What' In Your Box

Mike Gifford's Dry Fly / Bead Head Box.



" I use the M-Series C&F Boxes beacause they fit in my fanny pack nicely
and aren't too heavy. This photo shows my box in pretty much the way it would be
through the season. The only difference is it's kind of messy right now as I just got back from Chile. I would normally have more CDC and Parachute Caddis once the season starts.
Lots of Foam Bugs in assorted patterns ( really like the Morrish Hopper later in the season, been fishing it for a couple of years now. Small to mid-size bead heads like the Tung Stud and Tung Dart. I use them mostly as Hopper/Dropper but also for sight fishing when they won't eat the dry. Notice the Chamois Leech (the last resort bug)."

IT'S ARRIVING TODAY!

After several delays (like about a year) it's arriving today!

THE FISH BUM DIARIES: VOLUME 2 METALHEAD

Chronicles the epic journey of five fish bums and their friends as they travel to remote Northwestern wilderness in search of legendary steelhead; the hottest freshwater fish you can catch on a fly rod and also a fish whose survival hangs in the balance. 60 min.

Filmed as an adventure documentary, the fish bums face the challenges of mother-nature, border police and Giardia. This untamed and majestic land offers the best opportunity for an angler to hook into a wild trophy steelhead. If you are lucky enough to land one these incredible fish, you will be forever changed. Follow the dedication, obsession and insanity that drive steelheaders to pursue a fish that is not in the river to feed, a fish known as Metalhead.

Bow River Report

Hey everyone,
been a while since we've had a report, but we HAVE been fishing!
The weather has turned around and we've finally had some warm days, and the fish are definitely responding for us. Fishing small midges under a heavier bug like a wire-worm or conestone has been producing quite consistently, and the streamer fishing last week was exceptional (especially with the water temps)

Get your swings slow and deep, and you'll be rewarded with some great fish. Fleshy colored baitfish are the fly of choice for the streamer fishing, with bigger flies producing results!

Have fun, and watch out for the rotting ice shelfs. With the warmer weather the ice shelfs will start to rot, and can be very unpredictable. I'd highly recommend NOT standing on them, even if you get an extra 10 feet of casting distance. Some will fall away even when they look like they're 2 or 3 feet thick.

Be careful, and catch some fish!

Brent

Saturday Morning Seminars

Saturday, February 27, 2010 10 AM at Country Pleasures.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE SERIES-MONGOLIA

Come and see video and slides from the Ur River in Northern Mongolia as well as a presentation by Caitlin on the work being done by the Taimen Conservation Fund.

All attendees will be entered in a draw to win a copy of Fish Bum Diaries –River Wolf.

Flies From the Bull Trout Seminar

Some of the flies Brent tied in the Seminar on Bull Trout Flies....

Slim Beauty Knot with Tom Rowland

Florida guide Tom Rowland shows how to tie the Slim Beauty. Very good knot for those
who don't want Biminis, Hufnagles, and all those other crazy knots.

Floating Line Streamer Fishing In Chile

Fishing at Desierto Azul, the headwaters of the Rio Paloma in Chile. One of us fishing the big beetle, the other a floating line streamer.

If you watch close, a nice Brown eats a beetle on the surface as I cast the Party Boy at the bank.

It eats the streamer but I don't come tight. Then I spend the next 20 seconds going from telling myself the fish missed it to realizing I stuck him and pooched it!!

At least I didn't do the tip strike thing!!! Finding new ways to screw up all over the planet....

Rising Fish Eats A streamer from Mike Gifford on Vimeo.

What's In Your Box

Mike Gifford's Tiny Bug/Spring Creek Box




"All my little bugs organized in a
C & F 1506 box. I really like the micro slit design for these small flies, I can never find the fly I'm looking for in other boxes. This box also holds a ton of flies.
Lots of little emergers, midges, etc. This box comes in handy at places like the Crow in the fall, Palmer Ranch, and spring creeks."

Bonus For The Flyfishers Out There!

Every once in a while we get a nice surprise.

There are several items in the shop that have dropped in price for 2010!!

Simms, Sage, Orvis, have dropped retails on a lot of items.

All leaders and tippets are at a new low price as well!

Back From Patagonia, Chile

Six couples from Calgary just got back from Patagonia, Chile, fishing with Country Pleasures Flyfishing and Cinco Rios Lodge.

We were treated like royalty (as usual) by the staff at C.R. This was a cool trip for us as a lot of the party members did not fish much, anywhere from a half day to 4 days. The non-fishers seemed to have as much fun as those of us fishing. The highlight seemed to be the day spent walking with the Andean Condors at their roosts. Face to face with a bird that has a 3 meter wingspan sounds pretty wild!

Southern Chile Brown Trout are kind of pretty!

Rio Cea, a pretty little spring creek not far from the lodge. I think you could fish every day for months and still not fish all the good trout water around Coyhaique.

A spring creek Brown Trout on a dry fly. Very technical pattern selection. If it's windy, a size 6 Fat Albert. If it's calm, a size 14 Fat Albert. Patagonia is Foam Bug Heaven!

One of the many spectacular waterfalls. This creek is only 150 yards long, flowing into a beautiful lake. There is, however, a two foot plus Brown right by the bushes in the above photo.

Another awesome Brown on a dry fly. Somebody asked me if I mind that Maureen seems to catch a lot more big Browns on dry flies than I do.... I'm getting used to it!

Don't forget to check the CP website for upcoming Saturday Morning Seminars. We have a pretty cool presentation on Chile coming up!!!

Drake Magazine-New Issue In The Shop

The new issue is now here. They have an article on Los Jardines de la Reina,Cuba that some of you might find interesting.

Saturday Morning Seminars

February 20, 10 AM Country Pleasures

BULL TROUT FLIES

We decided to re-do this seminar. We had one back in December but a lot of people were stuck in a blizzard. Brent Piche will show his some of his beastly flies for Bull Trout. A popular seminar last year with some pretty cool tying techniques.

All attendees will be entered in a draw for the flies tied at the seminar.

COUPLE OF NEW PRODUCTS

Fly Tying Unibobbers are sure to keep your fly floating. Imagine the "hangdown" patterns, "cripples", emergers one could create. The entire fly hanging subsurface but your able to fish the Unibobber as a dry, dead drift. The possibilities of this product are endless.

The Unibobber will also work as a micro-Thingamabobber for small waters and spring creeks.

They are 1/4" in diameter and come 6 per pack

BUGWATER

Follows the bugs & the trout through their life cycles from spring through winter. Thomason’s stunningly striking photos & fascinating narratives show off the bugs up close, in amazing detail. With the author’s insights as both a scientist & fly fisher, this book delivers solid content. Covers all popular trout foods—mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges. 337 color photos, 7 B&W illus; 8.5x11 inches, 224 pgs.

What's in your box?

Here's a photo of Darren Banash's flies that he tied for us on the 6th. Hope you like them, we know we do.





Be on the lookout for pictures of all our staff's fly boxes.

RIVERS OF A LOST COAST TRAILER

In the 1950s California's Russian River was a steelheader's paradise. In this 6 minute clip from the award winning documentary "Rivers of a Lost Coast" (Skinny Fist Productions, November 2009, 86 minutes) you'll relive the magic of the early Russian and be introduced to Bill Schaadt, one of the most memorable anglers the world has ever seen.

Excerpt: "Here's San Francisco. It's 56 miles to Guerneville. And here's this river with 50,000 winter steelhead. I mean, it's an hour drive. Where else is there that kind of steelhead fishing within an hour's drive of a major metropolitan area?"

Rivers of a Lost Coast from Skinny Fist on Vimeo.

Feeling Artistic?

See 90 fly fishing art paintings, from 9 different angling artists, all in 90 seconds. From ArtCreel.com, including work by Al Barnes, Peter Corbin, Derek DeYoung, Scott Hale, Jeff Kennedy, John Koch, AD Maddox, Joseph Tomelleri and Bob White.

All of the images are available as limited edition prints at ArtCreel.com.

"GO TO" BONEFISH FLIES - BONEFISH CRAB

The Bonefish Crab is a relatively simple pattern to tie and works for both Bonefish and Permit. When you find Bonefish actively foraging for crabs around coral this is a "go to" bug.

Oh, and I might have mentioned, Permit eat it too.

Hook: Tiemco 811s #6 or equivalent

Thread: Ultra Thread 140 Tan

Eyes: Lead Dumbell Medium

Claws: Grizzly Marabou-Tan or Olive

Body: Tuffleye cut to shape abd colored

Legs: Loco Legs - Grass Shrimp Olive

Step 1: Apply Tuffleye Finish material to a sheet of plastic. Let spread until consistent at about 1/16" thick.



Step 2: Use activation light on Tuffleye. After using light on top flip plastic over and use light on back side of sheet as well.

Step 3: Using Crab Body Cutters, or freehand using scissors, cut body shapes out of Tuffleye. Epoxy will not work as it will crack.

Photo above shows apprximate thickness.

Step 3: Start tyng fly. Tie in lead eyes right behind eye of hook using Zap Gel so they do not move on shank when fishing. Make sure eyes are right against eye of hook.

Step 4: Wrap back to rear of shank and tie in 2 Grizzly Marabou pieces. X wrap so they split into 45 degree angles as shown. Coat with Hard as Hull cement and pull on each piece of marabou to thin out.

Photo shows apppearance of marabou making claws.

Step 5: Tie in 3 pairs of rubber legs at mid point on shank.

Step 6: Apply Zap Gel to shank and place one piece of cut body on top of shank as shown. At this time, position legs so they are spread out and angled towards eye of hook (as shown). Once positioned to satisfaction, apply Zap Gel to shank side of Tuffleye, coating entire surface. Do not use too much, just a light coat.

Step 7: Apply second piece of Tuffleye on other side of shank and compress with fingers.

Step 8: Tie overhand knots in legs at desire length and cut to length.

Step 9: Color to taste and coat both sides with Hard as Hull Cement.

FINISHED FLY!

Family Fishing

We thought we'd share with you this photo collage sent in by Jon of Calgary of his first fishing trip with his five year old son. Apparently, the young fisherman has caught the bug so be on the lookout for this little guy!

Country Pleasures Saturday Seminars

Saturday, February 6 10 AM
FAVOURITE PATTERNS WITH DARREN BANASCH

Darren, owner of Hook and Hackle, will tie a selection of his favorite patterns for Southern Alberta.
All attendees will be entered in a draw to win a $25 gift certificate for fly tying supplies.

Staff Product Picks

Here's Marks favourite 2009 product pick and his upcoming 2010 product pick!
Also check out Brent and Caitlin's favourites

"Last spring Maui Jim introduced a new line of “Readers” sunglasses. These glasses have all the best features of MJ sunglasses along with the convenience of a bifocal area. In the last few years I have been having problems tying on small flies and even losing a few trout because of sloppy knots. Now that I have a pair of Readers all it takes is a simple glance at the bottom of the lens to tie on the smallest of flies or to make sure that the barb is pinch down properly. Currently I have 4 pairs of polarized sunglasses in my kit bag but the only pair getting used are the MJ Readers.

New from Orvis for 2010 is the Hydros fly rod. The Hydros uses the same blank technology as the Helios rod but with less expensive fittings and rod tube in order to produce a light weight rod thats also light on the pocket. I might just have to replace my old worn out 7wt streamer rod with an Orvis Hydros. "