Chi-Tie -- January

FINALLY, I was able to make it downtown Chicago to Galaway Bay (A dive bar), to tie flies, and share a beer or two with some fellow Chicago area fly fishermen at a monthly event deemed CHI-TIE.

On this Monday night of Chi-Tie, Tim of Critical Angling, was demonstrating how to tie a "Scooby Snack" with Orvis Chicago provided us with materials needed to tie this pattern. Tim, was extremely helpful, and provided excellent step-by-step instruction of this pattern. I look forward to fishing this pattern for bass, and possibly carp when winter leaves.

Material list...(If I can remember correctly. I know I am forgetting something....)
1. Hook (I forgot...haha)
2. Dumbbell Eyes
3. Crystal Flash
4. Zonker Strip
5. Barred Marabou
6. Rubber Legs
7. Elk Hair

Fur, feathers, hooks, and beer!

Finished product. Everyone trimmed their Elk Hair differently. This was mine.

Here's a fly I tied after the demonstration for, Dave at Urban Assault Fly Fishing.

A very dapper bass killer.

It was a fun night full of laughs and great conversation. Looking forward to the next one!

Cold Weather Outings

Went out for a quick wade this past Sunday on Poplar Creek. It was about 25 degrees, and there was ice forming in the slack water. 1 hour of wading, fishing, and getting rid of the ice build up on my guides produced a runny nose. I didn't mind that at all, because, the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day, despite the cold. Then it was off to Cabela's for some more tying material. Ha!

My FSA custom 3 wt on ice.

Skunked Photography

Here are some more pictures from my last few outings.

Late October stocker rainbow trout taken on a royal wolf.

Late October DPR northern pike.

Soon to be favorite?

I revisited Poplar Creek this past weekend, and it turned out to be an even better outing than the first. There were 3 of this time - HH, Danny, and myself. HH and I decided that we should check out another stretch, so, we went to a stretch closer to the Fox with hope of finding bigger fish. I was not a fan of this stretch at all. The water was slow moving, no riffles, very merky, and just frustrating. HH and Danny were using light gear with some inline spinners, and managed to catch a few decent smallies, and 1 largemouth. I had my new 3 wt with me, but I wasn't able to hook up with anything on the first stretch...hence my frustration.

So, we picked up and left. Driving to the stretch HH and I fished last week. We didn't even bother taking our waders off...It was quite comical.

We arrived to the first spot, and were immediatly greeted on our first cast. I hooked up with a bluegill, and HH found a nice smallie. The rest of the day was simply, awesome. HH and Danny were hooking up with some decent sized smallies. All of the smallies that I caught & released were small, and definitly not like the one I caught last week. Although, I wasn't able to find bigger smallies, I was rewarded with 19 small ones. What a day!

I love this creek! It's quickly becoming one of my favorite places to fish.

Custom 3 WT Rod

FSA Custom Rods recently finished a 3 wt build for me. I have been using it the past 3 outings to my local lake, and I am in love...and so are the bluegill. I really love the silver wraps that FSA put on this rod. It really makes the rod pop and stand out without it being over the top.

I originally bought a titanium Orvis Access Mid Arbor 1 reel, and it looked gorgeous on the rod, but unfortunatly, I had to return it. The reel was just too heavy for the light set up...Something I didn't think about when making the purchase. I was just excited that it matched the rod so well. I ended up purchasing the new Battenkill 2 classic click and pawl reel. This reel is so light! It balances the rod perfectly when lined up and ready to go. It doesn't look all that bad on the rod, either.

Here are the specs
- 6'6" 3 wt Allen Fly Fishing xA rod blank
- Struble D2 down locking reel seat with a burle wood insert
- Fuji Alconite ring stripping guide
- Hopkins & Holloway tip top
- Hopkins & Holloway snake guides

The action on the rod is fast, and I'm diggin it! It's been interesting getting use to how this rod casts, with it being 6'6" (I normally use an Orvis Access 8'6" 5 wt). It's been handling some very big bluegill without a problem, and I have been having an absolute blast!

All caught with my new rod

New Waters - Poplar Creek

This past Saturday my best friend (We'll name him "HH") and I went out to explore new water. Another friend was generous enough to provide me with 3 places to park and access Poplar Creek. Poplar Creek feeds into the Fox River, so, HH and I were on the hunt for smallmouth bass.

Pretty cool rusted bike frame set up on the side of the creek.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting the creek to be as nice as it was. As we waded, I often forgot that I was, where I was.

Within the first 10 minutes I saw a flash in the riffle I casted to, and after a few casts I changed the wooly bugger from a size 6 to a size 8. The outcome of the switch was "Fish on!" I had my first smallie of the year! After a few more casts provided 2 creek chubs. The day went on to be a great outing. HH was using a light baitcasting set up with an inline spinner, and he was hooking up with smallies left and right.

The nicest fish of the day came to me by surprise. I seriously thought I snagged my fly on something, until, my rod bent and the fish started hauling ass down stream pulling some line from me...I thought Oh $h*t! It turned out to be a 2lb bronzeback beauty queen! I wasn't expecting a smallie that size in the creek. I'm still pumped up about it!

You know how when you're fishing, and you lose track of time...Well, it happens. I looked at my phone and thought...damn, and we have to walk back. I couldn't believe that 5 hours had passed. We both forgot to bring a snack and were starving.

On the wade back to the car. Both of us were just falling apart. We were starving and exhausted. HH took a quick dip when he lost his footing, and we laughed about it. Soon after that, my body started to give, and I fell on my side with my knee hitting some rocks...then not 10 minutes after that I fell again. I wish I was 18 again haha. My legs were shot.

We caught a few more fish on the trek back to the car, and discussed a game plan for next time....bring food, and not walk/wade so far next time.

End of the day totals
HH - 11 or 12 smallies
Myself - 8 smallies, 7 bluegill, and 6 creek chubs

F3T - Wilmette, Illinois

There were only a couple of films that really grasped my attention.

1. Urban Lines
2. Blackwater: Devils Gold
3. Riding High: The Science of Tarpon

All of the films were great, and had some nice story lines, history, and cinematography. It's just those were the only 3 that were for me. (Remember: Everyone has different tastes)

All in all, it was an excellent night. Met some awesome people, discovered a new favorite beer (Three Floyds Brewing - Alpha King...Delicious!) and I even walked out of the theater a winner of one of the giveaways. Can't beat free stuff!!!

I won a TU hat, Heart of the Driftless DVD, some stickers, and an Orvis Gale Force Sling Pack. How awesome is that. Now all I need is the regular sling pack, and I will own all of them. Haha

I love me some free stuff...especially if it's fishing related.

I am already looking forward to next years F3T!!

Surprise, It's Trout!

The past few day's have been an absolute hell. I've been stuck inside sick with some sort of virus that has been kicking my ass. I haven't even had the energy or motivation to tie anything. Just lay around like a potato.

This evening I finally was feeling good, and antsy to get out to my local lake, because, it was so nice out the past few days, and today was just awesome. It felt like it was close to the 70's, and there was hardly any wind. Got out to my local lake and began to cast. Started with a black wooly bugger, and quickly switched to a small bead head I tied. I was curious as to how fast  it would sink. 2 cast and I had a follow from some bluegill, and hooked up with a few.



The Bluegill loved this fly!

Once I was done fooling around with them, I tied on a small ep baitfish pattern I had tied with hopes of hooking up with some bass cruising the shallows. After my first cast and fixing the line that had wrapped itself around my reel, I gave the line a 2 strips and BAM!!! Thought I had a bass until it went airborne, and I saw that it was a rainbow trout. I was very surprised to see that there were some survivor stocker rainbows in the lake.



Surprise, it's Trout!!

That's more like it!!!

Few days ago, I was leaving work a few hour later than I expected. As I was driving out of the parking lot I noticed there was someone fishing, so, being the curious type I drove over toward the person. Turns out that they were fly fishing, and I got really excited then. Got out and walked over to him, and turns out it someone that I know that works in the same building. Who would have thought!

I got my gear out of my car, and fished with him. I have only tried fishing the lake at work a few times with no luck a month ago. Today was a whole new story. He was throwing a black wooly bugger size 8 I believe, and he caught a big crappie, and then he caught another big crappie. I wasn't using a black wooly bugger, and I was catching nothing. 

So, I made the logical choice in switching to a black wooly bugger. After a few casts I hooked into a few bluegill, and then some nice crappie. Then I started fishing off of one of the small bridges, and tied on a larger wooly bugger, and what do ya know...hooked up with a decent sized bass! Unfortunatly, she fought like a dead fish. She was also full of eggs (I'm assuming) After jumping down the side of the bridge and catching a rear end full of thorns from the bush I was trying to avoid, I was able to release her, and call it a night.

Bluegill

Some really nice crappie here. They were all averaging this size.

Damn thorn bushes!

I assume she was full of eggs.

Orvis Guide Sling Pack

Hello...my name is, Justin, and I'm a fly fishing gear junkie.

I've been using the Orvis Magnum Sling pack since it came out. I loved the functionality that the sling pack offers. A few months go by and then they release the Orvis Guide Sling Pack. (I am in love with the digi camo.) and I waited on buying it. I eventually gave in...

So, after using it on all of my unsuccessful outings this year. I must say that this pack is great. Being an over packer - I absolutely love all of the extra space that this pack offers. It allows me to take even more stuff that I will most likely not use on each and every outing! It also, has a designated place to hold a water bottle. This is crucial for times when you're out on the water dying of thirst. Also, The tippet spool holder is included! Did I already mention the digi camo?

I usually attach my nippers to my belt when in use. That's not the usual place for them.

Getting Ready

So, just the other day I was looking through my fly tying materials, and I found a few items that have been hiding from me...some foam spider bodies (Waspi). I remember purchasing these years ago when I first started tying, and I still had quite a few left. (I actually had 3 - 24 packs left - haha.) So, I decided to give them a go, and ended up running out of hooks. Now I think I have enough spiders to last the spring and summer.



Small spiders for Bluegill and sunfish.

Big spiders for the big Bluegill.

A bunch of EP Fiber patterns I tied. Hoping to fill this box by May.

These smaller flies (Beadheads) are new to me. I don't normally tie stuff like this, but I've been wanting to learn to tie different patterns. I normally tie stuff for bass...streamers, clousers, etc..

A friend of mine has emailed me a book with a ton of different classic patterns in it for trout, so, eventually, I will be diving into that and trying to tie up some trout flies. Maybe, I'll get to use them when I go out to the Driftless Area.

I wish I was out fishing right now, but we just had some huge storms the past few days, and especially yesterday into today that have every body of water flooded. There were a ton of road clousures today, and a 15 minute drive took me 1 hour, and to get home took me 2 hours. Ugghhhh!

Finally...the fish showed up!

I FINALLY caught my first fish of 2013! I was starting to forget what the tug of a fish felt like at the end of the line. Haha

I caught a small large mouth bass, 16 bluegill/sunfish, and 2 overgrown golden roaches (I presume). I do still need to shake the rust off of my hook setting skills, because, I missed 2 very nice large mouth bass. One of them had to be at least 3 lbs. Thing's are on the up!!

I assume that this was a golden roach that just survived winter and being eaten, after being dumped in the lake after an unsucessful day of fishing. Your thoughts?

6 Days - Zero Fish

So, I've been out fishing 6 times thus far (Not consecutively), and I've only accomplished to shake the rust off of my cast. Which is fine by me...for now anyway. Here is a day by day recap w/pictures of my outings.

Day 1: Salt Creek
I had zero expectations, because, there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground, and the temperatures were still boucing between the teens and 30's.

This snowball took a size 6 black wooly bugger.

Day 2: Downers Grove Pond
After work I decided to fish a decent sized pond. When I arrived I took notice that there was still quite a bit of ice on the lake. It was a beautiful day, the temperature was up, and the sun was shining. I was actually hoping to catch my first fish of the year, but she stood me up.

I was dressed to impress, but my first fish of the year stood me up.

Day 3: Songbird Slough
This lake is litterally down the street from me. It's only good for sunfish. It was an extremely windy day, but the sun was shining, and that's good enough for me. Only thing caught was this tree....

What not to do while fly fishing....catch trees.

Day 4: Meachem Grove
What a beautiful day this was. That was about it. No fish, but I got some nice pictures.

Day 5: Lake Michigan
Wasn't planning on fishing, but while in downtown Chicago I decided to give the Big Pond (Lake Michigan) a few cast's with a spoon, because, I know the browns and salmon are moved in. Didn't catch a thing, and I neither did anyone else I talked with. No fly rod today.

Day 6: Songbird Slough
I now know why I dislike this lake. I talked with a guy that was fishing nightcrawlers under a bobber, and he said that he heard from a guy, who was talking with another guy, about how they shocked the lake and hardly any bass came up. Mostly carp and catfish." So, I just casted with extremely little expectations.

My weapon of choice.