Hopper

I use 1 X clear white pine ripped down to 1/4" then run trough a router table to put a bead and cove on the strips, with red cedar accents, the epoxy is 50/50 system much cheaper than some of the other popular brands, I used it on my 16' and I dont shy away from the rocks and it has held up very well, I used 6 oz. fiberglass cloth. I wet it out with a set of body putty squeegies from auto zone, they are exactly what you would buy from epoxy supplier but much cheaper. Gregg

Posted several weeks ago, so I thought I would update build with some pics. hopefully will be done in May some time. Gregg

Looks like sunday for me, Chance where are you going to be? Gregg

Be there Sat. and Sun. usually start up by hatchery and work my way down. Grey F-150, Ok. plates. Stop and say hey. Gregg

Fished Hickory today for a couple of hours on the way to Roaring river, and caught some nice fish. Fished #18 copper john with #22 brown thread midge dropper.

Just got back in town and from the looks of it I'm glad I went south. Saturday and today the fishing was outstanding. Sat. the very good, but also had some tough luck, I don't know what it was but I must have broke off 8 times from fish and another 10 on the bottom, 20+ flies in one day, one fish actually made may heart race, it jumped twice so I got a good look at it, would hace been the largest trout I ever landed (24+") lesson learned, dont reach for your net untill that fish is played out Anyway I made up for it today, fished from 8:00 to 1:00 caught more fish than I could count, two right at 18" couple more at 16". Great weekend! Gregg

I figured I would escape Tulsas' weather and head south to Lower Mt. Fork for the weekend, arrived around 12:00 and on the water about 12:30. Steady rain most of the afternoon and around 38 deg. water was a little off color so it seemed anything i tied on worked. Small flor. orange san juan worm, with an assortment of midge droppers, 60% on midges 40% on worm. landed around 30 fish by 4:30 one nice 16" rainbow. Will add another report tommorrow. Gregg

This is the pattern I tie in red, brown, black,and rust brown. x-small copper or silver ultra wire rib with two wraps of partridge. #16 - 20 #18 is the size I usually tie on

I dead drift it, most strikes are at the tail end of the drift as the current raises the fly towards the surface film, most strikes are pretty hard, also I dont mend the line, just keep the slack out, you will also get strikes stripping it back in, vary the speed of the strip, sometimes they like if pretty fast sometimes slow just have to experiment. Gregg

Been a forum member for two years and a fly fishing fanatic for three, thought I would share a project I have been working on for my dad. 13' wood strip solo canoe, this will be my second build my first was a 16'. Current stage has taken three weekends, that is 6 days without a fly rod in my hands , but it is for a good reason, and I plan on taking it out for the first float, maybe some smallmouth. Gregg

I fished between where the log is sticking out of the water and the big boulders start, just below where everyone walks accross, looks deceptive but it holds alot of fish. Gregg

Chance, I fish soft hackles a some point every time I fish the lower Illinois, one of my best producers. Anytime I see them sipping midges from the top I go to the soft hackle. I fished the watts area from around 11:00 to 4:00 on sunday. Started alittle above the stocking tube with a #18 brown and partridge,copper ribbed soft hackle, and like you had a take almost every cast. Then moved to the bottom of the run below the tube and tied on a #18 all white midge with gold ribbing with a #20 krystal flash midge dropper and again lots of fish. Had a great day. Gregg

Fished friday afternoon from 3-5:00 1-22 on my way to roaring river. Fishing was great, caught at least a dozen fish. Fished from spring creek road(helicopter display) down to the ped. bridge just over a quarter of a mile. Its been a quite a while since I have fished hickory and flooding has definately changed the holes some. This stream fishes alot like crane, tight quarters, spooky fish. I'm still wondering if there is some natural reproduction going on in this stream, every time I fish it I catch at least one fingerling, also caught two in the 14" range. Gregg

Went to the lower mt. fork over the weekend and put the copper bead to test, did very well,#18 primrose, #20 drk. brown coppper zebra, #18 brown micro tube w/rootbeer ice dub collar, except the two biggest were caught on a #22 twisted micro tube midge by pat murphy. Gregg

Will do Gregg

When I fished last week monday and wednesday there were quite a few shad in the water, both floating on top and in the water column and did not see any evidence the trout were feeding on them, so I went with midges. Gregg

Had to head south to find a couple of degrees warmer weather, 30 Sat. and 38 Sun. fishing was great, the flooding they had earlier in the year really changed the place but the fish did not seem to mind a bit, fished mostly the eveining hole, did not have to move anywhere else. Caught 50+ fish each day, caught two that pushed 20". Fished two midges #16 above a #20. The pattern that brought both big fish was a #22 (Pic) brown micro tube, peacock hearl collar clear killer caddis bead. Gregg

Jeremy, I tie a rusty midge with a copper bead, and one with brown midge tube both size 18 and have good luck with both. Gregg (wood strip canoe)

Hey Phil, Fished between the dam and the cable and the run right below the cable. Gregg

Did not have to work today so I decided to hit the river before the weather got really bad. It was a good decision, due to the generation lately and the reduced pressure the fish are fat and healthy. Fished two midges under high vis dry fly, midges were #18 copper bead head and brown midge tube and #20 copper primrose and pearl lots of fish. Gregg

Phil, If you decide to give it a go tommorrow i'll be there around 8:00, outlet 1 or 2, its supposed to be pretty cold though, I'm in springfield this weekend so I gotta hit the water while I"m here. Gregg

More San Juan Pics.

First time to the San Juan for my dad and I, stayed at Rizuto's lodge, the owner Chuck very nice guy with unlimited knowledge of the river. Hired a guide on second day (Aaron Hyder)fantastic young man, and guide, never seemed to be a slow moment the entire day. Fished the upper flats on the last day on the advice of Aaron, again lots of big fish. On the guide trip we were set up with #8 bunny leach with a #20 red midge dropper between 7-10 ft deep. At the upper flats I fished a #16 egg pattern with a #22 brown crystal flash wing midge dropper. Both rigs were dead drifted under a indicator. This river will definately spoil a person with the ammount of big fish you can catch. Will definately be back. The weather was not for the light hearted 35 deg. was the warmest it got and light snow most of the time, but it was worth it. Gregg

Seemed like both days fishing was best when it warmed up around 11:00 am.

Phil, I fished both days below the low water dam, but I think with the colder temps there should be some stripers holding in the deep pool below pso, or the pool right above the kayak access. Gregg