Springtime photo dump

I realized today that I've had no time to really update this blog, and unless you're on Instagram or occasionally seeing my Twitter posts, it seems like I haven't been up to much of anything.
So yeah, here's a quick springtime recap and a massive photo dump of fishing and family stuff.


I knocked out about 40 bugs for two separate terrestrial swaps. I can't wait to get my flies back.



I hit one of the most epic midge hatches I've ever seen at the Little Lehigh and had a ton of fun with wild brown trout and small dry flies.




We took Michael to the Camden Aquarium for his birthday. That place is so badass.






My stepdad and I hit a local secret spot for some great March largemouth action. He slammed a nice one.



Easter with the kids was pretty damn fun.



And last but not least, the ride got the massive fly fishing bumper sticker treatment last weekend.


Happy Friday!

Feel like joining a fly swap?

Owl didn't name it, but I'm going to be a smartass and call it "MONSTERS OF FLY TYING". We're doing a swap with 25 people. The only rule is it has to be a terrestrial pattern with at least one part of the fly using foam. If you'd like to join, head over to owljones.com to register.

I'm off to chase fish on midges in the snow. More later.

My first fly swap - flies completed

I've been in a funk with tying since Somerset. I've been experimenting with all the new materials I got and nothing I've tied seems to look right to me. I get 3/4 of the way through a fly and then it gets tossed into that giant pile of "**ck up flies" that I always say I'll strip down some day to get the hooks and beads back. Yeah, that never happens. I think the pile is close to 100 flies right now.

I did however to knock out some midges. I decided to join a fly swap on the PAFlyFish forum, and the subject was midges. You have to do two patterns, 15 of each fly. I decided to go with the rubber band midge I posted earlier in a size 22, and a zebra midge in size 18 with a hot orange tungsten bead head. I've had luck so far this winter with a hot spot zebra midge, and I have yet to catch a fish yet on the other pattern but A)I think it would work and B)I only tried to fish it once. I want to see if anyone else has luck with it.

Here's the results

Hot spot zebra midge
size 18 curved scud hook
black uni-thread 8/0
UTC copper wire - sm
5/64 Rip Lips hot orange tungsten bead


Rubber band midge
Orvis size 22 scud hook
Black rubber band (body/ribbing)
black superfine dubbing
Uni-thread - iron grey 8/0

They do look pretty sexy all lined up in a fly box. I'll have to knock out some for myself.

Well, that's about all I got. If you need me, I'll be snow blowing for the next week. There's almost a foot out there since 6pm! I need to fish this weekend. It's been almost two damn weeks.