, and it worked great. Then I tied up the actual BWO. Let me just say, once you get done tying this guy, you know it's gonna catch fish. It looks like a real little BWO. Amazing. And after you fish it, and it gets wet, you should see that CDC puff do it's job. It looks just like a little Baetis emerger. But you can fish it on top too, and the fluoro fiber tied in at the wing really helps add some visual aid to help spot it. I was seeing it at easily 50 feet out though, especially in the later hours on darker waters (when those bugs are coming out anyways). Bottom line...this thing is $$.

The other major pattern I introduced today was the Jujubee. Another Craven original, I never fished this fly until 2 weeks ago. And now you can see that I have tied up as many color options as possible. That speaks for itself. I have only used the red and zebra patterns, but they have been hot, mainly on the Big T tail waters which is starting to get some picky midge eating trout. This thing is the key to those slow mornings when you are not seeing a ton of risers. The olive is a beautiful fly when viewed live, and I can't wait to fish it. The brown is recommended for the San Juan, and as a replicator to worms. The clear is recommended for a substitute to mysis (I can see that) and the bleeding midge is just one fishy looking little fly.

The other 2 patterns are also great little midge staples. The first is a Ninja Midge, tied with antron. This pattern will soon be tied with CDC for greater floating ability, but this thing has already been picking them off as it works well for those trout that are rising to bugs you can't see. Once I tie it up with CDC, I will call it a V.C. midge, named after the original and a pattern that is already available at the shop. But throw this little guy (down to a size 26) in the Fly-Agra and shake it off with some false casts, and you will still see it at least 40-50 feet out, especially behind a larger indicator dry fly like a BWO or Adams.

Below that? Try one of these larvae midges. They are simple and catch fish. If you could put your head under the water and see what the trout see, you would see a ton of these little guys. I will be tying these up in olive and possibly purple as well soon. Go get some new flies (from me) and get to fishing.

Have a look at the new patterns below. Click on the pics to see an enlarged photo of each fly and to also admire my ever evolving fly tying skills. Ha Ha! Tight Lines y'all!

BWO Juju Emerger

Olive Jujubee

Brown/Black Jujubee

Red Jujubee

Black/White (Zebra) Jujubee

Clear Jujubee

 

Bleeding Jujubee

Gray V.C. Midge (Ninja Midge)

Midge Larva

Brown Jujubee

                 ~

Zebra Jujubee Emerger

10-15-14 Big Thompson Tailwaters

Late afternoon fishing below the Estes Dam

The T is fishing great right now. It's pretty technical; good drifts and fly selection are key. While up there, you will notice that a lot of people aren't catching fish. Therefore, they leave by noon (usually earlier), and you get the place practically to yourself.

It's been beautiful up there. The trees are turning colors and we even had a bugling elk cross the road by the bridge and come over and hang out with us for a while. Most days, temps are getting up to the 60's and it's perfect fishing weather. And, a nice bonus, the Go Kart track hasn't had the stereo on "The Boss" everyday, non-stop, as they are closed for the season. 

Early in the day, we are seeing a lot of midges, and a Jujubee in red or black, or zebra midges in the same colors have been getting it done for me. A midge larvae in red or black will also wake em' up. Keep it small, like a size 20 or smaller. An 18 will get some trout but you will be rewarded by going smaller. I have also been using a Hull's U.V. midge as well, in purple or red. As far as on top, I have been using a V.C. midge, or a Ninja midge as I have known it, and they have been pretty hot early. I have been using black and grey in the tiny sizes of 24 and 26. Put these guys behind another, more visible, dry fly and you will see them more than you might think.

A panoramic of the straight away opposite the Go-Kart track. 

High sticking a riffle section with a BWO hatch.

As we transition into the later part of the day, you will see the Baetis coming off. Pretty epic hatches some days. For these guys, I have been using extended tail BWO's in size 18 and I have also been using a new Craven recipe, a Jujubee emerger. This is a recipe that I found in my last issue of whatever fly fishing magazine I get (?). I tied some up, tied one on for a client a week ago and they have been crushing it since. I have been fishing these above and below the surface, about 18" behind on point. I will post it and have them for sale on the Flies for Sale page soon.

Other flies that have been catching fish are Smoke Jumpers, CDC BWO's, Parachute BWO's, and Moleflies for the Blue Wing Olive hatch; and Stuck in the Shuck midges for the a.m. and p.m. midge hatch. Soft hackle sow bugs and miracle midges will still pull out a couple as well, especially when it is slower.

Towards the end of the day...notice all the rises in the run on top. 

~Tight Lines!~