Been there- done that. If I was trying to eat to live, no problem. But many moons ago I laid down my spinning tackle and went pure flyfishing because even after I was successful with live bait (or even lures), I was not satisfied with the feeling of accomplishment that I was after (even if I used the flyrod to fish 'alternate baits'). I caught a lot of large trout, but I always wished I would have caught them on a fly instead of the spin-gear.
Wyoming tends to be on the windy side, and many flyfishing days are messed up pretty bad by high wind, high run-off, murky water, etc. Many flyfishermen take back-up spin-gear for times like these, and I used to also. But I became a more skilled flyfisherman when I left the spin-tackle home and HAD to flyfish despite adverse conditions. Before, it was just too easy to give up and throw Panther Martins at them. Now, even if I go home skunked, I feel better because I didn't give up. Plus, it gives me a challenge to come up with a crane fly that outfishes the real deal. And I like challenges. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Machon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:21 AM Subject: Re: [VFB] Fly Pattern search > > DonO: > > I suggest you turn over rocks, fill a container with them, then stick a > short shank #10 1X heavy wire wet fly hook through one and drift it under a > strike indicator.......people will at least think you're fly fishing and it > sounds like you'd catch the heck out of them. R&D-ing > > Kev > > > PS - do they live throughout the N Platte down through Casper? Grayreef, > Gov Bridge area, too? > > > > > From: "DonO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [VFB] Fly Pattern search > Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:04:15 -0600 > > Paul, > > That's similar to the patterns that they fish here to imitate craneflies, > along with dubbed versions. No one seems to be too thrilled with the > success of these patterns, so they usually turn to midges, which are more > effective. That is, everyone but the bait fishermen. They turn over rocks, > fill their little worm containers with cranefly larvae, and proceed to catch > more fish than flyfishermen. > > So I have a couple of ideas I'm going to try for soft, flexible, non-fuzzy > cranefly patterns. I first want to match the strike image, then I want the > texture close to the original so that they hold on to it longer. > > Will let you know what I come up with. > > DonO > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul Marriner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:00 AM > Subject: Re: [VFB] Fly Pattern search > > > > Might I suggest the "simplest" of all patterns, a Woolly Worm of the > > appropriate colour with the body hackle clipped. Weighted or not > > according to taste. > > Adult craneflies are a staple stillwater fly. In the UK they are known > > as "daddies." While only a few species are truly aquatic (spend the > > larval and pupal stages underwater), many are semi-aquatic, that is they > > live in the "mud" on the shoreline. As the interface shifts with water > > levels some are washed into the water like worms. In my backyard they > > live in the tidal flats and soon there will be numerous pairs mating on > > the ocean side of my house. > > > > cheers > > Paul > > www.galesendpress.com > > > > DonO wrote: > > > > > > Garry, > > > > > > SJW's are one of the flies on the list for the MM, but they don't > imitate > > > the crane fly larvae. Cranefly larva are very fat and live bait > fishermen > > > swear by them over everything else. If you nipped the midsection out a > > > night-crawler and sewed up the ends, that would be similar to a > cranefly > > > larva. These are also very dark in color, like a crawler, but mottled > > > somewhat. > > > > > > DonO > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Garry V. Wiles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: <[email protected]> > > > Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:51 PM > > > Subject: Re: [VFB] Fly Pattern search > > > > > > > DonO, > > > > > > > > Why not tie a SanJuan Worm using white or off-white chinele? Burn > > > > the ends to keep it from coming unravelled and you're set. > > > > > > > > Garry > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 12:38 AM 7/17/2007, you wrote: > > > > >Randy, > > > > > > > > > >My search has turned up that they are cranefly larva, one of the few > > > aquatic > > > > >versions. > > > > > > > > > >See my emails with reference sites. > > > > > > > > > >Thanks for looking. > > > > > > > > > >DonO > > > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > > > >From: "RC Belt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > >To: <[email protected]> > > > > >Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 10:10 PM > > > > >Subject: RE: [VFB] Fly Pattern search > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Don, > > > > > > > > > >Is this the pattern?..... check out this link > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >http://www.westfly.com/patterns/wet/greenrockworm.shtml > > > > > > > > > >Green Rock Worm > > > > >Created by Gary LaFontaine > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >HOOK: 200R, sizes 12-18; weighted > > > > >THREAD: Black > > > > >RIB: Tan thread > > > > >ABDOMEN: Green Antron > > > > >HEAD: Rust Haretron blended with abdomen material (keep small) > > > > >HACKLE: Partridge fibers > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Randy Belt > > > > > > > > > >Every day is a good day, Some are just better than others! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-- > > > > >No virus found in this incoming message. > > > > >Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > > > >Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.6/902 - Release Date: > 7/15/2007 > > > > >2:21 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > > > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/904 - Release Date: > 7/16/2007 > > > 5:42 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Paul Marriner > > Outdoor Writing & Photography. Owner: Gale's End Press. Member: OWAA & > > OWC. > > Author of: A Compendium of Canadian Fly Patterns (co-author), Stillwater > > Fly Fishing: > > Tools & Tactics, How to Choose & Use Fly-tying Thread, Modern Atlantic > > Salmon Flies, > > Miramichi River Journal, Ausable River Journal, and Atlantic Salmon. > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/906 - Release Date: 7/17/2007 > 6:30 PM > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_2G_0507 > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/906 - Release Date: 7/17/2007 6:30 PM > >
