One of the most common saltwater fishing questions that I get asked or that appears on The Drake message board is some variation of, "I have to go to some stupid/gay/waste-of-time/soon-to-be-divorced-anyway  wedding/business conference/family reunion down in Cancun. I'mstaying at (fill in name of cheesy resort, usually within walking distance of Outback Steakhouse or Bubba Gump's), and I'm wondering if I can get away for a morning/day/eternity to fish instead.

It actually began in late September, with a couple steelhead on the Grande Ronde and a huge win by Oregon State over USC.

The fish:

The Dood comes into the shop asking if we "have any emerging ant patterns." When the attempt is to made to explain why such a thing doesn't exist, he swears up and down that he was just fishing on a lake and watching ants "emerge" out of the water.

The Dood asks if we'll give him a discount on 6 flies, and then 30 seconds later brings up the new Orvis Helios rod he just bought.

For those sad souls who can't get the angling monkey off their backs and have chosen to live well above the seasonal freezing line, winter can easily slide into a cornucopia spilling over with bountiful excuses. Much like the traveling charlatan preacher for whom the mind is willing but the flesh is weak - we want to fish, but all that whiteness, especially when it's traveling horizontally past the window, is a daunting thing.


If I've had better domestic fishing trips, I can't remember them. Blitzing Albies, fish from the beach, pool and locol luches at the BT, fantastic food and one questionable movie night. Others have made posts on the forum, but now, you get to the REST of the story... 



Confessing a love for chasing chum salmon is kind of like of admitting I used to be an altar boy - something I generally only reveal to close friends.


Loop Tuft Emerger
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Here's one for the quick and dirty set. My version of the Loop-Tuft Emerger. It's the bastard love child of the CDC Loop Wing Emerger and the Sparkle Dun, and it's a great fly for selective trout.


Wally Wing Parachute
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At the risk of repeating myself (again) I decided to do a fly with wally wings for the second video. However, I did this one as a parachute so it's not totally redundant. Now, you've just watched the video and I know what you're thinking. You're wondering just what exactly makes that fly an emerger? Well, I could go and make up some reason for it, like bodies being submerged in the film and what not, but the truth is it was late at night, I was drinking, I made a mistake, and I'm too lazy to go back and fix it. You'll definitely notice some errors in the fly as well. Now, letÂ’s get on to the meat of things.


1) Because there's just something about a dude wearing camo, holding a bloody bear carcass. (Headline inside: "Do Goldilocks a Favor.") Sure, you might not ask him to take your SATs for you, but when your gutless little hippy car slides off the road in a snowstorm, guarantee this dude rolls up in an F350 and pulls your pansy ass out. 


Paraloop Emerger
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This is the only fly that I absolutely cannot be without. It just flat out works anytime there are mayflies on the water. Use this emerger as a general mayfly pattern, or use the techniques shown in the video to build a very effective emerger for your favorite hatch. Enjoy!