Time To Renew

Well fellow casters of fur and feather...another year is said and done and tonight we ring in the coming year. With 2010 arriving many of us will find ourselves renewing our fishing licenses and sometimes it's an innocent thing to forget to do.

Unless we have a lifetime licenses or otherwise exempt we need to have our current year licenses on us next time we fish.

For those of you that live long distances or out of state you can renew on-line through the Wildlife Departments website. Just follow the instructions for on-line renewal.

However if you are planning your next fishing trip at Blue then you might want to consider renewing your license at Scotty's. You might not know it but for a number of years, Scotty and his little store was the number two seller of fishing license in the state of Oklahoma. I don't know if that still remains true or not but I figure he's still up near the top. I think it would be neat if Scotty could take over first place at least for a while.

So...if you can wait to renew your license then please consider doing so and get it done at Scotty's Blue River One Stop.

Of course this is the time we make our New Year's resolutions and this year I have picked two that I'm serious about. First...I am really serious about giving up the cigarettes. Either I'm going to give them up or they're going to give me up. Secondly, I resolve to fly-fish more and work less in the coming year.

Actually there are a number of resolutions I could make but think I will concentrate on these two. Hope everyone else gets to fly-fish more and work less if they want to.

Happy New Year's everyone!

Fly Of The Week

Olive Damsel Marabou




Back around 1999 and 2000, I fished this fly a lot on Blue River and always had good results. Why I've strayed away from this pattern is a mystery to me.

This pattern found itself in the vise quite regularly back then and yes...there were some alterations. When fished, it was always fished with action and motion.

The movement of this fly seems to trigger the reaction of the fish and the fly has to have a good deal of fluidity to it. In other words the fibers need to pulsate.

For a tail, olive mottled turkey marabou was used if available but dyed marabou will also work. The eyes are glass beads that are threaded together with tying thread or monofilament - and mono holds up much better.

For sure it is a more time consuming tie, but once you're finished... there seems to come a special sense of satisfaction with the end result.

Materials needed in tying this pattern include:

Olive mottled turkey marabou
Size 10 -13 long shank streamer hook
Fine gold wire for ribbing
Olive mottled marabou for body dubbing or palmering
Olive mottled marabou fibers for legs and wings
Glass beads for eyes, emerald best color, red and black also work
Olive yarn for thorax
Olive thread

Short....but oh so sweet.

I knew my time would be short but I didn't care...I wanted to simply fish. Also I wanted to see for myself just how dingy or off-colored the river is, not to mention finding out if Blue is fishing or not.

Arriving sometime after the noon hour I parked in the main parking area since time was of the essence. Besides that, after reading about Harley's fate on Sunday when he took the big dive into the open icy arms of this lady, and having to walk back in twenty-five degree ambient temperature weather...I was rather cautious today. I, like so many of us have found our way in that "been there - done that club", and I have to tell you...a little bit of that crap goes a long way. It also has the tendency of sticking with you and making you righteous... at least for awhile.

I knew I would fish the upstream side of the crossing and when I got there a fly angler was in the middle of the crossing casting upstream. He looked familiar to me...a man named Ken but I can't be for certain. Shortly, he went to the opposite side of the river and sit on a rock to fly-fish.

Today I decided to fish the olive bugger with olive/yellow split tail with a friend trailing. As that friend I chose my little friend Zug Bug as the first tandem rigging.

I was there thirty-five minutes...I brought sixteen bows to hand...and missed at least a dozen more.



Although the Zugger didn't do quite as well as the bugger he held his own and battled several bows. After bow fourteen I lost Zug and tied on a Mademoiselle. With the first cast with the Mademoiselle as a trailer there was a strike, my reaction, and the loss of the Mademoiselle - bad tie I guess.

I searched for another Zug and indeed I did find one more and tied him on. Two additional casts and two more bows. I was done.



It was thirty-five degrees today while I was fishing but there wasn't a whisper of wind. With the exception of my hands I never felt cold or uncomfortable at all. Have to get something done about my hands...they are in bad shape.



So the story is right now that yes the river is slightly off-colored but trying to clear quickly. Do the trout care if the river is slightly off-colored? I don't think so.

The fly-angler across from me was also battling bows at a fair clip and he was still there when I left. If, staying through the afternoon was in his plans...I'm sure he had a grand day of catching.

I left the river to go back to work. Yeah...had to go back to the darn workplace after a thirty-five minute enjoyable and refreshing reprieve.

Right now I hate my job.

If I Get To Go

Hands and fingertips... so weather-cracked they bleed... and it's difficult to button my shirt. But... I wish these hands were in the river Blue releasing a bow.

Chest cold...so deep each breath rattles and is labored. But... the steely breath of the wind Gods channeling down the middle of the river where I stand would be a welcomed reprieve.

Time...so precious, so demanded and required by other things. Meaningful things no doubt...but meaningless in the scope - time spent on things to get by. But time is what I seek to exhaust on the river Blue.

Scotty reports the roads are navigable...the river is fish-able, but off-colored.

If I get to go tomorrow it will be brief...like a resting bird on a perch.

If I get to go tomorrow it will have to be familiar - no time to explore.

If I get to go tomorrow it will have to be near - no time to hike.

If I get to go tomorrow and the water is off-colored I will choose the color brown...maybe.

If I get to go tomorrow.

No Fly - Just Tie

I knew that Harley was going to be on the water today and that knowledge made me really ache to go a-fishing. However a phone call and the time and temperature lady announcing it was twenty-one degrees gave me much pause for thought. Her revelation of the rather cool temperatures caused me to admit that I'm too old for that kind of cold.

Besides, Miss Carol, even though most of the snow had melted on the roads, refused to ride the brown pony to work which required me to hitch up the prairie schooner and deliver her to the salt mine. In addition this pretty well locked me in at the bunk house since I'd have to fetch her around one 'clock.

Back at the bunk house I found myself pretty well bored in the absence of Miss Carol. I felt almost like a shut-in and I know very well I do not do well in such a situation. Heaven forbid I ever really get to such a point in life - I won't last long.

Tying flies has always been a big part of my life on the water and since I couldn't go to the river today I took to the vise.



I started out with midge patterns and tied a variety including some adults, tricos, spent wings, and quill midges. Midges have been good producers on Blue for me over the years and they often prove to be the go-to fly when the risers are on.



After the midge setting, I decided to tackle the soft hackles again. Soft hackles have always proven to be a challenge for me and I think it's because there are several different methods to tying the hackle. Today I decided to take one method of tying the hackle and stick to it. This decision worked much better for me today and I produced four or five new trout warriors and I'll have to say the soft hackle is quickly becoming one of my favorite soldiers.



After a round of soft hackles I decided to play and try and create something. For some reason a split parasol midge emerger came to mind. The end result was a little less than desired but it was my first attempt. I asked myself if this fly would fish but the answer to that question lies somewhere in the river. Time will certainly tell.



By now it was time to fetch Miss Carol and I rode through the park and had a look at little Rock Creek. She was flowing quite well through her snow covered banks. Seeing Rock Creek made we want to see Blue even more but it wasn't to be today. Maybe later this week.

I hope Harley slayed em today.

A Christmas Morning Message

Many said that we didn't have an official white Christmas because it didn't snow on Christmas day here on the prairie ocean. However it seemed quite close enough for us to qualify as a white Christmas.

As the snow blew in on Thursday covering everything here on our spread, Miss Carol and I made plans for how we would spend Christmas morning and the rest of the day.

On Christmas morning, being the early risers we are, we both found ourselves awake and sharing coffee at 4 a.m. We simply wanted to lounge around with one another, open our gifts to each other, and then wait for our scattered chicks to arrive as their schedules would allow.

But shortly before six a phone call would come from the local sheriff's department. The dispatcher would report that the alarm at my workplace was blaring and deputies had found footprints in the snow on the roof. For a minute I thought about telling the dispatcher that the footprints were easily explained - Santa Claus left them...but sensing the urgency I knew my levity wouldn't be likely appreciated.

I dug the prairie schooner out from the drifts and made it to the workplace about fifteen minutes later where an officer awaited. He instructed me to open the door and lock it behind him. It was gun drawn, shouted instructions, and then a chase. It seems three young men had made their way into the store through a rooftop hatch that hadn't been secured. Two of then got out of the store with one being caught in the alley. One made a clean break and was still missing when all was said and done. The third was still in the store and cornered. The officer had been joined by fellow officers and they came running back to the door telling me to let them out and then came back to get back in. This time I stayed in the store also. A short time later they brought the young man that was cornered to the front of the store, handcuffed, roughed up some, and placed him on the ground in front of me.

I couldn't help from notice how young he was - probably a little over twenty. He was a good looking kid, clean cut, and here he was about to go to jail on Christmas day and most likely a lot longer. He and his two accomplices had in their possession around $60,000.00 worth of Loratabs stolen from our pharmacy.

Three hours later it was all said and done but I couldn't get the image of that kid out of my mind. I kept wondering what would bring him to such a choice? Was it environment, circumstance, or just plain mischief and no matter what the reason...what was the root cause?

Some may call me just a silly old man...but I still question. I ask myself what if that kid would have been introduced, taught, and encouraged to learn the art of fly-fishing, would he be in the predicament he is today? I truly believe that time on the water, and time in the outdoors in general, is a wonderful alternative to time idly spent which can lead to poor choices in friends, boredom, and seeking a thrill. Fly-fishing can be that thrill in itself.

I know we can't save the world through fly-fishing, but on this Christmas morning there seemed to be a message, at least for me, to try and teach and share this wonderful gift of fly-fishing that so many of us have come to love and use in creating positive lives.

Tis The Season

For a number of years now I have broke this piece out around the arrival of Christmas. Since losing my companion dog Smokey it has been even more special to me. Hope you enjoy... and may the blessings of Christmas find each of you and your loved ones.



Blue Christmas

Twas the day of the night before Christmas, the season of cheer,
Me and friend Smokey was on the Blue, cause trout season was here,
Then there came a sudden blizzard, we found ourselves snowed in,
We knew that on the Blue, Christmas Day we would surely spend,

So we pitched a tent, made us a fire, made the best of the situation,
Then came the dusk and with it, the night of Christmas celebration,
Smokey and I walked to the river to gaze at the stars of the sky,
And that’s when Smokey saw it...and then it caught my eye,

It was a bright burning red glow, that seemed to be way afar,
We knew it wasn't an airplane, or even a bright burning star,
The red glow came straight at us and then I heard that jingle bell,
I thought, "Is this jolly old St. Nick, Mr. Santa Claus pray tell?"

Smokey let out a big bark, and I said, "No my little friend!"
A less than warming welcome, we certainly should not send,
The sleigh came hovering over the crossing, slowing to a stop,
The sleigh was full of toys and presents, from bottom to the top,

Santa said, "Whoa Dancer, slow down Prancer, and you too Blitzen."
"Santa hears those trout a calling, so Santa is going fishin'!"
Santa stepped from the sleigh and put on his waders and creel,
Then he reached into the sleigh and produce a fly rod and reel,

His face was full of content, as he tied a bugger on his line,
Then he cast his fly into the water with a snap of thrice time,
A trout came up and took the bug and Santa gave a "Whoa!"
He landed the trout, looked him in the face and cheerfully said...."Ho Ho Ho!"

Santa gently removed the hook and said "My friend, you're free to go."
Smokey and I could see so plainly by the light of Rudolph's red nose glow,
And the trout slipped back in the stream in the Blue's beautiful pool,
Santa put up his gear because he knew having fun was the Blue rule,

By now a large crowd had gathered on the banks of the river,
And a message Santa had for all, Santa would now deliver,
Santa said, "So-long Mr. Coyote, Mr. Owl, Miss Trout,
So-long to your sir, and Smokey the trout scout with a snout."

Santa continued. "For you my friends, my present is so very clear."
"It's a present for all and each of you, a present to your hearts dear."
"May the sun shine ever so brightly, may these waters forever flow."
"May these trees always blossom, and these grasses forever grow."

Santa got back in the sleigh and it slowly ascended in the air,
Me and old Smokey were silent....all we could do was stare,
The sleigh went in front of the moon and it's glowing golden light,
We heard Santa say, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Fly Of The Week

The Flashback Pheasant Tail

Without a doubt this is a favorite pattern of the fly-angler on Blue River. Personally, it is one of my top five flies to use in battling bows.

It's an easy tie consisting of pheasant tail fibers, fine copper wire ribbing, peachock herl, and flashback material, along with black thread.

The Flashback is a variation on the classic pattern and the only thing different is the flashback material itself. Pearl is best because it simulates trapped air or gas bubbles but I've had good success using green flashback material.

It's best fished drifted either alone or as a trailer. Beadhead offerings in this pattern have become quite popular to get the fly down in water column. Often it is also necessary to add split to get the fly down quickly.