55 on the fly

Michelle and I started our day by getting up early at 6am and headed to Boiling River in Yellowstone National Park. This area has underground hot springs which flow out of the earth and down into the Gardiner River providing a "Mother Nature's Hot Tub". There was no one else there as we parked and drank the last of our morning coffee on the walk down to the river. Just as I was stepping into the river I happened to look and coming low and straight at us was a beautiful Bald Eagle, what a sight as he flew about 50 feet above us gliding down the Gardiner.  After a good long soak we were off to Roosevelt Lodge and a big breakfast, then a drive through the Lamar River Valley to see the Bison. There were a few fisherman too, but hundreds of Bison.... a very nice relaxing morning indeed. This afternoon I was back on the Yellowstone River. The section I fished today is rugged with difficult walking and wading, getting cliffed out, then hiking up and around and back down t...

I got a chance to get away for a couple of hours today and fish the Yellowstone River not far from our RV campground. It was a perfect afternoon for fishing. That lasted about 2 hours, then a storm rolled in and I had to get out of Dodge before the thunder and lightning took over.... I caught 5 fish all on my Wrapped Foam Golden Stone and GSS Emerger dropper.... 4 Cutthroats and 1 Rainbow. Today's gear - Ben Turpin 8' 5wt. bamboo fly rod and JW Young/Walker reel with Cortland Classic DTF 5 fly line. Yellowstone Rainbow

This is a variation of my Korn's Wrapped Foam Hopper that I tie for Parks Fly Shop.  It makes a super Salmon fly and you can use the same pattern for Golden Stone flies as well.  I just change the hook to a size 8-10 and the foam over body to a golden yellow.  Out West it's a killer fly when the Salmon flies are hatching and in the East for the small Spring Black Stone flies. I just change the color and downsize them to size 12... Materials: Hook: MFCo. 7026 4-6 Thread: black 6/0 Uni Legs: MFC med. black legs Underbody: orange craft foam wrapped Over body: black or dark brown craft foam, hook gap wide with split-tail Wing: deer tail hair Indicator: orange craft foam SBS tie in back legs split tie in underbody foam at eye extending out from hook superglue thread base, wrap orange foam back to tail-legs attach over body with 3 wraps at tail-legs, then loop thread over the top of the underbody to the eye (this way no wraps ...

Early last year Bruce Staples contacted me and asked if I would be willing to contribute some of my original fly patterns to his new book.  Needless to say I was flattered, and said yes.  I sent off to Bruce examples of eight flies, a materials list and a short description for each.  I just recently received my copy and I was very impressed with both the content and quality of this publication... My "Korn's Marabou Caddis" even made the cover! My flies included in this book are: Korn's; Spruce Moth, CDC Spent-wing Parachute Caddis, Green Lantern, Holiday Golden Stone, Marabou Caddis, TNT Golden Stone, TNT Green Drake and my Wrapped Foam Hopper. It is truly an honor to have my flies listed alongside some great fly tiers like: Bob Jacklin, Hans Weilenmann, Walter Wiese, Craig Mathews as-well-as many others... If you get a chance please give this book a look especially if you plan on fishing in Yellowstone Country!  Thanks Bruce...

About four years ago my fellow guide and fly tier Walter Wiese came across some "wood grain" 2mm tan and brown foam.  Wally tied some killer hopper patterns with this stuff and he gave me a sheet or two of it.  I have tied a bunch of my Wrapped Foam Hoppers with it but saved and guarded them for my own fishing.  That stuff is long gone! Since then both Wally and I have kept our eyes open for "unique" fly tying foam.  Well the other day my wife had to stop in AC Moore and buy a few things so I went in with her just to check on the craft foam - Yeah baby, jack pot; Leopard Yellow, Tiger Orange and Zebra Pink....  I see Golden Stones, Salmon Flies and Pink Hoppers jumping out of these sheets of foam already. Don't worry Wally, I got a couple of sheets of each for you.  I cleaned them out, buying all they had... I'll stop by today to see if they have any more...... as you might have guessed Wally and I tie a ton of flies! Leopards and Tigers and Z...