I'm finishing up a couple of things to show a few visitors next week.

The end of the year will bring blessings and responsibilities to an old Pop with 13 Grandchildren. You might recall that Kelly and I joined two previous families. Three of Hers and two of mine. Then came TRIPLET Granddaughters and TWIN Grandsons. The number got to 13 quicker then most. Haha. So we try to have a little something in those stockings for Christmas. I can't always hand make all our gifts. But we hope I'll make something in the shop that just really suits your pocket for your Holiday festivities!

Thanks for checking in here. I'll have some pics ASAP!

Gary

Gary
That's alot of fun all at one time . Triplets and twins ... What a handful ! I love seeing the gifts you make for the kids and the adults . Some of those Christmas ornaments will surley be handed down thu the generations .
Don't over do it now . I'm guessing your getting some relief from your last set of injections and hope they last for you .

Thanks
Kurt

You must be busy making product. Waiting on the pics

Gary,

That is a bunch of family to enjoy and spend time with, I know the food will be great too. I just hope you do not have to remove all the sharp things from all the shops and child proof them. That would be a job.

I am in Central Philippines and this year Christmas day is predicted to be 75 f to 86 f. If all goes right I will go fly fishing in a fresh water lake protected and appointment fishing only. They supply a guide (watcher) and a two man sea kayak that he operaties.. It is fly only, no barbs, and 100% catch and release. Said to be stocked with American Sunfish, Large Mouth Bass, some local catfish that get over 50 lbs. (not big at taking flys so no problem for me) and asstorted pan fish. The local food for the lake fish is live local crayfish and a tiny freshwater eel about the size of a nightcrawler. I found patterns to tie several eel flys and I plan to make a few bad ones myself to try.

Gary have fun with the clan.

Larry

Larry
That's sounds like a great time . I do a little fly tying and fishing myself . Those sunfish fight like the dickens . They don't let you catch and even buy a lunch worth ?
The little things I take for granted . Sunfish , bluegills , pumpkinseeds , are all so prevalent everywhere here I just never thought about NOT having them anytime . Good luck with tying flys . I'm sure they'll be great & work too . I'd love to see pics of both fish and bait if your able .

Thanks
Kurt

Hey Kurt,

I saw fly's you tied and they were art. Mine are not art but seem to work some. Yes all the sunfish family is a riot on a fly rod and I love to catch them. Here we have US Sunfish in several lakes. This lake has also has local fish and tilapia. The tilapia can get to 5 pounds but most caught there are about 1.5 pounds tops and a real ball to catch on a fly rod. Those we can catch and keep to eat. The imported fish like bass and sunfish are catch and release.

I am tying a simple and poorly tied copy of a Clouser eel. But these live eels are not black or brown but almost a grey color. But I have some hackle here that is almost grey and I will use that. The fish here take poppers and most any fly. I had good luck with the bass here with a muddler minnow too. (well with my tying skills I told everyone it was muddler minnow. ha ha )

For fast action but not always big fish the foam ant in black is great under trees and cover too. I tie those with local black foam, one black hackle tied in the middle and I just use the thread to build the body and head. I use a clear two part epoxy on the body. Works almost every time.

Have a great Holiday season.

Larry

Hi Larry and All ....

Now HERE!!! ..... are some FINE Tied Flies - by Kurt and his Son Jake!!!



Makes me want to gulp one and run down the hall way with it!!! . I'm really pleased to say I got these as a fine Gift! I'm honored to own them.

Larry, I want one of those black foam flies you mentioned! Great improvisation!!!

Enjoy your Christmas Experience. Sounds great!

Gary

Nice flies, I was running for a can of Raid.

Lon

Gary,

Those are art. Really good work to Kurt and Jake. Fish laugh at mine. sigh

Gary at least this time I won't be fishing in the fish farm grow out pond with fly's tied to look like fish pellets.

Looks like your B day was a nice kick back day. Good for you.

Larry

Hi Larry,

Hah!!!! I didn't know fish could laugh! Hah!

And I get a good fish belly laugh at your flies tied to look like a fish food pellet! . Now THAT is "Woods Craft" at its finest. I can see the pioneers sitting in the cabin by candle light - tying flies....

"OUCH .... Beep beepididy beep! I stuck myself again. I can't see a darned thing .... "

"Let me see yours again .... are you sure that looks like a fish pellet ...?"

"Daddy ... what's a fish pellet?" "And why do you keep saying BEEP!....?"

Haha.....

Gary

Gary,

Only you could see the pioneers sitting in the dark trying fly's that look like fish pellets from the future without a vice or tools. Cracked me up. Thanks for the smiles you always see life a bit out of Phase and I like that.

Ask Kurt he will tell you always "Match the Hatch" or the food pellet.

Gary enjoy this season and just let the chips fall (metal for you) and enjoy the family.

I miss that.

Larry

Larry
You are exactly right . You" match the hatch " you have to be out a lot to see a hatch as it happens . It's pretty amazing watching ALL the nymphs rise to the surface and and take to the air . The first time I was smack dab in the middle of it . I even flip rocks over to see what domestic bugs are living in the water at any given time .
The terrestrials bugs like your foam ant are a lot harder to tie for me . I've done bee's and ants but grasshoppers were the hardest . The legs were hackles with only the center shaft left . You cut all the feathers off leaving only the vein and tie two knots it it about 1/2" apart . They make the knee and foot joint . Then tie into the hook and finish the body . I even have a vice that clamps on the steering wheel of my truck for stream side tying to " match the hatch "
Now I'm a catch and EAT kinda guy . Some guys are into it for just the sport . It's really rewarding to trick a fish into biting a hand tied lure from found / captured materials .
What a great thing for you to do at Christmas. Happy hunting .
Thanks

Thanks
Kurt

Kurt,

My Dad used to tie on the tailgate of the old 66 Chevy pickup and he flipped rocks too. I have to admit that grasshopper knees are way above my skills and needs.

Gary was laughing at me when I was fishing a little used grow out cement fish pond here. They feed the fish pellets so they take anything at all that hits the water and floats. But my joke to Gary to how to "match the hatch" when the hatch is brown fish pellets? Not real sporty I guess.

I too love to eat what I catch but the invite to the lake with USA bass and sunfish is too good to pass up.

I live on the ocean here and the China made 7 foot fly rod with the small plastic fly reel is not a match for even small reef fish here the reel is so small there is no room for backing line in case I get even a small run. So I am looking to upgrade if I can find one.

Gary I have some foam ants I can send you but I wonder what customs will do about sending a fake ant tied with a chicken feather to a guy in Florida? But I am game if you are. ha ha Please try not to show them on the same page as Kurt's and his Son's real tied fly's.

Kurt at least you can get to water with real trout. I miss that.

Larry

Well Larry....

In our next episode .... we find our family - still in the cabin .....

"Pa - what are we tying these here fish pellet flies fur anyhow?"

"Well, Clementine; wez a gonna go fishin'. Catch some of them there brown trout from that deep hole in the stream."

"We outta dynamite Daddy?"

"No Wyatt, we gotta crate of it under ta bunk over yonder. And you kids stay out of it too! Ya'll used up half of the last crate .... just a foolin' around!"

"Then why are we tyin' these little rabbit turd things then Pa?"

"They are fish pellets, and you watch your BEEPin mouth!"

"I'm sorry Pa. Then why are we tyin' these here "fish pellets?"

"Couzin' I ran into the new Conservation a Officer down at the Tradin' Post. And he said they had a new Public Service Announcement tellin' a folks they shuddin' had outta dynamite fish no more."

"How many fish do these little tur....fish pellets.... Blow outta them stream holes Pa?"

"Just one atta Tyme Wyatt,"

"Well that's dummer'n a baby brother on a huntin' trip Pa!"

"Now Clementine, if'n you had some respect for your baby brother, he wouldn't be sittin over there by the fireplace playing Marshal and sentencing all those logs to burn on the fire of damnation. He ain't been right in the head since you sent him into that bear den last Spring to see if the Bears were awake yet ..,"

"Besides, Conservation Officer says we gotta do it this way now ..."

"Well when can we go fishin' Pa, I'm powerful hungry."

"Conservation Officer says we gotsa ta do what's called "catch and release" now."

"What's that mean Pa?"

"we let 'em go after we catch 'em!"

"Awwllll Paaaahh!! I'm powerful hungry now...."

"Well eat your chicken nuggets Wyatt! That's why I sat in that buddy line at the Tradin' Post Window yesterday morning ... and brung 'em to ya!"

"Well, I'm powerful hungry too Pa!"

"Well Clementine, I only had a coupon for yer brother this time!" "Take yer baby brother and go let him run down a squirrel for ya. He likes that .,."

Check in next time when we here Wyatt say ..., "these here beep beepity beep fish don't like them fish turds no how!"

Omg! Seriously, someone grab a fly swatter!