Clockwork Orange 7' #2/3

An ultralight fiberglass 7' 2/3wt fly rod, built on Norie "Early Spring" taper blank.

Pompadour Hendrickson Emerger

Hook: curved, size 16

Thread: light olive

Shuck: golden-brown ice dub

Body: pink DNA Frosty Fiber

Thorax and legs: Simi-Seal "bloody leech" dub, picked

Wing: dun rabbit foot

Mochi

Mochi Baitfish, tied on 30 degree jig hook, lightly weighted. Materials used: pearl emulator flash, bucktail (body), slinky blend (topping/back).

Ultralight Saltwater 4wt

An ultralight saltwater 9' 4wt fly rod...for bream, mullet, mackerel, surf perch, and many other small saltwater gamefish. Trout and panfish apply, too.

Cameron's Rod

I have just completed a rod for a friend of mine, Cameron Mortenson of The Fiberglass Manifesto. Cameron picked a very high quality S-glass blank from Mark Steffen, an 8 foot 8/9wt in a 3 piece configuration. We decided on a reddish color scheme and a combination of contemporary and retro aesthetics.

GliderSlider

Glue a short foam cylinder on the 2/0 SS popper hook, and leave some space between the foam and the hook eye. Palmer pearl Mega Baitfish Emulator Flash first, and add some Hula Wrap turns in contrasting color. Brush some Liquid Fusion over fibers and foam, while pulling the fibers back. Let dry! Add eyes along with the second coat. Taper the tail at the end and draw some markings with the felt tip pen. GliderSlider is ready to roll!

Miss Piggy

Flatwing Piggy

A hybrid between Flatwing and Bush Pig, this is a big fish fly with sinuous action and water-pushing 3D profile.

More Clousers...

... featuring 30 degree jig hook, pearl Mega Baitfish Emulator flash and fishair. You can use the taperizer scissors to adjust the length on the water to match the local baitfish.

Happy New Year!

Out of the Cellar

Just got a bottle of this year's Vintage Ale by Trader Joe's. Even though guys at Unibroue do a splendid job every year with this brew, I am little disappointed with this year's vintage. Too much spice and not enough beer taste, I must say...

On the bright note, this beer ages really well, and we just finished the last bottle of 2007 a month ago. The current favorite is 2008. The 2009 was unusually spicy, but definitely not as much as the 2010. We'll see if little aging will improve the taste of this year's vintage.

Full Dress Clousers (30 Degree Jig Hook)

Hula wrap and 30 degree jig hooks for extra pizzazz!

Blue & Green

Peppers & Soft Hackle Flatwing

Fall Triptych

L/R: Window View, Wild Brown from Iowa, Last Week's Working Flies

Gizzard Shad

Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepidianum) is a common forage fish. I captured this specimen in Lake Pepin while fishing for white bass. The first photo shows the natural and the Clouser Minnow, which works well enough, but doesn't imitate the silvery, compressed body quite well. Below is the picture of the anatomically correct floating gizzard shad imitation.

Fall

T-shirt Design

A couple of T-shirt ideas...

Striperfest 2010 Flies

Just sent a bunch of flies to the Striperfest 2010 Raffle, hosted by Dan Blanton. Please check out Dan Blanton's website for more information on the event.

Iowa Wild Browns and Steam Engines

I spent the past three days in NE Iowa, fishing some of my favorite locations with Vladimir Vujic, a friend from Chicago. We found plenty of willing fish, and water conditions varied from fairly murky to crystal clear, depending on the stream. Vladimir and myself took trout on small streamers, nymphs and dries, and witnessed several sporadic BWO and midge hatches, caddis and terrestrial activity.

On the second day, while fishing an open pasture section, I was lucky to hook a nice male brown on a size 12 Klink, in riffles under the bridge. Vladimir had his camera ready, and was able to document the fight.

During the last day, the fishing was slower due to the bright skies, but we managed to hook and land some pretty wild fish.

On our way back, we stopped and met Amy's Dad at the steam engine show, which featured steam engines, cars and tractors from a bygone era!