With below freezing temperatures and short days across Colorado for the next few months, there is no better time to start fly tying than now. Fly tying is the process of creating the flies that we use to catch fish. It complements fly fishing and can be a great hobby […]
Fly Tying
12 posts
Originally published through Vail Daily on 11/6/2020. The onset of winter in the mountains brings snow and cold temperatures and for many of us the excitement of the start of the skiing or snowboarding season, however it can be a very depressing time for those who love to fish. […]
Originally published in Vail Daily Newspaper on 10/8/2020 When it comes to the materials to tie flies, the options are endless. I started collecting my materials based on the flies I was learning to tie, however, I’ll list some of the “must-have” materials and their use. Thread The two […]
As an avid fly fisherman, you come across a lot of different beliefs, folklore and trite expressions and sometimes, it is hard to interpret what is real and what is make believe. Here is an example: “The flies are for the fisherman not the fish.” I believe there is a […]
When you think about fly fishing, the actual fishing part is just one component to a much larger entity. Beyond casting to and hooking up with fish, a well-rounded angler usually knows a thing or two about the dynamics of water, effective gear & equipment, weather, fish behaviors, and entomology. And that’s just naming a…
When there are hundreds of thousands of immaculate and effective flies sitting in bins at your local fly shop, one might ask: why go through the tedious trouble of tying your own flies? A fly-buying transaction at the shop takes less than 3 minutes (if you know your way around […]
Winter fly fishing This a concept that is foreign to most people. The mountains are full of snow, freshly groomed runs greet the eager ski and snowboard crowd and the hot chocolate is flowing. Who has time to fish? The truth is, winter fly fishing offers some excellent opportunities to […]
Salmonfly Patterns for The Colorado River: With the early arrival of spring to the Central Rocky Mountains, fly fishermen are anticipating an early salmonfly hatch on the upper Colorado River this year. If you are planning on fishing the upper Colorado’s epic salmonfly hatch this year, it is a good […]
Two Hot Flies for Cold Trout: Our trout fishery in Central Colorado ranges from 5000 feet to 8000 feet above sea level leaving bug hatches during the months of November, December, January and most of February limited to midge hatches only. Midges will hatch up to six times in a […]
In Part 1 of our fly tying basics series, we discussed some good beginner fly tying patterns as well as the tools you’ll need in order to make homemade ties. So now that you have enough tools to get started tying flies, it is time to go back to the […]
As the daylight hours shorten and the winter season approaches, many anglers will be sentenced to days and days indoors avoiding the cold, wind and sometimes sluggish trout. Although we are fortunate enough here in the Vail Valley to enjoy year round trout fishing, fly fishermen and guides tend to […]