On The River Blue Video Ready To Raise Funds

The video project is finally done and in the next couple of nights all the video jewel boxes will be graced with the DVD front and back covers.

This project started as a pilot project and as that usually goes... we that were involved directly in the project realized there were some problems. However, all in all the completed project turned out quite well.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of this video will go to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife for use at Blue River.

The effort, time involved, and cost of making this video comes about by three members of the Blue River Fly Fishers, their friends, and family. Now, we are seeing more members of the Blue River Fly Fishers coming forth with their monetary support in purchasing the video. It's a good collaboration.

The video entitled "On The River Blue - Six Great Trout Flies", will be available for sale at Scotty's Blue River One Stop for fifteen dollars. Or, you can purchase one through this blog by contacting fishingcowboyblue@yahoo.com Shipping charges will be added however.

The Blue River Fly Fishers hope to raise between $1,000.00 and $1,200.00 for the Wildlife Department.

On The Vise

In the last three to four weeks I've been on the vise more than in the previous six months which seems like a shame to me.

Each year I seem to loose the awareness of what brings me so much pleasure, giving into the demands of the workplace which sucks at times. And that is the shame of it for me.

I got back on the vise as a result of fly angler Kevin Harris and his suggestion for a fly swap. I tied up a dozen or fourteen (I think) scud patterns for that swap.

Then came a deal between myself and Blue River fly fisher Michael Mercurio for some size 18 scuds and finally got that done. Those puppies were trying I tell you.



Seasons back I would try and tie ten to twenty flies a night but these days I go at it at a much slower and more relaxing pace. I'll tie four, five, maybe six flies and when my back begins to nag and my eyes begin to cross, I simply walk away from the vise. A lot of things these days seem to be going slower for me and you know...it's okay - I kinda like it this way.



Currently I'm working on some buggers...yellow split tails to be exact which have been the one bugger pattern that has yet to not produce well each and every time. After the yellow split tails, I'll tie black buggers and for some reason black is always hard for me to tie - something about my eyesight I guess.

The Robust River

Lady Blue had a louder and more robust voice today. She meant to be heard and seen and for me it was an extreme pleasure to see her as vibrant as she was today.

At the end of Area 2, Miss Carol and I stepped out of the prairie schooner with camera in hand and walked to the edge of Blue. There we simply stood for awhile and listened to the rush of the water and admiring the power this sweet lady was showing off today.

I haven't been this excited about the beginning of trout season in a long time. Seeing the river and how she is currently tells me that the flow of Blue this year is going to be rather good. Without looking at any streamflow data or stuff like that I would speculate that Blue's flow was twice it's normal flow for this time of year. When judging this river's vibrancy I go by familiar landmarks and many of those today were simply out of sight.



With the exception of one other visitor who was preparing to leave, Miss Carol and I were the only souls in Area 2 today. Area 2 was wide open and looking ever so inviting. Many of the trees have started the changing of colors and soon will put on a remarkable display of an Autumn stage production.



We stopped next at the crossing and immediately I noticed that the apex of Indicator Rock was barely breaking the surface film of the rushing water which told me not to cross. I guess there was a good chance I could have made it across the crossing but these days I'm not such a brave soul as I once was, especially when I'm sober (which I was today), and particularly when Miss Carol is with me in the schooner. So...we sailed on downstream to Area 1.


At Autumn Rose Falls the Blue was really projecting her voice, emanating all directions from this plunge pool.


A little further downstream was my beloved seventeen and it was thrilling to see seventeen full to the brim with none of the tombstone topography showing as has been in recent years. Whether seventeen will remain like this is for the most part unlikely, but hopefully she will not look like the bone yard of seasons past.

Our trip to Blue today only made me long to be with river even more than I have been for months now. It's going to be a wonderful trout season at Blue.

Getting Ready For The Season Of Rainbows

On the prairie ocean each October there is a flurry of activity in the fly-fishing community as we try and get ready for the approaching season of Rainbows.

Trout season officially opens at Blue River on November 1st.

Yours truly has been busy on the vise trying to tie up some scuds for Merc in a trade deal we made. Merc is bringing me some special mayfly emerger patterns for the size 18 scud patterns I'm tying for him. Damn...I never realized size 18 scud hooks are as small as they are and I've had a heck of a time getting five different materials tied on that small hook. To get a dozen I'm going to have to tie twenty because some simply will not pass.



Last weekend I realized there were a number of things I needed for this trout season so Miss Carol and I hopped in the prairie schooner and drove to the closest fly shop which is Bass Pro in Oklahoma City.

Now a lot of people in the fly-fishing world may not like White River Fly Shops but for this simpleton they have the basics of what I need.

I'll have to say the customer service was great at the fly shop this time around. A young man approached me and asked what I needed. I simply said "GPX WF5 floating." This guy immediately turned around and grabbed exactly what I asked for.


I grabbed a few other things including some tying hooks, split shot, and tying thread. That was about all I gathered up but still didn't get out of Bass Pro less than two-hundred dollars. You see Miss Carol has her own likings.


Bass Pro was extremely crowded this particular weekend and if a fellar didn't know better he would of thought it was Christmas time. I don't know what the deal was but people were shopping everywhere which is good news for Bass Pro I guess.


Miss Carol and I watched them feed the fish in the aquarium and then we made our exit.

Soon as I got home I realized I forgot to get the dadgum bead heads I had on my list. Oh well...that means we'll have to plan another trip to Bass Pro. Dog-gone the luck.

Scuds For The Fly Swap

With the reunion of the Conclave of the Big Ass Campfire Brotherhood on Blue River coming up on October 31st and November 1st, Ada fly-fisher Kevin Harris suggested a fly-swap. Upon reading Kevin's suggestion I knew I was in. In trying to decide what pattern to tie I realized that standard patterns of buggers, pheasant tails, and hare's ears were commonplace. So the scud pattern was selected as an offering.



Scuds, fresh water shrimp, or whatever you want to call them are prevalent in rivers and rich lake waters. The way I have it figured...scuds are a delicacy for fish so with me it only stands to reason this pattern will produce.


Pictured above is my dozen scud patterns that will be swapped at the Conclave. Hope they produce for the fly-fisher that gets them.