Pursuit Flies - Ghost Pimpy Shrimp

Have I mentioned before that I dig Instagram?  This photo posted by Pursuit Flies of their Ghost Pimpy Shrimp pattern is another good reason why.  What a cool step by step tutorial, all in one image, on how to tie this pattern that will certainly find it's way into my redfish box.

If you want to tie a few yourself here's how...

STEP ONE - Tie on small lead eyes toward the front of the hook and make sure to leave room for deer hair between the eye of the hook.

STEP TWO - Tie a loop of 20 lb mono off the back of the hook so that the tail won't foul.

STEP THREE - Add a clump of  tan craft fur for the tail and Barr the tail with a brown sharpie or other marker.

STEP FOUR - Then, tie in and wrap pink ice chenille halfway to the lead eyes.

STEP FIVE - Take two strands of sili legs and tie them in on top of the chenille, doubling them over so that there are four legs hanging off the back.

STEP SIX - From then on, spin white deer up towards the eye of the hook.

STEP SEVEN - Trim the head down leaving a little collar and you are ready to fish!

Check out the Pursuit Flies website to purchase this fly or others and follow along on Facebook and Instagram as well.

Mr. T.F.M. On The Family Pond

You might remember the character drawing that Wes Ashcraft did of me last hefting a redfish and recently he sent that original along with this one of me on the family pond with my beloved bluegills and bass in vivid color and a gaudy yellow Featherlight in hand.

Wes Ashcraft does a limited amount of commissions and can be reached best by email if you are interested in him turning you or someone you know into a cartoon.

Glass Expo Weekend Events

For those of you in the Livingston Manor, New York area this is another reminder that the International Glass Expo is this weekend and will be held at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum.  This will be a fun weekend for those who attend and I am looking forward to being there.

The weekends events include these presentations...

SATURDAY, MAY 18TH
10:00 a.m. - Cameron Mortenson “The Reinvention of the Fiberglass Fly Rod”

2:00 p.m. - Joe Cornwall “Short and Sweet, Where Fiberglass is King”

4:00 p.m. - Victor Johnson “Four Points of Light; Fiberglass Fly Rods”

SUNDAY, MAY 19TH
10:00 a.m. - Mike McFarland “Fiberglass Blank Rolling Process”

2:00 p.m. - Dr. Todd E. A. Larson “Arthur Howald: The Father of the Glass Fly Rod”

There will be several vendors with fly rods on display including W. Jude Rod Co. and McFarland Rods.  Mark McKellip will also be in attendance with one of his stacked leather handle fly rods.  There will be a variety of vintage and modern glass rods available to try out on the lawn or on an American Casting Association style casting course thanks to Per Brandin.

I will have a small display as well and am carrying up several dozen contemporary fiberglass fly rods from an assortment of companies and small shop builders for those who wish may demo.

This will be a great event and tickets are still available by contacting the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum.  Tickets are $15 for the day or $25 for the weekend.

Reel Simple Fly Fishing's Bleenie

This week's Year of the Bluegill fly tying tutorial comes from Glenn and Andrea Lyn Van Benschoten, of Reel Simple Fly Fishing, who authored the book Ten Flies Simple Ties and they are sharing the Bleenie pattern which is their take on the blood weenie.

BLEENIE MATERIALS LIST
Nymph Hook - 2x Heavy/2x Long;
Hook Sizes - 12-16
Thread - 6/0 Red Tying Thread
Body - One Strand of Red Yarn

STEP ONE:  Wind a thread base towards the bend of the hook.

STEP TWO: After unplying the yarn for a custom body size, tie a tail on the hook shank just before the bend of the hook (using three or four wraps) and wrap the thread forward toward the hook eye.

STEP THREE: Wind the yarn forward to just behind the hook eye, without crowding the hook eye.

STEP FOUR: Wind the thread over the yarn ending behind the hook eye with three or four additional wraps and cut the excess yarn.

STEP FIVE: Complete with a few half hitches (three or four). Apply glue behind hook eye at the thread head for a solid knot hold.

This is a good all-around nymph pattern. It is most often tied in size 16 in the blood red.  Instead of using chenille, where its size is predetermined, yarn allows for unplying to adjust the body size as well as providing for a more “buggy” look.

Feel free to adjust the body color depending on what works best in different areas.  This is a great fly to catch panfish, as well a trout and the use the 2x heavy nymph hook allows for a slow descent.  Experiment with hook length and weight.  This fly in still water should be fished slow with a few strips and stop to let it drop and then strip some more.  In rivers, cast out and dead drift it along with the current.  For a quicker descent, consider adding wire to the hook before tying the fly.

For more information check out the Real Simple Fly Fishing website.  Ten Flies Simple Ties can be purchased in soft cover and is also available for Nook and Kindle as well.

This Week In #glassisnotdead

From fish caught on glass of all sorts to rod building to 600 mile road trips, this week's #glassisnotdead hashtag post has a little of everything.

Click on the highlighted names to visit the Instagram pages for more photo goodness.

@5ive3hree
@bluehalogear

@chasinalice

@dr_gonzo77

@fishbum44

@gdblencoe

@gillmania

@jeanpierrefrederick

@mikedhamm

@robyas

@seamfishing

@snowman_custom_rod_works

Remember to hashtag your Twitter and Instagram photos with #glassisnotdead and #yearofthebluegill to be included in these posts.

Promont Outdoors

I've been following Promont Outdoors for the last year or so and it's been really neat to watch them build and grow their brand.  The Promont Outdoors website recently relaunched with an all new line up for spring/summer 2013 which is certainly worth a look.

For all things Montana...and more...take a minute and check out the Promont Outdoors website.  Follow along on Facebook and Twitter as well.

C. Barclay Fly Rods Kabuto Rods 7033

Over the last couple years I've watched as Chris Barclay has made the transition from hobby builder to forming his own rod shop under C. Barclay Fly Rods.  Chris's style is to build distinctive fly rods with a classic and styled down look and this Kabuto Rods 7033 blank build is a very good example of his work.

The photography of this custom built fly rod really shows off how much light these Kabuto Rods blanks can gather and how it causes them to glow.

Chris wrote...  "Not too long ago I was contacted by someone down in south central Missouri.  He had a Kabuto Rods 7033 blank that he wanted built and had some special requests in mind.   He supplied a stabilized spalted holly block for the insert and said that he wanted to just see the guides so I did a white silk clear finish on it.   It turned out pretty cool and minimalistic.  My nearly five year old son thought I was making him a light saber!"

To see more of Chris Barclay's rod work then check out the C. Barclay Fly Rods website and Facebook page.