Andrews15r

Unless you are going to showcase them or sell them, I don't think it really matters that they are not perfect, I too have trouble with not being able to get the legs to sit right, however I still fish them being all jacked up, and I catch nice fish with them. So I don't think it matters how good they look, just that they are fished well and that's all that really counts.

I just started taking macro shots of my flies, mostly just to show off but also to try and sell a few here and there, how do they look, and can you give me any advice on taking better shots? Constructive criticism is much appreciated! Thanks - Andrew

the fly doesn't have to be pretty to catch fish, just to catch fisherman. Keep up the good work!

you know, I bet your right, I need to be more careful with my death stare.

It seems like an interesting art form, and I enjoy looking at them, but I barely have enough time to tie the flies I need to fish with, let alone a month to tie one that I would never fish, maybe when I retire I may take it up. LOL - Andrew

I only had a problem with my dog getting into my calf fur. Nothing else was touched, but I probably bought 10 calf furs because no matter what I did to hide it, my calf fur was always never to be seen again. The ammo cans sound like a good idea.

Weird, you are right temp was fine. I have trouble thinking flow was that low. Keep an eye on the area for a larger kill. Maybe a chemical spill or thermal activity, but most likely one of those things that make you go Hmmmm. Cheers, Jeff. I was up there yesterday and didn't see any dead fish, in fact they were all surface feeding (at least 24 of them were ) So I am thinking it was probably just that fish's time, but it is still weird...

I'm in!

The only other fish in there are Carp, I suppose the theory of it pretending to die may be a possibility. Futzer, it is in the South Platte (Eleven Mile Canyon) so I'm pretty sure it wasn't the water temp, but maybe your oxygen theory could be accurate because the water flow was fairly low.

I was casting to a small rainbow trout using a #22 Trico when all of a sudden it went from surface feeding to belly up and floated down the river, has anyone ever experienced this before, and if so, do you know why it happens? - Andrew

it's alright, you have every right to be skeptical of me. I wasn't trying to sound like an expert because I am no where near being one, I just wanted to make a point that I am tracking the hatch and wanting to give as good of advice I could, I seined the water this past Saturday and was picking up some mayflies that haven't made it to a couple of the charts yet. For example the PMD and even some pheasant tail nymphs that have been taken off a couple of the charts. I have only lived here for 6 months so forgive me. I just wanted to give the info I had in case no one else gave it. - Eric

Why do you think I am a posser? If you talk to the right people there, you can get really good information and a lot of help with pretty much anything.

I fish eleven mile canyon every weekend, but I suggest you go on a week day so it won't be so crowded. Anyway I reccommend Tricos in the morning (size 20 or smaller) para Adams, pmd's and elk hair caddis (same size as tricos) but you dif. Need some nymphs pheasant tail nymph with and without bead. As well as a variety of other small nymphs. Go to anglerscovey.com (an awesome fly shop in Colorado springs) their hatch and flow report is always right on. Good luck and have fun! - Eric

Nearly all trout flies are simple it just depends on where you are fishing, for example I fish the South Platte in Colorado so the fly is a simple pattern however I need to tie it on atleast an 18 but for best results 22 or smaller. Before I had a specific destination or fished that much I looked threw my book of patterns and just tied different flies up for the heck of it. But what you could also do is check the hatch report for where you fish or somewhere you want to fish and tie up the flies to match, there are endless patterns out there, you just need to get keyed in on them. but here are some ideas for you: Blue Winged Olive (probably the easiest dry fly to tie) Elk Hair Caddis Trico PMD March Brown Pheasant Tail Nymph (always good to have nymphs in the fly box) try tying the your dry flies parachute, they work really well and it saves you a ton of money by just purchasing hackle rather than spending hundreds of dollors on different wings when you can get hundreds of wing posts for $3 with just Calf Fur or Calf Tail (I prefer the fur) but I think it's mostly personal preferance. Have fun tying - Andrew

There is a famous brand out there with orange handles, they are about $5 at wal-mart and work great for many flies upto size 16 or so, but after that than you want to get better scissors that are thinner to cut closer to the hook, but depending on what you are tying will depend on how much you should spend.