Too cold to fish today...I guess it is winter.

High today in Rapid City was only 18 degrees- what happened to the 40's, 50's, and 60's? Don't worry, it is supposed to warm up again by Friday.

But what to do until then? I highly suggest coffee and fly tying. You know, those things we used to do in the winter time.

I have been on a heavy espresso bender today. Since I can't do much outside and I have been working at the computer all morning, I require a few extra shots of liquid energy. Later today, while still sailing high on the seas of caffeine I will sit down at the tying bench to film some new tying videos and to refill my fly boxes.

Here are a few fly pattern videos to revisit. These patterns will be useful by weeks end:

The Fabulous F-Fly


CDC Midge Emerger


Translucent Midge Pupa

Winter Outing

Was able to make it out on Rapid Creek in town yesterday. The weather was nice and the fishing was great. I was experimenting with French Nymphing and finally started to get the hang of it. Started about 10:00am and fished until 1:00pm. Got several fish on a small bead head pheasant tail tied Czech style with a hot-spot behind the bead.

Most of the fish took this hot-spot pheasant tail. A couple were fooled by an orange hunchback scud. By noon midges were hatching and in the slower runs fish were rising steadily to the freshly emerged adults. I was able to fish dries for the last half hour of my outing. Several fish hit an size 18 olive F-fly and a size 20 griffith's gnat also had a few takers. All in all it was a very successful trip. Hard to believe that fishing this great took place on a stretch within the city limits only 5 minutes from the house.

Hard to believe, but it is still hopper time

The weather has been warm, the hoppers are everywhere, and judging from the reaction to hopper flies- hopper time continues. I fished last night here on Rapid Creek (tried out the Echo kid's rod the Gecko- that thing rules for fishing in town, never-mind its bright yellow color and foam urban camo handle). The fish were readily taking hoppers.

The fish seemed to like Charlie Boy Hoppers the best last night. I wish I had had some Dave's Hoppers with me. They have been working well. Right before dark I switched to my new favorite fly- the Big Secret Cricket. It took several fish.

I hadn't fished for several days and last night's hopper fishing gave me a much needed fix.

Spearfish Creek Trout

There are a bunch of them in Maurice Intake. It isn't out of the ordinary to catch several fish, but most of the little stinkers continue to feed right at your feet. They ignore countless imitations of midge larvae and baetis nymphs- even though you can pick up a rock just upstream and see nothing but small black midge larvae and baetis nymphs. They have to be eating something awfully close to our imitations. Nevertheless, it's cast and switch flies, cast and switch flies...

And I'm not complaining. A small strange part of me actually enjoys getting snubbed by the majority of the fish. It is what fuels all night tying binges. Several good patterns have resulted from those bleary eyed tie fests. There have also been far too many disasters- of the variety that you hope are never seen by your angling pals. These are promptly razor bladed and the hook recycled.

The fish in the picture above were about four feet away and ignored most of our offerings. We had a good time anyway. It was fun to watch all the fish feeding. We did manage to catch a few on bubble backs, WD-40's, and Scuds. One of the fish was a beauty- 16" and fat. A great Spearfish Creek Rainbow.

Yellow Maylies

It is yellow mayfly time. The PMDs, PEDs, and sulfurs are hatching. Fish are happy. We have been seeing more heads up below Pactola than any time this summer. These same bugs are hatching in Spearfish. They are some of my favorite bugs of the year. We will have these bugs around for awhile go give them a shot.

Top Flies:

*No Hackle Dun- Size 16-18
*CDC Thorax Dun Size 16-18
*Brook's Sprout PMD Emerger Size 16-18
* Smiths CDC PMD Emerger size 18