Wow, I ran into this video today on YouTube that shows the potential dangers of handling fish while wearing gloves. On sunny days, I’ve often worn “sun gloves” while fishing. After seeing this video, I won’t be doing that any more.
Tag Archives: Dave Dozer
Upcoming Show I’ll be at.
Mary Ann and I will be heading down to Northern California for The Fly Fishing Show at the Alameda County Fairgrounds next weekend. I’ll have a booth at the show and Mary Ann will be teaching a couple of classes. This is a great show with a lot to see. If you’re in the bay area, I encourage you to check out the show…and stop by my booth and wiggle a few of my bamboo rods.
The Fly Fishing Show
Fly Patterns – Barbell Eyes on Top and Bottom of the Hook Shank.
Here is something for all you fly tiers out there. Mary Ann and I were tying some streamer flies recently and she asked me about the impact of tying barbell eyes on the top vs. the bottom of the hook shank. My comment was that I thought it was Bob Clouser with his Clouser Minnow patterns who emphasized the position of the barbell eyes: 1) Eyes on the top of the hook shank would make the fly turn over in the water, and 2) Eyes on the bottom of the hook shank and the fly would ride upright in the water. So, we tried an experiment. Mary Ann tied up two rabbit strip streamer flies on #8 2X long, down-eye hooks. One fly with the blue body had the barbell eyes tied on the bottom of the hook shank…the second fly with a chartreuse body had the barbell eyes tied on the top of the hook shank. Our next trip out on the river we shot underwater photos of each fly in the water. Our findings…Bob Clouser was right. So, if you really want your minnow streamer patterns to look realistic, it’s important to make sure where the barbell eyes are tied on the hook. Check it out:
Barbell Eyes Tied on the Bottom of the Hook Shank – Fly Rides Upright in the Water.
Barbell Eyes Tied on the Top of the Hook Shank – Fly turns Over in the Water.
Scenes From Yesterday on the Metolius River
Mary Ann and I got out again on the Metolius River yesterday for a couple of hours of afternoon fishing. There was a great hatch of BWOs but fish weren’t coming up for the adults. But, we did pick up a few rainbows on #18 BWO soft hackles. Also saw quite a few winter stones climbing around on the snowy backs. Here are a few photos from the day.
This little guy was checking out my bamboo rod.
A great close-up photo of the BWOs that were hatching. It looks like I should be tying these flies with brown thread for the correct head color.
A #14 winter stonefly crawling around on the snowbank.
Some fellow anglers on the river, but I suspect these guys were looking for salad rather than meat. Four eating lunch…One watching out for them.
Another Beautiful Day Fly Fishing on the Metolius River.
It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday so Mary Ann and I got away from the house for a little fly fishing on the Metolius River. We’re so lucky that this wonderful free flowing stream is open all year and only 30 minutes from our house. With 4 inches of snow on the ground and 29 degrees, we fished the stretch known as the “water wheel area”. Although there were a few BWOs and midges out on the water, we didn’t see any surface activity so it was a nymphing afternoon. Here we are on the river, and a feisty native rainbow that Mary Ann landed on a stonefly nymph imitation.
Dave and Mary Ann on the Metolius River.
The Metolius River in January
A nice little native rainbow