Coach Shep

I have used them in several different sizes and i like them a lot. I saw a fly called the "candyman" produced by MFC, and I thought that I would take it a step further by adding in another shank and making it a three piece like the "Nut-Butter". The large Fishskull head is pretty heavy, but I can cast it on a 9 weight, but with a strong wind in my right ear, it gets a little dicey. The smaller sizes are comparable to medium lead dumbbells. I have used these for materials primarily for bass fishing flies, but I would not hesitate to cast them to a trout. The Sculpin Helmet fly is a salamander imitation used for bass as well.

I got a little bored with tying trout flies this month, so I started painting. Let me know what you guys think. -Coach Shep

We have some lakes down in TX where people free-line live "Water Dawgs" (salamanders) and catch huge bass. We don't have Hellbenders, but when I have seen Salamanders that would easily be 10". Anyway, this fly pattern got me thinking about them: http://www.rainysflies.com/Flies/flies_Detail.php?ProductID=4504, so I made a slight variation, and it works. Basically the same thing, just add a Sculpin helmet.

http://www.bluequillangler.com/ Pat Dorsey's Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, CO. The have pretty much anything you would need. He was the keynote speaker at GRTU Troutfest last year, and this guy is as good as it gets. Highly, highly recommend his books by the way. You can call the shop and speak directly to him as well. They have free shipping for every order over $5, and if you're like me, you can always find something else that you "need"!

I have been giving people clear Christmas Ornaments with a classic dry fly hanging in them for the past two years, and they have gotten rave reviews, but this year I wanted to mix it up a little. After a long brainstorming session, this is what I came up with; a whole lot of deer hair, a streamer shank, some glass beads, and a green and red Sea-ducer. It was my own way of keeping my wife happy with my fly-tying/fly-fishing obsession. I have shown it around to people and I have been surprised with how many people have loved it, so I thought that I would share it. Keep in mind that this was the first one, and I have already decided to make some changes to it. I plan on fishing with one once it warms up and we start getting some topwater bass action, I think it would make a great picture with a Santa hat and a 4 pounder!