A Year On The Fly

Painting The Ring-necked Pheasant

2012-01-27T06:32:00.000-05:00

So why is a die-hard fly fisherman painting something other than a fish? Quite simply, sometimes you have got to deviate from the norm and test your skills on other subjects. As a avid outdoor enthusiast I see fowl like these Ring-Necked Pheasants as beautiful majestic birds.... as well as a great source of material for fishing. Whether you are hunting them, watching them on the hiking trail, or using their feathers to catch fish, these birds are great creations.

I have only painted feathered creatures one other time but never is such great detail. Honestly I have always been a bit intimidated by the level of detail and accuracy it takes to paint these birds well. Even as I started working on this bird I was unsure how it would turn out. Would it be a frame worthy piece or would it be a good decoration for the trash bin.

As I began to build up the color with rich browns, golden colors, and the classic red head of this pheasant I also added a but of iridescent additive into the paint. I don't usually use this but when I broke out my Pheasant cape from my desk and began to study it I felt that this would be the perfect painting to have this additive. Like the true colors of the actual Ring-neck Pheasant, the colors of this painting now have a subtle sparkle and shine as the light catches it.

Some of the people that stumble on this blog may now be wondering why I have a Pheasant cape in my house. Others of you that frequent my blog understand that as a fly fisherman the pheasant cape, pheasant tail, as well as many other birds feathers are a key part to our sport. Now, knowing this key piece of information, painting this bird doesn't seem so out of the realm of the fly fisherman artist in me.
As I came to this point in the painting I thought about calling it good. I was extremely proud of how this turned out and thought, 'why spoil it with a bad background job'. I mulled it over and took some time away from it for a bit but eventually settled on the idea that it just needed that little something extra to put this over the top.

In the end I was very pleased with how this turned out. The colors turned out great, the feather detail was a pain in the butt but ended looking spot on, and even the simple grass turned out great. Who knows, maybe you will begin to see a few more birds on this blog. Maybe a California Quail or a Wood Duck perhaps?

"Ring-Necked Pheasant"
@ 9"x 11"
Watercolor and Gouache on Paper
For Sale Here

On a lighter note, I was reading the paper the other day and came to one of my favorite parts of the paper - the Comics! Seriously, I usualy have to page through the entire paper to find this section but it is always worth it. I think that they set it up that way because once you get depressed from all the poor news and the state of our country, you need the comics to end your morning paper with a high note. This Peanuts strip made me chuckle.

Tying Journal & A Givaway

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-05:00

A little while ago I used the vast power of the internet and a coupon to make myself a little journal to store my fly tying recipes in. I very seldom tie standard patterns because...- well, I like to create. Also even if the stuff I tie has been tied before, I typically don't follow the strict ingredients listed in the published books . Of course no ordinary off the rack journal will do for this fly fishing fool, no - I had one custom printed with my art on the cover.
With the addition of my new desk I recently began filling this book with recipes and drawings of my flies. My hope is that with this new journal I will be able to keep track of the materials I have used as well as when I fish these flies and how well they produce. In the past I have created a few flies that did well but after loosing them at the bottom of the stream I soon forget about them and the materials I used to tie them. I know the rule of three's when tying flies (Always tie three flies - use two and save the third to copy later) but I seldom follow it mainly because I am lazy. This journal was part of my New Years resolution to become a better fly tyer. Hopefully it will help to organize my fly tying and record keeping when it comes to fly fishing.

Keeping a journal like this is a helpful tool for any serious fly fisherman. My hope is that I will stick with it and keep it up to date.
I hesitate to offer this journal - with my art - for sale on this site due to the cost associated with having such small quantities printed and shipped but I know a few other fly fisherman are going to ask so here it goes. If you would like a journal like this with my art on the cover - Email me here. I will even allow you to pick the print from my available prints for the cover of your custom Journal. Each
Now here is the tough part - the price. I realistically can not do this for less that $30 per journal plus $4 shipping. Unfortunately I know this is steep and I don't expect much if any takers on this but I know I will be asked about it so there you go. I wish I could make it less, but any cheaper and I will be paying you to order one. In the future I might try to find a better printer if interest in this peeks.

And Now For the FREE Stuff!!! Lightload Towels sent me another package of towels for a review I did thanks to the Outdoor Blogger Network. Actually they sent me this extra package of towels due to the original package of towels that got temporary lost in the mail. I will save you the boring details but needless to say, sometimes our mail service down here in the south leave much to be desired. Anyway, I didn't feel right keeping this extra package of Lightload Towels because a mix-up in shipping so I am passing this on to my followers. I also hope to give this great company a little buzz in the process. If you would like to receive a FREE package of these towels simply 1: be a follower of this blog and 2: leave a comment on this post. The opportunity to win this little gift will end at on February 10th and midnight.

Deer Stew & A Prince

2012-01-23T07:05:00.000-05:00

I made some great deer stew a while back and with the hunting season coming to a close and a lot of meat now coming back from the processors I thought that I would share this recipe with you. This was a random recipe I found on the internet that sounded not only easy but quite tasty. There is no doubt after making this stew that it will go into the wife's book. It is a sweeter recipe than normally made but I am telling you that it is good. I had a few friends over to sample it and there was not much left after second and third helpings. Good stuff!!
From some random source I cant remember:

Crockpot Venison Apple Cider Stew

1 pound beef or venison stew meat -- (up to 2) 8 carrots -- sliced thin 6 potatoes -- sliced thin 2 apples -- chopped 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 cups apple cider (I used spiced cider)

Place carrots, potatoes, and apples in crock pot. Add meat and sprinkle with salt, thyme, and onion. Pour cider over meat and cover. Cook in crock pot on low heat 10-12 hours. Thicken gravy.

And not to forget about my painting, I sat down and flipped a little paint to paper to come up with this version of the "Egg Sucking Prince Nymph". I saw it in a recent edition of Fly Tyer magazine and figured what the heck. I would love to tie this up but searching my supplies I found no hot orange beads. I guess that is mainly due to my ignorant reluctance to use egg patterns for fishing. I am beginning to loose this 'high minded' attitude but I guess this fly still will have to wait till my next trip to the fly shop.

A New Fly Tying Desk And Midges

2012-01-21T11:50:00.000-05:00

I have mentioned in past posts that I was upgrading my fly tying station from a portable chest to a full fledged desk. There is no real art associated with this post but I am happy to report that as of yesterday, my project is complete and last night I tested it out with a few fresh midges.

My first box for storing my fly tying material was a simple twelve by ten by ten wood box that I quickly out grew an material began over flowing into a many shoe boxes. My second attempt was a large chest I constructed from knotty pine (pic to the left). I was very proud of this chest with its fold down table and inset drawers and wood burned fly fishing scene but as my hobby grew and material collection expended, I again began to fill bags and boxes with the over flow material. I also got tired of lugging the box up onto the coffee table in order to tie up some flies.
Late last year I made up my mind to begin looking for a replacement for my chest. I settled on a what was once a very popular form of desk called a secretary. These desk are perfectly constructed for the novice fly tier since they have usually have a drop front desk potion and numerous compartments to hold fly tying material.

I also like the fact that many of these desks have built in book shelves and with the drop leave table, they hide the mess of fly tying. An added bonus is that most of these are antiques and are no longer manufactured. I did toy with the idea of constructing my own version of the secretary but with the cost involved in procuring good wood I chose to spend the money on a classic piece of American history.
This particular desk was made by the Larkin Soap & Furniture company and in 1890 sold for about $3.50 brand new. It was also given out to housewives that sold more than $10 worth of soap products as an encouraging to start their own business. If one looks up the history of Larkin you will find a company dedicated to the lives of their employees.

Last night, after a month of slaving away at work, I finally had some time to finish the restoration of this beautiful desk. With the rain falling outside and the temperatures around mid thirties, it was a good quiet way to spend an evening. Soon after moving it into the house, I filled it with much of the overflow from my tying chest and settled down to tie some flies and drink a few beers. I was glad that it performed as good as expected and look forward to utilizing this piece for years to come.
Below I have added a few pics showing off a few midges from last nights tying. I'm not saying that the desk had anything to do with it but I believe that these were vast improvements on my last tying attempts at midges.

Give This Bead Head Midge A Name

I'm not sure what to call this one but as far as a bead head nymphs go, i think it might entice a fish or two to strike. Maybe you can name it.

January Firecracker

These I call January Firecracker Midges. While emptying my chest I stumbled upon some old material that had wool and small strips of a foil like material inter-woven to create a sparkle effect. It was a great fine and although I only had about eight inches of material, it was more than enough for these #16 size midges.

Classic Salmon Fly

2012-01-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Childers Salmon Fly

Just because I don't salmon fish doesn't mean I cant enjoy the absolute beauty of the flies that have been created to catch them. There are literally hundreds of books dedicated to the salmon and the salmon flies. To the untrained eye these flies can look fairly similar but when you delve deeper into their creation you begin to see all the unique characteristics that these flies so special.

Even among tiers of the same fly you can find variations that make the flies look completely different. I did this Childers Salmon fly in a more sparse style. I also used a iridescent paint that under a little light makes the paint really come alive. As far as my experience tying these beautiful flies, my bench count is a big fat ZERO. I mean, where am I going to fish these. If I ever do sit down to tie one up it will be just for show and I will probably place it right under one of my paintings.

"Childers Salmon fly"

Gouache On Paper

8x10

For Sale

-----------------------------------------------------------------

And here is an update on a recent painting I did for an anglers first Brown on a fly rod. He didn't waste any time getting it framed and boy does it look sweet. I had a slot cut in the mat and he ended up placing the fly he used to hook his memorable catch.

In truth, this type of project is a perfect example of why I started painting in the first place. My first few paintings and sketches where of my fish. Although I enjoy a good taxidermied wall hanger, I am still a big proponent of catch and release.

Unfortunately if you release the fish, you cant get a good wall hanger to remind you of that day. My solution was to paint a few of my memorable catches from photographs and the walla - beautiful wall hanger. Add in the fly that the fish was caught on and the memory is complete. I would like to thank Mat for setting me to work on this piece for him. May it hang on your wall for many years to come.

If you would like a similar wall hanger of a catch you have had, EMAIL me and I will see what I can do to help you out.

Lightload Towels Review

2012-01-13T20:00:00.010-05:00

I recently was lucky enough to be sent a package of these Lightload Towels to try out from our friends over at The Outdoor Blogger Network. As a responsible blogger and one always appreciative of free stuff I thought I'd share a few thoughts on these towels.
1: These things are a miracle of packaging. Its amazing what they compress into such a small package.
2: Extremely portable. As an avid day hiker and occasional overnight back packer, these little babies have everything you look for in a backpacking towel.
3: Fairly absorbent for their sizes. I wouldn't use the smaller towel (I got the .3oz 12"x12") for a beach blanket but I would use it for about everything a standard hand towel would be used for.
4: Disposable. Unlike the hand towel I usually carry, these towels can be used and abused and then disposed of after a trip - or dry them out and use it as a fire starter during the trip.
In short these little towels do what the advertise and at a price worth the trip. These 12"x12" are only just over $2.50 for a package of two towels. I wouldn't expect you to start hanging them in your bathroom or kitchen but on the trail or on a camping trip, these are killer. I think that I might try out there larger beach towels on the next camping trip to the beach. Check these guys out next time you plan to hit the trail.

Brown Trout With Blue Winged

2012-01-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

"Brown Trout With Blue Winged"

The start of 2012 has been a hectic one. No fishing, constant work, and very little time to put paint to paper. There has been a few bright spots though and a few tidbits of news that gives me hope that the rest of 2012 will be an exciting one.
First was the news that I was accepted into a large juried artist festival located in the upstate of SC. Since I have never attempted to enter such an event, it is a bit overwhelming by the amount of work I need to do in preparation for the even.

Getting an appropriate display ready, organizing prints and paintings to display, actually doing more paintings for the event, and all the stuff that goes into selling these items is going to fill my time for the next few months. Still, I am excited to get the chance to display my work in a setting with other skilled artists.
As the event closes in I will give you a bit more information and you can expect more posts on my frantic attempt to get ready for this show.

The second piece of good news is that I might soon be a 'published' artists. I recently have completed a set of drawings for a book to be published over seas and then just the other day I was contacted about the opportunity to collaborate in a book project here in the states. Again, as these projects develop I will surely share the information with you but for as of right now all you get is a bit of a teaser.
With this year off to such a great start and it only being the second week in, I am eager to see what the rest of 2012 has in store. Now if I could only get some time off from my day job I might be able to get to work on this art thing. Then again.... If I didn't have a job I wouldn't be able to do this fishing art thing. All things have their place I guess and I need to remind myself of that.

Now for the painting you see here. I did this work first thing before work this morning and rushed to get it done. I call it 'Brown Trout With Blue Winged" - not difficult to figure out how I got that name.
Its a smaller work - only @6" x 5" but with the time crunch it was all I could get an expect to make a post today. I have been slacking lately and have felt a bit guilty for neglecting the blogs but such is life. I hope you enjoy it and it inspires you to get out and fish. Once I get a chance I will be hitting that stream and maybe I can get a few REAL browns in hand pictures to share with you.

Fishing in Idaho 2011

First Bass 2012

2012-01-07T06:01:00.016-05:00

I 'll admit, I am off to a rather slow start this year. One post and its it already the 7th, seriously? a whole week gone already? Truth is that sometimes life just wears you out and with the horrendous work schedule I have had over the holidays I have had barely enough time to see my family much less sit down and surf the blogs. And time spent painting or fishing? You can just forget about that.
So just in case some of you that frequent my blog (and even more of you whose blogs I frequent) have started to believe that the Year On the Fly Blog has passed on, or its owner has lost interest and gone on to other waters, let me reassure you that I am still here and am planning on continuing on with year 3 of this one year project.

I did manage to sit down last night for an hour or two and toss a bit of paint to paper for this recollection of a cold river smallmouth bass I hooked into last year while on the Chattooga. What I remember most about the surprise bass in waters where trout usually roam was the bright red of the eye. That clean bright red eye surprised me almost as much as finding a leaping bass on the end of my line where I expected a trout to be.
This was also my first smallmouth bass I have ever painted. I suppose that even if we are already a week into the new year, it is quite fitting to have my first painting of the year be a new species for my watercolor. Maybe as the year progresses I will work up enough courage to paint one of the big mouths leaping from tranquil water. For now this head shot will have to do.

So on other news, I have recently procured an antique secretary desk for my fly tying station and as soon as I have a bit of time I will put together a dedicated post on the subject, including the restoration and conversion of this beauty for the purpose of fly tying. Of course I have to have the time to restore it but I figure that its been sitting around for a hundred years, a few more weeks wont hurt it. anyway, before the month is out I will have a post ready on the subject.

I have also been looking for a bit of small antique fly fishing advertisements to frame up and add old world ambiance to my tying station. I figure that these classic adds will compliment the antique secretary desk nicely. So if any of you out there have pre 1950's fly fishing or outdoor magazines cluttering up your floor space I would be happy to take a few of them (or just the advertisement clipping) off your hands. Just Email me and we will work it out.

And finally, since the end of 2011 was such a hectic time for me I figured that I would add a bit of thanks for the followers, comments, and support that all of you have given this angler over the past two years. Without you this project that started as a single year commitment would not be ebbing into its third year. Thanks again for helping me improve with each and every cast of my fly rod and stroke of my paint brush. Since I can't buy you all a beer, go get one of your own and raise a glass and just know I am toasting you. Cheers.

Good-by 2011, Hello 2012

2011-12-30T09:23:00.000-05:00

Yellow Sally

Got an email today asking about the Christmas Deal drawing I had going this month. I will skip all the excuses about how the holidays have distracted me from blogging and painting and tell you flat out that I completely forgot to choose a winner. So first things first, I headed over to the Random.org site and let them pick the winner. Surprisingly enough, they chose my comment (#8) so I guess I win a print of my own watercolor. Yeah!!! But seeing as I already have enough of my own works laying around collecting dust, I asked them to choose again and this time they got it right. Parker (comment # 9) from Interests Revolving is the proud owner of a year on the fly print. So Parker, head on over to my prints Page1 and Page2 and choose a painting then Email me. Congrats!

So whats on tap for the New Year? Truth is I don't know. I hope to increase the quality and quantity of my paintings as well as my knowledge of fly fishing. I am not however going to make a new years resolution to get out the stream more (but secretly I hope I do). I am also planning on trying to get my stuff into a few art fairs and local shops in 2012 but we will see what happens.
I am also going to try and get serious about my fly tying instead of just tying up a few flies here and there. Hopefully I can enter into a few of the fly swaps I've seen on message boards every now and then. I often come across those swaps a few days late or worse. The other day I purchased a hundred year old secretary desk off a craigslist add and plan on converting it into a fly tying station. With a little work and elbow grease I should be able to make it into a perfect little place to sit down and let the feathers fly.

And just in case I don't get around to doing a new years post tomorrow (which I know I wont because, well... I have other things to do) Have a great new year. Remember, you are not as young as you once were and that morning after hurts much more than it did at 21. Enjoy, Cheers, and may your new year be filled with family, friends........ and fish.

Elk River Brown (An Anglers First Brown)

2011-12-23T07:51:00.004-05:00

I recently had a new fly fisher ask if I could do a painting of his first brown trout caught on a fly. Obviously I jumped at the opportunity and went to work painting this one of a kind memory.

While painting this beautiful looking Brown Trout I tried to remember what my first brown looked like or even when I caught it. I remembered my first trout (rainbow) on a fly, my first bass, blugill, sea trout, ladyfish, and redfish, and crapie on a fly but I could not recall my first Brown trout or Brook trout. Truth be told, those first few years of learning to fly fish have just sort of meshed into one continues memory of fish, weather, and water.

I do remember a few good days, wet miserable days, a few fishless days, and even a few fish full days. I can recall areas of some rivers that struck me as simply beautiful at the time and a few times when I took a cold plunge and filled my waders while struggling to find my feet but surprisingly, I don't recall too many fish in specific detail.

I suppose this is the way it goes with most fisherman. If you ask them specifics about the fish they caught five years ago, I bet they wont be able to recall how many browns or brookies they hooked or even the sizes of the fish but they will remember how the sun lit the water just so you could see the trout take the fly or how the light rain and misty clouds hung in the mountains and it was one of the best days they ever had.

They might be able to tell you general info on the types of fish but the real memory is of the fight a fish gave in the swirling pool of a good bit of water. After the haze of time clouds the memory they are only left with the emotion of that day. For us anglers, its not so much about the fish we catch but the way we go about doing it and the memories we create.
Thanks to modern technology we now can preserve the actual fish in photographs but its that feeling of that day that one truly remembers.

I am glad that through my painting the fly fisherman that hooked his first brown will now be able to remember that feeling every time he sees this watercolor hanging in his man cave. In the end, that is the purpose of art. Its not about just another nice looking picture hanging on the wall, but its a feeling one gets as they look at the painting. For a commissioned piece such as this Elk River Brown, this feeling of connection with the art is heightened beyond the casual observers. For this fly fisherman, that day on the Elk will live forever.

"Elk River Brown"
Watercolor on Paper
13" x 10"
Original --- SOLD

Angling, Art, & Passion

2011-12-16T09:58:00.000-05:00

I recently finished yet another trout watercolor, this one as you can see is titled "Rainbow Trout On Blue". I have done so many trout paintings over the last few years that it is getting a little difficult to simply title a piece by the fish that is in it.

One might think that I am getting sick of painting the same trout over and over again, but actually I think of it much in the same way an angler views catching the same fish over and over again. To me each painting is a separate piece. Its a chance to expand ones knowledge about the subject. A chance to improve on technique and form, much the same as each fish is an individual and each trip to catch them is a chance to become a better angler. The more I do it, the better the end result and the more passionate I become.

I believe every angler comes to a point where they make a choice; Do I become passionate about the sport I love or do I treat it like a trip to the zoo (meaning do I do it just because its entertainment and a good way to pass the time)? Don't get me wrong I love the zoo, mostly because my kids love it, but I do enjoy it, I am just not passionate about it.
Fly fishing (and my associated art) on the other hand, as my wife can attest, now that is something I have become passionate about. Whether one makes this decision consciously or buries it deep under layers of wool and neoprene each time he hits the water, each angler will come to a point where he decides which river to take.

Many choose to stay on that smooth stretch or water that produces good, average trout time and time again and they treat each trip as just a good chance to get away. They never push the boundaries or explore new water, and rarely will they tie on anything not featured in the latest Orvis catalog (Also don't get me wrong, I love Orvis and all they offer and will gladly help them endorse any free merchandise they choose to send me;-)

The second set of anglers take that small tributary that leads to undiscovered water. They eat cobwebs on their trek through brush, skin knees and rip waders, and they will often forgo lunch just to get that extra fifteen minutes of time on the water. They fish long after it is sane to do so and often miss judge just how far up river they have traveled until that very last moment when they pry themselves from the water only to find that what they thought was going to be a fifteen minute hike back to the car turns out to be a hike covering the better part of an hour and a two thousand foot elevation change.

For my part, I am obsessed with being on time, in fact most times I am eager to be early. Whether its work, church, parties, the movies, or doctors appointments (though I'm not sure why because the doctor never seems to be on time.) I am always early. I hate to be late. But when it comes to fishing, my duty to on time performance somehow escapes me. My loving wife, as I am sure many a wife of an obsessed angler can attest, knows to tack on another hour or two to the time I say I'll be home if I'm out fishing. I don't do it consciously, its just that when I'm hunting trout in the mountains, I loose track of all else. I am obsessed.
My devotion to my art is beginning to be that way as well. Over the years of practice and failure intermixed with some successes, my art has evolved into something I care about. I look at my past paintings and judge them with a new eye and view each new work more critically. I am okay with direction it is taking me and the progress I am making though I'm not sure where it is taking me. In the end I know that I will never reach the level of a A.D Maddox or Derick DeYong (no relation) , Bob White, Andrew Wyeth, or Winsolw Homer (Homer was my first inspiration to do watercolor), but its that striving to do better and that passion to be better that keeps me going.
The painting above is titled:
"Rainbow Trout On Blue"
Watercolor on Paper
13" x 8"
Prints and original for sale

Also don't forget about the special Christmas Deal for Four Rare Trout Prints. You can find this deal at the top of the page. Hurry before Christmas is here and the deal fades away.

I have also added one more page of prints from recent paintings that you can purchase. Check out some of my newer stuff HERE.

Researching The Wet Fly

2011-12-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

For my money, the classic wet fly is one of the best looking flies ever created. A sleek body with sweeping wings and that classic English look usually associated with that so called 'golden age' of fly fishing or the rough and rugged sport of Atlantic Salmon on a fly.

My post a few days ago had a small image of a wet fly superimposed onto a trout skin. As these thing often do, my drawing inspired me to sit down and tie up a dozen or so of these winged beauties. I am not a very goo fly tier, and truth be told, I would greatly profit of a lesson or two from the likes of Hopper Juan or SmallStream. Despite that admission, my lack of expertise has never been an obstacle that has stopped me before so I gave it a shot.
I suppose the reason I have never tied up many we flies in the past is two fold. One is that nearly ever wet winged fly I have ever seen has been an Atlantic Salmon fly and well, Atlantic Salmon seldom venture south for the winter so whats the point.
Second is that the classic wet flies for trout seemed to have gone out of style over the years in favor of the small midges, streamers, and emergers of American tiers.

In fact after a quick bit of research through my library of books as well as recently published books, I was hard pressed to find many anglers that swear by the wet fly much less any specific wet fly pattern. Most of the information I have found on these classic flies come from anglers who view the traditional wet fly as specifically an Atlantic salmon fly or simply a curiosity of the past; a relic to be admired but never fished.
Now whether this trend is due to that obsessed cult of fly fishing enthusiasts (I might fall into that category if secretly observed from shore) that ring their hands together over their fly box struggling to find just that perfect fly to match the hatch, I'm not sure. However, in his book,

Fly-Tying Techniques & Patterns

, John Van Vliet says that's precisly the reason and in the late fifties the wet fly began to disappear from fly boxes across the nation.

Another prolific publisher of fly tying books is Dave Hughes and in his Wet Flies book he goes into great detail on the history of the wet fly and how they are to be fished. A great book but as I surf the blogs for wet flies and wet fly patterns I come across very few. I end up looking back to books published before the 40's when some of the main ingredients were 'wood pecker' and 'blue jay' feathers. My neighbors may think I am a bit nuts if I began shooting birds off my fence for the tying material (not to mention this practice is now quite illegal). There was that squirrel incident last year but that is about as far as I am willing to go.
One thing is for sure, these corner stones of fly fishing have gone by the way side in favor of the midges and emergers of today.
Those that follow my ramblings and outsider art might be able to tell that I like the old, vintage styles of the past.

I like how the fathers (or mothers in the case of Mary Orvis) of the fly fishing movement did things. Their ingenuity and inventions in a time when not many things were readily available for the every day angler is an inspiration to those that care to take a look. Google books often has many of these old anglers books of file and from time to time I download them and read how they use to do things. A recent download for me was a 1903 publication of Wet-Fly Fishing (Treated Methodically) by Ewin M. Tod. These books are a surprising wealth of knowledge if one can muddle through the old world language and slang of the time
Today I toast the Classic Wet Fly with another classic the English have given us (or at least made popular in the 17th century). RUM. This brand isn't that old but it sure to do the classic rum proud. Let the Kraken be unleashed.

Deer Stew Cold Remedy

2011-12-13T14:43:00.001-05:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later. The kids have been fighting colds for the better part of the month, the wife has been infected with it for over a week, and tis the season for the sniffles. I wouldn't give up the slobbery kisses of my four year old for anything but I'm sure that is how I finally received this seasons cold bug.
So what do you do on a day when your head aches, your throat and nose in clogged, and you feel like crap? You sit at home, dream of fishing, and try your best to eat and drink your bug away.

I could never remember which home remedy to implement; if you starve a fever and feed a cold or feed a fever and starve a cold. I decided that feeding a cold was just as good as starving, after all its just a home remedy and how true can that old saying be anyway? So early yesterday morning my loving wife tossed some deer stew meat, potatoes, and a few onions into a pot and let it stew all day. I on the other hand kept myself busy with blowing my nose and keeping my sick body hydrated.
I also decided to sketch out the fly you see above in between watching old movies.

I have an affection for these old war or western movies. If I am lucky enough to catch a John Wayne marathon on AMC or TCM then it would be hard to pry the remote from my hands. I wasn't that lucky yesterday but I did manage to not do much in the way of exercise. Thanks to a few good movies I was able to rest and recoup.
After a day of smelling the mouth watering stew from the kitchen, I pried myself from the couch and had two heaping bowl fulls of the best deer stew I have had in a while.
This morning I awoke a new man. I am not sure if it was the stew or the rest or a combination of both but regardless, it did the job. I'm not 100% but it sure is an improvement. Today I will continue feeding the cold with the leftovers and hopefully soon will be back to normal.

Fishing Sacred Waters

2011-12-08T17:12:00.001-05:00

After a work imposed hiatus from wetting a fly, I shrugged off the past couple of weeks and headed up to the foothills for a morning of chasing natives on small streams. My destination was the beautiful mountain cut of Jones Gap State Park

My relation with the small out of the way park began shortly after I arrived in South Carolina. I began to hike its numerous trails, seek out its hidden waterfall, and marvel at the untouched beauty of the place. It was also the reason I began to fly fish. The lure of the high gradient stream the flowed through the parks heart was to much to resist. One day, while hiking up the main trail that paralleled the stream I took a moment to admire a lone fly angler testing an isolated pocket of water tailing from a plunge pool. Soon I found myself back at home surfing eBay for an affordable fly fishing setup.

Since that time I have continued to come back to this park time and time again. My first fish on a fly was caught here on a $12 -fifty year old hunk of junk 5w rod and busted reel with equally old fly line. The fly that did the job was a cheep mass market pan-fish fly that fell apart soon after that first trip. The rod and reel didn't last much longer but it didn't matter. From that moment on, I was literally hooked on fly fishing.

I have never caught vast numbers from this small stream. In fact the best day has only netted five to six trout but this stretch of river that has scored its way through the hills over the years produces trout that are as pristine as any New England or western stream. The beauty and wildlife in this park along with the quest for that elusive natural brookie I have only seen from the end of my line a hand full of times keeps me coming back.

For my return to these sacred waters that started my fly fishing life, I was once again left with a nearly empty photo creel of fish pics. The small trout above was all that decided to reward my four hour pursuit up the deep canyons and rock scrambling. I hooked into this young one with a new Tenkara rod that is perfect for the tight quarters and small pools found in the high end of the park. I would be lying if I said I would rather hook into fish like this over the 12-16 beasts of other waters but truth be told, there are very few other places that I would rather catch and release fish.
All anglers have that spacial place they go back to and have a connection with. They know, or are in denial, that their spot in NOT a secret. There are others that fish there and even others that might share the same hold on that water but when you are out there, all alone, nothing but them the water, the fish, and the fly - That water is yours. Jones Gap is mine. Its not a secret, its not even entirely good fishing, but its mine and ever time I go there I leave a happier angler for making the trek.

(The Trout Finn fly (top) and the bottom photo of me on the stream, Tenkara rod in hand, have obviously been altered by a board angler. I fished Jones Gap a few days ago and was planning a post of my trip when I read that Outdoor Blogger Network was asking for a posts on your favorite places. Talk about timing. Check out other anglers favorite places at Field And Stream.)

Painting Brook Trout

2011-12-06T06:50:00.016-05:00

For me, painting the brookie is like fishing for them. Catching one just isn't enough. You continue to go after them time and time again. Going farther out of the way in pursuit of these colorful fish.

I believe that I have painted about thirty pieces that feature the Brook Trout over the last five years and yet I feel compelled to go after them again. For some reason I am also drawn to the darker colors of the species. Maybe it is the stark contrasts of brilliant oranges and deep green present in the striation of the fins and back that draw me ever forward in my quest to paint the Brook Trout. Whatever it is, here is yet another Brookie Char for you. As with most of my posts I will add a little disclaimer on the quality of the pictures. Even with the advances in cell phone cameras, they just can not capture the true color of this painting. later on I'll add a quality image as well a print available for purchase.

I started this piece as I always do, with a rough sketch of the subject. Then I lay down a bit of color and gradually build up layers until the form of a finished Brook Trout appears. Then it is all about the details. Adding fins, slight changes in tone and color until finally I am pleased with the finished product.
I would like to say that most of my time is spent painting, but truth be told I spend a whole lot of time watching paint dry and analyzing what to do next and then waiting for the right moment to do it. Sometimes I pull it off and, well... sometimes I don't. But as Bob Ross (a prolific oil painter) once said, "There is no such thing as mistakes, just happy accidents."

In every painting there are these small imperfection, or as I like to call them, nuances, that make the piece a unique work of art. The key is making these little nuance work in your favor.
The biggest mistake in this work.... well, this one also has a bit of morning coffee mixed with the paint. Word of advise while painting, don't put your mug of brew next to your brush water. MMMmmmmm, nothing like a bit of Brook Trout Red pigment with a hint of hazelnut. My little boy got a real kick out of that as he sat across from me and watch me drink my tainted coffee.

For individuality sake I will call this brookie -
"Brook Trout #1211"
13"x 6"
Watercolor On Paper
Original Available - Prints coming soon

And on a completely separate topic; I believe that I found the perfect wine glass for my home made wine, beer, mead, and what ever us southerners make that resembles alcohol. That is right, the redneck wine glass, for those sophisticated southern folk that are not satisfied with the plain old mason jar.
I saw this and said, "Oh yeah, This is mine."
The inventor of this product got every thing right here except one thing. No true redneck is ever going to pay $22 for a fancy mason jar. Looks like its back to sipping my brew from dollar store wine glasses I've had for a coons age. That mason jar is just to highfalutin for me.
I bet he sells a lot of them anyway. And I walked away thinking..."Why didn't I think of that?"

Links On A Barbel

2011-11-27T06:31:00.000-05:00

Some of you might see this painting and think of a carp and in truth you are not far off the mark. This painting was done for a friend over in Spain that is an avid Barbel fly fisher. I had been putting it off mainly because I had been intimidated by the rough fish. Its colors, scales, and shape posed a challenge to me and I was about as familiar with it as an Inca warrior would be of the A-10 Warthog (my dream aircraft by the way).
After a bit of research through this thing we call the world wide web, and numerous drawings, I decided to finally put my anxiety aside and try my hand at painting one in watercolor.
Hope you enjoy the painting and the links.

Three Shot Buck

2011-11-25T12:46:00.021-05:00

Unfortunately I didn't get to do any fishing this past week so I thought that I would share with you a hunting tale. This is a bit out of my norm but I was inspired by the Outdoor Blogger Network and their cross promotion with the Sportsman Channel. Grab a cup of joe, settle back, and enjoy the read.

Three Shot Buck
To tell the truth, I am not that much of a hunter. My real passion is stalking trout in the upper reaches of small creeks and deep pools with my fly rod. However, when the season opens in the upstate of South Carolina, I can't help but get that pull in the pit of my stomach to grab a gun and go hunt some larger game.

So on a partly cloudy day a few years ago, about mid way through the season, I grabbed my breach loading, single shot 12 gauge from the closet, kissed my wife goodby, and piled into the jeep for the forty five minute drive to my secluded hunting grounds. I wasn't really expecting to get anything that afternoon but I was looking forward to the peace and solitude of sitting high up in a tree and watch the beauty of nature around me as the afternoon faded into night.

When I got to the grounds I slung my gun over my shoulder, shoved the three shells into my pocket, and began the half mile walk down hill to my stand on the edge of a small marsh. I would soon loath this walk but for the time being I was enjoying the sounds and smells that can only come with the serenity of a southern hardwood forest. In a few minutes I was nestled atop the small platform of my tree stand, my outdated shotgun on my lap, and settled in for the quiet alertness of a hunter and enjoying the antics of the squirrels that continuously add noise to the forest.

Some of you might be wondering why I choose to hunt with a single shot shotgun when such advances have been made in weaponry giving the hunter every opportunity to make his kill. All I can tell you is that for my, much as it is in my fly fishing, hunting is about the experience. Its about connecting with the past and continuing the traditions of countless years of human existence. It is also about making due with what you got and this old and antiquated gun was all I had. I also figured that if I wasn't good enough to get the deer in one shot then I wasn't worthy of taking it. I would later adjust this line of thinking but that comes later.

My stand sat on a heavily wooded hill that gently sloped down into a basin that was frequented by bedding whitetails. I had positioned the simple two by four constructed stand so I could get an optimal shot on a well used game trail that emerged from the swamp and passed about thirty yards in front of me. Over the years I had seen numerous bucks use this trail and decided that with the afternoon closing beyond my hill, this spot might just yield a buck emerging from an days rest in the marsh. Loading my single shot shotgun with a Remington deer slug, trained my eyes down the hill and waited.

An hour before sunset I began to get excited. The last few hours had been building a belly full of anticipation. The wind was beginning to come up the hill from the marsh, the sun was setting and the temperature was just right. I began to get a sense that I would soon see a deer emerge in front of me and perfectly set up for a clean kill. I readied my self for a that moment that I could draw up my gun and put a bead on the target.

Half a minute later I heard a heart stopping snap of a twig and rustle of leaves just over my left shoulder. Slowly I turned my head and saw through the oaks a beautiful looking buck coming down the hill and munching on acorns. I began to peer through the trees at the deer and could clearly see six evenly spaced points on a rack that I had never seen in these woods before. He was only about sixty yards away but with the trees so tight and the branches obstructing any clear shot, he might as well have been a thousand yards off. My only hope with the slug I had already chambered was that this buck make his way down the trail into a clear field of fire. Luckily that is just what he did and in a few moments he came into view forty five yards out in front of me presenting a perfect side profile.

With as much stealth ass I could muster, I raised my gun to my shoulder, quietly released the safety and took three long breaths. Drawing the thin metal bead on the sweet spot of the buck I recited the cliché phrase 'aim small, miss small' over and over in my head. This was going to be my one buck of the year and I was going to make it count. Slowly I began to put pressure on the trigger.

BANG! Though the ringing in my ears and brief moment of recoil of the gun, I saw a branch fall in my line of fire and beyond was the deer standing like a statue; head up, ears attentive to the slightest noise, and perfectly still staring directly at me.

I could not believe it. There was no way I missed that buck. I had the perfect shot and although I am prone to boost once in a while, I am in no way a bad shot with my weapon. My only guess at that moment was that an unseen branch had deflected the slug. Regardless, I had missed and now I had to think about what I could do next. For the moment I had froze with the buck. He and I in a standoff, neither willing to flinch, neither willing to give ourselves away to the other. I held my breath hoping he couldn't discern me from the surrounding forest.

A minute or so later he cautiously resumed his munching on acorns and trek to the marsh. As quietly as I could I muffled the opening of the breach of my shotgun with my jacket, pulled out the smoking shell and replaced it with one more. Again muffling the sound with my jacket and forearm I closed the breach and raised the gun to my shoulder.

The whole process of reloading had taken my about five minutes and in that time the deer had slowly moved off a bit more down the hill to a distance every inch of sixty yards. Careful to find a hole though the branches that I could shoot through, I began the process of drawing a bead and reciting that over used phrase once again; Aim small, miss small.

BANG!

Again I sat in complete disbelief with the loud ringing in my ears and the smell of gunpowder drifting up through the trees. The deer, this beautiful buck, stood like a statue carved out of marble staring directly at me. A few moments later he turned and bounded into the swamp and beyond my sight.

I was completely disheartened. How could I have missed such a clean shot not once but twice and why on earth did this buck just stand there, daring me to reload. It was if he knew I had only one shot and I had missed it.

Without any more need to keep quiet, I cracked the breach, pulled the spent shell and reloaded with my last round. I wasn't sure I would get another opportunity but I wanted to wait and see what happened.

A half hour later and with the sun casting long shadows through the forest I began to hear movement in the swamp off to my right. Searching through the brush I could just barely make out the form of deer, a buck. Not only a buck but my buck. This beast that had braved two slugs from my antique gun and had stood daring me to take him, this deer that had stared me down at each miss was coming back up the hill in a flanking maneuver to taunt me again.

Slowly I began maneuvering my body into a good firing position, anticipating where the buck might fully emerge behind me. Eventually I settled in, my legs straddling the trunk of the large oak and my frame poised like a sniper laying in wait for the prey to approach.

Moments later the buck emerged from the trees forty yards and a hundred and eighty degrees from where I had taken my first shot at him. Slowly I leaned out from behind the oak, settled my left arm on the rough bark of the tree and took aim. No mantra this time, no long breaths, just a simple slow movement till the sights rested on the buck's sweet spot. Then I pulled on the trigger.

The mortally wounded deer stumbled about another seventy five yards and collapsed atop of the hill. It was by far one of the the most memorable hunting experiences I have ever had and as I began the long hike back to the jeep, I couldn't help but smile. I nearly blacked out three time on that half mike hike dragging that buck but that smile never left my face.

In the end the buck wasn't the biggest, although for a South Carolina forest deer it was better than average, nor did it have the biggest rack but for me it isn't about that. It is and will always be about the journey and the experience of going out there and doing it. Its about knowing that you can provide for your family. Its about connecting with the past and probably more than anything it is about connecting to world we all live in.

–This is my submission for the Sportsman Channel Writing Contest for Hunters hosted by the Outdoor Blogger Network.–

Turkey Day Surprise

2011-11-24T08:26:00.001-05:00

First off- Happy Turkey Day. May your weekend be filled with fun, family, football, and if your lucky, a little bit of fishing. Yesterday I came home from a trip to find a new mug waiting for me. That's right, my recent Paiute Trout on a mug. So this morning I'll be enjoying some hazelnut brew while watching the balloons with the kidos...... Yippy
Also - Go Pack!

Greenback Cutthroat

2011-11-21T15:47:00.000-05:00

I have been in a groove painting trout in the classic profile setup lately and here is another one in that stream of fish. On this one I changed up the orientation with the head facing left. I read somewhere that there was actually a scientific way to photograph or illustrate species of fish in a specific orientation for consistency. I have never been able to remember knowledge like that especially when it was a rule on 'how' I should do something. However if any readers might recall where the specific instructions are on how to orientate a fish in a picture I would like to hear it.

This Greenback Cutthroat was by special request by an avid Tenkara enthusiast who frequents the small streams these extremely colorful trout inhabit. I decided to go with a few less spot on this trout than what would normally be present on older Greenback Cut Trout however it is not completely unheard of to see a greenback with just the fin and tail fully spotted.
This species of trout is also a listed threatened species that was recently named as the official trout of Colorado. It was only back in the 1930's that this trout was thought to be completely wiped out. For nearly thirty years scientists had no idea that far up in the Rocky Mountain NP on a few secluded streams, a few isolated groups of this trout still lived on in relative safety. Once these small pockets of Greenback Cutthroats were discovered, the scientist and trout anglers went to work restoring the greenback to a healthy population.
Known for it brilliant spawning color and the tell tale red cut of the jaw, these special trout are yet another species that need are protection. I will also be adding this print for sale soon.
"Greenback Cutthroat"
9 x 4 in. watercolor on paper

NEW PRINTS AVAILABLE

This 8x10 October Cutthroat as well as the Peacock Bass prints are currently available over on my buy a print page. If you are looking for a good Christmas gift for the Angler in you life or just a little something for yourself, these quality prints fit the bill. Each 8x10 signed print comes in its own 11x14 mat ready for you to place in a frame. If you would like an original of one of the fish you see on my site in time for the holidays please email me for prices and availability.
I Have also lowered the price of these prints for a limited time. The cost of these and the other prints on the buy a print page are now only $16.99 plus S&H (total cost $21.00).

And as always, all purchases can be made via Paypal.
However if you would like a real deal then check out the Christmas Deal of 4 trout prints for a supper low price. Happy Turkey Day!!

The Christmas Deal

2011-11-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

Order Your Rare Trout Prints Today!

As a gift to my loyal followers and the many other that stop by on occasion I have decided to offer a special Christmas-Holiday Special. Okay, you got me, - I also need to raise a little money to support my two hobbies of fly fishing and painting, both of which require frequent purchases.

I have decided to offer these four trout prints, not as individual prints, but as a complete set for the ultra low cost of $65 Total!!! That's right, That price includes shipping and handling. If you were to order each print separately then the total cost would be over $100 including shipping.

Each 8x10 print comes in it own 11x14 mat and backing board. All you have to do is take them out of the protective plastic envelope used for shipping and place them in a frame. Each print will also be individualy signed by yours truly. They make perfect wall hangers for your man-woman cave, vacation cottage (if you are luck enough to have one), or fly tying station. They will also make great gifts for the anglers in your life.

I have decide to keep these four prints together because as a group these four fish are threatened by stream degradation, introduction of alien species, and other man made problems. Hopefully by my little effort to paint these beautiful fish, more people might be enlightened into the threats facing many of our favorite fish. I think every angler should do their part to protect and educate in oder that future generations might be able to fish for the same species we so enjoy going after.

So How Do You Take Advantage Of This Deal Before The Holidays? First you need to take a look at the top buttons of this page. Up there you will see the Christmas Deal button. Click that and you will be redirected to the Deal page. Simply follow the instructions and make your order. This deal is only available through December 31, after that the page will be taken down and the price for each print returns to the standard price.

The Blogger Deal

I have also added a little deal on this post for all the bloggers out there in order to get the word out on this special. The prize - A free print of your choosing from my buy a print page. What do you need to do to be entered into this drawing.

1- Do a post on your blog or web page between now and Dec 20th about this deal - or about this blog.

2- Leave a comment on this post that you would like to be entered into this drawing. Make sure you add your blog or page link so we can share in this promotion and hopefully drive a little traffic your way.

3- Check back here Christmas Day to see who the winner of the free print will be. I will then email you and all you need to do is select a print and wait for it to arrive. As simple as 123 and a great way to usher in the new year.

The Apache Trout

2011-11-14T09:07:00.000-05:00

Number four on the recent list of rare trout I have chosen to paint, is the only other native species of trout in the state of Arizona (the other being the previously mentioned Gila Trout). This beautifully stunning species of trout once inhabited nearly 600 miles of White Mountain streams but today teeters on the edge of the threatened species list.

As with the Apache's closest cousin, the Gila Trout, the Apache's primary threats include the loss of habitat as well as the interbreeding with the genetically similar Rainbow Trout. Introduction of the rainbow has nearly wiped out the Apache in most of its native range in the secluded streams and creeks of the white mountains. Luckily through constant conservation efforts, the Apache numbers are on the rise.
"The Apache Trout"
Watercolor On Paper
Prints available soon.
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On with other news - You might notice that I have added a Tenkara Techniques page to my site. A while ago I did a few posts about the four techniques I use quite a bit while Tenkara fishing and with the response I received from these emails I have decided to post a page with the posts and illustrations included. I hope they come in handy for any novice Tenkara fishers out there.

?Question of the day?
Have you ever just started throwing feathers, hair, and thread on a hook without a clue how it was going to end up? Well this is what happens when I do. I am hoping to get some time soon to try it out and see how badly it fishes.

The Bull Trout

2011-11-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

Scratch another trout of the list of fish I have left to paint. The Bull trout - not actually a trout but really a char - has a native range that covers most of the western North American mountain ranges. Yet, even with this wide area to inhabit, the Bull trout remains on the threatened species list. The primary reason for this might be its need for specific water temperatures (less than 55 deg) and habitat that has in recent years been disappearing.

Like its distant cousin the Brook Trout, the Bull sports the signature white leading edges of its fins but lack the brilliant colors usually associated with the Brookie.
Over the years, the Bull trout has been a species living in limbo. Once classified as a Dolly Varden - the Bull was re-designated in the 1980's as a separate species. Unfortunately, the sharing of environmental ranges with the Dolly, their similar colors, and general lack of knowledge about this species has led to decades of confusion. Adding to this confusion is another completely separate species of European Sea Trout also called a Bull trout.

A Quick Google search will yield a whole bunch of photos of simply massive trout. I believe that this species can reach sizes reaching 40+ inches. Protecting and restoring this special char to its former glory should be something we all can work toward.
"The Bull Trout"
Watercolor On Paper
Prints available soon.

The Gila Trout

2011-11-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

The Gila Trout is a conservation success story. While doing some reading up on all the different types of trout that inhabit the waters of North America, I came across the Gila. A relative of the Apache Trout, the Gila had lived most of the last century on the edge of extinction. In 2006 that changed when it was downgraded to a threatened species. The more I read into this species, the more I appreciated just what it took to restore this trout to a healthy population.

Through the efforts of anglers, scientists, and the government it is now legal to pursue this special trout with a fly rod and as long as anglers obey the rules established to protect it, this trout will be around for our children's children to enjoy.
This is the first time I have ever looked into the history of the Gila and after a brief Google search I was able to see just how much color this trout sports. It truly is a beautiful fish and a worthy species to protect.
This New Mexico and Arizona native once had a range through most of the Gila river and its tributaries but in the late 60's their range had shrunk to a mere 20 miles. Today they now enjoy a healthier habitat in over a dozen protected streams near and including the native Gila River.

The average length of this trout is around a foot but can reach sizes similar to its trout relatives of close to twenty two inches. Whatever the length, it would be a joy to hook into one of these special trout. Solid conservation projects like protecting this trout are efforts every angler can support.
"Gila Trout"
Watercolor On Paper

Forget The Paiute Trout - Save The Caddis Fly

2011-11-08T06:30:00.008-05:00

"Save The Caddis Fly - Stop The Re-Introduction Of The Endangered Native Paiute Trout".
No that is not a joke. That is exactly what a group of completely delusional, so called 'enviromentalists' are advocating in California and they have the lawyers to fight it. Right now it seems that they are winning the battle.
I picked up a copy of The Wall Street Journal yesterday (that's right, the Wall Street Journal - I still believe in capitalism.) and on the front page is a story about the threatened Paiute Cutthroat Trout and these 'nuts that are fighting their reintroduction in favor of a very common bug.

An environmental oddity, the Paiute is a species of cutthroat that has naturally evolved into a separate type of trout. Separated from other cutthroats by two waterfalls on a nine mile stretch of Silver King Creek, the Paiute has lived and developed for hundreds of years. Around 1912 a local shepherd and avid angler (Joe Jaunsaras took a bucket of Paiute from this isolated stretch and transplanted them up river. He might not have known it but this transplantation saved the Paiute. Over the years, the introduction of other trout into the original nine mile stretch of Paiute river led to their destruction. Fortunately Joe's transplantation saved this special trout from complete extinction.

Now there is a move to restore the Paiute Trout to its native nine mile home on the Silver King Creek but the 'Bug People' are fighting it . Scientists estimate that there are only about 2000 Paiute left in the world and by every anglers knowledge there is about 200,000,000,000+ Caddis flies in North America alone. There is NO threatened species of insects known to exist in the nine mile stretch of King Creek yet these bug nuts are fighting to save them. Their main complaint is that anglers are behind the reintroduction of the Paiute. Obviously they don't understand that most anglers love a healthy caddis filled stream as much as anybody and we often strive to make as clean an environment as possible for both trout and bug. After all, without the little flies our trout streams would look pretty barren.
For me these idiots are proof that common sense is the real endangered species in this ever shrinking world of ours. Seriously!!! If you want more information on the Paiute Trout effort check out the Monday Nov 17 WSJ article or the local California TU chapter. I also encourage my fellow bloggers to do a post to spread the word and stop these bug nuts from doing more harm than good.
I painted this Paiute Trout yesterday with this article in mind. Never did I think an article in the WSJ would lead to a trout painting but there you go.

"Save The Paiute Trout"

9 in. X 4.5 in.

Watercolor on Paper

On other more light news, My little girl and I spent a little time the other day moving pawns and horses around the board. I have been teaching her the moves of each piece over the last few months and now that she knows what each piece does she wants to play me ever chance we get. I have no doubt that she will soon be thinking three moves ahead of her old man...........
Thinking about it now, I might come to regret this decision when she hits her teens.

One Busy Saturday

2011-11-05T18:38:00.000-04:00

There isn't much more intimidating and exciting than the stark whiteness of a blank canvas. It represents unlimited potential while at the same time presenting a wall one must cross to unlock that potential. Today I barely crossed that wall to paint up a little fly.

One might recognize this fly from Brk Trt over at smallstreamReflections. It isn't as good as the real thing but it help me pass the morning before the leaves dried out enough to get them off the yard.

The other day a friend and I headed up the mountain to do a bit of fishing on the Middle and Upper Saluda. He caught two small chubs and a stray sunfish but besides one small trout that swam past me, those were the only fish we saw. I'm not sure why we failed to spot fish but despite the poor fishing, it was a nice day to get out on the stream.

Also, REI - the quality outdoor sporting goods store created by a small group of avid climbers finally set up shop in Greenville SC. I spent the early morning waiting in line for a gift certificate, a FREE water bottle and base layer tee shirt, then as an added bonus, $100 free gift card. Now I just need to find some quality products to spend it on. REI had some top quality stuff but as all good things, they don't come cheap. My guess is that $100 wont go very far but it will be well spent.

Peacock Bass

2011-11-02T06:08:00.000-04:00

I have wanted to paint up a Peacock Bass for some time but for some unknown reason I have put it off. I think the vivid colors and distinct look of a peacock bass might have had something to do with. Whatever it was that made me drag my feet on this beautiful fish, I have put it behind me with the completion of this watercolor.

For those interested in the process of laying down watercolors or just like to see how a painting like this develops, I have added a pair of pictures taken during the painting.
I am hoping to someday make the journey down to the southern hemisphere to hunt this colors species of bass in its native habitat but I suspect that the closes I will ever come to this fish will be a possible trip to Florida to hook into a few that have been planted there to kill off another non-native fish that has had a devastating effect of the backwaters and lakes. I'm not a big supporter of introducing new species to established waters but in this case I hesitantly believe it is justified and am somewhat thankful.

For one, they have been introduced to hunt a non-native species that is uncontrolled by the native fish. And for another more selfish reason, I might have the opportunity to hook into one in the future without having to travel to the jungles of the Amazon. from what I've read about the Florida Peacock Bass, they are considerably smaller but just as brilliant as both a game fish and photographic opportunity.
Anyway, this watercolor was painted on 100% cotton acid free paper that has been hot pressed to a smoother finish. It measures 8.5in x 6.5in. If you would like to own this piece please feel free to EMAIL me and I'll shoot you the details and how you can purchase it. And as with all my original watercolors, they come with a pre-cut mat and backing board ready to be framed. All you need to get is a frame and a nail to hang it from. In a day or so I will be placing this work up on my Buy A Print Page where you can also purchase a beautiful 8x10 mated print of this or other works.

Making Mead

2011-11-01T06:37:00.000-04:00

I finally got to bottle up some of my mead the other day. I started the process about three months ago with the key stuff you see off to the left. The honey came straight from a local bee keeper and boy was it sweet. I was told that it was a hive placed in a sandalwood grove which might be why the color was so much darker than a clover honey or fruit orchard. Apparently it really makes a difference where the bees live and harvest on how the honey tastes. When one thinks about this it makes perfect sense but who thinks about it? I never did.... until now.

When I first boiled up the honey, added the extras and the yeast, then bottled it up in the gallon carboys the concoction looked like a thick cider. The fermentation started nearly right away and bubbled with a very lively action. When I made my wine I first placed the mix into a covered bucket for 4-5 days then transferred it to the carboys, but for this mead I placed it all in the carboy right away. The lack of hard contents in the mix made this possible because when the fermentation ended and the mead began to clear, there was very little sedimentation in the bottom of the jug.
After a bit over two weeks I slowed the fermentation by lowing the temperature and putting the remaining yeast into a sort of hibernation. When the sediments settled out I racked off the good mead and added a bit more honey and a yeast killer to make sure the fermentation process did not start again.

Finally I took one of the gallon jugs and bottled up the best of the mead. One might ask, "Isn't that a lot of work for three bottles of mead? Can't you just buy your mead at the liquor store? Why go through the hassle?" Well, if you have to ask that then you are missing the point. Life is about the process and making mead, wine, tying flies, hunting, fishing, backpacking and even work is about the process and doing it well. Part of that process is learning from your mistakes and trying till you get it right. the making of this mead is a product of that. My first foray into wine making was somewhat disappointing. The wine was lacking in taste (not alcohol) and for the most case just sitting in bottles waiting to see if time improves it. I suspect no amount of time will help, but this mead was a drastic improvement. I tasted the mead before bottling and it tasted good. I might have used a bit to much nutmeg but that can easily be fixed on the next go around. Anyway, I have another gallon to bottle up next week and come Thanksgiving supper my table will be jolly with home made mead. Thanks to you American Honey Bee! We salute you.

Flies & Feathers From Brook Trout

2011-10-31T11:16:00.000-04:00

I got something in the mail the other day that really got me excited. Alan, aka Brk Trt, aka http://smallstreamreflections.blogspot.com/ sent me three of the best looking flies currently in my collection. I mentioned to Alan a while ago that I was getting a collection of flies together for a display piece. My plan was to use a large and very old type setters drawer I purchased at an antique store a while back and fill it with great looking flies and antique lures.

Once I get it all together, rest assured that I will be doing a post on it but for right now I am in the gathering stage and these three flies will compliment the display perfectly.
This isn't the first time Alan's flies have graced the Year On The Fly. Some of you might remember The Proudre Canyon Special. For that fly Alan and I got together to send the Midgeman a special piece. I must admit that I was a bit jealous of the midgeman but now he can envy me.

I am also sharing it with you so you might become aware of the great flies that Alan has been tying. I have looked these three flies over and over with the eye of a novice fly tier and am amazed at the quality of work and obvious time spent on each fly. Alan might appreciate my painting skills but they are nothing to the skills he has with the hook and feather. Well done Alan.

October Cutthroat Trout & A Soo Brew

2011-10-27T06:07:00.088-04:00

For this new work I went back to what I know best; watercolor. I also thought that it was somewhat fitting for the time of season with all the vampires and creepy killers on the loose. After all, doesn't every cutthroat you have seen look like it has had its throat slashed?
Anyway, I painted this with the Idaho trip I did this past summer on my mind. I love cutthroat trout and have painted them before but each new painting is separate animal, not unlike the fish themselves.

I had intended to do a progressive photo record of this work but as often time happens, I got caught up in the flow of the work and completely forgot until the piece was nearly complete. While painting with watercolors you need to lay color down all the time, careful to keep an eye on how the water is drying and mixing the pigments. This process of layering and moving paint while racing the drying effects and sometimes waiting for the piece to dry just right before laying down another layer takes a fair amount of concentration and as such - this is the only progressive photo I got.

Also unlike oils, working in watercolors gives me the benefit of mobility. It is extremely easy to pack a pad of paper, a few tubes of paint, and brushes into a carry on luggage than it would be to pack a stretch canvas, a variety of brushes and pallets, and larger tubes of paint. Also a watercolor dries in hours while an oil takes weeks to completely dry.
For those wondering if this item will be for sale, the answer is no. I did this work at the request of my father who asked for an original for a charity auction he is working with (For those in the northwest Washington area, you might be able to get in on this). I will be however making a few prints available for purchase soon. Feel free to Email Me if this is a work you would like to have as an 8x10 print.

"October Cutthroat"
6" x 8" Watercolor On
100% Cotton, Acid Free Hot Pressed Paper

Also I was in Sault St. Marie, Michigan the other day and stopped into the Soo Brew Company for one brew and ended up with a good dose of Soo brew. Imagine bellying up to a bar in 1890 on the American frontier and ordering a beer and getting slid down to you a handed crafted brew that surpasses a lot of micro brews on the market. If you can imagine that you need to visit Sault St. Marie Michigan where the the locals are known are yoopers and all others are known as trolls.
I started the afternoon with the highly recommended Braveheart Stout (named after the owners dog) for a rich yet smoothly thick brew and then next the Maggie's Red (a brew named after the ownrers daughter).

Both are great complex brews that are not only VERY smooth but also are so slowly brewed that they lack the harsh alcohols that cause a hangover. I spent a little time with the owner and brew master to talk about his process. I even watched as he tested and measured the alcohol and brew process of a few brews working in the vats behind the bar. What a great place!

Great people, Freaking great beer, and a locally owned brew I will support all day long. The only beer I disliked was the GoldiLocks but I like the thicker more complex brews and he advised me that the Golilocks might not be my style. I did witness a few local girls that ordered the Goldilocks but for me it just wasn't enough. For a good in-between brew that might be lighter than a stout and thicker than a Goldi I'd say the Sooper Yooper IPA might be your speed but for me its absolutely the Stout or the Red.
I also spent a bit of time with the owners un-official taste tester and the guy that crafted all the hearty tables in the bar (as well as local craftsman) and got a good look at the soul of the soo. Analysis, the Soo is about people that do and not people that rely on others to do for them. Long story sort, If you are in the Soo and looking for a great place to kick back and drink some good brews, head to the SOO Brewing Company for the best brews around!!

Oil Painting Of A Trout In Hand

2011-10-25T06:26:00.001-04:00

Back to painting and being inspired bu the blogging network. Some of my loyal followers might have noticed that oil painting is not one of my more common styles of painting and to tell the truth it has somewhat intimidated me as an artist. Up until recently most of my works have been watercolors, pen and ink, and pencil pieces but I thought I would push my boundary a bit and branch out into oils and see what happens. After all, one does not grow without expanding the knowledge base and for me I truly only learn by just doing it.

For this oil I turned to a popular blogger and frequent collaborator - Josh from bigerrfish.blogspot.com . I loved the simple colors and the lines of this fish half out of the water. The smooth arch of the back and angle of Josh's hand dipped into the water made for a typical yet simply artful composition for me to work with. I also loved the colors in the water as they ran around and reflected the sky, the grassy bank, and the fish. I did not go into this painting with the idea of exactly duplicating the photo but instead simply use it as a springboard for the final piece.

The photo above was taken while the paint is still wet so there is allot of reflection of light and a few dark shadows that seem to alter the true colors of the piece. I believe that the distant picture on top shows more of the actual feel of the piece and I figure that you get the overall gist of what it should look like. Maybe when it is completely dry I can get a better photo of it but for now its as good as it gets.
"Red Arch Of Trout"
11x14 in. Oil On Canvas

Sketching And Remembering The Salt

2011-10-19T18:33:00.002-04:00

After a great trip fishing the Florida Gulf shore I am back to reality. No more waking with the sun to flip off my sandals on the shore, wade waist deep into the cool refreshing salt waters of the bay or ocean, and no more chasing those fins with my undersized 6w fly rod. No more sand creeping into areas where sand should never go, no more taking the kiddos to the beach in the afternoon, and no more proudly watching while my kids take turns doing full face plants in the surf as their Bogey board tumbles drifts ashore.

Now its back to work and dreaming about the next time I can get to the salt. I have been seeing allot of these stickers lately advocating the 'Salt Life' and now I know what they truly mean. I think that I could fit in nicely living the life of a Hemingway novel on the back islands of the Florida Keys. Salt Sand and Sun fit nicely with my idea of an ideal spot. You throw in the opportunity to wade out from my back deck and flip flies and streamers at seriously aggressive fish on the ebb of the tide and I will be your huckleberry.

In case your wondering about the horse sketch and scratching your head about what it has to do with the beach, well It doesn't. As I said I'm back at work and currently stuck in Lexington KY. I just thought I'd share a locally inspired sketch. The picture below was the view out my back window of my Florida getaway. A million dollar view that, thanks to a generous aunt that owns the place, didn't cost me a dime. My wife and kids will remember it for ever.

and the picture below was our last sunset taken just out of St Pete on a point overlooking the bay.

More Florida Surf Fishing

2011-10-14T14:27:00.002-04:00

Just sharing a few more pics of my mornings catches. In just over2 hours I hooked into well over 40 fish on nearly any type of fly I flung at them. I even hooked into this massive beast that stripped my line to its backing, took half a dozen giant leaps and tossed my fly in one last wave of the fin. Seriously, this guy was huge and strong but as I never had a photo, it just another fish story. Next time I tell it the fish will be pushing 10 pounds and it will probably morph into a legendary tarpon. Regardless, this trip has been a blast and one the family and I will always remember.

A Sailboat & A Ladyfish

2011-10-13T17:40:00.002-04:00

While on one of our daily excursions to the beach with the kidos, this beautiful sailboat was cruising past just a few hundred yard off shore and begged to be sketched out. I love about everything nautical and as I'm sketching I begin to wonder why I don't do more sailboat pictures. Maybe when I get back home I'll take out the paint and try my hand at a few schooners.
I also got up early and took the fly rod down to the beach instead of the grass flats of the bay. In 2 hours of fast and furious fishing I believe my father-inlaw and I hooked into over 40 ladyfish, jacks, and pompeno. The ladyfish you see in the picture fought hard and jumped about a dozen times before I landed her. Beautifully strong fish that can leap 3-5 feet in the air and shake their head with such force, you had better be hooked in good or else all you'll get is a glimpse of that fine lady.
Oh, did I mention that the only fly rod I brought on this trip was a 6 weight! That right, a 6w! A Freekin Blast!

Redfish....Hook Me Up!

2011-10-12T11:03:00.002-04:00

Yet another day in the salt chasing fins with my fly rod and boy was it a blast.
After a rather late night playing cards and enjoying a 'few' beverages I felt that nothing would make me feel like my old self like wading on the flats. Let me tell you that if you can find the energy to pry yourself out of bed after 4 hrs of sleep and hook into a big redfish that tests you line for a good 5-10 minutes, any illness you might be dealing with will instantly be cured.
Again I say that I now know why so many anglers swear by saltwater fishing. My first redfish and I can't wait to hook into another. I also landed 4 other spotted sea trout and hooked into 3 more energetic fishing that broke loose before I could get a hand on them. I'll spare you those pics but they were once again some sweet looking fish.

More Spotted Sea Trout

2011-10-11T12:24:00.001-04:00

Another day of fly fishing the grass beds for trout. I am beginning to see why so many anglers love the salt. These fish are big mean and a blast to hook into. I was hoping for a redfish, big drum, or sheephead but if all I catch for the next few days is trout I won't be disappointed.

Sea Trout On The Fly

2011-10-10T14:29:00.003-04:00

No art to post but I did manage to do a little fishing today and hooked into two very nice sea trout. What a freekin blast!
I only had about 45 min but it was enough and man what a rush. I also learned a few things:
1 - always tie up enough fly patterns for your trip.
2 - don't forget your fly patterns at home on the coffee table... Seriously $4.90 for a simple hair streamers at the local shop. I could have tied 20 patterns like that at home for that price..
3 - don't Ever....and ever! Grab a sea trout by the lip or try to unhook him with your fingers. I quickly learned to avoid those massive fangs the hard way! What a fighter.
These were my first sea trout ever and I can't wait to go back for more. Now off to the beach for a bit of family memories to go with these fishing memories. Good times!

3 Flies

2011-10-04T05:59:00.001-04:00

Three flies painted in a monochromatic color for a Tuesday post. The first is a Stimulator with heavy hackles, a pair of hopper wings overlapped with white hair. A killer pattern for all types of fish in many types of water conditions.

Next is the good old big fat Humpy fly. Also painted in a monochrome color. Heavy use of hackles and ribbed foam body make this a great strong current fly. Better have some big flies on the water to use this fat little guy or the fish might just snub you.

And the final monochrome fly for this Tuesday is the V.A Wasp. With a fat foam but and use of hackles. Adding a few slight wings and plastic barbel eyes provide for a realistic fly pattern for warm water flies.
All the inspiration for these flies come from the http://www.barbosconmosca.com/ blog.

Southern Plantation

2011-09-30T11:22:00.001-04:00

Some times I like to deviate from my normal work and try something different. This 5 x 7 watercolor is a South Carolina Plantation with a few artistic freedoms added for effect. I don't often paint structures or buildings but this old southern mansion stood out as something I thought would look good in a painting. I kept the style of this piece a bit loose and sketched as one would do if painting on site. Who knows, maybe I'll use this in a larger work some day. I know this has nothing to do with fish or flies but figured I'd share it anyway.

Young Brook Trout Watercolor

2011-09-27T07:09:00.003-04:00

It has been quite a while since my last watercolor trout so I thought I would break out the colors and paint up a little brook trout. I am not certain what draws us anglers to these wonderful fish but if I had to guess it would have to be the brilliant variety of colors they sport along with the elusive nature and stunning habitat in which they thrive. Whole books have been written on them, dedicated fly fisherman will scale a mountain in order to hunt them, and artists such as my self just cant get enough of painting them. They are by far my favorite trout to paint and top the short list of fish I like to see jumping at the end of my 6x leader.
I have added a little progressive photo log of my attempt to capture this trout in watercolor. The lighting for these photos left much to be desired but I hope you get the idea.

As always I start with a rough pencil sketch of the trout. This gives me a general idea of what I am looking for as far as the form and position of the trout on the paper as well as some basic lines for me to go to while laying down paint.
I then started this painting with some basic underlying colors such as a muted yellow, olive greens, and light cerulean blue. Depending on the effect I am looking for, I will either wait for the paint to dry completely or only slightly before adding additional layers of color.

Gently working up the layers without over doing it, I start to add the pigments where they are needed. I generally paint the lightest colors first then add progressively darker colors to add the dynamic contrasts that make a painting really stand out. There are a few exceptions to this but I find this rule of thumb very effective. It does however take a bit of planning in advance to get the color sequence correct.
As you can see here, I've added deeper greenish blues to the flanks of the trout to show the tell tale marking of a younger fish. I have also been careful to allow much of the underlying yellows to show through as spots and swirls on the sides and back of the trout.

After I get much of the color down where I want it I then go on to add the detailed touches that bring the painting to live. I try whenever possible to leave the white of the paper to shine through as a sparkle in the eye. I do not like to use paint for this effect because I feel that it dulls the intended effect. I also have added here the blue rings that surround the red spots so distinctive to these trout. These spots are iconic and are key to the beauty of these fish. After the blues have dried I then go back and drop in small spots of bright red to the center of each circle. After that it is just finishing up with minute little details.

This piece measures 7" x 4"
"Young Brook"
Watercolor
Acid Free 100% Cotton Paper
Affordable & Available for Purchase via Email
Piece will come shipped with its own acid free mat.
(All proceeds go to my habitual pursuit of these great little fish in the mountains of the South East.)

Barbel Oil Painting

2011-09-26T07:34:00.005-04:00

Just thought that I would share a resent oil painting with you of a Spanish Barbel - a whiskered carp like fish highly sought after for its active fighting style at the end of a fly line. I am not an avid oil color artist and find myself more comfortable in the realm of watercolor. That being said I feel a need to continuously explore new mediums and styles in order to grow as an artist. I also easily get board doing the same things over and over again.
"Barbel Study"
This piece is an 8"x10" oil on art board.
On the fishing front, I have not been out on the water for quite some time mostly due to weather, injuries, and other time commitments but next month I am looking forward to a little salt water fishing down in Florida. The last time I fished down there I hauled in a two and a half foot snook that fought me hard and bent the hook nearly strait. I am not expecting to do that again but hope to hook into some decent sheepheads and various others. With any luck I will have a decent picture or two for a post. At this point I am still debating weather or not to bring my salt friendly 6w and rig it up with saltwater line.

Tenkara Technique 4-The Waterfall Plunge

2011-09-24T06:50:00.091-04:00

The fourth and final edition of the Tenkara techniques posts is the Waterfall Plunge. Is this the last and final technique for fishing Tenkara? Of course not. There are many more techniques you can use while fishing with the Tenkara rod and line but I have chosen the four I tend to use the most often. For me the Waterfall Plunge Technique is one of the most exciting as well as challenging ways of fishing a Tenkara setup. This technique is tough not only because you loose sight of the fly in the plunge or the possibility to loose the fly on underwater snags but also because of the natural beauty and rocky structure you have to go through to use this technique.
Fishing this technique is actually not that difficult but the judgement used while fishing the Waterfall Plunge needs to be honed before you cast the perfectly tied fly into an obvious underwater snag. So how do you fish a waterfall successfully?
1 - Take a good look at the structure surrounding the waterfall. If there are log jams, loose branches, or obvious snags blocking the waterfall then you might want to choose another technique to fish that hole.
2 - If no obvious snags look to be blocking your drop into the hole then cast your wet fly or nymph above the waterfall and let it flow with the current.
3 - Track the course of you fly in as natural a way as you can over the fall.
4 - As the fly plunges into the hole, lower you rod tip to track the progress of the fly and allow a more free movement as it tumbles through the white water and into the deeper water of the hole beyond the waterfall.
5 - As the fly exits the white water into the smoother waters beyond, begin to lift the rod tip and smoothly draw the fly to the surface. This simulates the natural buoyancy and activity of a fly or nymph as they tumble through the broil of a waterfall and emerge in the pool below.

It probably will also go without saying but I will mention it anyway. The use of a dry fly with this technique is somewhat pointless. I have used the standard Japanese style wet flies and American nymphs with varying success. Some work well in the immediate plunge and others work well in the tailing pool but I really like the Sawyar's Killer Bug. I not only find this bug highly visible in active water but quite in-tune with the natural entomology of a small mountain stream.

As a warning I feel I must tell you that I have lost more flies with this technique than with any other yet I continue to come back to it time and time again. The reason I love this technique is simply because it is fun and it is effective. All fly fishermen know that trout love the highly oxygenated water of a waterfall pool and generally hold deep in these pools sucking up fly after fly. This technique produces fish.

I hope that these techniques have been helpful to you in your tenkara fishing and if not then I suggest that you visit TenkaraUSA.com , TenkaraBum.com , TenkaraOnTheFly.net , LearnTenkara.com or many other helpful sites or bloggers out there. I believe that the Internet is a great tool for us anglers and if it wasn't for the bloggers out there I would have never started fishing with a Tenkara rod.

Tenkara Technique 3-Pull Up Stream

2011-09-22T07:28:00.003-04:00

Number three in my series of Tenkara Techniques is the Pull Up Stream. This is probably going to be the most used of the techniques because is can be accomplished in conjunction with a majority of the techniques I will cover. I normally do not cast my fly with the intention of using this Pull Up Stream technique but I find myself using it more and more at the tail end of a Pull and Pause or Normal (Dead) Drift cast. I have also found that once again, this technique is best utilized with a deep drifted wet fly or nymph. Using this with a dry fly pattern will normally only succeed in drowning your fly and soaking the hackles making your next presentation fall a little flat. So how do you incorporate this into your drift?
1 - While nearing the end of you drift, before the fly has reached the end of the line, begin to gently pull you rod up stream while slightly raising the tip of your Tenkara rod bringing you fly to the surface.
2 - If you wait to long to use this technique you fly will have already begun its rise to the surface due to the tension on the fly line and the Pull Up Stream will be shortened. To fully utilize this technique it is important to begin this retrieve early enough to control the rise effectively.
3 - Once the fly has reached the surface you can pause a moment and allow the fly to drift slightly down stream once again and give the fish one last shot at it or simply retrieve it for another cast.

I have received a fair amount of strikes while utilizing this technique at the tail end of a drift and every time it surprises me. Usually I do not see the fish taking the fly or see where they come from but when they hit it is unmistakable. The tension on the line is already there and if a fish is going to take a fly on the Pull Up Stream, they are going to hit it fast and hard. I suppose this is due to their perception that the fly is on the way up and will soon disappear so it is a 'now or never' type of take. Besides the leap one sees of a fish breaking the surface for a freshly presented dry fly, this kind of take is one of my favorite.
Being a fan of small streamers like the Black Nose Dace, I have also found that this technique works extremely well with heavier weighted patterns. The extra weight allows for an extended time beneath the surface and longer pull time as well as a natural swimming up stream type of behavior one might see from a small bait fish.
The only other comment I have on this type of technique is that success largely depends on the current speed. Obviously in faster moving water your fly is going to rise quickly and thus shortening the effective time this technique can be used. I find that using this method in gentle streams or at the tail end of a gentle bend is the most effective.
Visit TenkarUSA.com or TenkaraBum.com for more info on equipment, flies, and more Tenkara Advice.

Tenkara Technique 2 - Pull & Pause

2011-09-20T07:33:00.001-04:00

Continuing with the techniques used in fishing with a Tenkara rod, the subtle change from the Normal Drift of a fly is to add a little life and hopefully provoke a strike. I call this the Pull and Pause Technique and is most effective with a wet or emerger fly pattern.
The theory is that if you see that the fish are lazily ignoring your fly with a normal dead drift technique, then with the addition of something lively in the water you might evoke a hunter prey response and get them to chase your fly. I briefly touched on something like this in my Normal Drift post a few days ago when talking about fishing a small streamer pattern and adding a bit of a twitch to imitate a struggling bait fish. The thought here is much the same only now you are trying to simulate the rise of an emerging bug to the surface or a mayfly struggling to get free of the surface tension.
1 - To utilize this technique, first cast up stream letting the fly fall gently on the surface and wait or pause for a few seconds to allow any fish to investigate the new addition to the environment. If you are fishing a wet fly of nymph allow enough time for the fly to sink to the desired depth.
2 - After a few seconds gently pull the fly down stream for 6in up to a few feet. the length of the pull can very with the conditions. The speed of the current or fly choice will effect how long you make your pull. If a long pull does not work for you try shortening it up till you find something that works.
3 - After you have executed your pull, let the fly rest. The pause in action will do two things for you. It will allow any wary fish to come up and investigate the little fly that is so active in their stream and it will the fly to drift (or sink if nymph fishing) in the natural way a struggling bug would normally act in the water.
4 - After a brief pause simply repeat steps 2 and 3 again and again until the fly has drifted down stream. At a minimum you should get between 5 to 10 pulls out of a cast but this my very depending on the speed of the current.

I have used this technique with a moderate amount of success on gently flowing streams where fish have been holding deep. I find that it is most effective with the wet flies, emergers, or very small streamer pattens. As you can guess, the use of this technique with a dry pattern will not evoke as much of a response from the fish because it does not simulate the natural behavior of a true dry fly. I have however had good results from fishing with emergers and wet flies since the gentle pull the angler gives the fly has the desired response of rising the fly to the surface in much the same way a fly will natural rise.
With fishing a wet, or particularly an emerger pattern, you might find that the majority of stikes are going to occur at the tail end of the drift (i.e. once the fly has past you on the stream). The reason for this is the natural way a fly will rise to the surface. Fish might find this rising motion against the current more natural and thus more appealing.
Again, if you find that a Normal Dead Drift is not producing any strikes, this Pull And Pause technique will be an easy way for you to alter you cast and hopefully produce a fish. For more information of Tenkara rods, flies, or advise check out TenkaraUSA.com or TenkaraBum.com and have fun fishing.

Tenkara Technique 1-Normal Drift

2011-09-18T07:17:00.002-04:00

I am sure frequent bloggers have heard of and even might know quite a bit about Tenkara but for those new comers to the Tenkara style, this week I decided to start a little series on illustrating a few techniques for fishing with a Tenkara rod. This first technique I call - The Normal Drift.
I am always a big advocate of the KISS Theory. Keep It Simple Stupid. This first technique embodies this theory better than any other.
Basically the Normal Drift is done the same as one would drift a fly with the standard fly fishing system but doing it with a Tenkara rod will dramatically increase the realistic drift a bug would make while floating down stream. The reason why a Tenkara setup is better than a standard fly fishing setup for fishing this technique is simple. You dramatically reduce the drag of excess fly line being pulled by variant currents on the surface of the stream and so the fly is able to drift in a more normal pattern.
1- First cast your fly up stream, letting it fall on the surface of the water as gently as possible. Keep as much of the line off the water in order to avoid veering currents from catching the excess line and dragging the fly through the water.
2- Next, as you let the fly drift down stream in its natural coarse you want to follow the fly with the rod, all the while slowly raising the the tip of the rod in order to take up the slack in the fly line. This action will allow you to avoid excess line from being dragged by the currents and thus effecting the drift of the fly.
3- Finally as the fly begins to pass you, you will have to slowly lower the rod tip in order to allow the fly to continue its natural drift.
4- Wait for that killer hookup.

This technique can be used for dries as well as wet flies and nymphs. Depending on what depth you desire, you will have to lower the rod tip accordingly. The key to using this technique successfully is controlling the amount of line on the water in order not to control how the fly drifts with the current. I have even used this technique successfully for a small streamer pattern like a #14 Black Nose Dace or small Woolly Bugger. For a small streamer I have added a bit of a twitch to the rod tip during the drift to imitate a struggling bait fish or bug.
If you have a Tenkara rod then you have probably used the Normal Drift but I you are looking at trying this type of fishing, check out TenkaraUSA.com or TenkaraBum.com for some killer gear and more great advice. In a few days I will post another Technique for Tenkara.

A Newbie Fly Fishing RMNP

2011-09-14T17:27:00.001-04:00

No this is not me holding this wonderful looking trout but I sure wish it was. This is in fact a fellow coworker of mine who has recently took up the addicting behavior of casting flies at eager trout and then fighting them for all their worth. I like to believe I had a hand in steering this virgin of feathered angling into the world of fly fishing but I suspect that he would have found his way there sooner or later. Regardless, Adam and I have been exchanging emails after I told him to keep me up to date with his progress and now I must say I am a bit jealous of his success.

Adam tells me that he started the hike from Bear Lake trail head and crossed waterfalls and streams to get to the more secluded section along the trail. First hitting The Lock for a few fish then bounding up a waterfall to the Lake Of Glass, Adam went to town. Hooking into some beautifull cutthroat and soaking in the natural wonder that is the world around him, I believe Adam has discovered what draws us anglers to this sport.

The last time he emailed me I believe it was his first trip out and I think he plum forgot to take some picture. I believe I reminded him that a fish story without pictures is just that.... a story. This time he delivered the goods. Below you will see just a fraction of the picture taken over the hike.

Adam also tells me that he has now taken up tying his own flies. This is how I know he is now an angling addict and in a place like Colorado how could you not continue flipping flies to eager Cuts in those high mountain lakes. Someday I hope to make the journey out there and fish with you mountain anglers. Maybe when I do I can tie on one of Adams flies and be as successful as he is on the pristine mountain lakes and streams.

Fishing The Chattooga

2011-09-10T17:10:00.000-04:00

I took a chance the other day and headed up the Chattooga river despite the dingy, high waters. It was not a banner day but my buddy Kevin and I did manage to hook into a few fish.

After about two hours of searching holes I knew once held nice sized brown and rainbow trout I managed to hook into the first fish of the day. It was the largest bass I had ever hooked in the river and I began to fear the worst. I had expected the waters to be warm due to a hot summer but I would have never expected to hook a good sized bass in the holes that once held trout. I am not sure what is happening to my favorite waters but it seems like I am catching less and less trout in them. This big bass might be a sign of colder waters becoming more scarce. Or it might just be a hearty bass enjoying a cool mountain river.

I knew this was not a good sign for the brookies I was hoping to catch. A few minutes later Kevin hooked into a chub, or horny head, or junk fish and I began see my hopes for trout disappearing in this stretch of river.

We tried to hike up river in hopes of finding a deep hole a few trout might have held out. Giving it our best effort we tried to keep our hopes up but after searching hole after hole, ripple after ripple, and every promising looking stretch of water for about a mile up stream, we finally cut our losses and hiked back to the car. We figured that if we wanted trout, then we would have to drive further north and find the cold water beyond our hiking limit.

It was a nice day for fishing with a cool overcast layer and a bit of clouds still hugging the mountain tops. We only saw the sun a few times and got wet more often with an occasional passing drizzle. After our drive and a bit of lunch, we unloaded and went looking for trout. We didn't have to look very hard.

None of them were very big but they were fun to catch.

All together we hooking into about a dozen or so small rainbows, browns, and even a small brookie.

After a few of our tough little trout had been caught a released, we found that we had an audience. This copperhead, who had been eyeing out progress from the far bank, decided that he had enough of watching us fish and came over to our side for a closer look.

I have seen snakes nearly every time I've been out fishing. I have even had two snakes take fish right from me. I've nearly been bitten by a copperhead and a rattler while hiking the river bank and I have learned to try and keep my distance from these unpredictable little guys. Me and Kevin hung around for a few more casts and then decided that it was enough for the day. All in all it was a nice day spent with fish and a good friend.

I also thought that I would add a bit of a sketch to today's post since this is a art/fishing blog. I hope you all have a good weekend.

Barbel Sketch & Dean Brody CD Winner

2011-09-01T13:11:00.001-04:00

First off, Congrats to the winner of the free Dean Brody cd. Robert Dares of the Cottage Chronicles ( WWW.thecottagechronicles.com ). It was not overly hard for the random number generator to select from the entries but non the less Robert will be receiving this great album in the next week.

As for the fish pictured above, it is a Barbel. I know it looks like an American carp but apparently there is a few species of this fish in Europe that are a blast to hook o a fly rod. I'm sure they are in the same family as our carp but it will take bit more research to determine the specifics. In the mean time check out WWW.barbosconmosca.com , hit the translate option and do a bit or reading. It's always good to expand ones knowledge beyond your own world and see what makes those Spanish anglers tick.
'Barbel 9-1'. - 7in x 6in. ink on paper. Email me for purchasing information.

Drawing Trout & Random Stuff

2011-08-27T11:14:00.000-04:00

Just doing a bit of sketching and watching the weather. It will be interesting to see how it develops over the weekend. It should prove interesting for those in the north east.

If this little guy looks somewhat familiar, it is. I took the inspiration for it from my new header. It was a solid holdover brown I hooked late this spring on a stretch of South Carolina water. It really is just an excuse to have something to post since work and other stuff has been keeping me off the water.
This sketch is a 7"x 5" ink on 130lb paper and in available for purchase (Cheap) by email.
One other thing I got for today is a shot I took on a recent trip from the small window of a jet. Sun setting over the western horizon and a few buildups bring up some amazing shadows and bright colors. You really cant beat some of the views you get at 30,000 feet.

It is truly amazing the quality of today's small cameras.

I also wanted to give you another opportunity to win free music. Just go to my Dean Brody post and leave a comment and you will be entered to win a FREE Dean Brody CD. Who doesn't love FREE! Contest ends on the 30th.

Bluegill And A Popper

2011-08-23T13:58:00.000-04:00

For some time I have been wanting to do a watercolor of a bluegill but have always abandoned the idea for a brown or rainbow trout. Maybe it is the panfish's low status among anglers or the fact that it often seems that when they are biting it nearly impossible to keep them off your hook, but these little guys are often overlooked or in the extreme case, seen almost as a nuisance fish. I sometimes fall for this line of thinking but the other day as I caught one of these beautiful fish after another I took some time to appreciate the staggering array of colors and uniqueness each individual fish.

I have never gone so far as to call them a 'trash' fish and I'm not totally convinced that title belongs to any fish (although a few nasty fish might come close) but I have found myself being aggravated when I was hunting bass to have to clean my line of those persistent panfish.

I recently received a comment from a follower on one of my posts commenting on the stunning colors of the river caught sunfish. I believe this particular follower hailed from Europe if I recall and said that he had never seen one of these before. He went on to say that this fish would look more at home swimming around the corral reefs of the big blue than some river. This small comment made me stop and re-evaluate my take on the common bluegill and sunfish. They are a perfect target for the fly angler. They attack on the surface with gusto, often fight hard on light tackle, and are nearly always there for the taking. They are never as finicky as bass or trout, the are in nearly warm water pond, river, or stream, and they display some of the brightest variety of colors of any species of fresh water fish. I know a lot of anglers that follow blog do go out and target these fish and swear by them as nearly as fun as small stream trout, but an equal number of anglers regard them at best as an annoyance and at worst as a pest. Well today I celebrate the panfish. If not an equal then at least as a worthy fish to hook on a fly rod. If it is something you have never done, I encourage you to take that prized 3 weight and head on down to the local drainage pond or slow water river and hook into a few gills. Then take a moment to just admire the beauty God has given these fish. Each and every one will be different from the last and each individual hookup will make you smile.

This watercolor is on acid free archival quality paper. It measures @ 11.5in x 8in and is available for purchase via email. It will come already mounted in an acid free mat and ready to be framed. I was planning on doing a progressive photo record of this work but totally forgot about the photos until the work was nearly finished.

Green Wing Classic & A Side Dish

2011-08-20T10:10:00.000-04:00

I have always loved the art of these big flies. The colors and arrangement of them are a skill to any that tie them up and they look to good to fish. Most deserve a frame and a small place in some gallery.

when I started it I wanted to just have the fly on a white background. Since it was just a 'messing around' type painting I wanted to keep it simple stupid, but as I finished it and took a step back I felt it needed something a bit extra so I dropped in a bit of color around the fly to liven the painting up. If nothing else I feel it gives the work a bit of that watery feel. (Wantercolor and Ink on 130lb paper.)

I thought I'd also share with you a bit of my mother-inlaws cooking ideas. Okay, I know she probably is not the first to come up with it but I'm giving her credit anyway.

My wife and I have tomatoes coming out of ears from our garden so in order to get rid of them we have been eating them with nearly every meal. My mother-inlaws idea was to slice them in half, dress them in olive oil and seasonings and top with two types of cheese and place in an oven. I took it one step further and tossed them on the grill with some burgers and dogs. Heated up just enough to melt the cheese and these babies are one sweet side dish. The burgers weren't to bad either.

More Quick Trout Sketching

2011-08-18T17:59:00.001-04:00

Between business, messing around in the garage, playing with the kids, and brewing a few gallons of mead (more about that in the future) I filled a few more pages with sketchings. Since this is an art and fish blog I figured I would post another sketch of the Japanese trout that has been in my mind lately.
It isn't much to look at now but little sketches like this are the building blocks for future works. They help me get a feel for the colors and flow of water that will aid me in creating a frame worthy piece.
(watercolor and ink on heavyweight, ph neutral paper)

Tenkara Shirts Are In

2011-08-17T16:29:00.000-04:00

I picked up the new Tenkara shirts today and they turned out SWEET! For those of you that have ordered them already I will be shipping them out early tomorrow. For those Tenkara anglers that have not ordered your shirt you had better hurry. I have printed off a few extras but you had better hurry, supplies are limited. You can order your shirt HERE.

I have added a special feature for these shirts as well. I thought the front needed a little something so I added a bit of the Japanese Tenkara as well as a little lined trout. I think it really makes the shirt!
All the extra shirts I ordered are the Hanes preshrunk shirts in the Pebble color.
Order Shirts HERE.

Music Giveaway (Dean Brody)

2011-08-17T04:33:00.000-04:00

Who Is Dean Brody? This is what I asked myself when I got an email from Deans music promoter asking me to do a plug for her singer. Well thanks to the technology available in today's world I was able to answer this question with little effort. After downloading a few of his hits from the site http://deanbrody.com I discovered an up and coming country artist with down home roots. Long story cut short, This guy is now on my playlist and I am giving you the opportunity for him to be on yours as well.
As my wife and friends can attest too, my music interest are all over the map. From an Irish punk folk mix to Classical composers, classic rock to Jimmy Buffett, and quite often Country my library of music fits my personality. As a guy that shies away from city life for the simplicity of rural life and the values one finds in the small towns of my youth, a Country artists like Dean Brody sing the songs that I can relate to.

In a world of singers who seem to lack truth in the songs that they sing (mainly from the fact that they don't write their own tracks) Dean Brody has a connection to every song he sings. Hemingway once was heard to tell an aspiring writer "write what you know" and Dean seams to have done just that. His life seems to be in every line and every cord. That truth will resonate with anyone that hears his music and likes solid country music.

So what do you need to do win his new album "Trail In Life"? The answer is simple.
1. You must be a follower of this blog
2. You must leave a comment telling us what you look for in a good song. What is it that makes that special song a constant on your play list or makes you get into a grove while tying up flies or driving to that secluded stream.

(The winner will be randomly selected from all the comments at the end on the month and Deans new album will be mailed out that first week of September. This post will be re-posted periodically through the rest of the month.)

The Dun

2011-08-14T12:10:00.002-04:00

Utilizing my new sketch pad today I penned a small Dun fly I had recently seen on a fellow bloggers site, then lightly colored it in. See if you can match it to the original. It shouldn't be to hard, this other Blogger loves the small flies and is a master at tying the most technically correct and beautifully created small dries you'll ever see.
("Small Dun" 3"x4" watercolor and ink on paper.)

The Trout and The Spider

2011-08-10T13:34:00.000-04:00

I got a new sketch book today. I filled a few others and needed a new one for the days I spend on the road. The moment I got home I planned on mowing the yard but instead I did not wait a second to sit down at the kitchen table and doodle out a trout on the first page. There is just something about a blank pad of paper that is.... well it intimidating and I feel its necessary to get something in it so the rest of the book will be easier to fill. This young Japanese trout seemed like just the starter to fill the first five inches. Only 49 pages left to fill. This doodle is a 6.5in x 3.5in ink archival ink on 130lb heavy weight, PH neutral artist paper.

As for the spider. I got home last night from a long road trip to find my garden filled with neglected fruit, my grass longer than the wheat fields of Nebraska, and this big boy clinging to the side of my shed. Part of the fun of the out doors is finding new things to go back research. I thought I would solicit you help in my entomology research. I suspect TexWisGirl or Jay might know what it is. Whatever it is I doubt a trout would have any part of it. A bass maybe but a finicky trout, not a chance. I myself let it be and hoped it enjoyed feasting on the wasps that had taken up residence next to my mower. ( I am not looking forward to doing battle with them today).

Big Jig-Heads For Bass

2011-07-31T17:29:00.001-04:00

Just spent a some time tying up a few bass bugs. Not a specific fly recipe consulted on any of these flies (as you might be able to tell) just tied up with as much material and as ugly as I could muster. Rabbit strips, squirrel tail, deer hair, and a touch of flash on all these jigs. Hopefully I can brave the temps soon to test them out. Maybe there will be a winner in there somewhere.

Chasing Blue Lines In 95deg

2011-07-30T11:00:00.001-04:00

I decided the other day to brave the sweltering 95 degree heat and go chase a few new blue lines up in the mountains of SC. I really shouldn't have gone but the draw of fishing was just to much to handle and I left early to explore this new water.

The first fish was a nice little rainbow caught deep on a Tenkara rod with a typical Tenkara fly. It was down deep in a big 80 deg bend on this small stream way back in the mountains. At this point it was a pleasant 90 degrees and I figured that this little guy was the only trout I was to catch that day. After all, It was only going to get warmer and with the way the temps have been lately, I suspected that the trout were going to shut down as the temps rose.

My suspicions about the trout were soon confirmed when I caught this shiner. I have hooked a few of these guys while fishing my favorite trout streams, and while I don't know their true names I figure they are the reason why the trout go after my Black Nose Dace streamers with so much enthusiasm. This guy was the biggest one of its kind I have hooked.

Next on the list, I hooked into a pool of sunfish with the brightest yellows and reddest eyes I have seen. There is always something about mountain streams and their effect on the colors of the fish that inhabit them.

I hooked a lot of these guys on a big black stone or (as seen from picture on the left) a haggard Black Nose. Bluegills and sunfish are such a fun fish to catch and doing it on a stream where both brown and rainbow trout are known to live is not really a letdown when you see how brilliant their colors are.

As noon approached and the temps reached into the mid 90's I started to make my way back to the car. I figured that the fish were done and the snaked would soon control the waters edge and I do not like battling with snakes for a stream side spot. As I waded the stream back I saw a few rises in front of me. suspecting a sunfish was the culprit I tossed a fly in his direction and got a hit. Imagine my surprise when in the next jump from the hooked fish, I noticed that a nice Brown trout had made an appearance. In sun drenched 95 deg temps and in less than a foot of rushing water, a brown trout was actively feeding on the surface. Amazing! No pic because as I reached for the fish, he leaped into the air, gave a wave of the fin and broke free. I hooked two more in the next five minutes, both of which where released in relativity the same manner. I guess it goes to show that you never know what to expect while chasing those blue lines.
A few minutes later a large snake crossed the stream a few feet from me and gave me the eye. I took his suggestion and headed for the car. I cant wait to see what the stream gives me when the temps begin to cool down.

Also For those of you that are wanting a Tenkara Shirt, I have decided to offer the shirt in all THREE colors. They are only $17 plus Shipping (5.40) and can be purchased with Paypal or any major credit card HERE. The shirts will be printed on the tenth and shipped out as soon as possible.

3 Colors Now Available

2011-07-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

UPDATE!! THE PAYPAL BUTTON NOW AVAILABLE

With such a split in the colors selection, I have decided to provide a choice when you purchase one of these shirts. Like I said, I will only be doing a small printing run for these shirts so if you want one, make SURE you pre-order yours by the 10th of next month.
First we have the Pebble color tee.

Next is the Fatigue Green color tee.

And finally is the original Steal Grey color tee.

These shirts are quality Hanes 100% cotton tees that are preshrunk. As I said before, they are quality screen printed tees by a local American owned printing business.

(The above pics are representative of what the shirt should look like on the color tee. These are not the actual printed shirts. The actual print might vary slightly in size and color.)

Winning Olive

2011-07-26T11:57:00.001-04:00

I recently, or should I say my kids, were recent winners of a set of Olive The Woolly Bigger books by Kirk Werner. I'm not sure who were more excited when they arrived but thanks to the new website - takekidsflyfishing.com we both have new reading material.
Thanks to Kirk for the great books and nice messages he wrote in each. They will be treasured in my family for years to come.
If you have a minute, head over and visit takekidsflyfishing.com . It will be well worth your time.

Also, news on the tenkara shirts. I have gotten a good response to them and look forward to having them printed. I should have a button up for payment in the next few days. Thanks for the support.

Tenkara Shirt

2011-07-25T10:58:00.001-04:00

As If I didn't have about a thousand other things to do with my time, I have also decided to make myself a shirt. I did this Tenkara sketch for a friend but soon decided that it was to good not to put on a shirt and show it off. So I have decided to have a few extras printed to share with my fellow Tenkara followers.

Just a simple shirt with a simple design on the back which also keeps the cost down. No advertising for this blog or Hexfishing.com, just a simple shirt with a simple design to sport your love of Tenkara. If you are interested please let me know in a comment or an email so I will have a good idea the quantity and sizes to order. They will be high quality screen prints done locally and not by a Zazzle type company. The cost will be @ $22-$24 total (That's including Shipping!!!!! @ $18 per shirt + @ $5 shipping) I need to know who is in before the 10th of next month in order to get them printed and shipped in time for the Tenkara Summit in late August.
I will also be posting a paypal button for purchase soon so you can get off the couch and commit to the purchase.

QUIZ TIME!!! I was out fishing the upstate of SC the other day in a scorching 100 deg heat and ran across this little guy on a log. Anyone out there know what it is? Beside it being about 2.5in long, its big black eyes on its back made it really stand out. I honestly have a fairly good idea what this big bug was but am not 100% so I appeal to the blogging community. What Is It?

Cutthroat On The Idaho Coeur d'Alene

2011-07-21T08:41:00.001-04:00

Fishing the upper Coeur d'alene river in norther Idaho was a Blast as you can see from the picture montage below. I did this with my brother on the last day of my family vacation out west and it was worth the wait.

On my brothers coffee table is was a large book on the history of the Northwest and it was filled with photos just like this. Beautiful trees and rivers with that typical mountain cloud cover hovering in the trees. I felt like I was entering a movie period piece and somehow I just knew the day was going to go well.

When we awoke early in the morning in Spokane the soft rain was falling outside and the weather channel was calling for a drizzle all day. Needless to say my dad elected to stay at home with the kiddos and not aggravate his cold with the damp conditions and wet wading in a snow runoff river. So my brother and I headed out alone. Our first spot was a stretch of river recommended to me from the guy behind the car rental counter in Spokane. He had noticed my original fly road case from HexFishing.com (Shameless Plug) and while I was driving the car around my wife did her best to sell him on getting one of those cases for himself. When I returned the ensuing conversation led to this spectacular lead.

It was a great little run with a 45deg bend that babbled itself into a deep pool that hugged a solid rock cliff.
Due to packing constraints I chose to leave my waders at home in SC and brave the cold waters like a fisherman of the old days when waders were only for the rich. It was a cold first step into that river but with the adrenaline of that first take from the surface my blood warmed me up. My brother and I hooked a number of these beautiful cuts here on dry midges and yellowish olive sulfurs but the vast amount of strikes came from what has developed into my favorite fly - the Black Nose Dace.

I have a variety of these little guys in my box at all times and they always do well. They often are tied a bit different from each other, some with black ribs, some with a bit of yellow buck tail, others with a brown or red nose, some with a tag of red or black and others so sparse of hair that if I didn't know better I would just pluck it from the box and toss it in the trash. Why do I like these little minnow imitations Honestly, I am not a very good master of the presentation and this streamer is a great way for me to hide my faults with fish.

One other reason is the tug one feels when a fish attacks the fly. This fish hit the fly so hard and in the current that it added a bit of red blood to his already red cut. He still had a lot of fight in him when I released him so I hope he survived. If not then he just became food for one of the many forms of wildlife around the area.

Most of the fish we caught were all in the 6-9in range but man they are fun. Every one of these fought like a champ with so much head bobbing and dancing one might have thought he had a fish twice the size on the end of his line.

Our next section of river was about two miles up stream and just around a bend in the road. I saw how the river took a sharp turn with a number of runs and bends up stream then cut far back from the road and against a mountain and out of sight. We decided to pull off at the next turn out and fish this great looking stretch. Up to this point I believe we had seen only about 3-4 other people in about as many hours and wouldn't you know it as we cleared a tree we spotted another truck with a big spey fly sticker in his window.
Not one to like to crowed out other fisherman I sat in the car and contemplated if I should even get out or just keep driving. In the end I am glad I did.
The guy was a guide from Double Spey Outfitters on his day off. After a bit of small talk about the weather I told him I was an eastern on vacation and was wondering if he cared if my brother and I might fish part of this big bend and that I didn't want to crowd him. "Sure" he said, "I'm not going to stray to far from this road but back up a ways is some great water you guys can have." He then proceeded to tell us were the fish were likely to be holding and what was the best flies to use. After a bit more talk we parted company and after a short walk through an elk traced meadow we lost sight our impromptu guide and never saw him again.

After a brief dry spell we beat down the brush and hopped a few large trees to a run that was cutting into a deep bank way back from the road. I perched myself on a downed tree that stretched out into the river about 20 feet and made two casts with my haggard Black Nose Dace. Careful not to hang up on the big spruce behind me I kept my casts out over the water and then let the fly settle on the calm water about a foot from the shore. Then a monster rose for my half submerged fly.

The best fish of the day by far. It was also the last fish for me and that was okay with me. A great trip, a great time with family and a great end to a great day. The next morning with the family in tow we headed back to the scorching temperatures of the southeast, are memories and our photos to remind us of a trip to Eastern Washington.

More Washington Trip Pics

2011-07-19T09:52:00.000-04:00

My kids rock! This was a pic from the first day of our trip out west. It is on a point overlooking Lake Coeur d'Alene in western Idaho (which coincidentally is fed by a killer Cutthroat river I fished a few days later). We had taken a little hike out to this breezy point to toss rocks and watch the waves. Just stunning. The kids did great and had a blast. I am sure this is a pic they will look at later in life and smile.

As a bit of a aviation nut I also enjoyed watching the small plane that was doing touch and goes on the 30knt chop. sorry the pic doesn't do it justice but there are limits to what a cell phone will do but still, I am impressed with the quality this new phone has with its camera. I believe its an 8mg camera and take real sharp photos as you can see from the pics on this post.

This pic and the one above are from atop mount Spokane where the snow was still hanging around and the temps didn't reach far into the 50's. What A View! For a family that had just left a hot 95 deg southeast with 105% humidity this was a shock to the system but well worth the drive. There was a ski lift to the top of this mountain and I am sure during the season this run down the mountain would be great. I absolutely love the mountains.

And then there is these two views which were just down the road from my brothers place. I caught these pics just as the sun was setting against the mountains and poppy fields. The golden color and bright greens were just down right amazing.

And finally I leave you with a doodle I did the other day because, well this is a fly fishing blog and you need a fish to keep that status.

Tenkara Fishing & Biking In Idaho

2011-07-16T10:08:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a week in eastern Washington with family and did manage to get a bit of fishing in. As a result I have enough pics and ammunition to fill this blog with numerous posts for some time to come but for now I will skip the family photos and proceed to the fishing.

As our family likes to do when we get together, outdoor activities always top the list. One of those excursions on this trip was a 17 mile bike ride down the Hiawatha trail, which is a converted railroad bed winding its way from western Montana and into northern Idaho. The first 2 miles of this bike ride is a dark ride through a long tunnel on the state boarder. After that first long dark tunnel is another dozen tunnels that weave there way down to the St. Joe river, (Prime Cutthrout!!)
I have spared you the bike riding photos but let me tell you, the kids loved riding in the kid trailer down the trail and through the tunnels. Even my wife, who was not so sure a 17 mile bike ride would be fun, had a great time on the tandem bike with my sister. We contemplated attaching the kids trailer to the tandem but thought better of it. The thought of loosing our whole family over the edge of a 3000ft mountain side due to faulty driving on my part was the deciding factor.

Once the bike ride was complete I unloaded the Tenkara rod and box of flies I had stashed in the kids carrier and headed out to the river while my lovely and understanding wife and brother took the bus back up the steep, switchback mountain road to retrieve our cars. I had about an hour and a half to fish this pristine water. Since I was pressed for space, I didn't pack any waders so I had to buck up and wet wade. Man That Water Is Cold!

But not cold enough to keep me away from those perfect cutthroat! These are my first cutties I have ever caught and I got to tell you, They Are Fun! For such a small fish they put up a continuous fight. I don't believe that I have ever hooked into a fish that shook its head so much. I lost more than I caught but in that hour and half I did manage to land 6 or so great looking trout. None were of any record size but man was it fun and fishing dries with the Tenkara rod on that waster was great.
It was perfect the way the wind was blowing slightly off my back and extending the fly out into the stream. I hovered the fly for a few seconds just inches over where I wanted it (about 18 feet from where I was standing) and then let it hit the water.
BAM!
After I found out how they where biting and the fly they liked, it was consistent fun. Time however was not standing still and the fun with the fish gave way to fun with the family. Before long we loaded up the truck and cars with bikes and tired kids and headed back to Spokane for pulled pork, beverages, and a few hands of cards. Such a sweet day!

Postcard Beautiful

2011-07-14T12:38:00.001-04:00

Here is a quick post of a eastern Washington sunset to wet your appetite for a few more post to come.
While driving around with my brother the other day, I took this shot as the sun was just setting over Spokane WA. Absolutely amazing views and some great weather!

One Sweet Sculpture

2011-07-10T11:43:00.001-04:00

Saw this chainsawed art piece in a park the other day in a park. It was carved from the trunk if a downed tree, the roots still in the ground. Being an admirer if wood carved pieces, I was quite impressed with the quality of this work. Next time a tree comes down in my lot I think I found what I'm going to do with it.

Is It Wrong?

2011-07-08T21:45:00.001-04:00

While out visiting my brother I got to check out his in-house feather supplier. Is it wrong that when I look at a chicken I only see a source of fly tying material? I know it isn't class A material but for a Woolly the material doesn't need to be perfect right? My bother doesn't tie flies but after plucking a few choice feathers from the saddle of his annoying rooster I did an impromptu tie job of half a dozen woollies. (the bird is perfectly fine so no animal rights protests please.)
I have done things like this before - see my earlier spring post of a squirrel that got caught in my chimney. For that I got some prime tail hair for streamers. Even watching my wife with some yarn and I see tying material.
So is it wrong that I see innovative material for tying in the oddest places? My wife thinks I'm nuts but seriously, I can't be the only angler out there that sees material everywhere he looks.

God Bless America

2011-07-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post this 4th to celebrate the birth of a nation. It is always good to take the time to remember where we came from and why we have the liberties we do. Take the time to teach your kids the same lessons you learned growing up and when they grow up they can appreciate the sacrifices made by those that came before them to give them this great country.

Also I am currently reading 1776 by David McCullough. This is the 3rd or 4th book on the birth of our country I have read in the past few months and I must say that it is living up to the hype. Pick it up if you get the opportunity and expand your knowledge on our history.
Tonight I celebrate with a little fireworks and with any luck I will still have all my digits when its over. All the rest of you - Be Safe and God Bless.

Going Japanese....I really think so.

2011-07-03T06:48:00.002-04:00

I have been doing a bit of work on some Tenkara stuff lately and felt that a bit of bamboo was in order. I have never really delved into the Japanese styles much so this was a good challenge for me. With bamboo being a central part of the eastern culture and art, I thought Id take a stab at it.

This small watercolor is only 3in by 2in and since it was a study just quickly tossed onto the paper, it retains that rough water stained appearance that one can only get from watercolor. For thjis work, mostly done allowing the paint pigments to flow with the water, I did very little over painting and detailing in order to retain that watery feel. The Japanese lettering is...well..... No, I am not going to tell you. Just take a guess what they mean or have your Japanese friend tell you.
I am working on a few more pieces like this and I might share them in the future but for right now all you get is this small piece simply titled 'Bamboo #1'. I think it looks good in an over-sized frame.

And finally for those Tenkara freaks like me out there I have got the Sakasa Gujo Kebari. A great little fly that is so versatile and simple, it can trace its origins back centuries. If it wasn't for the forward hackle construction and unique material used in this fly so typical in the Tenkara style, a fly like this might have done very well during the golden age of American or British fly fishing.

Tenkara Fly & Hex Rod Cases

2011-07-01T13:15:00.000-04:00

Had a bit of time free yesterday so I painted out another Tenkara fly. This is what TenkaraUSA.com has to say about this great wet fly; "The Fujioka Kebari is named after renowned tenkara angler and traditional tenkara fly collector, Mr. Yoshikazu Fujioka. This is one of his favorite patterns. A simple soft hackle wet fly, the Fujioka Kebari is an elegant pattern that can be fished subsurface or deeper in the water."
The discovery of Tenkara for me has been a milestone in my angling life and every time I surf the web for more information I find that more and more anglers flocking to this great take on a classic sport.

Also, some of you might know already that I have been involved with HexFishing.com but I thought I'd give you a bit more information on our signature product anyway. Hand crafted out of American Hard Woods, these truly unique cases will protect that special glass, graphite, or one of a kind bamboo fly rod of yours with a classic style unattainable from any other case out there. No longer will your favorite rod be relegated to collecting dust in a closet or garage. With the artisan style of this case, it will be a compliment to any decor. Guaranteed to protect your rods for years to come, this heirloom quality case will be a piece you will want to show off just as much as that rod.
Take a minute and head over to check out the two styles of cases that are available.

Also for those of you wanting a new trout t-shirt, don't go to your local Bass Pro for a mass produced fishing shirt. Instead support your local fishing community and head over to hexfishing.com. With two shirts to choose from, you can now own a piece of functional art designed by yours truly. The most popular is the Brown In Hand Tee.

Available in sizes XXL, XL, L, M, & S these shirts are professionally printed and ready to be worn to your next fly tying event. Show off your Hex Fishing addiction with these tees that that will make your friends wonder where you got such cool threads.
Now with a cheesy sales pitch like that, how can you resist not popping over to hexfishing.com and picking one up? Seriously, Its a great shirt! And as with all sales, all proceeds go to feeding an angling addiction.

Perfect Day!! Fish On

2011-06-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

What is your definition of a good day. Mine is 75-80deg, slight breeze, calm waters, and FISH ON! Yesterday I had the near perfect day. I rolled into upper MI around noon, got a hold of a few buddies and we headed out to fish for lakers on a picture perfect day. One after another we reeled them in and I enjoyed every minute of it! Today I return back to working a tough schedule but I am left with a memory of upper MI that wont soon be forgotten.

Not all fishing is done with a fly and since it is fairly hard to hook lakers in 60 feet of water with a fly line, its time to break out the downrigers. These lake trout had a beautiful leopard pattern of turquoise, blues and pink. And when they wanted they put up a good fight coming up from down deep.

Every fish seemed to bigger than the last but the biggest fish of the day went to my buddy Brandon, It might have gone to Aaron but he failed to get his monster to the boat. From what we saw of his fish though, it was a lunker!

This slab had a big belly on him that I am sure tasted good fresh off the grill. He put up a good fight once he saw the boat.

Aaron was really struggling with his beast but as he broke the surface and we got a glimpse of the big white belly, the monster rolled as if to wave a fin at us and say 'nice try guys'. And as quickly as we say him, he was gone.
As I said, this is not a day I will soon forget and I am exceedingly grateful to Aaron and Brandon for taking me out. Next time I am up their way, we are definitely going again. Next time it might be Salmon and Steelhead.

And since this blog is an art/fishing blog, here is a painted and computer manipulated fly.

Tenkara Montage

2011-06-24T15:42:00.001-04:00

I was messing around today with some Tenkara ideas and came up with this little montage of various Tenkara works. All the artwork is original but the whole composition is a layering of different elements with a bit of computer manipulations. The fish and bamboo are just simple watercolor sketches done in black and the flies are simple 3inx3in watercolors manipulated with all the overly bright colors washed out. This piece is just a one-off piece and is not for sale. I was just really experimenting with stuff and this came out so I thought I'd share it with you. I am sure my Tenkara readers might enjoy it.

Weekend Well Spent

2011-06-21T05:59:00.001-04:00

One Great Weekend

2011-06-21T05:55:00.000-04:00

Had a great weekend! The family and I packed up the camping equipment and
headed up into the cooler temps of the blue ridge mountains. Our spot was a
nice quiet one right on the lake and despite a Saturday spent mostly in the tent to avoid the thunder showers, as well as a lack of activity as far as
the fish go, we all enjoyed a great time.
By far camping with the family is one of those experience I treasure and I
know my children will as well. I'm sure they will remember many years later that lone fathers day weekend we sat huddled together on our sleeping bags taking turns telling not so scary stories we made up ourselves.
My favorite was my 5 year old daughters story of Thumpfoot - the forest giant that only came out during storms to raid campsites, steal campers smores and eat unaware campers in there tent........priceless!

A Hat Trick...(don't get to excited)

2011-06-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Finally got out the other day to the warm water pond and hooked up with a hat trick southern style. Crappies, Bass, and Sunfish. Don't get to excited to see pics of big fish, those were still ellusive.

I took a buddy of mine out fishing for the first time. He had never had the importunity to fish with a spin rod much less fish with a fly rod so I happily introduced him to fishing the only way I know how; starting out with the fly rod. I gave him my coveted 5w and a bit of instruction and let him have at it. Fishing from the bank with a full set of high grass to our back we worked through a lot of hangups in the weeds but finally got that fly in the water, bang!! one very small sunfish. It was his first fish and I think he might be a new devote to the angling life. I patted him on the back and grabbed my other rod and moved over to work out his technique without my meddling. I am not very good at instruction and since most of my schooling in fly fishing came practice and watching YouTube, I thought it best to give a few pointers and let him find his rhythm. I was elated that he was able to hook up on the first successful cast.
Off to the side of the post we noticed the herring nest I'd been watching for a while had been filled with a few young birds that watched out fishing with interest.

The night previous I had been at work on the vice and tied up a bunch of these yellow and black buck-tails and added a silver body with a red wire rib and red thread head. I had a number of crappie young bass eagerly take it off the surface along with a few sunfish. So it is a hat trick even if it wasn't as grand a three species catch as one would hope for. Just over two hours on the water and quite a few hookups - I still call that a great day but the highlight was putting a fly rod in a new anglers hands and watching him hook up with a fish. I am sure we will be doing it again soon.

Also, after a long buildup and a whole lot of time put into its development, I am proud to announce the launch of a new player on the specialized fly fishing market. HexFishing.com is now officially the place to get your heirloom quality fly rod cases. Click on over and check out what we have got going on.

Along with high quality rod cases and original art, we also have original Hex Fishing teeshirts featuring my custom art. Over the coming weeks this blog will be doing a series of blog posts to highlight the specific goods Hex Fishing has to offer.

Cleaning The Fish

2011-06-10T07:44:00.000-04:00

'Cleaning The Fish'

Inspiration for this painting came from a favorite adventure magazine of mine. This lone fisherman cleaning his catch in a tidal pool really spoke to me and I believed that it would make a good large painting. It took me quite a while to finish this work but I am fairly pleased with the outcome. It is considerably more loose a style of painting than I am use to but if I do not test new waters then I feel my art becomes stagnant and I quickly become disinterested in it. When I complete a work like this I feel that I have not only expanded my knowledge but also my ability. This work measures @ 19" x 22" and is available for purchase. Email me for information.

Since I did take a few shots of the work in progress, I have included a progressive picture record of this work. Firs,t as always, I do a detail sketch to get the proportion and overall look I want.

Next is a build up of paint and color around the main subject. First laying down the light under color and progressively adding color into a deeper and darker hues.

I then began to focus on the native fisherman and his tropical clothes.

I finally add the color of the deep flesh tones using a mix of burnt sienna, light oxidized red, and a light blue. Moving the paint gently around to get the subtle skin tones and shadows on the skin.

You also might notice a fish on the back of my shirt. For those of you that have been following my site for a while, you might just recognize this fish. It is my Brown In Hand painting from last year. The site on the bottom of the shirt is a company I am now involved with. I will be doing more detailed posts in the coming weeks about this new venture, but for now, enjoy this painting and visit HexFishing.com if you get a chance. - Shirts like the one you see here are available for purchase.

3 Flies & A Feather ... And A Poem?

2011-06-07T06:30:00.003-04:00

Three Flies And A Feather - or to be more specific two soft hackles, an egg patterned fly and a molted feather. This 8in x 8in watercolor was done just to pass the time and to keep me working on my skills as a painter. Its the first feather I've done but I think it turned out ok.

Its too bad that the cell phone pic doesn't really do it justice but you get the idea.
I also was doing a bit of reading the other day and came across a poem that some of you might like. Now I know what some of you are thinking and rest assured that poetry is not a favorite of mine. The closest I have ever come to poetry is and an occasional Walt Whitman verse which I struggle to get through or perhaps an alcohol inspired and slightly more risqué poem about the Lady from Nantucket, but this one struck a cord and I thought that it just might with you.
It comes from a 1889 Denver Colorado publication of Sport Afield - a magazine that has been providing quality outdoor sports writing for over one hundred years. This one is titled:

The Whole Story by Dan De Foe

The fluttering fly Is tossed on high,

And lightly on the pool descends.

In shade of ash, A flash, a splash

The reel responds, the bamboo bends.

With twitch and twirl, And swish and swirl,

The ripples wide and wider whirl -

Speeding, receding, The line scarcely heeding;

'Mid boulders and eddies, A frantic chase leading -

The prize contends, Retreats, defends -

Aha-he's done-he scarcely bends The yielding cane;

His struggles wane-

The net! and lo, the conflict ends.

Even an angler that has never read a line of poetry in his life can attest to the moving quality of that work. Enjoy your remainder of the week.

Another Box and a Rocket Launch

2011-06-05T06:47:00.004-04:00

Here is another wood burned box I have in the works that is again not yet finished. I worked on these two boxes at about the same time and will probably finish them together. This one has a poplar top that is carved and woodburned and birds eye maple sides. I plan on also adding a boarder of inlay around the sides when time permits.

The kids and I also decided to launch a few rockets the other day. I did this as a kid and loved it. Come on, what kid doesn't like the thrill of lighting something on fire and watching it blast off into the air. I thought I'd share this thrilling adventure I had as a kid with my own and as you can see, I took a few pics and videos to share with you as well. If this is something you have never done then you are missing out.

Our rocket was a simple mini Bertha with about a dozen Disney stickers the kids decided to decorate it with. They had about much fun chasing it across the field as they had launching it. Even dad got a smile on his face when the mini projectile left the pad and shot toward the sky.

Not exactly a Cape Canaveral launch but you get the idea. Absolutely Fun!

This one was a small engine launch, the next was a much larger engine and took the small rocket nearly three hundred feet before the parachute pop. Notice my boy with his ears covered... I guess he has seen daddy launch to many fireworks over the years.

not a very fishy post but nearly as fun.

Wooden Fly Box - Carved and Wood Burning

2011-06-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here is a recent box I was tooling around with the other day while I was in the garage. It is not quite finished yet but you get the idea. I first did a relieve wood carving of the body of the fly and then drilled a small hole for the extra large steal hook. I then created the box around the lid. The top is a birds eye maple and the sides are a red oak with a mahogany inlay. You might just be able to see a bit of the real wood inlay around the middle of the box. After a good sanding and oil application this box should really look good. I might be a bit to bulky for a fly box but it should look good as a storage box for paints or fly tying material in my office.

I am hoping that I will be able to finish this little box up soon. Of course that would require a bit of time off of work and a stretch of free time that a busy guy like me just finds it hard to get. If you asked my wife why I have no free time she will undoubtedly tell you that if I got rid of one of my 'hobbies' I would have more time to finish those countless projects I have waiting in the wings. She might have something there but what fun would that be? Once I get it completed I will post a few pictures for you to look at.

On the non fishy front, last weekend my wife and I took the kids on a bit of a balloon chase. Freedom Weekend Aloft is our area's big ballooning festival and after we watch some fifty plus balloons take to the skies, we loaded up the car to chase them down through the country side. It was a blast and the kids loved it. Nothing like tearing through fields and back country roads watching the skies for falling balloons. It is a memory I wont soon forget and I am hoping they won't either. If you ever get a chance, take your kids, They will love it.

Brook Trout

2011-05-31T09:55:00.000-04:00

Here is a recent painting I have done of another Brookie rising for his meal. I used more muted colors for this painting for an older look to the work. The deep browns, pale yellows, and burnt oranges of this painting seem to give it a look one might see in a color plate from the turn of the century. The size of this work is not very big (@8x12) which is good because I have not had very much time lately to put paint to paper or fly to water.

As you can see, I started with a very simple line drawing. What you can't see is the countless light pencil marks and erased miss cues I had to go through to get the finished line drawing you see here. As I am finishing the line drawing up, I darken those lines I want for the final painting and erase all the others.

After the line drawing is done I start the process of dropping water onto the fish where I want the paint to flow and keeping the paper dry where I do not want the paint. from that point on it is just a mater of building up layers of colors and pigments to get the finished look I am going for. Unlike oil based painting, usually in watercolor painting you get only one shot at getting it right. You can not just wipe it off and start over because once it is on the paper it is on it for good. The art of using this medium is in how you let the paint/water flow. All this has to be done without trying to control the paint. If I try to control it then it just gets angry and gets the painter frustrated. Instead I try and guide it where I want it to go, all the time letting the flow of the pigments do most of the work.

Also in response to that lack of activity on the fishing/blogging/painting front I have decided to start a new commitment to regular posting. I am not sure if my lack of fishing has contributed to my lack of posting over the last few months or my lack of blogging has contributed to my lack of time on the water but I am resolving that right now with a new commitment to more frequent blog posts. Last year my daily posting got me more time on the water than ever before and even though I am unable to return to that sizable commitment I will do this. Twice a week I will be posting something on this blog. One at the beginning of the week and one more at the end of the week for the remainder of the year. It may be sun, mon or tue and it might come on on wed, thur, fri, or sat but it will be there. With that I leave you till next time.

Angry Trout

2011-05-19T08:01:00.002-04:00

I haven't been posting much over the past month, nor have I been out in the river, so the other day I put down a bit of paint on some paper in an effort to compensate for the lack of fishing. A spastic painting I call Angry Trout that is a 10x7 watercolor. This is a bit out of my norm but thought I'd do something different.

Hello Again

2011-05-11T10:24:00.000-04:00

Hello again.... Okay, I know I have been slacking lately with this blog as well as my painting and my fishing. I did get a day free while at work a few weeks ago up in Allentown PA to do a bit of fishing on the Little Leigh River but due to the previous weeks rains, all I got was muddy shoes and the opportunity to tie up a good two dozen flies to replace the ones the river claimed. I would like to thank Mike from dubthethorax for pointing me in the right direction and hopefully next time that I am up that way I can get some better water conditions and big browns. When I was there I could see the potential for that stretch of river. Unfortunately due to the heavy spring rains the water was a deep chocolate muddy mess and I would have had to drag a hook across the back of an unsuspecting fish en-order to get a hook up. I just spent the day shooting in the dark and praying for a lucky bite...... and it was still better than working. Anytime I can do something like that while on a business trip is a good day, fish or no fish.
Last month I really tore it up with the fishing and I decided (or I was informed) that I have tapped out my fishing days while at home for a while so I have been spending the last few weeks either at work or with the family and the time with the family has been quite enjoyable. Hopefully I can get back into the groove soon with some new paintings and fish on the hook. I also hope to spend a little time over the next few days catching up with what my fellow anglers have been posting. I bet that there is a bunch of catch reports that will make for great reading.

(The above painting is @ 6x8 watercolor available for purchase - Email me for information on this piece)

April Brown and Stream Etiquette

2011-04-19T09:05:00.001-04:00

Here is my latest painting called the "April Brown". Taken from a picture I took while on my last fishing trip to a stretch of river in the foothills of South Carolina. It, of course, is a watercolor that is about 11"x14" in size and as with most of my other paintings, it is for sale. Just email me for purchasing information. Rest assured that all proceeds will go to feed my fishing addiction. And if you can not afford the original, prints are also available.

I would also like to take a moment to talk about stream side etiquette. I would suspect that most of the anglers that visit this site on a fairly regular basis already abide by set of un-written rules while fishing a small stream but some times these rules need to be put down into the record for the few that do not already know them.
I would like post just a one of these rules of mine for the record.
Don't Stand In My Pool While I'm Fishing IT!!!!

Seriously, my brother and I are the only two on the entire stretch of river for a mile and this guy (who is old enough to know better) walks up, does a bit of small talk and then slides into the stream RIGHT NEXT TO ME! Where he is standing is where I caught three fish about two minute before he showed up. WHO DOES THAT? I honestly just stood there for a minute and stared at him then I cast over him a few times to see if he got the point. Short answer...Nope.
Disgusted I made a point of letting him know that there wasn't enough room there for the two of us and I moved down stream. After all the fish where biting all over and not just in this pool.
My brother on the other hand decided that a point needed to be made and he took my spot and hassled the guy for quite a while longer. He still didn't get it. Really I am just at a loss.

And one final note, This guy might look like he is tying on a fly but he is not. Yes it is a fly rod with fly reel and fly line but that thing he is tying on is not a fly, a nymph, or a streamer. Its not a jig or a spinner either. Nope, this guy is squashing on a big lump of POWER BAIT. He then proceeded to gut hook a lot less fish than I was catching on a fly. Bait does have its place in fishing and I have used it on other fish and you can call me a snooting fly fisherman, but it does not belong at the end of fly line. Esspecialy when the fish will bite on anything you throw in the water. And then you wait for the fish to completely swallow it before you set the hook? Again I am at a loss. I guess you can't fix stupid. Please people, take a lesson from the idiots of the world. Don't be this guy!

Picture Heavy Trout Fishing, and a Carving

2011-04-17T14:41:00.000-04:00

Picture doesn't do it justice but here is a relieve carving of a brown on red oak. Just a simple carving accented with wood burned shadow and spots that will eventually end up as a lid for a small fly box.

Now I know it has been a while since my last post but I hope the following will make up for my negligence.
The other day my brother came out to visit and we took a trip up to the mountains to fish a small stream for those three trout that make fly fishing so much fun. Getting up early to load the gear, we headed out with low expectations and an eagerness to finally spend some time trout fishing together.
With a quick stop for gas, some pastries, and very bad coffee we were soon in under way. I haven't seen my 'little' bro in about two years and I couldn't tell you how long its been since we have fished together. With the two of us living on opposite sides of the country we rarely get the chance to do to much together and this was a trip I was looking forward to.

After a forty five minute drive we parked and quickly dismounted. I grabbed my Tenkara rod and he grabbed the spin rod and we started out for the river. Now before you think that he is not a fly fisherman let me just say that he is but was unable to pack his wading gear into his carry-on. Why didn't I loan him my gear? Well he is about six inches taller than 6'1" me and wears a size 14-15 shoe. Good luck trying to find to many friends with gear to match that frame. So it was an ultralight and some spinners for him while he was strayed dry on the bank.

As you can see, we quickly started to hook up with some nicely colored trout. In the first forty five minutes we lost count of the fish we were catching and just kept on going. I hooked about ten to twelve 7-10 inchers on the Tenkara rod with about as many flies. Fishing them dry or wet, it didn't mater. These fish were eager to bite on just about anything and my bro was tearing it up on the rainbow colored spinner. We both had a hat trick with in the first hour and it never stopped.
After about an hour I ran back to the car to grab my 2w for some streamer fishing. I was gone about 6-7 minutes and when I got back I was informed that my fishing partner had caught about a fish a minute for the length of time that I was absent.

On any normal day on this river I would call B.S. on such a statement but then again this was no normal day on the water and I couldn't string my rod fast enough. In that time he hooked into two more and lost another. CRAZY.
I ended up trying out just about every fly in my box just to make it interesting. Flies I never would break out on any normal day even got into the action. I didn't want to leave anybody out and for some this was their only chance to see some action. In reality I would say that I was switching flies just to see which ones wouldn't work. It was just one of those days that will stick in ones mind for years to come.

And this isn't the only white fin we caught. I wish I was a bit more ready on the camera but with all the action, the camera is the only thing that didn't get to much action. Luckily, when I dropped the ball my brother stepped it up for some good shots of both our fish and he was less likely to drop the camera into the water.

Another nice Bow.

Beautiful water, great weather, excellent fishing, and unbelievable company for a day on the water.

And then with the afternoon day sun peaking and the fishing beginning to wind down I said to my companion, "Just one more cast and then we are out of here. BAM!

A great fighting brown hooked into my 2w and Black Nose Dace. Now I'm not going to claim that this was a monster and as you can see it is not a hook jawed beast. Heck it wasn't even the best looking fish of the day but man it was fun to fight on light tackle in a nicely flowing river.

It was a nice fish to end on and as we trudged back to our vehicle and talked about the fishing and how great the day had been, I cant help thinking when I will be able to get the opportunity to do it again with such a great partner. My only regret is that with all the fishing and my camera in the hands of my brother, I completely forgot to take a pic of the two of us together. Hopefully when I go and visit him up in Washington this summer we can get that pic together.

I said it before but it is worth repeating, It was A GREAT DAY. All told I believe we caught well over 40 fish and even if they were not monsters it was still one of the best days on that stretch of water that I have ever seen. With high spirits and thoughts of cold beers on the deck in our heads he headed back to the house. Even a brief encounter with the local Sheriff and a signed memento of our conversation was not enough to dampen our spirits. I still believe that our catch was more legit than the Sheriff's but he is the law and one doesn't argue with the law. Congratulations Mr. PoPo, but I still had one hell of a day!

Tenkara In Fly Rod And Reel

2011-04-10T07:12:00.000-04:00

I was browsing my new Fly Rod & Reel magazine the other day and saw something great for the Tenkara fishers of the US as well as TenkaraUSA.com. A big shot in the fly fishing literary world, John Gierach, did a great article on fishing with the TeankaraUSA owner and Tenkara ambassador - Daniel - . It seems that as us bloggers sing the praises of fishing small streams with the tenkara setup, the rest of the fishing community is bound to catch on sooner or later. I say that when the great Gierach has begun to sing the praises of the Tenkara rod, our little secret has hit the mainstream.
I also took the fly rod out to the local pond the other day and hooked a few pan fish. Hopefully in the next week I can hook into a few trout and spare all you the boredom of looking at more bluegill photos. Until then, here is another gill with my old school reel and a 55year old rod. Except for the line and the fly the outfit I used that day was all old the day I was born....... And It Still Catches Fish. You just have to love the classics!

A Portrait & Pan Fishing

2011-04-06T09:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a recent work I have had on the easel. It was commissioned by a college student for a fathers birthday which was just the other day. I was going to do a watercolor of this Nice brown but then inspiration hit me and I decided that a full on watercolor of the trout and a pencil sketch of the lucky angler would suit this picture a bit nicely. Its not a style I usually do but then again one can not grow as an artist (or angler) if one doesn't press the barriers once in a while.
In the end I am pleased with how the work looks as a whole. So from the angling community and this blogger inn particular: Happy Birthday Doug! You have got a fish in your hands that is the envy of many an angler.

Now as for me on the Fishing front. I have had a lot of relatives cycling through the DeJong residence over the last three weeks and it has got this angler out on the pond a whole lot lately. In one to two hour stretches, for about six days I have hit the bass and pan fish hard. Below is a rundown of just a few of the pan fish that have graced me with their acceptance of my fly.

This bruiser of a pan fish hit a number 10 Woolly Bugger like it was the last bug in the pond. I don't believe that I have ever hooked a bluegill this size in a very long time and the picture doesn't really do justice to this guy. He was a bit over 8 inches and had a forehead on him like a Frankenstein. You might notice that you can not see the Bugger in his mouth. That is because it is half way down his gullet. With quick work of the forceps I freed it and let him back to rule his corner of the pond.

The next two pics are just a few of the other nicely colored pan fish that I have pulled out of the pond the last few days. All were either caught on a black bugger or a black popper. I tried a bunch of other flies and a variety of colors but always came back to the color Black. They just would not bite on anything else.

The Final fish below is the brightest colored pan fish caught on the fly over the last few weeks. I am going out again in the next few days, between the rain storms that have pelted the south, and with any luck I will have a few bass and trout pics to share with you. Until then, keep those flies wet and the reels oiled up.

Two Color Brown & Ale

2011-04-04T06:08:00.001-04:00

Messing around the other day I decided to do a small watercolor study of a Brown Trout with only two colors. By layering up the two colors and blending them to give a variety of tones, the end result is a nice study of a Brown with a dripping wet bugger hanging from his lip. If you are interested in having this artwork hanging on your wall, please Email me for purchasing information. For those of you who are wondering what a work like this might run price wise.... $60 plus SH - and it comes with a mat, all ready to be framed. Think about it - thats two rounds of golf .... or one if your golf at a course a bit higher class than my Crab Grass 18. And this work will be on your wall longer than the 97 score card you posted the last time you hit the links.

On another subject, I was passing through northern Michigan the other day and I caught site of this gem on the store shelf. Now I was unable to purchase it and stow it in my carry on luggage but believe me, when I find this Ale again I will be having a little taste test.
For me this is the combination of four of my favorite things.

Its the perfect combination: Beer, Art, Trout, and the Hemingway "Big Two Hearted River" reference. Just about my all time favorite short story. With all that going for it, this beer has got to taste good....Right? If you have ever had this Michigan brew, let me know what you think. I cant wait for an opportunity to taste it.

Golden Trout Winner

2011-04-02T10:03:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Karel, a wandering Tenkara fisher who is now fishing the streams of Colorado, and the recent winner of this painting of a vibrant Golden Trout. Karel was chosen using a Random Number Generator by a neutral party http://www.random.org/ .
I had to chuckle when I saw the winner was Karel of http://www.tenkaraonthefly.net/ because he was actually the recipient of a work I recently created to honor his Tenkara style Bee. If you have yet to visit his site then do yourself a favor and click on over to see the great thing he has going on over there.
I have been asked on a few occasions to paint this beautiful trout and in the future I will probably endeavor to paint a large work on this subject. This painting was actually done with a newer type of watercolor that has a more vibrant color to it than the watercolors I have been using. It turned out great and I am sure that I will be using a lot more of it in the future. As for the actual fish, it is great looking trout and is on my life list of species I want to catch.
Thanks to all of you that entered the contest and the many followers that visit on a regular basis. You support and your contribution to the online fishing community is very much appreciated.

Win This Painting - Last Few Days

2011-03-29T10:05:00.000-04:00

(This is a Re-Post to give everyone a chance to win this painting of a Golden Trout. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. Contest ends at the end of the month.)

This past month has been a big one for this blog. While I was wrapped up with work, family, fishing, and fun my fellow fishing bloggers were busy posting nothing but good things about my site and my art. Every day I log on to find yet another follower or email with someone interested in what I have to say and post. Many of you know that I started this blog as a way to get my butt out on the water as well as force myself to improve my art. At best I was just hoping to share my art and fishing with friends and family. What I did not expect was to have my little blog blow up into what it has become. It is now a daily 'business' just to keep up with it but if that sounds like it is un-enjoyable then you are misunderstanding. It is quite the contrary. I look forward to waking up and checking my email to see if yet another person has purchased a print, or asked about a custom work, or (more recently) asked if any more fly boxes are available (and sorry but no - all sold out quickly).
Well since it is now well into my venture as a fly fishing blogger and all of you have been so kind to this humble fly/paint slinger I thought that it was time to return the favor.
From now until the end of the month, if you leave a comment on THIS post you will be entered into a Thank You Contest. The winner will receive this original painting.

Once again: To enter for a chance to win this original watercolor of the Golden Trout just leave a comment on this post. The winner will be selected randomly out of all the comments. Please, if you run a web site or blog LEAVE your own blog address in the comments so others can visit you as well.
My next post will be in the first week April and will include the name of the winner.

The Watercolor Specs:

- @ 8"x6"

- Gouache & Watercolor

- Acid Free 200lb Paper

- Comes In A Mat Ready To Be Framed

Thanks again to all that have continued to support this blog and encourage me to get on the water and fish. You are to numerous to thank in one post but you know who you are. Good Luck!

1st Bass of 2011 & More

2011-03-21T12:30:00.000-04:00

Starting out with a new little Tenkara Style Fly and a treasure hunt. Your reward - discovering a great blog! Can you find the Tenkara fisher who posted this bee inspired Tenkara fly? Good luck.

Also an update on the search for bass on the fly. I took the new old rod out for another spin the other day with my father in-law and a buddy of mine and hooked up with two nice little fish. We arrived at the pond a little late and just on the tail end of the prime feeding time to find a muddy wash from the previous weeks rains. Despite this we tried out best to throw a bit of top water action without any action and then switched to some deep swimmers.
For my fly I tied on one of my quickly tied buggers I threw together earlier that morning. Black hackle and a crystal & red wool tail, it took these two without little effort, and I mean that literally. The bass hooked up by itself. What happened was I tossed the fly and about ten feet of fly line out into the pond and then turned my attention to untangling the line that had wrapped itself around a bunch of thorns. about 2-3 minuted later and the tangle taken care of I twitch the fly off the bottom and felt that heart stopping tug. A quick fight and a few healthy jumps and the bass was in hand. Sweet!
The little crappie was taken much the same way but this time on purpose - taking what I learned from the first hook up. Notice that the little guy still has his deep water color which tells me that the water is not quite warm enough for these bad boys to be cruising the surface.

All in all these two were the only fish caught that day and despite my insistence that my two fishing companions put down their spinning rods and try my fly caster, they kept to their guns. I figure that if I continue to out fish them with a fly rod then they are bound to cave in one of these days.

Pan Fishing & A Few Boxes Still Available

2011-03-14T14:15:00.000-04:00

I got a new rod the other day and took the morning to test it on a new pond I discovered. Okay, so really it is a vintage rod, complete with an old school Martin automatic reel, I got as a gift from a friend at church. I have never fished with an automatic and it was fun to experiment with it on the open pond.

My original hope was to hook into some bass but as with my last few attempts at landing a bucket mouth I found that those finicky fellows just were not ready to show up. The little pan fish were more than willing to take my woolly and I had a blast flipping those eager fish onto the bank one after another. It might have been a bit overkill with the six weight rod and 3x leader but it was still a great little outing.

I have also gone a bit overboard with the fish pics on this post but what the heck, we all love looking at fish caught on the fly even if they are small panfish.

Along with the fish posts today I woke up to find a number of orders for the nine fly boxes I had ordered and customised with a digital decal. There are still a few boxes available today but if you are really wanting one for your own then get your order in soon because there is only a few left.

And as this is an art and fishing blog, what post would be complete without a little sketch to finish it off. The sketches below are just time wasting sketches of a fly and a Coho.