55 on the fly

This Snowshoe Apple Caddis, with a slightly heavier hook, sits low in the water looking hurt and vulnerable.  You can add a trailing shuck like a Clacka Caddis... In fact I like the snowshoe hare wing better than a wing of Zelon or Widow's web of the Clacka. Snowshoe Apple Caddis tied and photographed by Doug Korn bottom view materials list: hook: size #16 wet fly, 1x short, 1x strong thread: tan Serafil 200/2 back 2/3rds of the body: DK#3 Apple Green front 1/3rd of the body: DK#15 Oatmeal (tan) wing: natural snowshoe hare hackle: light ginger over sparsely dubbed thorax trimmed on bottom. 

Folks, if the eyes on my fly rod will freeze up, then it's too cold for me to go fishing.   So instead, I go take a hike!   Took a hike on some state land here in NY. The primary goal for today was to see if I could find some "fat wood". I had a little stand of pines in mind and it didn't disappoint me. Pack and gear for this trip... A nice downed pine with partial root exposure had just what I was looking for and the G&B axe chopped out several nice sized chunks of it.  The good news is there's plenty more there for the future in that one tree. After stowing the fat wood I hiked through some hardwoods and up a steep hill. I then noticed some deer tracks in the trail ahead and they looked very fresh.... As I exited the woods and broke into a small field I turned and peeked over the hill to find two deer standing there looking back at me. I managed to snap this photo with my point and shoot....  I hiked for some time and ended up in an are...

Hit the hardwoods here in NY today for a hike and some breakfast in the forest. It was 25 degrees with the snow a bit deeper than I had hoped as I had forgotten my snowshoes. I knew I would forget something... Anyway, I made my way through the 8-10 inches of snow into a nice valley out of the wind and along a nice little creek. I had gathered some cherry bark for fire starter and soon had a good little fire started. Cowboy Coffee and Skogkniv Oatmeal (that's oatmeal made with strong coffee)...  Yeah it's really good! All and all a nice morning with six turkeys and one deer sighted as a bonus... Cheers!