[b:fcb8676dfc]Well Pete,
I have been tying flies for quite a wee while now, and I know well dressed flies when I see them. I can still dress them myself, but my eyes are not good enough now to drive a car, so my fishing opportunities are very limited.
Never mind I can still dress and appreciate flies. I have been using this site for quite a while, because it has great flies. [/b:fcb8676dfc] :D :D
Congratulations on realizing a dream and almost singlehandedly putting Aitutaki flyfishing on the map.I've been to Christmas Island many times but went to Aitutaki last January for the first time for a week with my wife.I spent a day with Itu in the lagoon and caught some great Bonefish,including a twelve pounder.It was your efforts that enticed me to go there and we'll certainly be back.Itu is very professional and a quiet achiever.You should be very proud of your efforts in the Cook Islands.
Nice looking lure! Bet it's hard for a fish to resist!
Very nice work! The colors are outstanding. Great looking pattern, excellently tied.
Wow. Stumbled onto your page through your review of Phil Weigall's book (btw as well as the other titles of his that you mentioned finding, there are others, too (eg "trout stories" and "call of the river")).
Your story makes me think that I need to take those opportunities to fish (and do whatever else) when they are there. Without trying to be too melancholy, it's only recently that I realised that I have gotten older than my dad did, and I'm (just) short of 50.
Speaking of Australian fly fishing books, have you read Greg French's "Frog Call"? One of the major people featured in the book does have MS, and it's discussed a little in terms of it's effect on his fishing. He calls it "the f*#kedness" It's also just a great book for other reasons, and even for those not interested in fishing...
Good luck.
Eric,
Just did a bit of research, and yes, you are right: some species are aquatic and lay their eggs in water where the larvae live. I never heard that before, and only knew crane flies as terrestrials until now. I stand corrected. Sorry for being so sure of myself!
Martin
Ah Hmm. Maybe you're crane flies are different than ours because during the early spring in the mountain streams near my camp crane flies can be witnessed hatching on small rocks at waters edge. And a greyish grub like pattern subsurface is lethal in most cases.
Interesting.
Eric,
The crane flies (Tipulidae) are definitely terrestrials. The larvae typically grow up in grass (often lawns) feeding on the roots, and hatch with no contact with water. The adult females deposit their eggs by diving unpredictably to the ground and dropping the eggs. When crane flies come in contact with water, it's not a part of their life cycle, but a mistake, and often a fatal one.
Martin
Global indeed. and an open community.
When I was in college, last century, I fished a midland stream in Germany with a friend and we bumped into another guy waving the long stick. He shared which pattern he was catching on and where he took a couple of grayling. Quite nromal behaviour among FFishers which we take for granted. Then after we parted, my friend (bait and spin fisherman) asked whether I knew the other flyfisherman. At that moment it dawned to me that those tying feathers and hairs around hooks are not quite as secretive as other fishermen. I had similar experineces fishing in my and other countries.
I don't think that makes us better or worse, it is just that I prefer dealing that way.
TL
Florian
where to buy flat-wing feathers ? No one in the Northwest has them nor can they buy them from Whiting
Excellent pattern Martin.
P.S. I'm fairly sure craneflies are an aquatic insect, not terrestrial.
[b:fd6ceccb38]and it's "[i:fd6ceccb38]GLOBAL[/i:fd6ceccb38]"...
and Martin hasn't given me any "time outs" or issued any "red cards"...
I'm still trying to get my arms around the notion that what I post from my laptop finds Donald's computer... Go Phigure?!
[i:fd6ceccb38][u:fd6ceccb38]ausgezeichnet[/u:fd6ceccb38][/i:fd6ceccb38] ![/b:fd6ceccb38]
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1736.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1732.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
[b:fd6ceccb38]'same idea... with some purplesque going on...
Peeete's Herring Impaired...
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1742.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1744.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
and some Bug-Bond candy for desert...
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1745.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
[img:fd6ceccb38]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa176/Phracas/IMG_1747.jpg[/img:fd6c…]
I have not done any saltwater fly fishing yet, but it seems to me that this cleaning as described in the article, should be done on all reels.......
Steve, this is one of your best flies in my opinion. That is a knock out!!!
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