Chi-Tie February Meetup

What is Chi-Tie?

"We are just a group of fly fishers and tiers meeting up for a few beers while tying.  Trying to build connections and community among us in Chicago.  We welcome anyone and everyone."  - Chi-Tie

The core members of Chi-Tie are Dave Knutzelman (Urban Assault Fly Fishing), Adam Alexander (Adam Alexander Photography), and Tim Adkins (Critical Angling).

They meet on the 2nd Monday of each month, and I have been able to join them a few times.  One of those times was last month, and there was no particular theme.  There were some new and old faces, and everyone was tying something different.  Flies for bass, trout, and pike.

Few beers, few flies, and some great fishy conversation.  Always a good time at Galaway Bay.  So, if you're ever in the Chicagoland area and it's the 2nd Monday of the month, you definitely check out Chi-Tie.

Bunch of leeches I tied up.

Article in DNAinfo

My homie UA Dave was recently interviewed in an article for DNAinfo.com about fly fishing in Chicago.  Dave has been a great promoter of fly fishing in Chicago.  The video our friend Adam Alexander Photography shot on the Des Plains River made the article, as well.  Good to see these guys getting in some print.

Click below and you will be brought to the article.

Chicago Is a Fly-Fishing Mecca, Even on 'Nasty-A--' Bubbly Creek

Article By: Justin Breen

Twitter: @dnainfo_breen

DPR Northern Pike - A Winter Float

My homies UA Dave, Adam Alexander, and their buddy Chris got out the Des Plains River this past weekend.  Being the end of January, the weather was perfect out.  I wish I was around to join them on the float, but I was in SW Wisconsin fishing for trout.

Adam is a professional photographer and usually focuses on still shots, but this outing, he decided to shoot some video, and I think he did an excellent job!  The video is short, sweet, very well shot, and tells a nice story.  Check it out!

Get's me excited to get back out on the DPR.  I miss those toothy snot rockets.

Links

Adam Alexander Photography

Urban Assault Fly Fishing

CHI TIE

Temporary Happiness

Des Plains River.

20 minutes to kill.

Bait caster.  Steel leader.  Rapala Husky Jerk (Firetiger).

High water.  Fast current.

Nothing.

20 minutes of satisfaction.

Winter Pike Float with Urban Assault Fly Fishing - Part 2

My buddy Dave (Urban Assault Fly Fishing) shot me a text message on Friday asking if I wanted to float the DPR on Saturday morning. I was in!

I was about 15 minutes late arriving to the launch, because, I had forgotten my waders at the house, so, I had to do a little back track. All this talk of "Geezers" is starting to get to me (Howard & Mel). It was sunny, and the temperature was in the mid 30's, the weather couldn't have been any better - Who am I kidding! It could have been 80 degrees outside, but with it being mid January, 30 is the new 80.

We floated a section that both of us haven't done before. It was a local part of the river, that I have shore fished extensively. It was really interesting and awesome fish places I couldn't reach from the shore. One of the highlights of the trip was floating under a major expressway in these parts, I-90. There were all kinds of things going on, because, this section was down the street from O'Hare Airport. Planes, trains, and automobiles surrounded us. 

Photo by: Dave

Here is the very same low head dam I posted about in my previous post about racing stick boats. The river seemed to be flowing at normal levels. The banks were icy and muddy. There was a lot of animal activity. We saw a group of 5 female deers, a huge red tailed hawk/owl (Debatable...we couldn't figure out what it was when it flew across river, but it was huge).

Dave was the only one to hook up. He was tossing an articulated double hook fly he tied the night before that had 2 tungsten beads, to help better work the deep pools. Sure enough this pike came from the bottom and took his fly. I had one strike on the day, and that pike was super lazy. It only went after my fly, because, it needed to play its predator role in the Eco system, but I did not hook up with that pike. It gave a half hearted tail flap/wave to me and drifted away.

Dave jamming on the pike guitar...and getting pooped on.      (Check out his knee. HA!)

Looking forward to the next outing!

The DPR

It's that time of year when I hunt for teeth. I'm referring to Northern Pike, and Musky. I have caught many pike, but musky seem to elude me. I know that I'm not alone.

This one time I hooked up with a musky, but that was about it. I was bass fishing, and had an 8lb test leader on. My prayers of a the hook being set in the perfect place were not met. I was broke off right in front of me.

I took my kayak out for it's first float of the year on the Des Plaines River (DPR). The outing was short, and upon arriving at my desired put in, I was upset to find that the chain with the closed sign was still up.

Plan B.

Before I put my kayak in the water I made a few casts near a big storm pipe, and I was greeted with an explosion, but no hook up. Then I casted straight out into the river and watched a pike about 17 inches short strike my single pike fly about 5-9 times. It was quite comical.

Belmont Ave.

It was going to be a short outing with the sun starting to set earlier as Fall quickly approaches. I decided to paddle up river and float, anchor, and fish my way back. I ended up going 1 for 3, hooking up with a hammer handle.

Shark week or pike week

Not too long ago a friend of mine hooked up with a pike estimated at 34 inches, a real trophy for the DPR, but there are rumors of 37 +inchers roaming these waters. Looking forward to a weekend outing where I have nothing but time.

Bitchin'