The "Futsu Kebari" and Other Musings

In this photo you can see a waterfall. The stream that flows above this gorge that is the spillway of the Hogback Res. is a stream that I have fished twice. I was told that it never dries up and it's flow is pretty consistent. The times I fished it I caught some beautiful brookies, but what I most remember is the trek into that stream. I was a lot younger and now that I'm writing this I get pains in the knees and my backside from sliding down the ridges. It's a stream I would gladly share with an adventurous soul. There are some awesome views back there.

 

 

The Futsu Kebari...I think that's what these flies are called. A simple thread body and hackle. The thread is silk and it's wrapped with a somewhat large long head. The hackle is dry fly rooster wound on using 3-4 turns. Even though the hackle is dry fly, the fly itself is a wet fly. There is probably a reason for it but I'm not certain of it.
 

Here is a Futsu Kebari tied using a dubbed body. The dubbing used is a  mix of life cycle nymph dubbing and Shetland spindrift wool, "thanks Lou"...this fly was featured in a post not long ago.
 

This orange blonde Futsu Kebari was a killer for me the other day. What surprised me was the amount of salmon parr-smolts that this fly brought to me.
 

Are you ready for some brown trout? These guys are really showing up.
 

Small Stream, Dry Fly, And Brook Trout

I read a post last week by Mark over at "Fishing Small Streams" about an outing he recently had on a stream that we both love. After reading it I decided to check out the stream and found some surprises. The water flow was good and there were many deep pools. Looking into the water I saw brookies, some darted away swiftly and others just sat on the bottom doing what brookies do.

The air temp the day I fished was warm probably near 60 degrees, the winds were not a problem. A few runs had leaf dams, and usually near these was a feeding brook trout. As I walked along it seemed to me that the trout in this had completed their spawn for they were feeding with a mission.

Not only were the brookies on a mission so were the snakes. I saw a few little guys here and there. If you look closely you'll see one here.

This is a lovely little run, a favorite of mine. I stood upstream and watched several trout feeding on the surface. Bright sun, and clear water was not an issue...they rose freely.

Several brookies like this fellow came to hand from one run.

As I approached this pool I scattered several trout. These fish seemed to be a bit larger. I circled above trying to not spook them again. Upstream I observed them slowly returning to their former positions. I cast the fly and watched it drift. I saw a trout move to it and as it rose I pulled to quickly, but he followed it and finally took it.

In a few moments a beautiful wild jewel was at hand. He was a true giant for this stream and a blessing. As I released him back into the cold water I could not help to think how the will and the fortitude this brook tout had to make it through this past summer. They are a special breed.

As I looked at this photo at home a few features stood out. I saw a hump forming on his back, his teeth were protruding almost like a salmon, and he was in perfect condition......carry on my friend.

A Fine Day In August

It's been quite sometime now that I have enjoyed such a day fishing for wild brook trout. Yesterday was one of those days that was so frustrating and so rewarding, a day not to be forgotten. The stream chosen is one of those that features spring seeps along it's length, these springs push up cold water to the tune of 58 degrees, and with pretty good volume I might add. The bottom covers most everything from fine to medium cobble, with the larger boulder here and there. Blow downs and wood jams aplenty as well as some grasses that grow in stream. The stream runs through some woods consisting of hardwoods and conifers. The banks in places are a nightmare, but they do protect the streams inhabitants. The brook trout that live here are what I would describe as insanely skittish. One wrong step and all that you'll see is flying darts, when this happens move on to the next pool or run.

The day was cloudy to partly sunny. The air thick with humidity, with that feel of a downpour at any time. You would think that the fish would be holding, well they were holding almost everywhere.

These brook trout are healthy and strong.

The stream side....beautiful to look at but a disaster to navigate through.

The males seem to starting their fall colors.

I have a variety of flies deposited along runs like this.

I fished my TQR rod this day. It's a 5' 2wt. It was perfect for this stream.

This was without question the most colorful brookie of the day. It looked like a torch coming through the grass.

With pronounced colors as these what will October bring.

This fly brought more strikes, as well as a few to hand than any fly used that day. It's a soft-hackle dry fly. I have a few in my box and use them from time to time. They are similar to a fly known as a "Cinberg". I tie them with a light body as well as a brown body.

They approved.

Also represented this day was the "Hornberg"...fished dry and pulled under it brought some violent strikes.

On my way out I met a couple of farmers haying this field. The stream flows close by and gaining access through here would be so kind. In talking to them they informed me that they were not the landowner but instructed me as to who it was. I will pay him a visit and hope to gain permission to fish on his land.

The "Mini Bugger"

I don't think there is a fly fisher who has not fished the "Woolly Bugger". This fly that was created by Russell Blessing of Pennsylvania is probably recognized everywhere in the world, and has accounted for more fish than any other fly pattern. The effectiveness of the "bugger" can be attributed to the marabou tail, which every bugger has. This material comes alive in the water and will draw strikes even from lazy fish. Other materials vary on this fly. Bodies from various types of chenille, dubbings, along with wire or tinsel ribs. Some are weighted with lead wire, cone heads and bead heads, and a host of colors. These flies represent a lot of various forms of fish food. Bait-fish, hellgramites, nymphs, and leeches to name a few.

Woolly Buggers are tied on hooks ranging in size from 4 to 8, with some perhaps bigger and some in size 10. I would think size 8 to be the most common size used. I have started tying these in sizes 14 and 16..."mini buggers". The material list is pretty much the same accept for the colors of the marabou tails. Mustad 9671 nymph hooks are used with a peacock body. The hackle is black or grizzly and there is a brass bead. I think these mini buggers will have a good chance at taking trout from small streams, especially brook trout in winter.

Black mini bugger with gray tail.

Black mini bugger with olive tail.

Black mini bugger with black tail. I believe the black and the olive are the most popular color combinations. The flies are tied on #14 hooks.

A black mini bugger tied on a #16 hook.