tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:09:30 +0000dragonflywaterproof bagnuclear sunfishfavorite stuffdeer islandtoolsammonoosuc riverpaul's loopersouhegan riverbobbinbugger barnebony jewellwingwet flyadrian popfoam hopperC.K. Nymphone feather flymerrimac riveralderflyfly fishing show Marlboro 2010bob marriott'scolebrook flieseric austinvermontj-viceatlantic salmonpanasonic ts3fly fisherman magazinemurdochmerrimack rivermillers rivertipspanasonic ts2/ft2hare and herlhopperrandy knapphornbergshell crackerwaterproof camerasoft hackle streamernewfoundlandcatalogfred bridgeconnecticut riverclassic wet flieschronomidsouheganhenry's forkcamerapumpkinseedpatternsbob meadfly fishing show Marlboro 2012salmon flywoolly wisdomcliff outdoorsfallpentax 33WRmt. washington hotelgodaddycolebrookbluegillfloridalargemouth bassbloggergrey ghostpeacock caddis larvagurgle-pophenry's lake specialLL Beananytime anywhere nymphbob ericksonemerging dragonflystevepanasonic ts1mozytroutwonder bugfujihobie float catpaul dinolojvicetying deskfor Peter Frailey's Fishingwithflies.comhttp://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/noreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)Blogger68125blogspot/RHChhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-6783434757637493270Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:48:00 +00002012-01-22T11:48:19.065-05:00fly fishing show Marlboro 2012The Fly Fishing Show appears for three days each January at the Royal Plaza in Marlborough, Massachusetts. It's not more than a 30 minute drive from my house, and I use the event as an excuse to take Friday off from work.  The doors open at 10 o'clock.  This gives me time to relax at home with a long cup of coffee or two while sitting around the fireplace in our family room, and to cook a big http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2012/01/marlboro-fly-fishing-show-2012.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/yuUEOCp0B04" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-5552023846384096866Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:05:00 +00002012-01-02T21:05:14.111-05:00It's been a long while since I've seriously tied flies.  If asked, I would still list flyfishing/flytying as one of my two most serious hobbies; but it has nowhere near the intensity for me that it did 10 years ago.  This isn't a good thing or a bad thing.  Life moves along and interests change and evolve.  I feel very lucky to have had, throughout my life, interests I felt passionate about.  http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2012/01/reflections-on-serious-hobby.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/Pbfplalh9go" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-6869162525898656025Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:59:00 +00002011-12-03T12:59:07.892-05:00hopperadrian popI first saw these two patterns on Adrian's fly page on Hans Weilenmann's site.  Adrian and I communicated by email (Adrian lives in Romania) and sometime in June he mailed to me these two samples.  I must appologize to Adrian for being so tardy in getting these patterns posted. The pattern instructions can be found by going to my Hoppers page.  They are listed alphabetically under "A" so are at http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/12/just-updated-my-hoppers-page-with-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/iK0f7_w63Lc" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-555427274017612346Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:39:00 +00002011-08-17T08:39:19.517-04:00henry's forkEarlier this week I received an email from my friend Chris, who had spent some time "out west" fishing the Henry's Fork of the Snake.  He sent along the photo below of one trout that got away... sort of.  Chris reported that he was fishing a PMD spinner on a 5-weight and that getting this trout to the boat was an "enjoyable battle".  Seems there was a bit more fight left in this one.  Nice fishhttp://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/08/picture-of-one-that-got-away.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/CvsnIVAuK_Q" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-8441893430263030708Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:42:00 +00002011-08-07T11:42:09.489-04:00I am getting very much behind on some of the stuff I want to post here on the blog, including pictures of a marathon trout fishing day last month and several fly photos.  I also have some equipment I have been happily using for ten or more years, that I want to comment about. Even with this backlog of ideas,  I nevertheless decided this morning to post photos from yesterday.... mostly because I http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/08/i-am-happy-with-yesterdays-pictures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/nRaKZkU6AAI" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-380588780758476828Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:21:00 +00002011-07-16T10:21:41.284-04:00Yesterday, as we drove into one of our prime fishing spots along the Ellis River in New Hampshire I felt a little disappointed when I spied this new sign.  On other hand, I found some comfort in it.  The property had always been labeled "private property" though I knew fishing was allowed.  Nevertheless, until I saw this sign yesterday I had always felt a little uneasy fishing there... even http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/07/interesting-sign.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/4xidvSO-2Cs" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-6670818874191751691Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:52:00 +00002011-07-01T18:52:00.502-04:00camerawaterproof cameraTrusted Review is one of the many photography sites I have in my feed reader. Last week I received an update notice about its three-page review of six point-and-shoot waterproof cameras.  The first page reviews two budget priced cameras; the second page reviews two mid-priced cameras; and the third page reviews two "premium" cameras.  My favorite is the Panasonic Lumix.  Though the review says http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/07/trusted-review-british-photography-site.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/OpXrTQYAThE" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-4331095814261714523Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:48:00 +00002011-06-22T16:48:00.684-04:00Though my fishing trip (fortunately it was only going to be a half-day trip) ended as soon as I found out that I had forgotten my waders, I quickly developed a "Plan B".  I always have a small waterproof camera in my vest, but I realized that I also had one of my "pretty decent" cameras in the glove box. It's not a dSLR, but a high-performance compact camera I would happy to be my sole camera on http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/06/have-you-ever-forgotten-your-waders_22.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/5FOdn-zXkUA" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-7226018072842533985Sun, 19 Jun 2011 01:20:00 +00002011-06-18T21:20:10.043-04:00After my day of panfishing earlier this week (see the previous blog post) I decided today was the day to get out to the Millers River to find a few rainbows.  As usual, I packed the car and then ran through my mental checklist, starting with my feet and working up my body.  Here's how the routine checklist goes: boots, socks, waders, wader belt with wading stiff attached, fishing shirt, vest, http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/06/have-you-ever-forgotten-your-waders.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/_vGMFvp2eyc" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-872767404270715374Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:32:00 +00002011-06-18T08:32:34.471-04:00I spent Thursday morning fishing one of my favorite ponds for sunfish and bass.  Though it is usually during the last two weeks of June that I get in my first day of float-tubing for panfish, this year nevertheless felt a bit weird.  That's because by now I typically have logged in multiple days of trout fishing on at least two of my favorite trout rivers.  High water is periodically a problem http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/06/first-day-of-panfishing-this-seasn-felt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/1lpxt6-Oh84" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-3338781517546403426Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:37:00 +00002011-06-03T17:37:01.051-04:00grey ghostLL BeanMy dad found this Grey Ghost from LL Bean in his stuff the other day.  He doesn't know where it came from.  He doesn't (nor did he) fish, so its a quandary.  But I love the old packaging and can't remember the last time I saw a streamer packaged this way.  It seems that all the shops I visit now have the little wooden bins all set out in a grid. On the other hand, I don't buy flies, so maybe inhttp://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/06/are-flies-still-packaged-this-way.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/9Dj4kWeGbHQ" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-8868206303198178465Sat, 28 May 2011 01:07:00 +00002011-06-02T14:15:10.031-04:00patternsone feather flyOver the years I have switched more and more to simple flies. It gives me a thrill to catch fish on a fly that is made with just one or a few simple and easy-to-find materials. To be sure, if I felt that such flies compromised my fishing success I would not use them. But I am convinced that most of the time the fly chosen makes very little difference.  As long as it is presented effectively (eg. http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/switching-to-simple-flies-one-feather.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/IrDaNUgp6-E" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-8269815319109247425Fri, 20 May 2011 22:35:00 +00002011-05-20T18:35:56.904-04:00tipsHere in southern New England we have been deluged with rain over the past week.  At times like this I find it important to study water flow information from the federal government's Web site before heading out.  Below, for example, is the current status of the Millers River in Erving, MA.  I fished it last Friday (May 13) when it was below my self-imposed threshhold of 500 cfs (cubic feet per http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/how-to-follow-water-flow-information-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/4TGxgN1dAis" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-2063940195763662678Thu, 19 May 2011 23:45:00 +00002011-05-19T20:22:12.372-04:00waterproof bagAfter my post earlier this week about the leakproof bags I bought from The Waterproof Store a while back, I received an email from Mike in their customer service department offering a 10% discount to readers who order using the code rg419. Probably "rg" refers to Rock Gear, as The Waterproof Store is a division of Rock Gear, Inc. At any rate the coupon code can be used at any time (and as often http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/waterproof-store-offers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/ayGLgadE4a0" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-7280114569885220074Sun, 15 May 2011 16:04:00 +00002011-05-20T18:37:44.080-04:00waterproof bagtipsI always have a water-resistant camera with me when fishing, to record the day or perhaps even get a good picture or two. However, most people leave their cell phones and cameras in the car to avoid getting them wet.  That's a good idea.  But there are times when it would be nice to have these devices with you. A couple of years ago I found  relatively inexpensive and heavy-duty leak proof zip http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/good-online-source-for-leakproof-clear.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/vKJyN4Zo_58" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-7249346008933112558Sun, 08 May 2011 15:24:00 +00002011-05-08T11:24:10.523-04:00pentax 33WRwaterproof cameraThe Souhegan River on Friday On Friday I took my first outing of the season. (Yes, I did catch trout: two rather blah looking stocked rainbows, about 9 and 12 inches.) But before starting out I had to get my gear together, never an easy task when it's your first time fishing in 6 or 7 months. Fortunately I keep (nearly) all of my gear in one huge duffel bag. Nevertheless I dumped everything andhttp://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/i-thought-my-flyfishing-camera-was.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/f9cTKXCBU9U" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-7445613746880436608Sun, 01 May 2011 18:10:00 +00002011-05-01T14:39:58.082-04:00tipsRather than discarding an empty tissue box, try using it as a scrap receptacle.  The tissue boxes with the clear plastic covering the hole works great.  It is easy to push in your trash, and the plastic essentially traps little feathers tips and butts and fluff from escaping.  This old tissue box has been on the side of my desk for years. When (if?) it gets full I'll just replace it with http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/05/tip-for-collecting-your-tying-trash.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/Uw3ZX-4idwI" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-2518902414326853951Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:14:00 +00002011-04-23T09:14:48.346-04:00toolsbobbinI got an email from a friend letting me know that the bobbin I was questioning in a post earlier this month is an S&M Bobbin. Now that he mentioned it, I remember that there were letters engraved on one of  the bobbin ears.  The engraving actually isn't all that noticable, unless you get the ight just right (see below.) The bobbin I showed in the earlier post (and shown below with the wood http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/04/s-m-bobbin-is-name-i-was-looking-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/Qy89euS3G1s" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-3572592194143445817Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:19:00 +00002011-05-20T18:38:47.482-04:00henry's lake specialpatternsIn the prior two posts I wrote about getting going on fly tying after two years, with a simple clipped-hackle woolly called the Henry's Lake Special.  I read about it in Gary Soucie's Woolly Wisdom and also found the pattern in Terry Hellekson's Fishing Flies. Very simple:  brown biots for tail, herl body, and clipped palmered brown hackle.  I was actually all set to substitute black biots and http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/04/after-two-years-continued-step-3-set.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/n43Ss0S459U" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-8808833645711440460Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:39:00 +00002011-05-20T19:02:49.736-04:00jvicetoolsfavorite stuffAfter setting up the tools and materials to tie for the first time in two years (see previous post), it is now time to get re-acquainted with the tools and techniques of the trade. I have several nice vises and the JVice is perhaps my favorite. Designed and built by Jay Smit in South Africa I acquired mine in 2004 and wrote a review of it on my Website. My vise is #43 and was the second one http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/04/getting-back-to-fly-tying-after-two_13.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/WuFS3bDeDoQ" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-5483788531526812815Tue, 12 Apr 2011 03:13:00 +00002011-04-11T23:13:34.617-04:00woolly wisdomj-vicetying deskI just checked the notebook I keep with my tying gear, in which I write down the flies I've tied, when I've tied them, and in what sizes I tied them. The last entry in the notebook was two years ago. No wonder a couple of my favorite beadheads and nymphs are completely missing from my boxes... I must have run out! But what got me thinking about setting up the vise again is the very simple "http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/04/getting-back-to-fly-tying-after-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/7zGtp1FAExk" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-143360906128401825Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:35:00 +00002011-05-20T18:39:40.340-04:00patternspeacock caddis larvafred bridgeIn a March blog post I mentioned a few flies I'd received from my friend from Pennsylvannia, Fred Bridge. A week ago I posted a closeup photo and the tying sequence for one of these flies, the Wonder Bug.  This evening I just posted a closeup photo and the tying sequence for the Peacock Caddis Larva. Once again it is clear that Fred knows two to the greatest nymph tying materials: (1) lead and (http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/04/just-posted-peacock-caddis-larva-as.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/W2JJRQnIYts" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-1657712422995891852Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:45:00 +00002011-05-20T18:40:51.045-04:00anytime anywhere nymphpatternsC.K. Nymphwonder bugAfter posting an image and tying sequence for the Wonder Bug sample (go to http://www.fishingwithflies.com/WonderBug.htm)  sent to me by Fred Bridge of Pennsylvannia, another friend of mine from Pennsylvannia, Bill Long, wrote (see comments on my previous blog post) that it reminded him of a similarly tied "clipped hackle" fly called the Anytime, Anywhere Nymph.  It too, he wrote, was an old http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/03/wonder-bug-anytime-anywhere-nymph-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/OqK1XmxM1ek" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-1928338819202263916Wed, 23 Mar 2011 23:26:00 +00002011-05-20T18:41:16.001-04:00patternsfred bridgewonder bugIn my previous blog post I mentioned a few flies I'd received from my friend from Pennsylvannia, Fred Bridge.  I've posted a closeup photo and the tying sequence for one of these flies, the Wonder Bug.  If I could pick only two materials with which to tie nymphs, I would pick (1) lead and (2) peacock herl.  Add some hackle and you've got the Wonderbug. Check it out here: http://http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/03/just-posted-wonder-bug-as-tied-by-fred.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/XxrewYOtFhI" height="1" width="1"/>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861885056754631835.post-3730971730635136115Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +00002011-05-20T18:41:49.773-04:00patternspeacock caddis larvahornbergfred bridgewonder bugFred has been a friend for years and sent me some of the first flies that I featured in the Flies With a Story page on fishingwithflies.com some 10 years ago.  [The 80+ stories I've collected over the years are listed here.] So Fred emailed me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I might be interested in a couple of nice nymphs he'd been enjoying.  (Just to make it clear, the nymphs I'm talking http://www.fishingwithfliesblog.com/2011/03/i-received-nice-package-in-mail-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Peter F.)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/RHCh/~4/mhPkArWGJaM" height="1" width="1"/>