Idaho Fly Fishers

LIPS

2012-03-05T17:57:00.007-08:00

"LIPS" courtesy of "BO" and the Idaho Fly Fishers.

Oh to kiss such beauties !!!

Idaho Fly Fishers do not drink !!!

Non-alcholic wine ???.

Odie (who never drinks) & the Colonel

Come and fly fish Idaho soon and check out the links below for some great Idaho fly fishing!

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Bull River Hogs - Montana
Big Horn River - Montana
Big Wood River

Bragging Rights

2012-03-02T08:00:00.011-08:00

Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resost from east side of lake @ Hope, ID

"Bragging Rights" is written by YellowStoneFly for the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. We not only have the best Idaho fly fishing, but we also have one of the WORLD's top 7 underrated ski resorts. We have had 260" of snow by March 1st. That works out to be over 21.5 FEET. WooooW! According to the CNN Travel article by Margaret Loftus, updated 5:10 PM EST, Fri February 24, 2012:

Schweitzer Mountain Resort - Idaho

Skier on "Sundowner"
black diamond.

"High up in Idaho's panhandle nine miles outside of Sandpoint, Schweitzer isn't as accessible as other West Coast resorts. As a result, it's unlikely you'll wait more than five minutes in the lift line. Then there's the 2,900 skiable acres -- more than neighbor Sun Valley. While the mountain is known for its off-trail skiing among the trees, the terrain varies from the bunny hill to steep, double-black pitches. The 6,400-foot summit affords skiers panoramic views of Idaho, Montana, Washington and Canada, as well as Lake Pend Oreille. Slopeside digs start at $164; adult lift tickets at $67."

And according to CNN Travel's: The West's best ski towns - December 24, 2010:

Ski hill from ski village.

"Most under the radar: Sandpoint, Idaho. When you hear that Sandpoint is in Idaho's Panhandle between the glacially formed Lake Pend Oreille (pon-duh-ray) and the Selkirk Mountains, a natural reaction would be, "Um ...where?" And that's the charm of this small town of folk artists, Olympic snowboarders and railroad employees (working Amtrak's Empire Builder route). Everyone comes together at MickDuff's Brewing Co. and Pend d'Oreille Winery's tasting room and Bistro Rouge Café. Slopes: Eleven miles from Sandpoint at the 2,900-acre Schweitzer Mountain ($65), forests stretch out as far as the eye can see (you might even spot Canada, 45 miles away)."

Lastly, Sandpoint received Rand McNally and USA Today's Most Beautiful 2011 Town Award:

We invite you to beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho

"Sandpoint, in the northern tip of Idaho, is no ordinary vacation destination. Located on magnificent 43-mile-long Lake Pend Oreille, surrounded by the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains, and with Schweitzer Mountain ski resort minutes away, Sandpoint is blessed with outstanding attractions. But it goes deeper than that. The town itself is exceptional, home to a thriving arts community, the historic Panida Theater, a busy events schedule, a plethora of excellent restaurants, fine hotels and unusual shopping keynoted by the national retailer, Coldwater Creek. How do you describe extraordinary? Just say Sandpoint, Idaho."

So don't miss out on all the panhandle section of Idaho has to offer. Breathtaking beauty and great rivers and lakes do indeed make this the lower 48's premier destination. Come fly fish Idaho and snow ski and whitewater raft and hike and bike and boat and relax and drink the local wines and beer. You will be impressed. Visit Schweitzer Mountain Resort on Facebook and us as well at the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog Facebook Page.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Idaho - Come explore!
Jack Daniels Fishing Story
Old Idaho Fly Fisher

Winter Doldrums

YellowStoneFly.com

Fly Line Basics

2012-02-29T13:59:00.012-08:00

Braided Silk Line on old Hardy Reel

"Fly Line Basics" written by YellowStoneFly for the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog to enhance one’s knowledge of the numerous fly lines that are available today. Idaho fly fishing requires a vast knowledge of conditions and techniques and lines in order to ensure fly fishing success. I assume that most of you reading this blog have a basic knowledge of available lines so, after a brief intro opening paragraph, we will discuss the tricks I find to be the most successful.

When you freshwater fly fish Idaho or any lower 48 rivers you will generally be using fairly light tackle. Many manufacturers and retailers sell all sorts of lines. Courtland, Scientific Angler, Orvis, Rio, Cabelas, Airflo, Sage and more all offer many varieties of line and backing. Historically fly lines have evloved from braided horse hair to braided silk (shown above) to the coated lines of today. Needless to say the coating, composition, size and even the shape can make a huge difference. But personally, I like the functional and inexpensive. I cannot tell a huge difference between the lesser and more expensive lines. Below is a comparison of lines ing the 7-weight category. The cross sections are proportionally similar (up or down) for lighter and heavier line weights.

CROSS SECTION OF 7-WEIGHT LINES
	Core diameter	Coating diameter
Sinking line	.025”	.038”
Standard floating line	.025”	.055”
Super low density line	.025	.065”
Saltwater floating line	.025”	.050
*Chart from Modern Fly Lines by Bruce Richards*

As a general rule, line weight is based on rod weight, but can be adjusted up or down by a factor of one (1). In other words, a 5-weight rod can accommodate a 4, 5, or 6 weight line. A 6-weight rod accommodates a 5, 6 or 7 weight line and so on; this rule does NOT apply for sinking line. Realize, you may have to adjust casting techniques for line weights and rod stiffness, but it is really not that hard to do. It is purely a matter of “feel”. So I suggest you consider buying different reel spools and fill with different weight lines rather than different rods for different conditions. It’s a lot cheaper to do it this way.

Payne Fly Line in original Box

I connect my line to my inexpensive 20-25# backing with a simple “nail” knot. It will stay forever and I have never had one slip off. On the leader end, I like a loop again secured with a “nail” knot. There are many ways to secure a leader to your fly line, but I like a loop-to-loop so I can change leaders quickly on the water. One other thing, “weight forward-WF” is a little easier to cast with a forward cast or “haul”, but it is not as easy to “roll” cast. I prefer the “double taper-DT” line for this reason and because when it begins to wear, you can simply reverse it on the spool and you don’t have to throw it away and replace; again this can get expensive.

Have a wonderful time fly fishing Idaho and come back soon.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Fly Reel Basics

Fly Rod Basics

Rod Weights - 101

Sandpoint Idaho Winter

2012-02-29T10:55:00.003-08:00

"Sandpoint Idaho Winter" photos by YellowStoneFly at the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. Well, until spring thaw occurs, please enjoy photos of our cool town. Met a lady on the chair lift at Schweitzer Mountain Resot yesterday from Grand Rapids Michigan. She said she had skied all over and ours was the most beautiful of all the resorts she had visited.

Schweitzer Mountain slope-side condos

Pair of moose relaxing in south Sandpoint, ID
Courtesy Bonner Daily Bee News

Nice little snow today (Feb. 29, 2012)

Come and see our really neat western town, beautiful evergreens and hemlocks (some hundreds of years old). There is crystal clear water everywhere and no cactus plants or pinyon pines. Once spring comes around, we will not only be doing some excellent Idaho fly fishing, but we will also be boating, whitewater rafting, hiking and really enjoying our wonderfully temperate climate drinking local beer and wine on our deck watching the bald eagles and osprey fly overhead.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Epoxy Streamer
Hot Wings
Moyie River - Idaho

Fly Fishing – A Hobby?

2012-02-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

“Fly Fishing – A Hobby?” is posted by YellowStoneFly for Idaho Fly Fishers in hopes of making a very important point. I would venture to say 90+% of you fly fish just for the sport. Most of us “Catch & Release” and many of you fish barbless in hopes of not harming the fish and allowing future generations of fly fishers the opportunity to catch the same fish. Hopefully the fish will get even larger and be more fun to catch tomorrow. I even know a few who cut off the entire hook and just fish the fly. They do so just to see or feel the rise and the take.

Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear

For those of you who watch the news, the world seems to be at a critical point in time. Are we soon to face a nuclear holocaust or will the Mayans be right in that the world’s end occur on December 21^st of this year? If you had to, could you keep the fish you catch for FOOD? Most of us certainly could, but choose not to. But just think of all the nourishment you could get from your catch. Certainly beats spam.

YSF Stinger

So if you are among the few anticipating Armageddon, in your survival packs, you may want to include a vise, a few spools of thread, some tying materials (many of which you can obtain by hunting) and some hooks. None of these take up much room and are very light weight. Make sure if you do so, include a copy of some of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog posts like “A Perfect Fly”. I would also make copies of the more effective and popular patterns like the “Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear”, “YSF Foam Terrestrial” and the “Montana Sparrow”.

Montana Sparrow

So occasionally think of your Idaho fly fishing fetish as the possible means to an end. FOOD! However, until the fateful bomb drops, we still encourage “Catch & Release”. Check us out often and don’t forget to go to our “QuickView Post Retrieval” page for all of our historical posts about some great fly fishing rivers, techniques and secrets. We would actually love to have you join our blog or at least send to us your questions and comments. We will make sure they get posted.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: BH Zebra Nymph

San Juan Worm

Tellico Nymph

Tellico Nymph

Cool Places III

2012-01-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

"Cool Places III" by YellowStoneFly from the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog would like to share with his fellow Idaho fly fishers some more photos of beautiful places. There is more to life than fly fishing; not a lot more, but a little!

Fusion, Germany - High Mountain Lake

Kitzbuhel, Austria - Atop chairlift.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Some more photos for Idaho fly fishers to enjoy. Happy Idaho fly fishing!

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Sticky Ferrels

BH Zebra

Freshwater
Shrimp

FW Shrimp

Most Economical Floatant

2012-01-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

"Most Economical Floatant" by the YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers blog has discovered the best, most economical floatant available. It is NOT FLAMMABLE and is available in bulk at most pharmacies. This is not an original idea, but will make your Idaho fly fishing trips easy and economical.

Albolene is a cream which contains paraffin, mineral oil and petroleum. You can buy a 12 ounce tub at pharmacies like Walgreens for $11.99. It will last you for years. It makes a great floatant for all of your dry flies and you need do nothing to use. If you find in the winter that you need to thin slightly, just add some mineral oil. The mixture is very safe and is NOT FLAMMABLE. Should you need another usage, simply coat onto those areas where you have unwanted fat and wrap with saran wrap while you fly fish Idaho and you can lose unwanted pounds as well. Or at least that is what it is used for at the local health club.

I take mine and place into a pill box which you can buy for about a buck, and I then place the box in a plastic baggie in my vest. You can spoon the Albolene directly into your pill box or, what I find to be easier, is to microwave a glob in a red solo cup until melted (several minutes on high) and pour into the pill box. Pour the leftovers back into the tub. Don't forget to bring along some "Top Ride" desiccant for when your fly begins to sink, and unfortunately it will eventually. The only other advice I have is to not coat your flies too heavily with the Albolene. Like all the other floatants, it will cause the hackle to stick together. Try it out. You will not be disappointed and it is very cheap.

Happy Idaho fly fishing.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Great Photo Headers
Snake River, ID
ID Fly Fishers Assoc.

Homemade Floatant

2012-01-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Gink (15 ml's)
Cabelas $3.99

"Homemade Floatant" made from red (label) mucilin & lighter fluid and written by YellowStoneFly at the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. My favorite guide on the Big Horn suggested a mixture of red mucilin and lighter fluid on day when I was complaining about the cost of Gink. Now there are different ratios, but I find that 3:1 lighter fluid to mucilin works the best. And just so I want forget, THIS FLOATANT IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. Because mucilin is basically paraffin, if this solution gets onto your vest or shirt it stays for a long time. If you then light a cigarette or your favorite cigar, be very careful for you could ignite.

Red (label) mucilin - Cabelas $4.79

Now here's what I do. Take a red solo cup (check out Toby Keith's new song) and empty the contents of the mucilin container (about 15 ml's). Then take your lighter fluid and fill up the mucilin container three times with your lighter fluid. Dump into the red solo cup containing your mucilin. Now you have to mix. I use a kitchen knife to scoop the contents from the mucilin container and mix with the lighter fluid; don't tell my wife for she would be pissed. The mixing process takes a while. Now remember do not heat (IS FLAMMABLE) to melt the paraffin mucilin. It usually takes me about 15 minutes of continuous stirring to get the mucilin dissolved.

Ronsonol lighter fluid -
Amazon.com (5 oz.) $2.08

I will admit, this does make a very good floatant for your dry flies. It makes about 60 ml's of floatant, which should last you at least a couple of seasons depending on how much you fish. The total expense is about $8.96 for 60 ml's. Four bottles of Gink would cost you almost twice that. So you be the judge. I do not think it is any better as a floatant than Gink. So if you have already bought your red (label) mucilin and do not want to risk burning down your house, save it for fly line dressing (subject of an upcoming post).

Solo cup - $0.10
3 oz. bottles Walgreens's $1.99

Regardless of you fishing skills, your fly will eventually get wet and sink unless you break a lot of them off on fish or trees. So I would suggest "dressing" your dry flies with something before they ever hit the water. After they have been used, make sure you dry them very well before you apply any floatant. PS - A floatant can be used on a fly over and over again. This will not ruin the fly unless you use too much floatant and mar the hackle feathers.

Top Ride Desiccant
Sierra Trading Post
$4.50

Lastly, even if you dress with a good floatant, you will still have to attend to the fly you have been using all day, if it is still usable, when it is the only one you have and all that the fish are hitting. I still use "Top Ride Desiccant" by Loon. A 2 ounce bottle lasts me all season and is only $4.50 and well worth it. Simply dip the fly into the bottle and shake after closing the lid. Your fly will come out white, but one dip into the water will fix that and it will continue to float high and dry for sometime thereafter. The process may have to be repeated from time to time, but keep 'em dry when you have to.

Please submit your Idaho fly fishing questions to:

IdahoAngler@live.com

Or better yet, join our blog and follow along. Don't forget to fly fish Idaho as often as possible. This is the most beautiful state in the lower 48.

Tags: Aruba, Jamaica, ooh.....
Bull River, Montana
Winter Doldrums

Cool Places II

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

"Cool Places II" by YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog has some other great places to visit when you are not fly fishing Idaho.

Sandpoint, Idaho in the summer.

Yellowknife Canada's northern lights

Idaho / Washington border.
Fire rainbow in winter - very rare!

Come fly fish Idaho and see some really amazing sights besides getting in some great fishing.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Snake River

Clark Fork River, Montana

Flathead River

Big Wood River

Rod Weights - 101

2012-01-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Yellowstone Cutthroat

"Rod Weights - 101" by YellowStoneFly at the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog is written because I left out a very important element of Fly Rod Basics. The type of Idaho fly fishing you do dictates the rod weight you need. The lower the number, the smaller the fish you expect to catch. In other words, if you are fishing for small trout in small streams, you want a shorter rod and a lower weight line for those short casts. A 2-4 weight rod, 6-7 feet in length is perfect for those small streams with overhanging shrubs. But if you are fishing for salmon or steelhead trout on large western rivers, you may opt for a 10-12 weight rod 10-12 feet in length. You may even prefer a spey two-handed rod at a higher weight and longer for those heavier streamers, weighted flies and longer casts.

Brook Trout

The problem with the smaller, lighter weight rods is that they very brittle and break easily. The longer, heavier rods for spey casting require special knowlegde of techniques that are totally foreign to the conventional fly caster. Personally, I prefer an all purpose rod. The weights and lengths I feel are the most versitile are 5-7 weight and 8-9 foot lengths.

Bull Trout

A 9 foot, 5 weight is perfect for fairly, large 8-10 pound fish on those 20-22 dry flies even in large streams. You can also fish fairly large streamers and weighted nymphs with ease. 6-7 weight rods can handle sinking lines with large streamers for those 10-12+ pounders even in fast water. Throwing a large steamer on a 7 weight sinking line will wear your arm out, so give yourself a break with a 5 weight dry from time to time. If I have my choice, I'll take the 5 weight and even with a sink tip line any day of the week.

Westslope Cutthroat

One other pearl is you can fish a 4-6 weight line on a 5 weight rod. You can go up or down one line size on any fly rod without significantly effecting its action. So the rod weight is up to you, but for versitility go with a 5 weight minimum and a 7 weight maximum for the ideal Idaho fly fishing rig. Whether you agree or disagree with these suggestions, please comment freely.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Fly Rod Basics

San Juan Worm

Fly Reel Basics
Montana Sparrow

Fly Rod Basics

2011-12-30T08:21:00.000-08:00

"Fly Rod Basics" written and posted by YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. Some time back we posted a sister discussion to this subject--Fly Reel Basics. To some extent, the same is true for fly rods as for fly reels. You can't fly fish Idaho properly without a good rod, but expensive is not always better. Now I will say that the most important of your fly gear is your rod, but you don't necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars for a descent fly rod. Personally, I do have some very expensive rods. Most of them I have dressed out after buying the blanks. So my $600 rod probably only cost me $350 plus the time I invested in finishing the rod.

If you do opt to build yourself, look for year end or "to be discontinued" blanks. There are two reasons to do this: first, they are cheaper and second, the manufacturer will still warrent the blank for many years to come just in case you accidentally break a tip. A really good place to look for deals on this type of blank is MRFC (Madison River Fishing Company) out of Ennis, MT. Once you click on their homepage, go to products then the clearance items section. PS-They also have usually some good deals here on high end, finished rods if you don't want to build your own.

You can never go wrong with a Sage, Thomas & Thomas or Orvis rod, but they are expensive. If I was just starting out though, I would go with the less expensive St. Croix or perhaps an RL Winston. These are "middle of the road rods" and of these two, should you pick Winston go with one weight lighter than you would like to buy for they seem to me a bit heavier and thicker per weight class than other rods. That is buy a 4 wt. rather than a 5 wt. Now if you are new to fly fishing, please read on for there are even other options.

The least expensive rods I would suggest would be Bass Pro or perhaps even Cabelas. Make sure you are picking a rod for your particular purpose, like bass fishing or trout, for there are differences. Rod and real combinations can be the ticket, but I would be cautious of Cabelas's cheaper fly reels. Do make sure the handle is cork and the reel seat should not be plastic. One last point, the stripping guide (lower most and closest to the handle) through which the fly line passes, should be at least 10mm in diameter. 8 mm will do, but definitely not any smaller.

We will cover other rod basics later, but these will get you started. Idaho fly fishing is a great time, but make sure you do your research and gear up properly.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Fly Reel Basics
A "Perfect" Fly

YSF Stinger

YSF Stinger

Ice Fly Fishing?

2011-12-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Lake Cocolalla, Idaho

"Ice Fly Fishing?" is written by YellowStoneFly for the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog and if anyone knows how exactly to do this, please comment. I know absolutely nothing about this rapidly growing activity, but each year as I pass this particular spot on Lake Cocolalla north of Coeur d'Alene Idaho, I see more and more people wetting hooks. Rumor is they are fishing primarily for walleye and yellow perch (aka racoon perch). Bait consists of jigs, minnows and combos of the above. Don't know how much catch-n-release fishing is done. I believe most of the catch is designed for the dinner table.

Good ice fishing areas sometimes look like campgrounds in the summer. I have seen some really cool tents for sale for this purpose with utility sleds designed to haul augers and other gear and with built-in seats. These sleds look like small boats. I guess if the ice breaks they can be used to save your a--. The tents are wind proof and appear to be quite warm and cozy inside. Would be a great place to socialize and have a little Jack Daniels while telling fishing lies.

As far as "Ice Fly Fishing?" is concerned, I suppose one could design a weighted streamer and using a sink tip line dropped it into the augered hole in the ice and maybe catch a fish. At least it would take very little casting skills. You would however have to stand outside your ice hut unless you made a really short fly rod. Might just try it sometime.

Well until I design said fly and build that really short fly rod, I guess I'll just wait for spring and the Idaho fly fishing I know and love. This time of year really makes me yearn for those warm days and nights when the cutties and bows start to sip midges in the surface film. The slamming takes of a 5 pounder on a 6x tippet really gets the heart pumping.

Come fly fish Idaho with us soon, but in the meantime, if you have any suggestions about the topic discussed above, simply post your comments or email suggestions to us and we will post for you.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Westslope Cutthroat

Look warm, don't they?

Foam Terrestrial
Bull River Hogs

Worth Sharing

2011-12-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog would lke to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas! This is definitely worth a look! We should never forget what our soldiers do for this country!

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLIH2UiPXg"

Arlington National Cemetery

Merry Christmas to all!

YellowStoneFly

Cool Places

2011-12-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

YellowStoneFly posts "Cool Places" from time to time to remind you that there may be more to life than fly fishing Idaho or reading the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog--not more, but maybe equal. The world is full of really beautiful places.

Sun Valley, ID golf course.

Cashiers, NC golf course.

Bavarian countryside.

Fusion Germany castle.

Come and fly fish Idaho next spring. You will not regret it.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: US Depts. of Game & Fish

Jack Daniels Fishing Story

Aruba, Jamaica, ooh .....

A Perfect Gift

2011-12-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

“A Perfect Gift” and “Longer Fly Casting” is a thought for you or that special fly fishing person in your life from YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. With Christmas only one week away, what will you get that special fisher person in your life for the holiday that they will cherish forever? I don’t usually do this, but this is a book review of what I believe to be one of the very best basic fly casting books ever written (circa 1991).

Lefty Kreh began fly fishing in 1947 and has mentored many since that time. This beginner to advanced paperback can be purchased at Amazon.com as a used book for as little as $0.36 and new for only $3.48. And the newest edition (circa 2007) sells for only $10.51 new and $8.46 used. This is truly a great tutorial which got me over my “short cast” hump after a twelve year lay-off from fly fishing during college, graduate school and my post-graduate training.

This excellent book takes one through the basics of fly casting first. Then you are taught how to do single, double and water hauls to increase distance. It also discusses basics such as cleaning your line and guide sizes as well as other maneuvers to increase casting distance. If you practice everything discussed here, I guarantee you more distance than you ever dreamed possible.

"Longer Fly Casting" would make a wonderful gift any time. Whether it be for Christmas, Father’s or Mother’s Day, birthday, anniversary or just because - the Idaho fly fisher in your life really needs this guide. Be thoughtful, give the gift of distance fly casting. He/she will love it.

Happy Idaho fly fishing,

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: A "Perfect" Fly

Fly Reel Basics
Bull River Hogs - MT

Epoxy Streamer

2011-12-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

"Epoxy Streamer" was designed and tied by YellowStoneFly from the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. This fly is a byproduct of the YSF Forever Strike Indicator and its braided wire shield. We have also shown our Salmon Slayer, which uses the aluminum tape shield, and eventually we'll see the indicator's rubber outer jacket and central copper wire used in other patterns as well.

The epoxy streamer shown here is a must for Idaho fly fishing for trout, salmon and steelhead. It is a very easy tie and almost indestructible. Its casts easily and the action is life-like. I would suggest your tying this pattern on a 1-0 hook or larger. Use your imagination for colors that will fish most successfully on your local waters. Next to the color shown here, I persoanlly have been very successful with it tied in olive green.

Wrap red thread tightly onto shank.

Add strung marabou as tail.

Tie braided wire shield onto shank at bend and secure.

Secure wire shield behind eye and form
body shape as desired.

Apply 5 minute epoxy onto fly liberally. Fill entire body.

Now crop marabou tail to desired length.

Now you have one great Idaho fly fishing streamer. Come fly fish Idaho as soon as possible. Remember, Idaho has more wilderness than any of the lower 48. If you really have the desire to fly fish here, let me know and I'll take you fly fishing.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Bull River - Montana

See "BH Zebra Nymph"

Moyie River - Idaho

Bull River Hogs

YSF Salmon Slayer (Red)

2011-12-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

"YSF Salmon Slayer (Red)" was designed by YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. While fly fishing for salmon in Kodiac Alaska in 2002, I decided to try my hand at a few salmon fly designs. Basically, hungry migrating salmon will eat almost anything that is bright and shiny including red hooks with nothing on them. This pattern I found to be more effective than most and uses the aluminum tape shield biproduct from the YSF Forever Strike Indicator. In that post, I mentioned never tossing anything that could be used as a fly tying material.

Here the body base is made from some old chenille I had in my box which I had found not to be very durable in the past. But since it is covered by the aluminum tape, it works perfectly. You can also use dubbing for the body undercoat if you wish. I add ultra-micro chenille as ribs because it gives to the fly a little "wobble" in the water while stripping which adds to the "alive" action of the streamer. You can actually use this trick over other materials as well such as mylar piping and tinsel as well. Tie up a couple of YSF Salmon Slayers for some great Idaho fly fishing.

Tail is red dyed white-tail hair.
The hook is a 1-0 and the underwrap red thread.

Tie in the ultra-micro chenille (red) first,
then add the body undercoating full length.

Add the aluminum tape around body undercoat, then
wrap the ultra-micro chenille tightly to eye.

Add red dyed white-tail hair as wing, whip head,
a few half hitches, head cement and you're done!

This is a great salmon, steelhead fly with a lot of action for fast, hard takes. It is also very durable and it will provide multiple fish before biting the dust.

If you have personal fly patterns which you would like to share with our readers, please let us know. You can either do a free post here or I will do for you. Contact me YellowStoneFly any time. Have a great time fly fishing Idaho. Let us know what you catch. PS-The YSF Salmon Slayer can be tied in multiple colors and makes a great wintertime streamer.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Fly Fishing Links

ID Fly Fishers Photos

BLOG AD SPACE AVAILABLE

Alaskan Humpy

Pearl Harbor - 10:48 am PST December 7, 1941

2011-12-07T06:48:00.000-08:00

"Pearl Harbor" is posted by "YellowStoneFly" of the "Idaho Fly Fishers Blog" today, Pearl Harbor Day. 70 years ago today, these photos were apparently taken by a GI in Honolulu on that fateful day. Supposedly they were found in an old foot locker in a "Brownie" camera. Amazing! The photographer is unknown or I would gladly give him/her the proper credit. Click on them and enlarge for effect. In the second photo, you can actually see a Japanese fighter plane as it attacks.

The figures vary significantly, but one source claims the US military deaths during WWII were 416,800. About 600,000 of our soldiers were wounded in action as well. These men and women fought for our freedom. We should never lose sight of their sacrifices under any circumstances--military or political. Socialism is not the way. Just look at what happened to the USSR and now to many European countries. They are being destroyed from within due to their socialistic "big governments".

Fly fish Idaho soon.

IdahoAngler@live.com

YSF Forever Strike Indicator

2011-12-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

YSF Forever Strike Indicator

"YSF Strike Indicator" as illustrated by "YellowStoneFly" for the "Idaho Fly Fishers Blog" was not an original design by YSF. It was discussed some years ago in a fly fishing magazine which I probably read on a trip while flying somewhere. I am therefore very sorry that I cannot give credit to the original designer, but I can tell you I have used them extensively over the years and have found that they indeed do last forever as long as your leader does not break above the indicator--which would be very rare.

Click to enlarge to see the anatomy of coaxial cable.

I have, however, discovered multiple other Idaho fly fishing uses for the remaining parts of the coaxial cable which you may find interesting. "Waste not, want not" (1772 Wesley Letter 10 Aug.) means that if you don't waste things, you are less likely to end up lacking in the catching of fish. One of the fun aspects of fly fishing Idaho and other places is that you can find multiple uses for things that you used to throw away; like my dog's undercoat which falls onto the carpet this time of year and makes great dubbing for flies. Use your imagination! I will describe the uses I have found for the various parts of the coaxial cable in later blog posts. So check back to our blog post retrieval page often--better yet save it under your favorites or bookmark for quick reference or sign up as a follower of our blog or to have post emailed directly to you as they are posted (leave your email address in the box directly below the revolving globe in the right hand column). Here goes. Take note.

Cut a piece of cable 1 1/2" in length.

Slit rubber outer jacket lengthwise taking care
not to cut deeper structures.

Begin removing layers.

To remove aluminum tape shield, slit superficailly
with knife and peel back (avoid cutting
deeply). Do not cut into foam core!

To remove copper wire, push in with needle nose pliers on
one end and pull out the other. All 5 layers pictured here
can be used for fly fishing projects (to be discussed
in future blog posts).

Cut a toothpick 3/4" in length.

Place leader (at desired fly depth) through indicator and
insert toothpick TOWARD THE FLY.

Your "YSF Forever Strike Indicator" is now ready for use. It will last forever and you can easily change the depth of your nymph simply by removing the toothpick and sliding the indicator. The only drawback to this indicator is that if you are fly fishing Idaho with a really heavy fly, the indicator will sink. But that is the case with any indicator. THIS IS THE BEST CASTING INDICATOR I HAVE EVER USED--IT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH THE WIND. It is still highly visible below the surface though. For future blog posts, use the rubber outer jacket for stonefly or salmon fly wings, the braided wire for really cool epoxy streamers, the aluminum tape shield for tinsel shank bodies on salmon flies (shiny side out), and the copper wire core for weighting large streamers like the wooly bugger. The foam core is the ticket for nymph fly fishing in Idaho and success.

Come fly fish Idaho soon. Try some of the suggestions given above for the coaxial cable / Idaho fly fishing connection. We'll see you fly fishing the Bull or Moyie this spring.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Royal Wulff

Tags: The Royal Wulff
          "Fly Fishing Made Easy"
          Telwa Stonefly

Sandpoint Idaho Fly Fishing

2011-11-24T05:51:00.000-08:00

View of Lake Pend Oreille from Schweitzer Mountain

YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog proudly presents for your pleasure the coolest town in the northwest--Sandpoint, ID. Voted this year as the most beautiful town in the lower 48 by USA Today and Rand-McNally; you have got to see this town! There is easy access by car from I-90, I-80 and I-15 or by plane directly into Spokane, WA from many major hubs. You can even take the AmTrak directly into town if you prefer. But I must warn you, once you have experienced the “Long Bridge Effect” you may never want to leave.

Nice North Idaho Buck

The effect of which I speak is the breathtaking, panoramic view once you cross Lake Pend Oreille. This is a glacial lake which has a small hydroelectric dam on the Pend Oreille River on the west side. Reliable maps put the maximum depth at 1158 feet at its deepest near Whiskey Point to the south. A must see in the summer is the Bayview section to the south with it sailing regattas and houseboat village.

Sandpoint itself is small and quaint with great shoTpping, restaurants and wine tasting. While you are there, don’t forget to go up to Schweitzer Mountain ski area and see why it is rated #9 for tree skiing and #21 overall in the US. It is now Thanksgiving Day and they have already received 77” of powder. PS-Schweitzer is a great mountain bike destination in the summer as well.

Lake Pend Oreille Kamloop

Now how about the fishing? Well, if trolling for large lake trout is your thing, go and catch some of theirs. The Kamloops can be huge and put up quite the fight. There are several guide services available to show you a really great time. But what about the fly fishing?

The fly fishing Idaho season is now open year round in the north. There is some good nymph and streamer fishing when it’s cold, but you will have to wear neoprene waders and stop frequently to kick the snow off your boots. The season for hatches and hoppers is generally April until late October. Rivers within a 2 hour drive of Sandpoint include the: Bull with its own special brand of “hogs”, Clark Fork, Flathead, Kootenai, Moyie and Vermilion rivers. And you really should not forget some of the smaller, yet very productive creeks like: Grouse, Lightning and Rapid Lightning creeks that are all only a stone’s throw from Sandpoint.

Kids Tubing Down the Moyie R.

Don’t miss this jewel located in the panhandle section of the state. Breathe the scent of the evergreens, take in the vistas and relax in the temperate climate. You can cool off in the summer and warm up in the winters. Come fly fish Idaho with us. Sandpoint should be on everyone’s “Bucket List” if you consider yourself an outdoor person. Oh yeah! I almost forgot! The hunting is incredible too.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Moyie River - What, where, when.

Wildlife Galore

Westslope Cutthroat
US Departments of Game & Fish

Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph

2011-11-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

The Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph. Great fly for just about any water!

Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph tied by YellowStoneFly for the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. Another great fly for fly fishing Idaho, this pattern represents a wide range of aquatic insects but primarily emerging mayflies or caddis flies. It is a fairly easy fly to tie using the right materials. You will see variations from fly shop to fly shop, but they tend to only vary slightly. More info, read on.

Tie in multiple strands of pheasant tail.

Add a gold wire to back half of shank as shown.

Add hare's ear dubbing to shank, then wrap wire
forward, secure and snip excess wire only.

Add more hare's ear dubbing for thorax as shown.

Swing pheasant tail over thorax for wing, secure,
snip off excess and glue head.

Tie off. Then tease dubbing under thorax for legs. Done!

Not a trout, but caught on a fly!

I prefer sizes 12-18 with my most hook-up success on about size 14. I suspect that is probably because the caddis pupa I see in western streams are quite large. True story! I was fishing with a guide on the middle portion of the Colorado River north of Dillon once, when I saw a really nice riffle off the main river. Reminded me of the small streams I used to fish in western North Carolina. After stripping, at his insistence, Wolly Buggers all morning, my arm was tired. Put on a little weight and a Hare's Ear and slayed over twenty really nice rainbow in a hour. We then had lunch and proceeded down the river again stripping Wolly B's again at his insistence. His only comment to me at lunch was, "Gee, I never seen anyone throw nymphs on the Colorado before!" Made me wonder if he knew how to fish anything other than streamers.

Alaskan Humpy

Enough rambling. Come fly fish Idaho and try out this remarkable fly. I have personally had success with this pattern from Georgia to Virginia to New Hampshire to Tennessee to Arkansas & Missouri to Idaho and Montana. Quite a range!

This is the Idaho fly fishing blog. Come back soon.

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Multiple Fly Fishing Articles Here
Idaho Fly Fishers Assoc. (IDFFA.com)
YellowStoneFly.com

Idaho Fly Fishers On The Move

2011-11-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Idaho Fly Fishers blog has gone global. This map represents our ever growing popularity by countries worldwide. Brought to you by YellowStoneFly at the Idaho Fly Fishers blog. We now have over 2,700 page views per month. Not too bad in view of the fact we spend absolutely nothing on marketing. Most of our hits are directly from internet search engines and from the referrals of fellow fly fishers like you; and we truly thank you for your patronage. Our audience consists of people looking to possibly someday fly fish Idaho and wanting to know the latest information.

The following is a list of our blog's popularity based on the number of page views by each country: There are obviously other countries having an interest in Idaho Fly Fishers, but those listed are the ones most frequently looking at our information.

United States
Canada
Germany
Russia
Italy
United Kingdom
France
Brazil
Argentina
Austria

Now you can explore the Idaho fly fishing adventure at Idaho Fly Fishers. Mark this site and come join our ever growing fan club. Simply join blogspot or begin your own blog and add us to your favorites. Come fly fish Idaho with us. If you don't want to join our blog, simply enter your email address below the revolving globe in the right hand column and you will receive all our posts as soon as they are issued. We would however love to have you as a follower. Even if you do not fly fish in our state, you can give to our other members pearls which they can use to increase their "hook-ups" in the future. Thanks for participating and remember, Idaho fly fishing ROCKS.

Question of the day: What is a westslope cutthroat?

Idaho Angler aka "YellowStoneFly" (IdahoAngler@live.com)

Tags: A "Perfect" Fly

Bull River - Montana

Big Wood River - Idaho

Parachute Wings (Made Easy)

2011-11-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Parachute Wings by YellowStoneFly of the Idaho Fly Fishers Blog seem to be difficult to tie, but in fact are quite easy. Summertime Idaho fly fishing is mostly dry fly action, so I like them because the parachute wing helps the fly to float very naturally and high. Like any dry fly, parachutes occasionally have to be dressed with floatant and they make floatant application easy without feather clumping.

This tutorial should help you particularly if you are a beginner tyer. In this illustration, I have used foam for the verticle portion of the wings and in fact I use it often for this purpose due to the fact it floats very well. You can also trim foam easily to whatever shape you need and it comes in highly visible colors; this is important when tying very small flies. The parachute is rooster saddle hackle which you can buy at outfitter stores and online in multiple sizes and colors. It is very inexpensive in bulk. Good luck and please email me with questions or suggestions.

Tie in hackle 2/3-3/4 way down shank. I don't trim end.

Secure verticle wing material on top of hackle.

Erect verticles w/ thread and wrap hackle as indicated.

Tie off hackle under parachute w/ half hitch knots.

Trim hackle end and continue w/ body towards eye.

When tying parachute wings, place them about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way down the dubbing you are placing on the shank for the fly's body; then after securing finish running the dubbing. This aids in the natural float of the fly, makes it easier to secure behind the eye and gives your fly a more natural look.

Sun Valley, ID Golf Course

I live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world. Be it winter or summer, the scenery is breathtaking and the fishing incredible. Come fly fish Idaho and see for yourself. Please contact us with questions, suggestions or concerns.

Clark Fork R., MT Moose

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: ID Fly Fishers Photos

Fly Fishing USA

YSF Stinger

Westslope Cutthroat

Montana Sparrow

2011-11-03T07:51:00.000-07:00

Tied in 1 hour while watching TV

This "Montana Sparrow" is YellowStoneFly's version of a popular local fly tied for Idaho Fly Fishers Blog. It is a very simple pattern to tie and is a very effective streamer. I find it particularly useful when fishing for trout in streams and rivers in the early spring and late fall. They also tell me it is used by the locals in large sizes for steelhead when running. I personally have never tried it though. Well, here goes and try out this one when fly fishing Idaho this fall.

One thing, when tying this particular fly use very soft feather barbs. This is a soft hackle streamer and the softer barbs make the fly look more "alive" in the water as you float and strip it across the current. I like turkey breast feathers for my Montana Sparrows. The flies you see here are tied on a long shank 1-0 hook so they will be more of a local minnow meal for the larger trout. I use either brown or gray dubbing and a heavy gold wire for weight in order to get them down to the bigger fish.

Tie on "tail", I use pheasant tail, and copper wire.

Add dubbing densly packed in a "cigar" configuration.

Wrap gold wire to eye and secure.

Add multiple soft feather barbs and half hitch head.

This is a superb streamer. It is very effective for big fish and extremely easy to tie. Give it a whirl. You can tie it in any size down to a #10 or #12, but I wouldn't go smaller. Fish any emerging nymph trailer onto this fly and you'll find yourself using this combination frequently. Happy Idaho fly fishin

IdahoAngler@live.com

Tags: Suggested Links Page
         Time Saving Fly Fishing Links
         YSF Stinger Foam Terrestrial
         Perfect Terrestrial Wings

GOD'S FINAL INSPECTION OF A SOLDIER

2011-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

GOD'S FINAL INSPECTION OF A SOLDIER was sent to me as an email today. I grant it has nothing to do with Idaho fly fishing, but it does make a profound statement. To the original author, whom ever you may be, I give you credit and thanks. Remember our service men, ignore the media and God Bless America. Let's stop socialism NOW!

THE FINAL INSPECTION

PLEASE DO NOT HOLD ON TO THIS NOR PRESS DELETE. SOMEONE HAS TO HOLD OUR COUNTRY IN THEIR HANDS. SEND THIS ON, AND ON

THE FINAL
INSPECTION

The Soldier stood and faced God,

Which must always come to pass.

He hoped his shoes were shining,

Just as brightly as his brass..

'Step forward now, Soldier ,

How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek?

To My Church have you been true?'

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,

'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.

Because those of us who carry guns,

Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,

And at times my talk was tough.

And sometimes I've been violent,

Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,

That wasn't mine to keep...

Though I worked a lot of overtime,

When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,

Though at times I shook with fear..

And sometimes, God, forgive me,

I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,

Among the people here.

They never wanted me around,

Except to calm their fears

If you've a place for me here, Lord,

It needn't be so grand.

I never expected or had too much,

But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,

Where the saints had often trod.

As the Soldier waited quietly,

For the judgment of his God.

'Step forward now, you Soldier,

You've borne your burdens well.

Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,

You've done your time in Hell.'

Author Unknown~

It's the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us the freedom of the press.

It's the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us the freedom of speech.

It's the Soldier, not the politicians
That ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness..

It's the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag.

If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the Military,
Please pass this on and pray for our men and women
Who have served and are currently serving our country
And pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom....

THESE COLORS DON'T RUN

AMEN!

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!
God Bless Our Military

For comments, questions or concerns, please notify us at IdahoAngler@live.com or join our blog and we will be glad to post your comments. Thanks YellowStoneFly.