Overview of The Fly Fishing Show - Lancaster, PA

Since this was both Luis and my first Fly Fishing Show, we were both super stoked. If you could have heard us the whole drive up from Annapolis, you would have laughed at the fact that we sounded like two little girls the whole drive up giggling and telling stories.

We really didn't have any expectations except for it to be overwhelming and amazing. We had a slight idea of what we were getting into through other peoples experiences at the Somerset show. Although it as not as big as the Somerset show, it was still the biggest fly fishing expo we had ever been too. If you ask Luis of what my reaction was when we first walked in, you'll probably find yourself on the ground laughing, I honestly wanted to just run around and jump up and down. But Luis did a great job of pacing us, allowing us to take it all in and get the most out of this amazing experience.

Mike Schmidt of ACF Breaks Down the Marabou Veiling Technique

Via Anglers Choice Flies:

One of the things that I like to demonstrate at fly shows are the tricks that make my life as a tier easier, and my flies more durable when faced with an angry fish.  I always aim for my flies to have inherent movement, so one of my favorite materials is marabou.  Unfortunately marabou, while full of movement, tends to be brittle.  Of course I can not do anything about the feather fibers I can eliminate the part that is most likely to get broken and cause the fly to unravel...the stem.  When utilizing marabou for veiling I do not use the standard technique of palmering the feather, but rather a technique more similar to spinning deerhair.  The following is a step by step of how I create the marabou veiling on patterns like the Red Rocket and Red October.

STEP 1:  With a full marabou plume in hand, come down the center stem until the feather fibers are the length that is acceptable to you.

STEP 2:  At that point clip out just the center stem, leaving the rest of the feather intact, and remove the tip of the feather.

STEP 3:  Stroke the feather together as a flattened bunch and lay it down on the top of the hook shank.  Slide your index finger down the far side of the hook shank to help spread the feather down the far side of the shank.

STEP 4:  Loosely wrap your thread up over the top of the shank and then as you come around use the thread tension to 'pull' the feather the rest of the way around the shank and back up  the near side.  This is very similar to what happens  when loosely spinning deerhair.

STEP 5:  Give yourself some secure wraps behund the head to hold everything in place.

STEP 6:  Using your scissors, trim out the fibers hanging out over the eye.  The closer you can get behind the eye the cleaner the end result will be.

STEP 7:  Finish off the thread head by wrapping down the exposed butt ends and whip finish.

-mike schmidt

www.anglerschoiceflies.com

Boom...Morgan

'A Peak at the Process'

I need to start taking notes from Mike...
Via ACF:
A peak at the process...

Fairly regularly I get asked how I go about tying 'a crap load' of flies.  Th simple answer is that I break it down in to smaller more manageable parts.   This particular order was for six dozen Johnny Darters, and here are a few shots of the process.

First thing is to collect all the materials for the pattern in question.  I then place the materials I will need for the first hook in front of me and prep them.  For this particulare pattern I plucked the Grizzly Marabou, separated out single strands of tan yarn, and founs the end of a ball of Polar Chenille.

Working through the back hook I will grab more materials as needed, but generally that is only needed if I lose or break one of the prep materials.  I then prep the materials for the front hook and lay them out.  For this pattern that was a Australian possum hide, three and a quarter inch rubber legs, and red bead chain eyes.

Then I finish up the flies and smile at the pile in front of me!

-mike schmidt

www.anglerschoiceflies.com

ACF: 'Packed for Wyoming'

Via Angler's Choice Flies:

Tomorrow starts a trip that I have been losing sleep over since I put it on the books...Wyoming to stalk brown trout on small water.  It is the kind of fishing that is right up my alley.  I somehow have to make it through work tomorrow and then will be hitting the road.  By Friday I will be outside of Buffalo Wyoming fishing out of Rock Creek Anglers.  The boxes above are a little something I tied up for the trip over the last couple weeks, though I am sure I will be picking up some local go to flies as well!  The bags are packed, camera charged up, and gear ready to roll.  Should have some killer photos and stories by the time I get back next Wednesday.

-mike schmidt

http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/

Good luck Mike, can't wait to hear how it goes! You'll crush it!

Boom...Morgan

ACF: Carpe De Carp

Via Anglers Choice Flies:

I want...#17 on the FF Bucket List.

Bear Andrews had asked me a few weeks ago about getting up north to chase some carp around during the day and then float his long boat for the Hex.  As badly as I wanted to make it happen I had too many things going on to make the trip up, but did take a few hours this morning to go chase some carp around here...and it was glorious!  I got out at first light on my own and there were tails flopping all over the place.  I ended up having my best day in a few years by bringing half a dozen to hand in short order. 

The largest fish of the day would have been my best river carp landed to date, but it broke off at my feet due to angler error.  I had fought the hog up and down the pool for abuot ten minutes and thought it was about played out.  As I worked my way over in to the shallows it eased along with me and all seemed well.  The final foot that I needed to move the fish to beach it was very shallow and my rod was pretty stressed by the fish so I reached out and grabbed the leader to hand line that last foot.  Error.  That fish was not played out and decided to make another bolt for freedom...unfortunately my hand is not a very smooth drag and it popped 3X like it was nothing.  Epic angler fail!

In a long slow pool like requires ninja like focus and stealth to sneak up on the tailing fish.  The porblem is generally not that fish as they are happily rooting about...the problem is all the other fish between you and it.  They are damn near impossible to spot in flat light, and if one spooks they are all put down.

It was a great morning to get out for a few hours and hunt some fish!

One last thought for the day...respect the water.  I got a painful reminder of that lesson on my way out today.  I was about a mile and a half from the car and slowly making my way back downstream through slow moving shin deep water I have waded hundreds of times without a spill.  This time though I was not paying enough attention and lost my footing on a rock.  Before I knew it my feet were completely out from under me and I landed heavily, with all 260 pounds, directly on my shins over bowling ball sized rocks.  For a few seconds I was thinking I would have to crawl my way back it hurt so bad.  I was lucky and came away with only a few bad bruises, but it could have been worse.  Not a lesson I will soon forget again.  Pay attentino and stay safe out there!

-mike schmidt

http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/

Boom...Morgan

One Day I'll Tie This Well...

I hope at least...check more of these beauties out over at Angler's Choice Flies...

Boom...Morgan

Fly Product: Tube Fly Tech Swim Tanks

Via Angler's Choice Flies Blog:

For those of you that have seen me at the show the last few weeks you may have noticed the new addition of the swim tank to my setup...kind of hard not to with something this cool! Many have talked with me about it at the shows and taken the site down to check it out but I have not yet mentioned it here for those that have not seen it in person.

The tank is a Swim Tank from Tony DiBenedetto Jr at Tube Fly Tech. More than being a nice part of the display at the shows, this tank has been an invaluable tool for me as I take flies through the design phase. Since I do not have a clear river running through my back yard this tank is a fantastic way for me to confirm that the intended action for a fly successfully translates from thought, to paper, and finally to hook.

If you are interested in one then head over to tubeflytech.com, and let Tony know you saw mine and have to have one!

Check out the Tube Fly Tech site, its actually pretty damn cool and shows a great video! Definitely a great purchase for those commercial tiers. Coming in at about $400 (with S&H) I don't know if Ill be getting one anytime soon unless its given to me but I will definitely keep it on the wish list...

Boom...Morgan