An Evening with Guide Reid Stoyberg from Plummers Lodge

Hi Everybody!

The library was filled to capacity tonight as 27 avid fly tyers came out to take in Reid Stoyberg's presentation about his experiences as a guide at Plummers Lodge. Reid showed us two reliable patterns that he successfully used on the Tree River to catch trophy arctic char. Reid related several amazing stories that certainly got our attention. Getting too close to a tundra grizzly and dealing with monster waves on Great Bear Lake while fishing for massive lake trout certainly gives one a greater appreciation of what a fishing guide in the north has to deal with.

I have enjoyed watching Reid develop into a very competent fly fisher and guide.Thanks Reid for a very enjoyable evening.

Just a reminder that the all day Phil Rowley Conquoring Chironomids Workshop is on January 18th. There are 25 individuals signed up so far. Drop me a note (bob.vanderwater@rdpsd.ab.ca) to sign up. The cost is $40. That includes all of the tying materials for this comprehensive workshop.

Our next tying session is January 6th. Karen and I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Bob

Show Girl Streamer

Hook: Tiemco 7999 size 2

Underbody: Gold tinsel

Thorax: Red crystal chenille

Wing: Gold flashabou

Body: White UV marabou

Collar: Orange and pink marabou

Popsicle Leech

Hook: Tiemco 7999 size 2

Underbody: Silver tinsel

Thorax: Purple crystal chenille

Body: Pink marabou

Wing: Purple flashabou

Collar: Purple marabou

It is great to see new tyers join our group again this week!

Now that is concentration!

Reid with a 20 pound arctic char from the Tree River! Wow!

Dr. Bill Young Kicks off a New Fly Tying Season

 

Hi Everybody!

Dr. Bill Young kicked off a new fly tying season by showing 18 avid fly tyers two tried and true flies with some modifications from the standard pattern. Bill saw an excellent elk hair caddis pattern that included a CDC underbody while travelling in Germany. Bill thought it was an excellent modification of the original pattern. The second fly was a parachute pattern that he loves to use when the flavs are out. Flavs or Lesser Green Drakes can be found on our cutthroat rivers in August and when these bugs are out, the fly fishing can be explosive to say the least.

Thanks Bill for getting our tying season off to an excellent start!

Just a note that 17 spots are already gone for the Phil Rowley Conquering Chironomids Workshop on January 18th. Drop Bob Vanderwater an e-mail to sign up (bob.vanderwater@rdpsd.ab.ca). The cost of the workshop is $40. That includes all of the materials to tie the flies.

Next week Reid Stoyberg is our guest presenter. Reid spent last summer guiding at Plummer's Lodge. I am sure that Reid will share some amazing experiences and some of favorite fly patterns from the tundra!

See you next week!

Bill demonstated how to use hackle pliers that are used for parachute flies. 

It is always nice to see new fly tyers come and join our group! Welcome.

Sharing another great moment.

Bill's Parachute Flav

Hook: standard size 12 dry fly hook

Tail: White Antron

Body: Grey dubbing (superfine, muskrat, etc)

Post: Antron 

Hackle: Grizzly

CDC Elk Hair Caddis

Hook: Size 14 standard dry fly hook

Body: beaver, rabbit, muskrat, superfine antron, etc

Wing: Underbody: CDC feather

Overwing: Elk hair

Thorax: "buggy" dubbing lots of guard hair

Flashback Pheasant Tail with a Rainbow Bead

Hi Everybody!

Sometimes small modifications make a BIG difference to a fly! Everybody carries Pheasant Tails in the their fly box, some weighted others not. It is a fly fisherman's staple on both lakes and rivers. This past fall I saw first hand how a change of the bead can increase your catch rate. Simply changing to a rainbow bead from the usual gold bead turned an average day on one of the lakes in the Parkland Region of Manitoba in to an amazing day. I have to thank my buddy Larry for discovering this.

You can buy these beads from the Canadian Llama Company. You can purchase a wide variety of beads at excellent prices here too.

Here is the recipe for the pattern that I like:

Hook: Mustad C49S sizes 12 to 16
Thread: UTC 70 denier red (I like a red collar behind the bead)
Bead: Rainbow (or gold)
Tail: Pheasant
Body: Pheasant (6 to 12 fibres)
Rib: small copper wire
Flashback: Mirage Opal Tinsel (medium)
Legs: pheasant
Thorax: peacock herl or peacock diamond dub/Arizona peacock
Wing case: Loon Clear Fly finish (thick formulation) This is an optional step!

...the results can be amazing!

Our First Tying Session on December 2nd is Cancelled

Todays blizzard is creating brutal driving conditions. I have cancelled the first fly tying session. We will wait until next Monday December 9th to get our tying club rolling for another year. If you have to venture out this morning being careful, it is real tough driving conditions.


Bob

What Do You Need to Bring to a Tying Session?

Hi Everybody!

We get another fly tying season started on December 2nd at West Park Middle School (across the street from Red Deer College) at 7 p.m. Each session costs $3 unless it is a special session (e.g. Phil Rowley session on January 18th).

Bring along the following:

tying vice
bobbin with basic thread colours in 6/0 and 8/0 (black, olive, red, tan, orange)
Whip finishing tool
scissors
hair stacker
crazy glue (brushable is best, Michaels has it; get a 40% off coupon on line to get it cheap)
dubbing loop tool
velcro brush
hackle pliers

Each session goes to about 9 p.m.

We are always glad to have new members.

Bob

The 2013 Fly Fishing Season Slide Show

Hi Everybody!

Here is a slide show of the 2013 fly tying and fly fishing season. Thanks to all of you who contributed photos. Grab a coffee and enjoy the images.

Bob

Fall in the Parkland Region of Manitoba

Hi Everybody!

Late September in the Parkland Region of Manitoba is spectacular. The fall colours are stunning; the brown trout, rainbows and tigers are all on the prowl looking for forage fish to help them bulk up for the long winter. The weather was excellent and the water temperature was just moving into that zone that trout love. We caught numerous trophies but what caught my eye was the beauty of the Parkland Region of Manitoba. The geese were on the move, the leaves were in their glory and the fishing excellent. I caught myself just plain taking in the colours and sounds of fall.

This post is more of a picture essay of the beauty of the Parkland Region of Manitoba.

This was our view each morning from the deck at Arrow Lake Lodge

The browns at this time of the year have stunning colours.

My buddy Doug caught numerous trophy sized fish during his stay.

Rick's new Mystic rod was constantly bent tangling with big trout!

Picture perfect morning!

A beauty of tiger trout!

These gigantic rainbows were caught everyday. 

The NHL started up while we were in Manitoba. Time to show my colors. Yes, I get lots of abuse!

Driving the back roads of central Manitoba is beautiful in the fall.

Phil and Larry with two beautiful Patterson Lake rainbows at Cut Throat Bay!

Phil and Colin working on an episode of the New Fly Fisher. The theme is forage fish! They gathered lots of great video!

I love the brown trout in the Parkland Region. 

Great action!

Colourful browns!

Phil with a feisty Patterson Lake rainbow!

A beautiful back drop to film an episode of the New Fly Fisher!

Reid Stoyberg's Summer, Guiding at Plummer's Lodge

Reid Stoyberg from our our gang, spent his summer guiding at Plummer's Lodge on Great Bear Lake. After talking with Reid and hearing his stories, I knew that he had an amazing summer that was full of challenges and tremendous moments. Luckily for us, Reid took his Go pro and digital camera. He took the time to make a video of some of his experiences. Take a look:

Reid 's Summer Guiding at Plummer's Lodge on Great Bear Lake and the Tree River

Fabulous Trip to Vancouver Island to Fly Fish for Salmon

Hi Everybody!

What a blast last week was. Larry, Roy and I flew over to Vancouver Island to fly fish for salmon north of Campbell River. The fly fishing was excellent. We camped right along the river we were fly fishing. We caught pinks, coho, springs, and chum salmon. The springs we caught were gigantic. Several were up to 40 pounds and they kicked out butt. The coho we caught were up to 14 pounds. The pinks were numerous and we caught several; humpies that had to be close to 8 to 9 pounds. Below are several pictures from the trip. We had perfect weather although we were delayed coming home because of fog.

Bob

bears came to visit a few times during our stay.

A real silver coho that I caught in the river.

Releasing a gigantic spring salmon.

Humpies

This big bull elk was bugling right behind our tent one morning.

Larry with a nice coho!

  

Fly fishing for coho is sometimes a waiting game.

Larry caught so many pink salmon!

Roy with a big spring salmon on!

Vancouver Island is a great place to fly fish for salmon!

Eagles were everywhere we went!

Larry with a jack spring salmon.

A coho for Roy!

One of our favourite runs! We call it the Stump Hole!