Being from Buffalo, NY I have the unique advantage of pursuing both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario fins with Inland trout opportunities not too far away. Who would have guessed that the first week of January would have been my most productive week of the Steelhead season? Who would have thought that it would still even be Steelhead season? Yes, I almost always fish in January but usually it’s more of a battle against the cold and ice than it is against the fish. This time of year in Buffalo is ear marked for endless amounts of “Lake Effect” snow. Anyone who pursues Great Lake’s chrome in the winter knows exactly what I am talking about. The type of snow that falls in sheets and sometimes doesn’t end for days. And when it does you are spending a few more days shoveling yourself out. Well it seems that Old Man Winter has made its return to Steelhead Alley, at least for now anyway. So in January when you have 24 inches of fresh snow on the ground there is no other place I’d rather be than at the tying bench. I actually started tying flies before I began serious fly fishing. There was no one else in my family even remotely interested in fishing and I wasn’t anywhere’s near driving age. So unless I felt like walking 40 miles to go fishing I was going to have to wait and hope for an occasional ride. I started with the basics and made the ascent to classic salmon flies, still waiting to get my damn license. But that time finally came after 4 tries. Yes, I failed my test 3 times. Apparently all that time casting in my backyard should have been spent parallel parking instead. Of course now it’s a different struggle of getting to the streams. The schedule of a dental student doesn’t necessarily cater to that of fly fisherman. So with the return of the snow and tests for that matter it feels good to be back at the bench where it all began; tying Mickey Finns, Parachute Adams, & Gray Ghosts, wondering if it will be a Brown, Brook, or Rainbow that will be fooled by my feathered creations.
So is anyone else’s bench as messy as mine? I hope so because I never find any justification to clean it up. This photo is actually on one of its good days. Sad but true.
thats a great looking fly in the picture. A ride is always a problem for me. I hope my license in less than 4 tries…knock on wood. and no, you are not alone, my fly tying stuff is just as bad if not worse than your set up right now. I need to do some organizing soon.
Barbless, That is a great looking pattern. I am with you on the battle of cold and ice. You have to admit that up until this point, we have been pretty spoiled this winter. We had to pay the price sooner or later. Nice work at the vise….looks like a killer smelt or alewive imitation! Whats the material on the bottom?
nice post. I wish I were so dedicated to tying. I can only really get into it when I need specific patterns. By the way your desk is neater than mine by a mile. As my stuff ends up covering all the available space as well as on the floor.
Your bench looks quite organized to me but then some of my feathers have grown their birds back an flown off. My family got a restraining order to keep me out of my tying room its so messy. During fishing season keep your gear in the car and don’t miss an oportunity to take a few casts and forget the heartpounding thrill of doing a root canal.
Nice fly barbless, your stuff is more organised than mine however I feel I have a few years and a few thousand dollars of tying stuff on you but it will come that’s for sure. haha. Keep up the good work.
gry ghost, if i am not mistaken or some version of it? i fish that pattern extensively in the spring …. i think it was created many moons ago in maine??? have never seen it with that matterial on the bottom? nice version, if that is what it is .. let me know … either way, would certainly work great here in maine … and catch some nice salmon and brook trout …
ps … your bench is WAY neater than mine .. you will make a good dentist, i on the other hand, would not …:)
A gray ghost indeed. First tied in Maine by Carrie Stevens for Rangeley Lake. I use them out here on the niagara river because they imitate smelt and its 4 inches long. Huge steelhead love it. Problem is landing the fish once you hook them. The 4 inch shank creates a ton of leverage for the fish to spit the hook. The solution to that is tubes and I have started using them almost exclusively for steelhead patterns. Virtually eliminates the leverage problem and you hook more fish. The bottom is originally tied with deer hair. But I find the slinky fiber more durable and adds a new touch to an old classic.
Slinky Fiber…..use it instead of deer hair. Awesome stuff for clousers.
it looks insane…Thanks….I’ll have to pick some up.
Sweet tie barbless!!
I am also from the Buffalo area, Live in North Tonawanda now. I agree, winter has been prolonged, but it is definitely here now!!
We do have the best of both worlds being in this area.!!!! Keep tying, your flies look great!!