Its Raining, I'm tying

It poured yesterday and last night. The big river went over 60k and it barely fishes most places at 18k. Not that there were steelhead around anyway, but its nice to go fishing and pretend. The occasional yank from a dolly or a randy coho is enough to get me through these wet, lonesome november weeks. All the rain's got me thinking winter steelhead (usually do this time of year) so I'm tying bugs in hopes that sometime this year I may get to see them firmly lodged in the corner of a bright fishes mouth. Every year I get all excited, buy a bunch of materials and talk big about fishing spey flies. Then I loose a few, and realize I can hook just as many fish on some bunny and marabou lashed to a tube and give up. This year will be different....maybe. either way I've been tying up some bugs that a good friend, and helluva fisherman Chris DeLeone showed me. I don't think he's given them a name so I won't take his juju, I'll just call it DeLe's prawn for now.

purple and red. all around deadly

pink. hot fish love this color
(gear fishers delight)

black and blue. confidence

By the time January comes around my box will be brimming. I'll have throw out/hook salvaged most anything not entirely up to snuff and restarted. Its beginning to be a cycle in my life as a steelhead bum. Nothing like some good ole fashioned fishing angst turned 50 dollar a week material habit!

on the bright side I was up on the big river's equally badass tributary last week and its looking good. Things have changed a bit like they always do but the river has great color and was higher than I'd fished it in a few years. So long as this latest flood didn't rip it to shreds again, it promises to be a fun year of fishing. Now lets cross our fingers and toes and pray we don't get another 100 year flood before the early winter is over.....