I use this knot when I need one in which the mono comes straight out of the knot. It’s the knot used on the butt end of the leader when making a loop to loop connection.

It is one complicated looking knot, but in reality, it is very fast and simple to tie if one keeps in mind: wrap, wrap, wrap, first through second. The key is getting the first loop (wrap) correct. Study the photos carefully and try it with a chunk of 3/16” rope to get the sequence clearly in mind before trying it in mono.

To adjust the size of the loop after the knot is formed, but before it comes tight, gently push the loop back into the knot and gently pull both the long end and short end of the material to carefully draw out the excess material. I like a loop about 5/8 inch long. Remember to pull on the loop and the long end of the material, only, when tightening the knot. Remember, too, to lubricate the knot with a little saliva before you draw it fully tight.

It’s critical that when making the first loop (wrap) that the short end go behind the long end.

The second loop (wrap) is made over the long end and then in behind, again.

The third wrap is up between the two loops.

Pull the second loop down through the first loop. Now is the time to adjust loop size.

Lubricate the knot with a little saliva (not necessary on the ropes!), pull only the long end and the loop. clip the short end as tight as possible.

I’m headed to the International Fly Tying Symposium next week. Several of us are meeting a few days early with Chuck Furimsky, owner and manager of the show, in the hopes that the stripers will be there. Of course, Chuck has been “exploring” the back bays for us, just in case the ocean is too rough. He’s had mixed success, but this isn’t such a bad fish. Watch for posts to come on our fishing time together.

Not a monster, but a very nice striper. Good on you Chuck. Find us a few more like that one, please.

Yesterday and today I was conducting a fly fishing clinic at the Rockwell Springs Trout Club near Sandusky, OH.  It’s a great facility and great club. I was here many years ago, and it’s nice to come back and see the improvements and positive changes in this 800+ member club. We had two diametrically opposed days. Wednesday was bright and sunny, and we had a great opportunity to get out and practice the Elliptical Stroke, the C-pickup, and other casting niceties. Today was nasty–cold and rainy with no sun. We practiced the Double Haul in the rain. Ah, but so what, we had a great time and learned a great deal about casting and other aspects of fly fishing. There were great sessions on knots, reading waters, nymphing, fishing the film, equipment,  and more. We had a great book signing session, and an chance to really dig in with stories, illustrations, and an expose on the smoke and mirrors used for the movie, A River Runs Through it. Thanks again to everyone who attended and to the Club for inviting me to conduct this fun clinic.

Wednesday was a very sunny day–as you can tell from the light flooding into the lecture room. No one complained.

There are a several reasons that I have been a bit “thin” in my blog posts of late. (1) Jason and I have put book 5 in the Fly Fishing series to bed. It is at the presses and will be released  on November 21. Watch for a pre-release sales announcement next week.  (2) I have been writing and producing a video on fly casting. Every time I give a demo at a sports show or club, or do a fly fishing school or other event, people ask if I have a video of the casting, and I always have to say, “not yet.” Well, “yet” is here. At least the shooting. It will be completed today. Then comes the editing, and that will take a month or so. Announcements of the completion date to follow sometime. (3) I have been getting ready for a two day school at Rockwell Springs in Ohio and for the International Fly Tying Symposium—held November 22, 23, 2014 in the Garden State Convention Center in Somerset, NJ. If you’re within driving distance, come and say “Hi.”

The smile signals the completion of my shoot today of The Perfect Cast I.

The last couple of days I’ve been singing a slightly modified version of Pete Seger’s folk song, Where Have all the Flowers Gone. Mine is going like this: “Where have all the salmon gone, long time passing, where have all the salmon gone, long time ago. Where have all the salmon gone, gone in high water, every one, when will we every learn, when will we ever learn.”

There were kings shore to shore in the Lake Michigan tribs, but then we had a heavy rain (3 inches in 24 hours) and the river went from just under 100 cfs to almost 700 cfs in a day. It simply blew the fish out. Of course there were any number of us eagerly awaiting the falling water so that we could get onto the river because, most certainly, the mid season spate would bring in a fresh round of kings, cohos, and big browns. And boy, were we ready.

Hah!  Did we get fooled. Not only did we not get a fresh run of fish, but the water, even as it fell under 200 cfs, has remained tannic colored. There’s simply no way to see fish any deeper than about 18 inches. So, we slog on, catching the odd king—and they must be odd to be in here when the others are all gone. Of course, hope springs eternal, and even with the rain the we are getting tonight, I’m counting on fresh fish tomorrow. We shall see!

In September, I conducted a fly fishing school for Young Life of Big Sky, MT.  One of my hosts and fishing companions was Tom Juergens, a recently retired equine vet from the Twin Cities. I mentioned the salmon fishing in the Lake Michigan tributaries and told him he should come and fish with me sometime. So he did. The river was packed with salmon when we arranged the trip, but then came the deluge as noted above. Not only were the fish very few and very far between, but the water was tannic colored. Ugly, and hard to see the fish. Tom did manage a couple of kings, and I caught a few and did a lot of whining. Sorry, Tom. Still, we enjoyed the days together, and further cemented our friendship.

The river was off color and the fish almost non-existent. Still, the weather was not so bad.

Ah, sweet success!

My friend, Theo Bakelaar, and I get a chance to fish for stripers and blues with our mutual friend Chuck Furimsky just prior to his International Fly Fishing Symposium in November (go here). The last time we fished, the weather was cold and windy, and fishing out on the ocean was not possible. We focused on the backbay, and found stripers under the bridge. They were willing—much more willing for Theo’s Eel Skin Rattle Clouser than for my regular Clouser. Three times more willing actually. He recently sent me these great photos for tying the fly—I’ll have them with me next month.

Tie in the eyes, an eel skin tail, and a piece of 30 pound monofilament. Although eel skin is the preferred material, one may use Bug Skin, or other leather material.

Add a belly of white buck tail–remember the fly will ride hook point up,

Invert the hook in the vise, and tie in some flash and the bucktail for the back–in this case, chartreuse bucktail.

Slip 3 or 4 beads on the mono, form an open loop under the hook, and tie off at the head. The beads not only rattle, but cause the fly to keel, hook point up.

A standard Clouser, an Eel Skin Clouser, and a Rattle Eel Skin Clouser.

My friend, Scott Carver, President of PlanSource, invited me to conduct a casting clinic for some of his clients at his lodge, the Madison Valley Ranch, located on the east side of the Madison River, just downstream from Jeffery, MT. The clinic prepared his guests for a great day’s fishing on the Madison. And the lodge offered them unparalleled hospitality and gourmet food. Trust me, it was gourmet. The evening menu read like those in other four star restaurants. Yes, it was four star food.

The Madison was a bit reluctant to give up its fish, but the weather was excellent, and the guides were the best in the area. Everyone caught at least some fish, basked in the glory of a sunny day on one of the nations’ finest and very scenic trout streams, and reveled in the accommodations and the food.

The pond at the lodge held big Kamloops rainbows, and although they were not pushovers, they took a snail fly or damsel nymph very well. Of course they fought hard because they were big and they were Kamloops. I used my 1003 (10 foot, 3-weight) Hardy Zenith on them. It has plenty of butt strength to fight big fish and the thin line kept line drag to a minimum as the fish cut through submerged weeds. Great fun.

The Madison Valley Ranch consists of several very nicely built and comfortable log structures.

The pond in front of the lodge was framed by the Madison Range and held big Kamloops rainbows.

Kamloops are noted for their hard fighting and bright colors.

The rainbows in the pond varied from a couple of pounds to 4 or 5 pounds.

The big males seems more elusive than the females, and once hooked, they fought like demons.

The Peacock Snail fly and Marabou Damsel Nymph proved excellent choices.

Today—9/17/14—found us back on the Madison for a second day. The weather was a bit brighter, but there were still willing fish. Of course there were whitefish, as always. But today, there were more trout for me. In the early part of the day, I took several 10 to 13 inch rainbows. Tom Juergens found several of the same size and a couple up to 17 inches. Alan Johnson, fishing with us today, took a very fine 20 inch rainbow.

Then, later in the day. I caught an 18 inch brown on a size 18 flash-back caddis pupa, and shortly thereafter hooked a larger one on a big dark sculpin imitation. It was 20 inches or longer. I had it close enough a couple of times to see it clearly, in the heavy current and rock field I was in. I had my hands full keeping the fish clear of sheltering lies. It pulled off after a few minutes of twisting and bumping against numerous boulders.

The little Hardy 1003 (10 foot 3-weight) performed admirably, easily casting the nymphs or big sculpin imitation with two split shot. It has plenty of butt strength to handle fish of the 20 inch class, and plenty of reach to hold the line off the current while nymphing. Overall, it was a fine day.

The Madison is in great fall conditions, with very clear water and good levels.

The smaller rainbows were very cooperative.

It always seems that the fish flops just as you shoot. So, this is belly of an 18 inch brown.

Today, 9/16/2014 was spent fishing the Madison with Tom Juergens. The river is in great shape and the day was perfect: high clouds, the sun occasionally, and light wind. Tom had a banner day on trout with a 20 inch brown and a number of 15-17 inch rainbows, not to count a couple of big browns given an early release. I had a banner day, too, with the whitefish; I stacked ‘em up like cordwood.  But I don’t mind so much. They fight very well, especially in the deep runs of the Madison. I managed a couple of rainbow in the 1-14 inch range, and one small brown, too. But, that’s fishing. My excuse: it must have been lingering skunk odor from yesterday’s outing on the Boulder. Be that as it is, tomorrow is another day, and perhaps I will find favor with the trout then.

My Hardy Zenith 905 handle the casting with two shot, two weighted nymphs and an indicator with ease. Likewise, it made short work of the fish, even in the heavy currents.

Tom landing a nice rainbow.

The Hardy Zenith 905 performed very well against the fish in the Madison’s heavy water.

It was a summer of travel and visiting our son, Jason, his wife, Kelley, and our granddaughter, Brooke. There was some fishing and a trip to Alaska mixed in, too. This week I am in Montana speaking to at two different Christian groups and at the Madison River Lodge. Today I am at the Clydehurst Christian Camp on the Boulder River, south of Big Timber, MT. It has snowed and the mountains are beautiful, but the air is cold. A bit odd, even for MT, in early September.

I received an email this morning from Chris McCall with a great photo of three cast off stonefly shucks. Lo and behold, the lowest shuck has another insect clinging to the right side of its abdomen. Whether this was before the stonefly left the water of afterward is not known, but it is an interest shot, to say the least. Thanks Chris for sharing this quirk of nature.

Early snow over Clydehurst

Hitch Hiker on stonefly–lowest shuck.