Caddis Fly and Pixie Poo

Just a few images with my new camera body.

2012-12-15T10:43:00.001-08:00

Upgraded my Canon T2i to an incredible Canon 5d mark ii. Wow, just wow.

My interview on CNN's IReport.

2012-06-13T15:28:00.003-07:00

I had the honor of speaking to Brooke on CNN yesterday about the images I posted of the High Park Fire here in Ft.Collins Colorado.

My voice really does sound raspy from the smoke. I know many people with respiratory issues are having a hard time as well.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/06/13/exp-irpt-wildfire-garris-beeper.cnn

High Park Fire in Fort Collins

2012-06-11T11:28:00.001-07:00

Images of the High Park fire here in Fort Collins Colorado.

It started out so promising...but!

2012-05-21T19:52:00.001-07:00

The day started out so wonderful. I slept in a bit, took the dog for a walk and the weather was just fantastic. Over 80 degrees and partly cloudy. I walked my favorite pond and landed some nice carp. Even witnessed a new behavior for carp that I had never seen.

I found 3 pods of carp actively pushing mud and brush. There would be about 4 to 7 fish along with a largemouth bass or two on the outside of the mudding. These guys were really pushing mud and making a fool of themselves. It was very impressive. I wonder what was so darn good down there? It had to be some really good type of food source for them to be so aggressive and carefree about their behavior.

I found it easy to just cast past the mud ball and slowly stip my Minnow colored Zimmerman Backstabber that Erin suggested the other day. Love love that color pattern by the way Erin, thank you.

I moved to my favorite flats to see what was going on. Carp everywhere and mudding and shouldering. I did manage this nice guy right off the bat.

I rounded the corner to rest the flats for a bit and I hooked into a MONSTER!!! It was a big brown sugar colored monster of a shadow and after two tugs on my fly rod...snap! The biggest carp I have ever hooked up with and my CPX Redington 8wt snaps at the second section. Crap! I lost the fish and broke my favorite fly rod at the same time.

Well I called Redington and received instructions on how to send the rod in for get a new rod. In my mind I have a horror story of this taking months to replace and I would be out my favorite rod for my trip to Beaver Island with Kevin, but the nice lady on phone said it really only takes about 5 days once the rod is at the shop. I ran home, filled out the form and mailed the rod. The only thing I have a beef with Redington is the 30 dollar shipping and handling fee, but thats not horrible I guess in the long run.

I will report how the rest of the experience goes with returning a rod to a manufacturer. My question to you out there in the blog-o-sphere, have you ever experienced a broken rod and had to return one for replacement? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

I promised myself I would not second guess my actions that caused the rod to broke. It broke and I was the guy at the other end and I accept that. No excuses.

Lonny

Carp on the White Zimmermans Backstabber

2012-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Cottonwood fluff is all around now. You know, the white fuzzy stuff floating in the air, floating on the surface of your favorite bass pond, and most of all, getting your reels guncked up with white cotton. Most bass fisherman hate this time of year due to that fact. However there is one individual that loves the stuff. Carp!

They just love skimming the surface vacuuming up the white fuzz. Its not uncommon to witness pods of carp just wallowing and sucking up cottonwood, their funny toothless mouths wide open, hoovering up the white fuzz. Of course this is the time also to start throwing Cottonwood top water flies if you dare. I like to tie up a foam parachute with white hackle for my Cottonwood flies. The fly floats high and I can see the white parachute better than just an all white hackle. You can see an image of that fly here. I have to honest and say, its freaking hard to catch them on a Cottonwood dry fly and when I have no luck doing that, I switch to my backup plan. A white Zimmerman Backstabber.

This guy turned and followed the fly to the bottom of the pond before sucking in the fly. That's the thing with this type of fly. The initial splash will often times get their attention and the action of the marabou really makes them want to bite. I have seen carp take the Backstabber as it falls through the water column.

After a bit your fly kinda of gets beat up. But even then the fly continues to produce.

I did run into this guy while out hunting carp. A nice 5 foot or so Bull snake just hunting along the shore with me.

Lonny

A couple of firsts while Carp hunting.

2012-05-16T19:41:00.002-07:00

While hunting carp at Riverbend ponds this evening I had an situation that I have heard horror stories about. I had cast straight out to a small feeding common when he took the fly and ran straight instead of turning. Two head shakes and my fly broke free and came screaming back to me...right into my sunglasses! I have heard stories of guys getting hooks right into the eye but I never thought it would happen to me. Wow, scary. So lesson learned. Always wear your sunglasses or some type of eye protection while fishing. You never know when your cool little fly will come back to bite you in the ass!

But the day was not a loss. I hooked into 6 carp and landed 4. The second fish of the day was my largest yet on a fly rod. He took a Zimmermans Backstabber in white. I really don't know how big he was but it was a great 5 minute fight with several line screaming runs. On the bummer side, he seems to somehow damaged my new Orvis Mid Access Reel. I will be send that into Orvis for some service.

The carp in my area seem to be in summer time patterns. They are close to the shore and in schools of 5 to 8 fish. That makes it easy to spot them and pick out stragglers from the school. Cottonwood are fuzzing up the surface of the pond. That means its almost top water time for Carp!

This little guy hung around for a quick photo.

This was the view from Riverbend ponds with the Hewlett Gulch fire. Smoke came billowing down from the canyon into Fort Collins. Local authorities are issuing warning for those with respiratory issues. Hope no one gets hurt fighting this fire.

Lonny

Shouldering Carp on the flats.

2012-04-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

I spent the evening stalking carp at Riverbend Ponds. I witnessed shouldering carp and many mudders. Thinking this would be a nice repeat of some of previous trips I tried an egg pattern, but nope not this time. Eggs were not on the menue. Tonight it was a Merkin style Crab fly. The carp were picky and spoked real easy, but I still had a blast casting to and casting on top of carp all night long. I can honestly say I have mastered the art of putting the fly right on top of them! Oh well its great practice for Michigan and Beaver Island this July.

A Carp on the Egg, Greggs, Eggs!

2012-04-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

A small video of the carp swimming back to the flats after taking an Egg pattern. I hooked into 3 other carp but this guy had the best release. All were taken on an Egg pattern.

Spinney Mountain Opening Day Success

2012-04-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

This was my first experience attending the opening day of Spinney Mountain State Park in South Park Colorado. Shoot I grew up in Buena Vista where the trip to Spinney would have been a quick 1 hour drive, but NO!!!, I had to start fishing the area when I live 5 hours away! Talk about doing things the hard way.

When Mike and I arrived we were expecting huge crowds and long lines at the park entrance. What a pleasant surprise to only wait about 5 minutes before the gate opened and we were let in. I have heard stories about long lines and crowded fishing conditions, but with the opening being on a Monday and the weather forecast of cold and snow, the lines were short.

Most of the crowd seemed to focus on the dock and along the damn. We had some success here but nothing really big. We moved after about 2 hours here. The weather held for a bit, just windy and cold. South Park is known for one thing, Wind! So far none of that.

We moved after some lunch to the damn side. Wow, wind, snow, and lots of getting sand blasted. But the move was the best thing we could have done.

Up to this point this was the largest rainbow I have ever caught and landed. He took a Barr's Slumpbuster in Black. The fish were concentrated about 10 to 20 feet off the shore. This guy missed the fly the first cast. I was able to quickly cast back to his area and bam! He slammed the fly. Love that Slumpbuster.

Another bow on the Slumpbuster. I lost this fly after making a huge rookie mistake. For some reason I had it in my mind that these fish would be leader shy so I had on 5x tippet. I was lucky to land the fish that are shown here, but the next fish was big, really big. He busted off the fly and took the tippet with him. Damn! After talking with a few other fly guys, I learned they all had on 3x. Duh! What a silly error. Oh well, live and learn.

So some lessons for next year. Bigger tippet, 3x at least, and tie up a huge number of black Barr's Slumpbusters. And dress for the worst. Its cold and windy out there in the Park!

I did switch to a large October Splender streamer and they also liked that.

This guy was so cool. He borrowed all his gear from the guy in the background. He caught fish after fish with a black wollybugger while his buddy never even had a hit. When we finally left for the day the guy in the sweatshirt finally landed a nice size rainbow! Way to go.

Spin fishers were having luck with gold Castmasters and black Panther Martins.

He took the October Splender.

Mike and I hope to make this a yearly adventure. If you can, get out to Spinney Mountain State Park and catch some hogs!!!

Lonny

Another Nice Carp on the Fly Day

2012-03-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

Flat at Riverbend ponds. I have fished this area often, but only for bass. Not anymore! This flats was unknown to me until today and I think I have a new favorite carp flats. The water temp was near 60 in the early afternoon and the water was shallow and crystal clear. The other pond was the same as yesterday, 58, clear and full of suspending carp not interested in any thing I had to offer, not even Greggs Carp Eggs. Bummer, those eggs are my new addiction and I hope I can reproduce a few soon. Heck after talking back and forth with Gregg I think I might be able to produce a few crude eggs. Thank you Gregg.

There were many many tailing carp, many jumpers and a few carp doing something I have not read about. Every few minutes in this large group, a few would roll and scrape their sides on the bottom of the pond. It was really easy to see their entire profile while doing the behavior but to be honest I have no idea what they were doing. What do you think this behavior is? What came to mind for me- maybe they had some type of parasite or bug and they were trying to shake it off. Or like McTage witnessed the day before, its just CARP BEHAVING BADLY! Here is his post. http://www.flycarpin.com/

Good times and get out and catch a Carp!
Lonny

First Carp on the fly for the 2012 Season.

2012-03-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Wow what a great day stalking carp at my favorite carp pond in Fort Collins. With the local warm front passing through the Front Range of Colorado our local ponds are warming up fast. Around noon when I started the temp was right around 55 degree's. Light breeze and the was clear to about 3 feet off the shore, otherwise it was silty. I positioned myself next to that big cottonwood tree on the left and did my best 'tree' impression. Short after I was amazed to watch a 'flight' of 3 medium size carp fly towards the reeds, each one off the right shoulder of the one in front. I was really thought I was watching a flight of P-51 fighters sent into patrol the flats for the bigger bombers in the rear.

I tied on a huge orange crawdad pattern from the fly swap and after two cast lost it in the tree! Damn. Wondering if this was just to big I went for something I have never tried before, an egg from Gregg Martin. Gregg states "Eggs are nice in that they land softly and present a very visible piece of possible food. Carp often go far out their way to investigate them on the bottom or even suspended in the water column. I normally fish these to either poorly seen or unseen fish under an indicator. I do not think they are taken for an egg, as I catch most fish where they never see such a thing." I am a solid believer in Eggs now! I watched this guy suspend in the current. I cast past him and pulled the egg over him slowly and then when the fly was just past his nose I let the egg settle and was rewarded. I watched the carp swim forward and suck in the fly! How cool was that? Thanks Gregg, you made a convert of me.

Greggs Carp Egg

Well by the end of the day the water temp had climbed to 58 and more carp were coming up closer and closer to the shore, but alas I had to run off for dinner. I did land two and lost 2 more. I can't wait for this weekend as the weather is supposed to continue to warm. Hope to post more pictures soon.

Lonny

Carp Sighting, first of 2012.

2012-03-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

I had a few minutes after work before I had to be home so I drove down to my favorite carp pond to see how the pond looked after the recent warm weather. As I drove the first thing I noticed were the trees! Where were the trees? It seems the City had come in and removed all the Russian Olive trees thus opening up the entire shore and bank. Wow this was going to be a new challenge this year. Where am I going to hide?

Getting over my shock, I strung up my fly rod and walked down to my favorite area. Hiding my shadow in the later afternoon sun in the few remaining trees I saw Carp! Many, many Carp!

Getting my shock and excitement I sat and studied the scene before me. I remember reading and article by Dave Whitlock in the September 2008 issue of Fly Fisherman, where he listed the common behaviors of carp and your chances of catching a carp based on that behavior.

Ok what was I seeing here? Jumpers, two of them, poor chance of catching them!

Basking or daisy chaining groups- another poor chance! Moving around a bit I tried to cast to a few that I felt were tailers, excellent! No dice. Was I that rusty? Did I really loose all my skills? Was my bug to big? Was it that solar flair mentioned in the morning news?

Sitting back and letting the carp settle back down after my shotgun blast of a cast into the middle of a group of baskers I just sat and watched and reflected. This was the beginning of a new season, a new adventure. I am armed with new flies from that cool Carp Fly Swap. My favorite pond has a new haircut and I am fresh from the sleep on winter. I am excited, I am refreshed, and I am ready for the new year of Carp on the Fly!!!!

A few new Carp flies for the 2012 season.

2012-02-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

I recently participated in my first fly swap with a bunch of gentlemen from around the web who are carpoholics like myself. Not knowing what to expect as this was my first fly swap, I stuck with a pattern I have tied up many many times; Jay Zimmermans Backstabber in purple and black. This pattern is buggy, easy to tie and the carp here in Northern Colorado really seem to love them as well. I tie them up in purple and black, orange(really more rust) and brown, and pure white. The pure white must trick them into thinking the fly looks like a cottonwood seed that coats the lakes and ponds in the spring.

Check out Jay's Blog and how to tie up your own Backstabber at http://coloradoflyfishingreports.blogspot.com/2010/06/best-flies-for-carp.html

His site is an incredible treasure of tips and tricks and I highly recommend paying his site a visit.

Anyways. I received my flies from http://www.flycarpin.com/p/fly-carpin-2011-carp-fly-swap.html and all I can say is WOW!

Flies from the 2012 Carp fly swap.

Well after doing a quick study of the flies I received there tends to be a common theme to carp flies. Tie them so the hook point, put in some type of 'eye', tie them smaller than you think, expect if you fish in Michigan. That huge fly in the front belongs to Kevin at http://www.indigoguideservice.com/Guides/Kevin/. Wow that thing is huge!

Looking at all the cool new flies got me thinking and I put together a few bugs based on what I saw in the fly swap.

I really like these guys here. A bit heaver eye in yellow and some Bobcat hair for the tail and dubbing. Thin skin on the top to push those hackle feathers creating what look like legs.

Getting into the soft hackle is something I have never done before but now that I look at it this is how I think the fly should appear. I wonder if some marabou would work great here? This guys is really my favorite of the new bunch and I think I will use him often.

I experimented with the thin skin on top, and below, with the thin skin at the 'bottom' of the fly to see how it would ride.

Although it appears that the thin skin on the bottom would make the fly legs more buggy near the hook point, I think I prefer the thin skin on the top. Dang, I cant wait for the ice to break up and try these out on some real carp.

All this would have not been possible without the origination and perseverance of McTage at http://www.flycarpin.com/p/fly-carpin-2011-carp-fly-swap.html Thank mate, I appreciate it and look forward to the next fly swap.

Let me know what you think of the flies.
Lonny

Night out at the Senior Center

2012-02-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

Rick Takahashi tying one of his many midge patterns.

Spent the night at the Fort Collins Senior Center watching the local talent teach the rest of us how they tie their incredible patterns. All money raised went to http://www.rockymtnflycasters.org/. Notable tiers included Rick Takahashi, Al Ritt, and Mark Tracy and many others from around northern Colorado.

Creating Wollybuggers.

Learning to fly tie for beginners. This booth was so popular with the kids. I really enjoyed watching how this gentlemen spent so much time with each individual person. He made sure each newbie was able to make a complete fly before the end of the night.

Thadd Strom

Marty Staab of Elk Horn Rod and Reel in Loveland Colorado

Mark McMillan, Independent Tier.
He made some incredible streamers and had great fishing stories as well.

Some nice caddis by Marty Staab.

Marty Staab tying up his Mysis shrimp.

Rick doing more talking that tying. His corner of the room was the most packed of the night.

Mark Tracy tying up some patterns. Mark did the pictures for Rick Takahashi's book "Modern Midges".

What? Another new Carp fly?

2012-01-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

Wow this designing carp flies is kinda of addictive. I whipped this guy out in a matter of minutes. For me, I have to take the fly into little bits and then build on the idea. I like the way the marabou undulates while in the water. I love silly legs. Dubbing, well you have to have some of that for a body. The legs came about by accident really. I love soft hackle flies but after I added the soft plastic thin skin the legs just kinda of flattened out. By pulling them to the side I created a nice little landing pad for the rest of the fly to sit upon after being stripped. I don't know. I kinda of like it. Now only if there was some open water to chase carp.

Lonny

Playing with a fly for Carp season

2012-01-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

I am working on a fly for the comping spring and carp season. Taking some hints from Jay Zimmermans Backstabber and adding a few twists I came up with this fly. Let me know what you think, either positive or negative. Having never created a fly from scratch I can appreciate just how hard it is to come up with something original.

So how do you go about naming such a fly? I know of the "Carp Carrot", the "Near enough Crawl", hmm, suggestions? Something with Carp in the title would be good I would think.
Thanks all,

Lonny

Carp, The Movie.

2012-01-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

A little something to get you excited for the upcoming dry fly carp season.

This is why we do it!

2012-01-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Barry Reynolds is the reason for the addiction. Just saying. Thanks Barry.

Ok that didnt workout so good.

2011-12-01T17:33:00.001-08:00

Starting to use Pinterest for the first time

2011-12-01T17:32:00.001-08:00

Ok this one actually works, sorry about that.

2011-11-30T15:55:00.000-08:00

Jay Zimmermans Backstabber Carp Fly in Purple and Black.

Lets Try this with an embed video

2011-11-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

Tying the Zimmerman Backstabber

2011-11-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

My first attempt of a fly tying instructional video demonstrating the Zimmerman Backstabber.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=e1gdXU64m5k

Working on the Carp Fly Box for 2012

2011-11-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

I am just starting to build my 2012 seasons fly box for Carp. The majority of the flies will be Zimmermans Backstabber in varied colors, wine, white, rust. Also included this year will be some type of dry fly to imitate the top water version of a Cottonwood seed. Our local ponds in Northern Colorado are surrounded by huge Cottonwood trees and these trees shed huge amounts of white fluffy seed that carp sip as they are cruising.
I plan to tie the Cottonwood dry fly using a foam parachute surrounded by either white CDC or white hackle.
As I learned this past season, I will have to tie up several different weights of each color Backstabber. On rougher water the heavy weight flies will sink faster and settle into the stick zone much faster. The mid weight fly tied with just chain eyes will sink as a much slower rate and disturb the water less thus allowing me to cast closer to spooked fish. Non weighted flies will ride high in the water and draw surface strikes on very calm, glass like pools.

Autumn Carp Fly Fishing

2011-10-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hit up a local pond for so autumn carp fly fishing. This is my first fall specifically targeting carp on the fly. There was more water in the pond since I fished two months ago with my mother-in-law. I was surprised with how many tailing carp where just a few feet from the bank. For some reason I had it in my head that the carp would be staging off shore and not interested in feeding, glad I was wrong.
Overall I hooked up with 4 medium size grass carp and landed 3 of them.

This guy was the best take of the entire day. I cast past him and stripped my orange and black Zimmermans Backstabber slowly toward his head. I witnessed the carp stop, turn on his side and bury his head into the silt as he inhaled the fly! A gentile tug on my Sage TCX and zing! went my reel. Oh how I love that sound.

A huge frog sitting on the bank.

The smallest carp of the day. Still a great fight though.
Get out there now! Fall Carp fly fishing is on fire.

Lonny