What do Trout Eat in Winter?

My dad used to say "there's a hatch every day"  Like he was sure as shit that the sun would come up too.  Well, he's right in many respects. those fat trouts don't stop eating just because it's cold, raining, or I'm at work. I's my job as an angler to fool them all the time, season/weather/schedules  whatever. I'm using a crayfish tomorrow, because last time I was at this spot, I saw crayfish. Hopefully they will be a sz 16 in 2013

midnight snow

First slippery night in SECT. Got an inch of slushy snow and a great excuse for a cruise

Fly Swap.

5 fresh Swamp Yankee Specials (SYS) on the way to Sweden.

 Recently, a Swedish Blogger I follow; http://tyingandfishingtinyflies.blogspot.com/ Put up an offer to have a fly swap.   Heck yeah!  I Jumped at the offer, already with a Trout in mind to fool with a 277 #32. the deal is, 6 flies that work.  I hope these work overseas.

 Ice Dub bakes a perfect head just behind the eye!

Also, I decided to include a few tiny hooks for Mats to try. Gamakatsu C12BM in 26&30. Have fun & nail some Swedish Char!

All Swamp Yankee Specials were tied on sz. 18 Gamakatsu C16B Crippled Emerger Hooks

I Dont fully expect him to use the mayfly crawling out of his exoskeleton, but it was really fun to make, so maybe it will inspire someone else to try do take the design further and smaller

Mayfly Tattoo!!!!

Mayfly Life Cycle Tattoo

I got a good chunk of real-estate on my arm taken care of thurs & fri night.    I'm totally psyched! shit came out awesome, and exactly how I wanted it. (the surprised look on my wife's face this morning said otherwise!)
   "I thought you were just getting some little bugs?"
   "Bitch, its a Tattoo, What the Fuck you expectin'?"
We really love each other, and she actually likes it alot!
 After reading a recent post on   http://ayearonthefly.blogspot.com/  I knew the artistic style that Joel was showing on his mayfly sketch was exactly what I wanted!  a few short emails back and forth, and Joel had these sweet drawings sent to me. Awesome job dude!   (check out his trout art, the recent greenback rules!)

 I like how I can make the little nymph wiggle
anyways, if anyone in SECT wants ink done, Dan Pierce at Whaling City Tattoo Museum had fun doing a kick-ass job on wings & fine lines... TL

Sexy Mayfly Photo Shoot

stonefly mad

 searuns & stockies loved the stonefly tonight.

 mostly 7" with a few keeper size, me and a bud pulled out close to 20 in 30-40 min

 hahaha    smallest fish of the night

cork is 9",  this is average size for the stockies and juvenile searuns. I've heard all kinds of ways to tell em' apart, and i'm really not sure how.  oh well  trutta trutta

Good day for the woodstove and Tying

 My buddy Abe, in this picture it's actually 78 deg. in the living room, but he still has to be 24" from the stove. nobody said he was smart.

 I can't get over how great these bodies look, so making sure that i compliment them with a great looking wing casing was a must!

 What i have been finding looks good lately (and super realistic) is easy to accomplish in just a few steps.
1st, select some mallard flank feathers, these are usually mottled and closely resemble the natural wings
2nd, select just the tip of the feather, and treat it with your favorite flexible cement. Use your fingers and work it in good, making sure to keep a nice flat, rubber-like feather.
3rd, after your feather has dried, lay it on some clear wing material that has also been treated with cement.
once this dries, cut to shape, or use a wing cutter. it now has a clear, shiny outside, and mottled (natural ) look.

when I tie on these wings, I like tying them falling over the eye first, then folding it back, not only locking it in, but allowing for a light colored area directly in front of the wing, imitating the lighter colored head on the stonefly

Winter stone

This is what I came up with for next time

 bunch of 16's

underside (trout view)

What the Trout ate Sunday

and here's what they didn't eat.

At least I know what they are eating