Chasing_Tails

Stand up shrimp Hook: Mustad 3407,#6 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, white Tail: Calf tail, white Flash: Krystal Flash, pearl Antennae: Krystal Flash, peakcock Eyes: Burnt mono, 25lb, brown Body: Ice Dub, pearl white Wing: SF Slinky Fiber, white Back: Clear Cure Goo, thick with Bone Dry overcoat Weedguard: Hard Mono, 25lb

Rubber legs mayfly nymph Hook: 1x curved nymph hook, #16 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, Dk. brown Underbody: 0.010 lead wire Bead: Brass, 5/32 Tail: Pheasant tail Body: Ice Dub, olive brown Rib: 0.2mm wire, copper Throax: Ice Dub, chocolate brown Wing case: Turkey tail Legs: Sili-legs micro, barred pumpkin Psycho Prince Hook: 1x curved nymph hook, #18 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, fire orange Underbody: 0.010 lead wire Tail: Goose biot, Dk. brown Body: Ice Dub, golden brown Rib: 0.1mm wire, black Thorax: Ice Dub, golden brown Back: Turkey tail Wing buds: DNA fusion, tan Legs: Goose biot, white Ice dub is addictive...

Krystal egg sucking leech, olive/pink Hook: Mustad 4x long streamer, #6 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, red Tail: Marabou, olive brown Flash: Krystal flash, olive Body: Leech yarn, olive (combed out) Ribbing: Saddle hackle, barred olive grizzly Egg: Standard Estaz, fuscia

Pat's Rubberlegs Ice Dub variant (black stonefly) Hook: 2x nymph hook, #10 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, black Bead: 3.5mm tungsten bead, black Weight: 0.015" lead wire Tail/legs/antennae: Life Flex, black Body, Ice Dub, black peacock Rib: 0.03" wire, black Pat's Rubberlegs Ice Dub variant (golden stonefly) Hook: Curved nymph hook, #6 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, dk. brown Bead: 1/8" brass bead, gold Weight: 0.015" lead wire Tail/legs/antennae: Life Flex, tan Body, Ice Dub, golden brown Rib: 0.02" wire, brown

The Black Kwan Hook: Mustad 3407 #6 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, black Eyes: Bead chain, black, medium Tail: Craft fur, black Collar: Saddle Hackle, black Flash: Krystal Flash, black Legs: Sili-legs, black Body: Antron Yarn, black Weedguard: 25lb monofilament The big black drum will be moving onto the mud flats as the temperature drops and a black fly is one of their favorite meals.

Here is a cousin in white pearl.

Ghost Shrimp Hook: Mustad 3407 #4 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, tan Antennae: Krystal Flash, copper Eyes: Mono barbell, medium, black Legs: Sili-legs, barred sand Body: Palmer Chenille, small, tan Tail: Ultra-hair, brown Carapace: Clear Cure Goo, thin coated with Bone Dry UV resin Weedguard: 25lb mono Great fly when the fish are up in the mangroves or grass. The light weight and weedguard allows you to drag it through the cover without hanging up. Getting a fish out after a hook up is another matter...

Fathead Schminnow Hook: Mustad 3407, #2 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, white Tail: Marabou, white Flash: Krystal Flash, pearl Body: Standard estaz, pearl white Head: Stacked 2mm foam, red Eyes: 1/4” Holographic, silver Sits tail low in the water making it easier for a redfish to get it off the surface.

Made in high school woodshop class back in 1992.

Wooly Shrimp Hook: Mustad 34011, #1 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, tan Underbody: 0.020 lead wire Mouth parts: Calf tail, brown and Krystal Flash, copper Antennae: Krystal Fiash, copper Eyes: Mono barbell, large, black Back: Furry foam, tan Body: Standard Estaz, tan Legs: Sili-legs, barred sand Rattle: 4mm glass Ribbing: 0.03mm copper wire Gills: Dun hackle Weight: Lead dumbbells, medium

Crabby Crab: Hook: Mustad 3407, #1/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, Fire Orange Mouthparts: Calf tail, brown and Krystal Flash, copper Eyes: 40lb mono Claws: Zonker strip, gold variant/ 40lb mono spreaders Body: Standard Estaz, salmon Legs: Sili-legs, gold foil/red Collar: Zonker crosscut, gold variant Rattle: 4mm glass rattle Weight: Lead dumbbell, medium Real cold fronts are starting to move in on a more regular basis, the water is dropping, and the reds will be crawling...time to get into the skinny water.

Poon cyclops: Hook: Owner Octopus up eye #4 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, chartreuse Tail: Zonker strip, white Flash: Krystal flash, pearl Body: Estaz, pearl white Collar: Zonker crosscut, white Head: 3.5mm tungsten bead, chartreuse Eyes: Testors enamel, gloss black, coated with Solarez Bone Dry UV. Sometimes tarpon just want a light snack, and with colder weather they will hang deeper. This little morsel sinks like a rock and is a great appetizer.

Skrimp bite: Hook: Mustad 3407, size 4 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, Fire Orange Eyes: Black Mono, medium Body: Body braid, tan Rib: Saddle hackle, grizzly Wing: SF Blend Slinky Fiber, shrimp Back: Krystal Flash, peacock First good cold front came through this week, hopefully the water will be dropping and the reds will come out crawling. I fish this solo, or behind a gurgler as a dry/dropper setup.

Very well. I didn't get out on my own and had to change my guide trip from Wednesday to Friday. Great day though. ended up sight fishing in a small tributary to running steelhead. I'll be going back up in the summer time so I will have to see what water to fish then.

Visited family in PA over Thanksgiving and originally had a guide trip planned for Wednesday but got weathered out. It was a good thing as the extra rain from Wednesday had fish on the move today. Started out before daylight fishing Lake Erie Tributary creeks. Fished several deeper runs with limited success before finding a few fish moving in shallower water. Hookup and the fish turned downstream and freight trained me over a log jam. From there we did fish some of the deeper runs, some holding fish, but it was more fun sight casting to the movers. Setup was a stonefly nymph with an attractor bead. total tally, 4 landed, 1 snagged landed (dorsal fun), and 8 or so freight trains that humbled me. Great day. Thanks goes to Nick at Wildwood Outfitters. Great guide not only on the fishing but the type of guy that makes the day fun for anyone. Sad thing, I grew up in PA until turning 18 and never chased Steelhead. Fished mostly warm water and some trout. Definitely time to make it up...

I'm going to be vising family next week in the southwestern PA area (Leechburg) and have a guide trip planned for one day but may go out on my own for a day or two as well. I'm bringing a 3wt/5wt/5wt/7wt/8wt and trout/steelhead flies. Any streams/rivers in the area to try? I don't mind driving if needed to hit good water. Thank you in advance!

Was able to sneak out for my last marsh trip before heading up to the great white north (western PA) to visit family for thanksgiving. Lots of fresh water and high conditions from Eta earlier this week. But it seemed to have pushed a lot of bait into the backwaters. Most was small rain minnows and the snook were taking advantage. It was like chasing schools of busting jacks. I stopped keeping track after an even dozen. Most were under slot but managed one slot. A few came off a top water/slow sink, but the winner of the day was an Angel Hair flash mullet I tied up the other day. Next week I’ll be chasing trout and steelhead...In the cold...(anything below 70 is cold for a Floridian)

Flash mullet Hook: Mustad Octopus, size 1 Thread: 3/0 Danville, steel gray Body: Angel Hair, black pearl/silver holo/pearl Eyes: 1/4” 3d molded, yellow Head: Clear Cure Goo, thin, Bone Dry UV overcoat.

Yellow Sally Nymph: Hook: Mustad 9672, size 10 Thread: 6/0 Uni Thread, Dk. brown Underbody: 0.015 lead wire Tail: Goose biot, Dk. brown Body: Super Bright dubbing, golden brown Rib: 0.3 wire, gold Thorax: Super Bright dubbing, Dk. Hare’s Ear Back: Turkey tail, natural (coated with Bone Dry UV resin) Legs: Goose biot, Dk. brown

Due to a trip to western PA next month i've had to put the hooks away that end in "ought" and tie up some new trout flies. Pregnant Gammarus Hook: Mustad C49S, size 12 Thread: Danville 3/0, gunmetal gray Underbody: 0.15 lead wire with gray floss over Tail: Hungarian Partridge, natural Body: Larva Lace, midge, clear Rib: Ostrich herl, gray Back: Clear-cure goo, thin, with Bone Dry overcoat Eggs: Sharpie marker, red Eyes: Sharpie marker, black

Your sand sure is a bright white color....

Sometimes sideways flies work best...

She hasn't graduated to a fly on the end yet... One of these days she will figure out why she hasn't caught anything.

My daughter wanted to go down to the local pond this evening so I figured it would also be a good time to test out a new travel 3wt. that I put together this week. It did not disappoint and picked up several good sized bluegill, a few even testing the drag a little bit: I do a fair amount of travel for business and now have days off on-site while I am away so I started taking a travel rod with me. I was limited to a 7-piece 7wt or 8wt rods that I originally bought for saltwater. The 7wt. has served me well, but is overkill for some of the water I have been on lately so I figured I needed something on the lighter side. Originally I picked up a 7-piece 9ft/5wt, but why not add a 3wt to the mix. it wasn't a rod that would be used a lot, so I didn't want to break the bank on it. The rod is a 6-piece 7'6" 3wt made by Maxcatch. They call it the "Cruiser" and fits in a tube only 18 inches long. The finish is very well done for a budget rod with each section printed with the rod length/wt. and alignment marks. A simple cork reel seat with slip ring finishes it off. The reel is also by Maxcatch and is the "Eco" model in a 3/4wt. Sealed drag has good adjustment and I figured the rainbow trout finish looked good (brown trout was also available along with standard colors). I added 75yds of 20lb backing and an SA WF-3F line. Balance is right at the half way point of the grip with the loaded reel The rod is a little slower action than my other more expensive 3wt's, but is definitely moderate/fast and throws a beautiful loop after slowing down my casting stroke. Roll casting is a breeze after proper loading. I could not even tell that it was a 6-piece rod. Best part, the entire setup was less than $125.00. Since it worked out well I decided to add an 8-piece 9ft/6wt. to the stable to round out my travel rod selection. It was also 4 year old approved: