White Bass Boats

For those of you who have ever caught a white bass on the fly, this time of year can be the most action packed of the entire fishing season. Thats right, I'm talking about the annual white bass run. Here in Arkansas and Missouri, the white bass begin staging their spawn in the lower sections of our lakes right about now. Typically during mid February and early March the white bass, hybrids, and stripers will school up at the mouth of the river gorging themselves with gizzard shad before they finally push up river for the spawn.  No one really knows what triggers the fish to move up stream and begin the spawning process. In Northwest Arkansas we usually see the first few spawning white bass in the second or third week in March and the masses to join them the second week of April.

White bass are an extremely strong fish species, and many anglers confess their obsession with this neglected sport fish. For those of us that chase these silver bullets with the fly, the next three weeks are our prep time. I am going to spend the next few weeks writing articles for our white bass season. I hope that you enjoy the information and can put it to good use this spring. Today I will be discussing the most important white bass topic... BOATS

You cant catch any spawning white bass unless you can get to them. Not every fly angler can purchase a boat, but that does not mean that you have to miss out on the white bass spawn. I spent 5 springs during college chasing white bass from the bank, and you CAN do it. However, for the best results, you need to have a boat that can travel in skinny water. Arkansas is a tricky place to purchase a boat due to the broad range of fish species located within the state and the variety of bodies of water. For white bass you need a boat that drafts very little water but also provides stability. I choose to purchase a 16’ war eagle that is 48” wide. This boat drafts very little water yet gives enough stability to allow 3 fisherman. My boat has a 40 horse Johnson tiller steer motor on it, and while the boat is very quick, the motor might be a little big for the water I fish. My boat is big enough that it allows me to drive across the lake at 30 mph, but small enough to get way up stream to find the spawning white bass.

The great thing is that you don’t have to spend very much money. You can find a great white bass boat for $3,000. The john boat market is especially HUGE here in Arkansas where most duck hunters have aluminum boats. However, there are some things to watch out for when looking for used john boats. Make sure that the boat does not leak, and don’t take the sellers word for it. GO TEST DRIVE THE BOAT. If the seller is unwilling to let you test drive the boat then you need to move on. Aluminum boats are welded together, and welds can break. Check all the corners of the boat for any broken welds, this will be an indication if the boat has encountered any major trauma. Also, there is not much to the boat itself; it is a big hunk of aluminum. The motor is what you need to watch out for. Check around the propeller to see is there is any visible oil leaking from the lower unit. Additionally, check and make sure the propeller does not have any major damage. When you start the motor, let is sit in LOW IDLE. 9 times out of 10, if that motor runs flawlessly in low idle, then you are safe to purchase..

This is a great time of year to purchase a jon boat.. I hope that these tips will help you in your search for the perfect white bass chasing machine.

Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!

- J-Ferg

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LUNCH LINKS!!!

For those of us here in NW Arkansas, this Monday is especially tough. Many of us had several days off for snow (at least those of us who work at or attend schools). Being back in the action has created a severe case of the Mondays! Check out these links to get you through it:

• Will felt-sole boots be outlawed in Montana? Find out what folks are saying here.
• Have you ever wanted to build your own fly rod? These Montana kids are getting that opportunity with a sweet class offered by the Magic City Fly Fishers.
• Field and Stream Fly-Fishing Blog: When You Dream of Just One Fishing Spot ...
• Check out this fishy tale from NZ ... I'm not sure what to take from it.
• Reading the Water: How to find Trout in a Stream.

And how about some eye candy?

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LUNCH (err ... mid-afternoon) LINKS!!!

Back by popular demand (albeit a little late today), your Tuesday Link Love! Check out the latest:

• Maybe its for money ... maybe not, but reading this makes me want the Mother of All Fly Catalogs!
• Ever heard of Fish Porn?
• Brian McGeehan explains how to plan the ideal cast when fishing nymphs.
• John Berry tells how fly fishing guides are reporting the impact from river runoff.
• John Berry's Fly-Fishing for Trout: Two Ways to Fish the Top of the Water.

And of course ... your eye candy:

Is your eye-candy B-Ferg or the big brownie he's holding?

You decide!

Holla at us if there's something you want to read about, and until next time, cast to THE OTHER SIDE!!!

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The New J-Ferg Bench (ORDER ONE NOW!!!)

Inevitably, when you start fly-fishing, you will soon begin to feel the urge to start tying your own flies. And so the journey of learning how to tie those delicate size 22 BWO's and the articulating circus peanut begins. As most tiers progress, they begin to get particular about their tying setup, tools, and desk. This definitely sums up my journey as a tier.

Seth, AKA the Prez, got a very nice fly-tying bench from Oasis for Christmas, and this thing is nasty. After seeing it, I decided to take on the task of building my own bench in an attempt to save some scrilla. Below, you will see my creation. Though it is not 100% complete, it was a fun project to cure my fishing blues.

All the materials you see in the pictures below are from Walmart and can be purchased affordably. The tools I used consisted of a skill saw, screw gun, chop saw, and a little bit of sweat. See my step by step process below:

I bought 2 TV trays from Walmart 

I started by deconstructing both TV trays by removing the legs

I used a skill saw to rip one of the cutting boards into 3 pieces, 2 side trays, and one box tray for the back

I used the leg material of the TV tray stand to prop the sides up and screwed them to the base tray

Both side trays are installed, and hey, I even used the screws that came with the TV tray! Resourcefulness! How about that!

I installed the back box tray, then used a dark walnut stain to cover my cut edges ...

And believe it or not TOSFly readers, all this was done for a VERY reasonable cost! All I have left to do is layout my holes for wood dowels to hold thread, and the holes for my tools!

It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to build one of these, you just have to be creative and have fun! I loved doing this project because I built a fly-tying table that fit my needs. I encourage you to try building your own! Or, if you don't feel up for it, just shoot us an email and you can order a custom table from TOSFly! Contact us for pricing! Either fill out the contact form, or shoot us an email at info@TOSFly.com!

Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!

- J-Ferg

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Lunch Links!!!

Case of the Mondays? Here's some Monday link love for you:

• Keep your catch or catch and release? It's a decision we all make upon entering the world of fly-fishing.
• Despite the big box companies putting many local fly shops out of business, this shop brings new hope to anglers in his city.
• John Berry's Fly-Fishing Report: Fly-fishing is good for those who brave the elements.
• Check out John Merwin's top fly patterns for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
• For the fly tiers out there: Dave Whitlock explains how to tie his famous Dave's hopper! This pattern is a must for dry fly fishing.
• And one more for the guys who tie their own: How to Tie Better Deer Hair Flies!

Now for your eye-candy:

This pic was taken from our most recent Little Red Trip. You can check out the review by clicking the picture above or here!

Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!!!

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Little Red Winter Trip

Last weekend, as many of you know, the TOSFly crew packed up their gear and took off for the Little Red River outside of Heber Springs, Arkansas. The crew included J-Ferg, Brett Ferguson (AKA B-Ferg), Chud, The Prez, Dean Rose (AKA Deano AKA the Prez's Pops-In-Law), and Deano's friend Bill Ray (AKA Wild Bill). We had an absolute blast fishing and just kicking it at the cabin. We spent hours at night discussing technique and strategy. The TOSFly crew sends out a special thanks to Deano for generously allowing us to crash at his amazing place. Here's a pic of good old Deano for you:

Deano with a nice brown caught at Cow Shoals

For those of you who have not visited the Little Red, you need to put this place on your fly-fishing bucket list. When they are not generating, the river becomes very small and shallow at most wadable fly-fishing shoals. We had to change our nymphing techniques for very shallow, fast-moving runs as well as semi-deep, stagnant water. The name of the game during the winter months on most trout fly fisheries is slow and small. Everything gets smaller in the winter, and this should include your leader, tippet, and flies. Most trout become lethargic during the cold winter months, and their feeding habits change. We caught the tail end of what seemed to be a late season brown trout spawn. Although there were no visible redds, a couple of the browns caught were depositing eggs as we netted them.

We spent most of the weekend nymphing with small (size 18-22) red asses and midges. The key to success for us was not using ANY split shot. The water was shallow and slow enough to forego the use of weight. The absence of split truly helped the fly get a more natural drift into the feeding lanes. We tried pulling streamers in some of the deeper pools, but we only seemed to land small stocker rainbows. Much of our pulling came up empty handed.

The Little Red is an extraordinary fishery. You can truly see the difference in stocked brown trout and naturally reproduced browns. All the fish that we caught over the weekend were full of life and put up a hard fight. If you want to land a trophy brown trout, the Little Red is hands down the place to go! Now, enjoy a little photo foursome for your viewing pleasure:

Until next time,

Cast to The Other Side!

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LUNCH LINKS!!!

It's hump day, and you are stuck in that cubicle hating your life. Why not blow some time on your lunch break with some fish-related reading material?

• Want to win an awesome trip to the salt? You can get into some sharks with one of the best! Check this out!
• John Berry's Fly Fishing for Trout: Spring is Just Around the Corner! It is time to get all your gear ready.
• Fly-Fishing the Florida Shad run. 
• Yeah ... we do our own gear reviews, but this thing looks sweet and a review can be found here!

And now ... Your hump day eye candy for the week!

This big guy was a fighter for Ferg!

Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!!!

~ Prez

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LUNCH LINKS!!!

I know ... you just got back from that long weekend trip. You celebrated some MLK yesterday, and now you are itching to get back on the water. Well, to get you through the week, how about a little reading material. Here's some Tuesday link love for your enjoyment:

• Is there such a thing as catching too many fish?
• Check out this post on how a bamboo rod making tradition is passed down.
• If you are new to the sport, here is a guide for selecting a fly rod.
• An environmental group's legal victory to block contaminated dumping into a popular fly-fishing stream sets precedent to protect Michigan waters from pollution.
• Biologists are upbeat about the trout population samples taken from the White and Norfork Rivers.

Ok ... I think that will get you through the lunch hour. How about some eye candy to entice your weekend longing to be on the water:

And as always ... Cast to The Other Side!!!

~ Prez

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5 Tips for Successful Winter Fly Fishing

If you're a die hard fly-fisherman like me and the fellas at TOSFly, you can't help but eat, drink, sleep, and dream about fly-fishing. When you are so passionate about something, you can't go without it for 4-6 months out of the year while the snow falls and the flows drop. You have to find ways to go out and fish the winter water to catch some fish!

The problem with winter fishing is that it is completely different from any other time of year. With temps dropping and flows at all time lows, the fish are less apt to feed, and they are easier than ever to spook. When you sight a fish in the summer, you match the harch, throw a good cast, and hook the fish. In the winter, there is no hatch, and the fish are on the bottom, barely moving. These big guys will let the fly hit them in the face before they will even think about eating it. 

Here's the good news. WIth the right technique and a change in your normal fishing routine, you can catch some of the biggest fish of the year; and you will land them with greater success then other times of the year, namely summer.

I'm going to give you 5 tips to help you catch trout during the winter. So, read this over, bundle up, grab your de-icer and nymphing box, and go catch that HOG!!!

• Fish with more weight

It's a common mistake for most fishermen to not fish with as much weight as they should. In the winter, those fish are not willing to move. You will have a tough time finding the fish during the winter if you're not on the bottom. Weight you fly taking into consideration the depth and current, then adjust your leader accordingly. Because the water is typically warmer neat the bottom, the fish cling to the bottom, and weighting your fly will put it in the strike zone where it needs to be.

• Fish with longer leader

It's typical in Colorado to fish with only a 7.5 to 9 foot leader. However, in the winter I would highly recommend fishing with nothing less than a 10 foot leader. I personally prefer the 12 ft. 6X leaders, and I have fished some up to 16 feet. I do this for several reasons. First, the flows are typically lower, and the fish will be spooky. Using a longer leader will help your presentation. Secondly, it is important to set your rig deeper when winter fishing. I have fished my rig as deep as 7 feet before and pulled some pigs out of it. Fishing with a longer leader will help you get to those type of fish.

• Fish SLOW, I mean VERY SLOW

I have fished the same hole for an hour, and caught nothing on my first 500 casts. Then, on number 501, that 18-inch brown finally decided it was hungry and took a bite out of my midge. Maybe all those casts simulated a hatch, maybe I made the perfect cast that set the fly in his house, either way, fishing slower and working every inch of the water will help make the difference between a successful day, and a cold one.

• Fish smaller flies

Simply said, pretend everywhere you fish during the winter a tailwater. Sizes 18 to 26 are the flies I am talking about here. If you need to buy old man glasses, don't feel bad. It is tough to thread those small midges when it's 15 below and your hands don't seem to be working. Small midges, san juan worms, egg patterns, scuds, and streamers are 99% of the active food in the water at that time. Using these patters but going up 2-3 sizes will be the ticket. The winter weather doesn't allow for the growth of larger bugs, and the fish know that and stay keyed in on those smaller patterns.

• Watch that indicator

It's just the cold (sometimes VERY cold) hard fact that not every fish is going to feed during the winter. A lot of times you will see a fish, spend all day casting to him, and the big guy doesn't take a single thing. He just sits there, and you have to foul hook him in the mouth to land him (which is really not fishing in my opinion). If the fish do eat, it is just a slight movement and an opening of the mouth. You will not see the indicator go under water as your line screams out; instead, you will see a slight hesitation in your indicator. It will look exactly like your fly got stuck on the bottom for just a quick second and then return to normal. If that happens, set the hook; you probably have a fish.

My final piece of advice is this: if there is a hatch, fish it! You rarely will have a better time dry fly fishing than on the right day in the winter when the trout are rising to those wonderful blue-winged olives ever so gingerly. It is a real joy and rarity to experience, and it is a moment that our wonderful God blesses us with only on the rarest of days.

So find a local tailwater, or any stretch of open water for that matter, remember what your friends at TOSFly told you, and get out and fish!!!

Float Em high,

Dry Fly or Die --- Allen Gardner

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LUNCH LINKS!!!

Some Monday linkage for you:

• On the fly: Reasons to love the wintertime!
• A true fly-fisherman never tosses out anything.
• John Berry gives the statewide fishing report: If you have a youngster, now is the time to hit Dry Run Creek! It is teeming with large trout.
• Lake trout in the Great Lakes are being threatened by this ugly beast! Interesting article on invasive species.

And some eye-candy to go along with it!

The TOSFly team had some great success on the Little Red River this weekend! Check back frequently for a report on our trip!

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LUNCH LINKS!!!!

Alright readers of TOSFly, I'm about to head to the Little Red River this weekend with many of the guys from the TOSFly team as well as J-Ferg's bro, B-Ferg. However, I couldn't leave you hanging without a Thursday lunch link!!!

• Fly Fishing Publications Fete Four Pieces of Simms Gear!
• Streamer Fishing for Trout - Know Their Holding Lies!
• Fly-Fish with your Spinning Reel? Check this out to see what it is all about.
• Here's a nice bit of helpful basic advice on Dry Fly Fishing.

And now ... without further ado ... your Thursday Eye Candy:

See ya next week suckas!!!

-Prez

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Picture Perfect

Well readers, first and foremost, I want to apologize for my absence lately. A severe case of strep throat had me down for a while. The product we are looking at today is not a fly fishing specific product, but it sure can be utilized during your next fly-fishing excursion! I recently purchased the Nikon D3100 DSLR camera. I must admit that the purchase of this camera was due in part to the amazing photography of Catch Magazine.

Now on to some of the great features of this camera. This thing has 14.2 megapixels for very clear pictures. The high megapixel count along with the famous Nikon lenses make it easy to capture all the contrasting colors we see on the river. Shots of early morning fog, sunsets, and sunrises can be seen much more clearly on the 3100 because of these awesome features.

In addition to the clarity of the pictures, this bad boy shoots full HD videos. That's right. HD! And let me tell you right now, the video quality is out of this world!

What I love most about this camera is that it is the most user friendly camera on the market. Nikon gives you an on board tutorial on how to use the camera and all of its features. You can have the camera tell you what your aperture and shutter speed settings need to be for a particular shot. It has a guide mode with on-board assistance for setting up for all your pictures. The 3100 also has in-camera editing options for optimizing any of your photos before you download them on your computer.

What else do you need to know? Well besides the awesome capability to capture low light situations due to the ISO sensitivity 100-3200 (giving us great pictures for those dawn and dusk brown trout!), this thing is compact and super light. That is the best part. It's easy to carry, and it captures great pics. It is an ideal camera for the TOSFly team, and it is a perfect camera for you.

Trust me ...

If you want more info about the endless features this camera has to offer, visit Nikon's website here.

Until next time, cast to The Other Side!!!

- J-Ferg

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Lunch Links!!!

Wednesday edition prepared especially for Brett Ferguson!

• If you are a northern angler, there are some areas that are offering A+ fishing right now! Check this out!
• If you are in or around the Tulsa area and want to help out a great charity, check out this program! Tie some flies, help charity.
• Being a fly-fishing guide is the best job in the world ... Need proof? Check it out.
• Winter flies when you're tying flies!

And now ... without further ado, your Wednesday eye candy:

I decided to hook you up with a couple! Until next time ... Cast to The Other Side!

Holla!

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Eleven Point River Review

TOSfly crew, I have just returned from a four-day float on Missouri's Eleven Point River located in the Irish Wilderness of the Mark Twain National Forest.  I must give thanks to Tom Sr., Jim, and Tom Jr. for allowing me to join them on their annual winter trip.  I must all also thank the Lord for the safe keeping and the beautiful blessing of seeing majestic Bald Eagles giving our campsite a fly-by everyday.  Tom provided all of the great camp food and gear that made the camping trip extremely comfortable in the midst of freezing temperatures.  Jim provided the boat ferry as well as the great history of the area that we were fishing.  Thanks to both gents for the fellowship that was shared over coffee and bacon-wrapped chicken.  I would love to share every detail about the trip but word counts will not allow.  Therefore I will hit the highlights.  We caught fish.  Lots of fish.  The two types that were caught in abundance were beautiful, golden bellied rainbows and red-eyed goggle eye.  The river, according to Jim and Tom, was a lot lower than usual therefore producing a lot of different runs/shoals throughout our 6-mile stretch.

We caught the great majority of our fish stripping boogers (olive/brown/black) across the shoals and through the deep holes at the end of the shoals.  The rainbows averaged around 13'' with a few fellas around the 17-18'' range.  The colors on these fish amazing.  They had this golden belly with orange tips on the fins.  I had to take a double look to make sure we were not catching some rogue cutties.  The goggle eye were caught where a warm creek flowed into the Eleven Point.  The fish were hanging out at the bottom of the river and were enticed by our olive boogers.  They were fun fish to reel in.

Throughout the trip we battled harsh conditions.  Wind began to pick up as a cold front was pushing through.  The night before this front we made about a mile hike up river to fish a certain shoal that proved successful in the past for the natives.  All four of us (Jesse, Thomas, John, Myself) caught a lot of rainbows. The fish seemed to be gorging themselves before the cold front hit.  It was a great couple of hours stripping some boogers. It is always fun to feel the tug.

This trip was amazing.  There was turquoise water with shadows of eagles over top, mixed with the emerald flashing of bows feeding underneath.  It was a great trip indeed.  New faces became friends over campfire fellowship and stories of the days fish.  Not to mention the roasted mallows that accompanied our stomachs after filet mignon.  Thanks Tom and Jim for the opportunity.  Im a lucky man. Check out the slide show below!

Until next time, cast to The Other Side

Blessed waters,

Chad

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Case of the Mondays? LUNCH LINKS!!!

How about some Monday link love? It's a cold day here in AR, but the TOSFly team is headed to the Little Red River this weekend despite the harsh weather! Expect a review post next week, but in the meantime, how about some afternoon or lunch time reading material!

• A great article about a great group of guys: Class act men's ministry hosts a fly-tying series!
• Check out John Berry's latest: A fly fisherman's new years resolutions.
• Cool article about Montana native and "A River Runs Through It" "star" Arnold Richardson. Check out this story.
• All the ballers love fly-fishing, including Liam Neeson!
• Field and Stream's fly trends of 2011.

And now your Case-of-the-Mondays eye candy for the week!

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Top 10 Flies you MUST have for Colorado

I recently traveled to New Zealand. In preparing for my trip, I read several articles on the fly-fishing there, each of which told me how different the fly-fishing was. Nonetheless, I talked myself into thinking that fish are fish and it couldn't be that different. Well ... I caught fish, but I could have caught a whole lot more if I had better prepared myself. The point of my story is this: If you travel to a new river in a new state or country, you had better prepare yourself.

90% of what a fish eats is brown and round; the rest is presentation. While this is true, I could tell you countless stories of fish refusing 19 different flies of all kinds, shapes, colors, etc, just to take the 20th fly because it was tied with extra small wire instead of small wire. Fly selection is a key ingredient in successful fishing, especially in Colorado.

I'm here to touch on my 10 favorite and most successful flies for Colorado, and hopefully you catch more fish as a result of this article! Some of these patterns are common and will catch fish practically anywhere. However, there are some variations of patters that I am very fond of, and I'll share 10 of them with you here on TOSFly.

Number 10 
Parachute BWO

Early Spring, late fall, or any other time those picky trout are refusing your big, intimidating dry fly, this small fly is a wonderful alternative. This fly is most productive when you are forced to present to those trout in still water in an extremely delicate and inconspicuous way. I love throwing this to trout I have sighted first with 6x or 7x tippet, then watching that selective cutthroat suck down that fly ever so softly. It is productive in a variety of water bodies including lakes, streams, and rivers. Whether you have the still water or a faster current, I encourage you to throw this fly when fishing Colorado. Be careful when tying this one, however. If you don't place the wings correctly, you could face some frustrating hook sets.

Number 9
San Juan Worm

Purists, skip this selection. I try to keep it dry fly or die, but during the winter, you might as well stay in and have a beer because you're not going to catch them on dries on a consistent enough basis to make it worthwhile. So, if I'm going to break the rules, I'm at least going to catch fish. This is a great indicator fly, and when adding a double tungsten weight to the shank, you are able to get it down deep to those winter holes where the trout seem to never leave. Use this pattern in combination with a midge, and you should be golden on those winter days when nothing else seems to work. Trust me.

Number 8 
Pearl Bugger

A simple pearl chord makes this brown wooly bugger deadly in Colorado. I came across this pattern one spring, when the water was running too high to fish. I weighted it down and ran it along the banks; wouldn't you know it, in three to four casts the browns started to just hammer it. It is my "go-to fly" when the flows are beyond what any normal fly can handle.

This fly is also extremely effective in deeper pools and for some mountain lake fishing. Just be sure to weight it down with some lead wire and a nice heavy bead head. Your results will be worth it.

Number 7
Stimulator

Whether it is hoppers, caddis, or leaves, fish seem to attack this thing during the summer, and it seems to look like just about everything. I have always caught a fish throwing these flies during the summer. They are great for throwing as a lead dry and dropping a nymph below. Or you can fish it my favorite way by throwing a super small hopper behind it to see some great dry fly action.

Number 6
Top Secret Midge

You are among a very privileged few considering I'm revealing this information to you given its top-secret nature. There is no secret, however, as to how many fish this pattern will catch. What I love most about this fly is its ability to catch those large, picky fish; especially during the winter. This is a great pattern tied in brown, maroon and olive. This is a money pattern.

Number 5
Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

It had to show up somewhere in this list. I fish this all-purpose fly whenever I don't know what the fish are feeding on because it always helps me figure out the right pattern. This fly is so versatile, you can fish it 100 different ways. After making several casts, this little fly will start producing, and it will give you a strong idea of what the fish are doing and what they are truly feeding on.

This is a must have fly in both weighted and unweighted varying sizes.

Number 4

Pheasant Tail

My uncle, Shane Freehling, claims this is the only fly he can use year-round that will ALWAYS catch fish. I think he may be right. Though the hare's ear and the pheasant tail are similar, the pheasant tail has much more definition and coloration making it a very realistic pattern the fish react to from a large distance with a competitive appetite.

When the fish are emerging, fish this like you would a streamer in small sizes without an indicator, and you will catch them by the dozens.

Number 3
Madam X

This big, bulky fly is quite the fish catcher. While most of the time smaller flies will catch fish, this fly is one of my favorites due to the size of the fish it catches. Now I've caught large fish on size #24 midges, but what's great about a size 8-10 madam x is those smaller fish cant get it in their mouths like the big browns can. I've seen voracious attacks on this fly.

I've seen a fish move from across the bank to come and get this fly. It's not about being calm and quiet with this fly; let it slap the water, let it move on the water, you'll be in for quite the show if you provide the action. The Madam X catches big fish during those warm summer days, and it never misses a show.

Number 2
Parachute Hopper

Most people define the seasons as winter, spring, summer, and fall; I describe the seasons as midge time, bwo time, hopper time, and hopper time. There is not another fly in my box (besides #1) that I wouldn't throw 100% of the time. The pattern is undeniably attractive to the fish. They must know instinctively (or by experience) that the hopper holds as much protein as it does.

I've had fish fight over this fly, jump 5 ft. out of the water for it, and chase it 30 ft. down a riffle too fast for me to stand in. This is one hatch that is easy to match. As you walk into the river, you'll see grasshoppers bouncing around your feet. Leave the rest of your flies in the car, you're only going to need the hopper in Colorado.

The trick is tying the legs so they continuously flare out away from the body as if the bug has sprung its last jump. The fish see the profile and the legs, and it is off to the races!

Number 1
CDC Caddis

I won't say it's a bug you can fish year round, but you can catch fish from May to November in Colorado on this pattern. Not only does it float well given its CDC wings, but it imitates an emerger, adult, and caddis pupa if fished correctly. I have caught more fish on a CDC caddis than any fly in my box. It is my "go-to fly" for Colorado. You can tear them up on mother's day down on the Arkansas river during the world-famous caddis hatch.

The beauty of this fly is you can tie 3 on your line in different colors, and fish them all as an adult cluster. You can also split them up: one as a dry, one as an emerger, and one as a nymph (slightly weighted to sink). The versatility, natural look, and action you get from the fly makes this fly my number one choice for flies to fish in Colorado. You can't go wrong with it if it's the right time of year.

If you're thinking about coming to Colorado, and you are looking for fly selection advice, I have others that will catch fish when all else fails. However, you are going to have 90% of your opportunities to catch fish with these flies listed above.

So pack up your gear, give me a shout, and get out here and fish Colorado!

Dry Fly or Die!

Allen Gardner

Allen Gardner is a Colorado fly fishing enthusiast who also spends a little time writing articles. He is a semi-regular contributor for TOSFly.com on topics pertaining to Colorado. Stay tuned for more of his stuff coming soon!

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