Baitfish

At approx. $15 for a dozen colored sharpies, it is a bargain compared to other premium pens.  The prismacolor markers used to be my favorite when I used to illustrate, however the price of each pen at nearly $5 is outrageous for flies.  I am thoroughly impressed with the range of color and vividness of the sharpie pens.  The color pigment also dries incredibly fast which makes less color smearing and finger printing.

 As springs approaches, my opportunity to use fish fry patterns comes closer.  I tied a few different fish species for opportunities I may have on various lakes and streams.

The California Golden Trout
It has been a few years since I have been on the south fork of the Kern river. I had found monster brown trout the last time I explored one of the high elevation meadows (a section where the south fork snakes through).  It is no secret that these brown brutes are indulging on the snack sized golden trout.  Hopefully I can catch a kypezilla before they are electro-shocked and eliminated from the watershed.

Bluegill
Typically MVL comes alive with bluegill and bass fry around April.  This fishery really picks up and remnants of educated steelhead sized trout, trophy bluegill and largemouth bass can be caught all in one day.  Woolly buggers have proven there effectiveness last year, now I will try some new offerings.

Threadfin Shad
The lower Kern river is sometimes overshadowed by its bigger brother, the upper Kern river.  I am personally guilty for overlooking this fishery due to bait-fishing pressure and unstable flow rates.  Access is also difficult in many areas and car theft is notorious.  Aside from all that, this fishery is known to produce some fat rainbow trout due to the shad population released from Lake Isabella.  Smallmouth bass are also a possible catch if flow rates permit.  Unfortunately, it seems that the best time of year to catch smallmouth bass (spring-summer) is also during the kayak and diaper hatch.

There is a handfull of bass lakes scattered throughout southern California where fish can be taken on a shad fly.

Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H (I tied these on size 4)
Head: 3D eyes (silver 3/8")  I formed the head with Loon UV Knot Sense and sealed with Loon Hard Head (clear). 
Body: Craft fur (white) Taper and color the bodies depending on fish species. I also wrap non-toxic weighted wire around the hook shank if I wish to sink the fly faster.

Ghost Shrimp

I was experimenting with some saltwater shrimp patterns today and I came up with this creature.  The fly is made up of random material floating around my tying table and I was fairly pleased with the result. Although, it seems like I tied the fly upside down now that I'm looking at the photo of my fly.  It will probably evolve as I tinker with it more.

Hook:  Gamakatsu SL11-3H (I tied this on a size 6)
Head:  Dazl-Eyes 5/32" Black
Mouthparts:
  Bottom; White Craft Fur (fuzzy end)
  Middle: Strands of ghost flash
  Top: White Z-lon
Body:   Pearl Blue Angel Hair (dubbed and tapered toward tail); Pink or orange glo-bug yard pulled over length of shank; Ribbed edge of sandwich bag cut to size and pulled over body like a wing casing.  Silver wire ribbed to re-enforce the body.
Tail:  Tag end of the sandwich bag (tapered at the eye of the hook so it doesn't fold the tail when tied off).  I just simply rounded the tail.

Best of 2012

Grand Canyon NP, AZ 

March

The journey to the Grand Canyon was memorable in many ways.  The hike down blew my knee out and our hike out was in a impeding arctic storm.  I'll never forget getting snowed in at the Grand Canyon and fly fishing in a place so surreal.  This is definitely ranked amongst my favorite trout destinations.

Little Truckee River, CA

May

 I lost a giant here, however I did manage to get this fine fish on my last cast of the day.  

Truckee River, NV

 May

Erika out fished me here.   I was flat out skunked on the Truckee River on both the CA and NV side.  This may be her largest trout so far on a fly.  It was priceless to see her hook and land the fish all on her own. 

Kings Canyon NP, CA

 June

There are no words to describe the beauty of this canyon and the river.  The river takes on multiple characteristics throughout the canyon.  Deep pocket water for nymphing and riffles, runs and pools for dry flies.  Rainbow trout and Brown trout are the only two species I have caught here.  And for some reason, all these fish fight tooth and nail. I've never fought trout so powerful inch for inch.

Upper Kern River, CA

 September

Backpacking into the upper Kern river with Tuck and Joseph led us to one of the most productive days I've ever had fly fishing.  The nymph fishing was ridiculously good all day.  Foam hoppers were also extremely effective.  These native Kern River Rainbows fight as wild as they look.  

Upper Owens River, CA

December

Determination and willingness to brave the cold will bring great reward on the Upper Owens River.  Winter brings large migratory rainbows from Crowley Lake, however these fish are extremely wary and difficult to land.  Light tippet and stealth tactics are required to connect.  

Cliff "The Super Days Worth"

 It's been at least six months since I've purchased this fly box and finally I've had some down time to tie flies.  It's purpose is to be my general Sierra Nevada box.  Super days worth is a understatement.. this box is more like a super week's worth.   This thing is crammed with nearly everything on a trout's menu.  This box has been on backpacking trips into the Kern river this past summer, along with just about everywhere else I've been in the past six months. 

There are three main parts to this fly box.  A general dry fly compartment, terrestrial and streamer compartment, and a inner magnetized nymph compartment underneath the terrestrial page.  I'm not going to lie, this thing is a little bulky.  It is 1.5" x 4" x 5.5" in dimension.  Kind of big to put in a fly box pocket in a fishing shirt.  Although this box primarily lives in my hip pack, I have found a few problems that I wish Cliff would correct. 

First of all, this box is not water proof.  The Kern river is a slippery freestone, where even the strongest of anglers will be guaranteed to fall. Unfortunately I'm one of those anglers that frequently slips and falls, and gets wet.  This box has been submerged more than once, and water will find it's way in.  The inner nymph compartment is somewhat sealed by the foam liner, however water will eventually filter in.  I do not recommend this box for wading in deep water.  I have recently purchased a waterproof C&F box that will eventually become my new Kern box.

Pros:  Rugged build, large fly capacity, organized compartments, assembled in U.S.A, looks kinda cool.

Cons: not waterproof, on the bulky side.

This box has served me well, and will probably remain as my go to box since the box holds enough flies to cover most trout water that I fish.

Dry Fly Compartment

Terrestrial & Streamers

Nymphs