Lots of optimism this evening...

Well, today was a fun day and a sad day both...It was the birthday of one of Port Alsworth's loved ones we lost in the tragic airplane crash recently, and so there was that memory.  At church this morning I decided to join up with the McGees and set the burbot longline out in the lake.  We met up this afternoon and got the beast set in short order.  We didn't use the full length, but we can always lengthen it depending on how the first few days (or maybe week) goes.  Going to bring the video camera so that we can record the proceedings, as it was kind of fun to have the old rig back.  We used the same longline setup we used in Russian Mission (see past posts), this time with only 15 hooks soaking, but of course we didn't have to deal with the current here in the lake, so things were even easier.  Can't wait to check tomorrow...  Also, I saw tracks in the snow, and got word that another fox was back last night by the rabbit hutch of the neighbors.  Needless to say, I put in another set out in front of the house, and so there is much excitement in the air for morning to come so we can check on all things 'set'.  Looking forward to the coming day with gratitude and anticipation - but trying to shut out any expectation, as that is usually not wise or as fruitful.  I will say, though that there was blood involved today when setting the longline, and for those of you that have followed along, we all know what that implies...we shall see.  ;)

The Hackle Ant!!

While things are just heating up here on Lake Clark as far as the fishing is concerned, it has suddenly taken an upswing.  Not only have we been seeing salmonfly hatches during the midday, but things are warming up enough where terrestrials now seem to be out in full swing.  Enter, the Hackle Ant.  This pattern is one I found online, and upon tying it up, figured it was a pretty good imitation of a bee, or an ant, or some other chunky crawly critter for that matter, all at the same time.  Seemed like a keeper.  And based on our first outing fishing it....It sure is.


Like most of the patterns I enjoy tying, this one is fast, simple...and catches fish like a champ, which is always good.

The ingredients are "simple":



- Hooks of your size and brand choice (Here I used tiemco dry fly hooks in 12 and 14)
- Veevus #6 thread, Black
- Some 2mm Black foam (Here I used Sportsman's Warehouse brand)
- Black or very dark brown hackle feathers of your choice
- Loon Hard Head or other similar fixative
- Some Glo Yarn, if you wish, for placing an indicator on the ant's back. This is not necessary of course.

Once you get the ingredients together, place your hook in the vise and cut a narrow strip of foam that is about 2.5 to 3 times the length of the hook shank - roughly the width of whatever size ant you wish to make :) 


Next, build yourself a thin, even base of thread running from just behind the eye to just past the barb of the hook.  Dab some Hard head or super glue or Zap a Gap or whatever you use onto this thread, and immediately secure the foam to the hook with a bunch of wraps.  As for placement, I like to allow one-third of the foam to stick out both in front of the eye and behind the bend of the hook; so I am basically securing the middle one-third of the foam's total length at this step. The adhesive prevents the fly from spinning on the hook, both now, when you are tying, and later, when the fish are trying to tear it apart.  Once your wraps are on, things should look kind of like this:



I like to finish that last step with my thread toward the rear of the hook right where the last thread wraps secure the foam to the hook (in picture above). I then bend the rearmost end of foam back on top of itself, forming the ant abdomen. The end of the foam should come a little past the center point of the secured portion. I then bind in the abdomen with some good tight thread wraps. Next, do the same with the front end of the foam. Bend it back, forming the head of the ant. Secure it with more tight thread wraps, and what you end up with is an appropriately sized abdomen and head, with two tag ends of foam meeting right in the middle, creating what will be the thorax:



From here, trim the tag ends so that they are flush with each other, and also so that they have a lower profile, not sticking up much beyond what the head and abdomen do when viewed from the side...



Once they are trimmed, this is where you can add the indicator, if interested.  Cut an appropriately sized small chunk of glo yarn:


You can then place this over the trimmed tag ends, and secure it by running a thread wrap right through the two tag ends, which will pull the yarn down in between them a bit. Give this a few more tight wraps, all the while being careful to not cinch the yarn tuft down in so far it becomes useless...





Next, get your thread over to the wraps just behind the head to set up the hackle legs. Then select a hackle feather, trim it and prep it accordingly:







Then tie in the base of the stem behind the head and secure it with 2 or 3 wraps of thread.



Wrap the hackle two turns around just behind the head, then cinch it in with a couple more wraps of thread. As you come around the body on the second wrap, swing the hackle feather under the body to prepare for two wraps just in front of the abdomen as well, also securing this with your thread when done.  Hackle pliers may be helpful here, depending on your fingers and the size of the ant you are making...







Now, these are some super long legs, that we need to trim.  In addition, we can trim just the corners of the head and abdomen to round them off a bit and give them shape.





When done, you should have an Ant/Bee/Beetle/crawly critter...presenting, the Hackle Ant!



Does it work you ask?...time and time again... ;) :)

Spring is now here...

"Spring colors" are here indeed.... :)


So, as seems to be the case here lately, the landscape went from brown and sparse to budding and green, just like that.  Bang!, Spring.   We decided to mark the occasion with a trip to Kontrashibuna, to see if the lakers were biting.  They were.   ;)  Was an awesome hike, even if the weather was a little windy.  At least the bugs were kept away by it...

Warren, jus' chillin'...


The falls never get old...


Smiles!


Unfiltered awesomeness.  Water like gin.


Nice paintjob!

Squeezin' in just a few more casts...

Winter is continually threatening...the first snowfall of the year has arrived. What did we do to celebrate?... we went fishing, of course... :) And here are a few pics from weeks past, when a gracious visitor volunteered to take our picture with some of the 'hogs' that Warren reeled in... :) I just received them via email, and so here they are, though a bit late to go with the others from the same timeframe - notice the lack of snow ;)

Fishin with the boys