Another Mystery Fly Candidate

With the Christmas shopping season in full swing I had my own list to fill today, but before I could effectively concentrate on gifts that will win me another years favor (hopefully), I had trout and testing another Mystery Fly candidate on my mind.

Arriving at the river around 9 a.m., I tied on yesterday's Mystery Fly candidate to see if it would fish at another spot on the river - the Flats.

It did.

I fished yesterdays selection in the Flats and the pattern quickly found three trout.  Then I retired him to the sea locker and enlisted the second Mystery Fly candidate of the day.  This pattern would explore the Chute just downstream from the Flats

At the Chute the discipline I take is to stand at it's tail and cast upstream to the opening, throw slack line immediately, then hold rod high to eliminate drag.  The takes are beautiful to watch particularly with the water being crystal as it is and the bonus is seeing the flash of the bow as they devour the fly.

The second candidate took six trout from the Chute is rather quick order.  This Mystery Fly candidate is one I begin fishing two years ago on the advice of another fly angler whom I cannot name at this time since this pattern is in the running for Mystery Fly selectee 2019 Classic. It's a great pattern and almost always seems to produce.

There are many more patterns to test and I am glad to volunteer in the testing.  Quite understandable, right?

See you on the river.


Barry

Black Friday On Blue

Not being a Black Friday kind of guy at all and knowing I would have a short day at the mercantile store I decided to head for Blue to test another Mystery Fly candidate.

Today's fishing was close-in fishing.  Short upstream casts, high stick and rod tip held high with only the leader on the water.  The river was gin clear and required 6X or lighter and the trout would have no tolerance for any kind of drag.

At the spot I think is still one of the sweetest on the river, even though it pales in production compared to 10 or 15 years ago, I would tie the Mystery Fly candidate below a size 16 pink Frenchie.

The Pink Frenchie has been one of the best producers for this fly fisher and a good producer for many others on Blue for years.  However, after 40 minutes of fishing today, seven trout had come to hand and the Mystery Fly candidate had captured all seven.  The Frenchie did not produce.

I may very well have found the next Mystery Fly for the Classic in March. 

The river is gorgeous right now.  

More testing to come. 

See you on the river. 

An Early Start On The Next Classic Mystery Fly

Today I celebrated my sixty-fifth journey around the sun and my thirty-seventh year of being intimate with the Lady Blue.

It never ceases to amaze me how the creator's grand plan for this river unfolds.  Even as grand as it is, it pales in comparison to what could haven taken place over the scheme of ageless time and is only noticeable to us who live in this period.

The river has changed... and she is vibrant and beautiful in good ways, but carries ugly scars of nature's wrath and fury.

On the day the initial stocking was to take place I came to see the Blue.  I took images of what she looks like at some of my favored places such as Chimney, Hughes Crossing, Autumn Rose Falls, and my all time sweetheart 17.

While at 17 I decided to police the area around the campsite and as an usual habit I re-kindled my habit of removing liter from this beautiful wild area. 

The stocking truck would not come to late afternoon so I decided to return to my prairie home and wait for the next morning.

The primary reason, besides a ritual I have carried for the last fifteen years or so, was to be on the on river the day of or after the stocking to begin the selection of the next Mystery fly for the Blue River Fly Classic.  This morning I would have time to test two patterns before the skies opened up pouring rainfall and Mother Nature sent lightning bolts across the dome above.  She did, however, send warning signals the hot streaks were about to come.  

Both candidates produced, but the degree of production was short lived in duration and I plan on giving both chaps a go at the trout again.  

The river really looks good.  This should be a great season on the river Blue. 

Welcome Followers Of The Fur And Feather

Welcome to the new home for Oklahoma's premier fly fishing event the Blue River Fly Classic.

Stay tuned for daily updates for the 2019 Classic and said updates will begin November 1st, 2018.

Long live Blue River!