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Post by slim on Oct 29, 2018 15:48:05 GMT -6
FLY FISHING SCHOOL ENROLLING for 2019
Enrollment is underway for the Illinois River Fly Fishing School. The 2019 session will be Feb. 22-23 at Tenkiller State Park and on the banks of the Illinois River.
This will be the 31st year that Patton Fly Fishing has conducted the course, which is always a great holiday gift for any angler. Early registration is suggested.
This basic course includes sessions on tackle and gear, knots, flies, fly selection and casting techniques. On Saturday afternoon, participants receive on-stream instruction. Fly rods will be available for loan Saturday. A state fishing license is not required for students during course instruction.
Instructors will be Mark Patton, Tom Adams, Blake Patton and Tre Dupuy.
Course fee is $175, with a $50 deposit due at enrollment. Saturday meals at $35, if desired. For more information, click here or call (405) 613-6520.
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Post by Fenwick on Oct 30, 2018 20:16:32 GMT -6
What slim just said:
Anglers Crank Up the Cool Factor As Fly Fishing, Trout Season Arrive Winter will be here soon enough, but anglers don’t have to put away their gear. Here are some current updates about fishing, which can be great anytime of the year in Outdoor Oklahoma! TROUT SEASON ARRIVES SOON The weather might be getting colder, but the fishing action is getting ready to heat up at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s seasonal trout fishing areas across the state. Each year, by Nov. 1 and continuing into March or April, the Wildlife Department stocks trout in six public fishing areas: Perry CCC/Lake Perry Park, Robbers Cave, Blue River, Lake Watonga, Medicine Creek and Lake Carl Etling. For more information, go to wildlifedepartment.com/fishing/trout-information. In addition to these “cold weather” trout fisheries, the Department also operates two year-round trout fisheries in the Lower Mountain Fork River below Broken Bow dam and in the Lower Illinois River below Tenkiller Ferry Dam. Trout are normally stocked in these areas every week or two, as long as water conditions allow for trout survival. Trout stocking is on schedule for all areas except the catch-and-release portion of the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area, which won't receive fish until Nov. 8. Trout, both rainbows and browns, are introduced species to Oklahoma. They thrive in colder waters and make excellent table fare. Using ultralight fishing gear with 4- to 6-pound test line and small hooks can lead to some thrilling action. But anyone can catch trout using regular angling gear with small jigs or spinners, prepared bait or live bait. Trout fishing is also available from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28 at two Close to Home Fishing locations in major urban areas: Oklahoma City's Dolese Youth Park Pond and Jenks' Veterans Park Pond. For complete trout fishing regulations, including daily and size limits, restricted areas and maps, consult the current Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing Regulations Guide found online at wildlifedepartment.com or in print across the state wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 3, 2018 17:26:58 GMT -6
Fished the Lower Illinois slough today and it was pretty good in spite of the ridiculously low flow. The river is well stocked now and those new fish were pretty active. Caught just over 20 in about 4 hours on a very beautiful fall day. There apparently were some Brown Trout in the recent stocking because I brought one of those to net as well.
A Polish Woven Nymph got things going on a good note, yielding a hookup on the very first cast. My new go-to fly, a Mohawk Pheasant Tail, was ridiculously deadly and the usually hot Sexy Walt’s was true to form as well.
I spent a little time floating some black Sprout Midge dry flies which definitely generated a few strikes but I wasn’t able to land one. It was just a little too windy and that seemed to spread the bug flotilla out too thin. Maybe next time.
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 3, 2018 18:17:04 GMT -6
That Mohawk Pheasant Tail looks cool. I wonder if the hotspot being *on* the bead rather than behind it makes it more visible? I’m gonna whip up some to add to my Euro collection.
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 3, 2018 18:29:08 GMT -6
That Mohawk Pheasant Tail looks cool. I wonder if the hotspot being *on* the bead rather than behind it makes it more visible? I’m gonna whip up some to add to my Euro collection. I think that’s it. With the fly riding upside down, the hotspot is right there in front and above any fish it passes over. I have the absolute best luck with Fluorescent Green floss. A couple of coats of Hard As Nails on the bead keeps it centered, flattened, and protected from abrasions. Note that with the Glo-Brite brand of floss I use, it takes about 4 strands to get a nice sized hotspot. What works for me is to tie in 2 strands on the first thread pass over the elbow, fold them over, and then bind them down on the way back. That leaves 4 strands at the hook eye to pull over the bead after it’s been slid down into place.
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 4, 2018 8:42:22 GMT -6
I tied two with H450 jig size 16 hooks. I’m using 140 UTC in fluorescent green. I’ll tie two with orange Glo-Brite.
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Post by flyfishermann1955 on Nov 4, 2018 16:07:59 GMT -6
I appreciate you introducing me to another new tying technique and new fly: Mohawk Pheasant Tail. Here is the 1st 1 I tied. I will try some with Fl Chartreuse too. Tight Lines- Ken
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Post by jonbo on Nov 4, 2018 18:24:27 GMT -6
I Googled the recipe just now. There was one that was a printed description that I couldn't understand, so I had to find a UTube version. Man, that's a pretty cool idea. I just wish I had some floss. I'm not even sure what "floss" is. Oh, well, I'll be ordering from BQA pretty soon, I'm sure. Bright floss will be on the list. Hey, I do have some stuff I use for hot spots. Is that stuff "floss"?
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 4, 2018 19:39:40 GMT -6
Floss is just as it sounds. It’s thicker thread typically used for body material, wing cases, ribs, etc. It’s generally too thick to be used to tie with and some brands the material is fairly flat.
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 4, 2018 19:50:46 GMT -6
Here are my four. Hanak H450, size 16. 2.3mm slotted tungsten. Should have doubled over my two strands for the chartreuse to make the Mohawk stick out more. Four strands looks better. I twisted mine a bit before tying it down. Attachments:
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Post by troutbum54 on Nov 4, 2018 19:55:51 GMT -6
Glo brite is my favorite brand of floss!! That stuff it’s great and doesn’t bleed. Also floss is used for tags on the tail ends of nymphs
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 4, 2018 21:27:09 GMT -6
I Googled the recipe just now. There was one that was a printed description that I couldn't understand, so I had to find a UTube version. Man, that's a pretty cool idea. I just wish I had some floss. I'm not even sure what "floss" is. Oh, well, I'll be ordering from BQA pretty soon, I'm sure. Bright floss will be on the list. Hey, I do have some stuff I use for hot spots. Is that stuff "floss"? Oh jonbo, your question about floss made me think and then made me laugh. When normal people think of floss they think of ... dental floss. Which really made me laugh because you could actually use it (especially this waxed mint type!) and then the little buggers could clean between their teeth when they chew your fly to bits! But seriously, you could use embroidery floss, sewing thread, or heavier tying thread if you un-cord it and flatten it out. I do prefer Glo-Brite Fluroescent Floss though. About four strands of this stuff makes for a really nice mohawk. Here is one on a Size 14 Hanak H400BL hook with a 7/64" gold slotted tungsten bead.
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 5, 2018 18:32:48 GMT -6
That Mohawk Pheasant Tail looks cool. I wonder if the hotspot being *on* the bead rather than behind it makes it more visible? I’m gonna whip up some to add to my Euro collection. If you zoom in real close, you'll see that the beautiful baby Brown I hooked was sporting a "mohawk" as well!
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 5, 2018 18:47:44 GMT -6
Nice... that thing has some teeth!
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 10, 2018 17:04:07 GMT -6
I hit the LIR again today and had a REALLY slow start. One to the net, some ugly misses, and two broken knots was it for the first few hours. It was cold and windy and that didn’t help either. The fish seemed lifeless until the sun was up high enough to warm the water a little. The next challenge was keeping the rod guides clear. Yes, iced up rod guides on November 10! It was 24 degrees at the start of the day though. Things eventually warmed up which got fish rising and I managed several hookups on a #20 Sprout Midge Parachute and a #18 Adams Parachute. The swirling winds shut that down pretty quickly probably because I was trying to use 6X tippet. After that, they finally started chasing nymphs. A Sexy Walt’s Worm and a Polish Woven Nymph were deadly, picking up strikes on just about every cast for the better part of two hours. All I needed to do was move to the right place away from the shadows. With that flurry fresh in my mind, I may have to try again tomorrow ...
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 10, 2018 18:36:18 GMT -6
Size 16, H470 Jig Wave. Coffee 2.3mm Attachments:
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Post by slim on Nov 10, 2018 23:18:51 GMT -6
Send a LIR report tomorrow Darrell.
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 11, 2018 15:26:57 GMT -6
Size 16, H470 Jig Wave. Coffee 2.3mm What’s that body material you used? Looks like scales!
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Post by mirvc17 on Nov 11, 2018 16:31:32 GMT -6
They call it "Pheasant Tail"
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 11, 2018 17:09:33 GMT -6
They call it "Pheasant Tail" lnteresting stuff! Looks great on a fly.
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 11, 2018 17:40:29 GMT -6
Send a LIR report tomorrow Darrell. Okay, yeah I went back. It was a nice way to spend Veterans Day. Had very similar results as yesterday but a whole new set of problems. First, the similarities: slow start, some great action on the same tiny dry flies, and an uncountable number of strikes on nymphs between 10:30 and 1pm. Now for the problems: (1) swore off tippet rings. Could not get a knot to hold on the tippet side of the ring. One failed on a log snag and two failed on hook sets. The first two were Orvis Knots and the third was a Uni Knot. Lost two flies and a strike indicator each time although I did follow the last one downstream a ways until the fish spit out the hook and was able to recover it. After that I replaced the tippet ring with a Surgeon’s Knot and had no failures for the rest of the day. (2) swore off Dai-Riki #135 hooks. From the scuttlebutt, a Rainbow Warrior was working well and I had a few in my pack from a while ago. Probably had 20 strikes on them but LDR’d at least half of them even after some very solid hook sets. I think that hook is just too soft and flexible because I absolutely did not have that problem with strikes on my Hanak jig hook flies. I know jig hooks find their way into a different part of the mouth, but still, it shouldn’t be that bad. Going to tie up some more RW’s on Hanak Czech Nymph hooks and see if they hold better. I’m betting they will.
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Post by FlyAndStream on Nov 11, 2018 17:49:37 GMT -6
Improved clinch knots on both end of the tippet ring, seem to do just fine for me. Otherwise a blood knot without the ring
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 11, 2018 17:59:40 GMT -6
Improved clinch knots on both end of the tippet ring, seem to do just fine for me. Otherwise a blood knot without the ring Thanks, I will try that. Both knots I used are supposedly stronger than IC’s but failed miserably for me today. I really don’t want to give up my tippet rings.
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Post by danimal on Nov 11, 2018 20:10:46 GMT -6
Wish I'd known you were over there Darrell. I just got home. Had a pretty good day!
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Post by darrelln09 on Nov 12, 2018 6:20:18 GMT -6
Wish I'd known you were over there Darrell. I just got home. Had a pretty good day! You must have stayed right up to sunset? Where did you fish?
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