When the water’s surface gets a bit choppy, images in the window get chopped up. Below are two photos of this phenomenon. Look at them carefully. No wonder the angler can get so close to the fish in riffle water.

Mike Allen, from underwater as seen through a slightly riffly surface. The fish really can't tell Mike from the edge of the window on the right of the photo.

The same Mike Allen as seen through a very riffly surface. The fish has no way to tell what the image is or to differentiate it from other distortions at the edge of the window.

I had several requests for the gang at Edmonton to post the tying instructions for the Braided Butt Damsel–so here they are, straight out of Designing Trout Flies.

Braided Butt Damsel

Day two at the Northern Lights Fly Tyers TU Chapter Symposium was even more lively than day one. I suspect that people found day one to be fun, with lots of banter between the group and either Mike or me, so they came loaded for today’s talks. Mike opened with “Fly Fishing Approach and Presentation for Wary Trout,” and I followed by discussing the concepts of fly designing and tying a Collared Leech. Mike finished out the morning with “Nymph Fishing from Top to Bottom.” Mike and I had been discussing plenty of dead-drift tactics, and so I did an impromptu casting/mending session over the lunch hour. It allowed people to see exactly what we’d been talking about and to really visualize how to do a variety of mends. After the casting and mending discussion over lunch, I followed with a discussion on “Reading the Water.” Mike then described the tying of the No-Hackle Dun, and I completed the day with a program on “Really Matching the Hatch.” It was a very full day, but a great one. I had a number of question on specific flies and casting/mending topics; these will be posted here over the next couple of weeks. Watch for them y’all.

The crowd was attentive to us both days, with plenty of back and forth discussion. Great fun. Thanks guys and gals!

Left to right: Kevin, Denny, and Ken. Front and center both days with plenty of questions. They kept us on our toes.

Mike and I began at 9 am this morning and went round robin for the day. I opened with “Nymphing from Top to Bottom,” then Mike came on with “Spring Creek Magic.” To finish the morning, I tied some favorite flies: I dressed the Braided Butt Damsel, Yarn Wing Dun, Poly Caddis, and Hair Leg Woolly Worm. After lunch, Mike opened the afternoon session with “Proven Techniques for Difficult Trout,” and I followed with “Presentation.” Mike sewed up the day with “Across the Continental Divide.” The group was amazing receptive to our jokes–some of then as stale as yesterday’s bread, so that only egged us on to more stories, puns, and jokes. All in all, it was a fun-filled day, also filled with much great information on fishing a variety of fly styles in a variety of waters. Tomorrow looks like it will also be a fun-filled day. I told them I will do an impromptu casting session over the lunch hour because many members want to learn the “C” Pickup (coming soon, watch for it here on the blog) and a couple of other casts/mends that we discussed in our presentations.

"Honest, it was at least this far from shore." Mike laughing with some of the members of the Northern Lights Fly Tyers, TU Chapter.

I am at the annual Northern Lights Fly Tyers  TU symposium in Edmonton, which is also featuring my old friend, Mike Lawson. This past week was a bit over-busy, trying to get caught up on a week’s work in three days (home Monday evening from Denver, off to Edmonton very early Friday morning). So, as you’ve noticed, my blog has suffered a bit. I have a bunch of things ready to post next week, and of course I’ll be posting reports on the Symposium both today and tomorrow. Watch for them.

I started the day at 8 am by presenting a Bible Study on The Covenant Agreements to those exhibitors that wanted to attend. It was a great time. At 1 pm I gave a talk on “Really Matching the Hatch,” and finished the day with a demo on “Advanced Casting” at 3:15 pm.

During the day, I had time to visit with some old friends and see what’s new. I visited with Dave Scadden who has designed a framed pontoon boat without a frame. The “frame” is formed by the “U” configuration and inflated cross struts that make the seat. It’s a great configuration, a great idea, and it’s class 5 rapids certified–not that I’m headed for class 5 water!  There are 4 models from a single-person version to the big guy that will carry two people and two dogs with ease. They inflate with a foot pump in about 3 minutes; half that time with a small 12-v air pump. An optional  metal frame can be added that allows the use of a motor. I gotta get me one of these.

Dave Scadden (the man in black) showing one of his frameless pontoon boats to a couple of very interested fly fishers.

I also found my old friend John Bailey showing his zippered waders to several anglers. They’re really great. The zipper is full front length–from the top of the chest high waders all the way to the crotch. Wearing them unzipped is a way to stay extra cool–just don’t forget to zip up before wading deep.

John Bailey showing waders and other gear at the Denver Fly Fishing Show.

John also showed me a new water-proof, zippered bag that he spent much time designing exactly for the needs of the fly fisher. The interior can be divided into compartments for boxes, reels, and other gear, or left open fora a clothing bag. This is a great bag. I’ve fished from flats’ boats, canoes, drift boats of all sorts, and I’ve always taken a waterproof bag. But they were not zippered and could not be divided as wanted. This is the bag for the angler that goes on the water–like me.

The interior of John Bailey's new waterproof bag. The dividers can be arranged as needed.

The waterproof bag closed.

I also had an opportunity to visit with my old pal, Bill Keough, who was busy selling chicken necks, dyed calf tails, and other goodies for the tyer. He drove out from Michigan and got caught in the major storm that ripped though the Midwest last week. The air filter on his diesel engine got plugged and froze up, limiting his speed to 27 mph. He got into a garage and got it fixed, but not until he had to drive hours on end at snail speed. The things a guy won’t do for fly fishing.

Bill Keough talking with a couple of customers that just bought some of his great hackle capes.

Then I spent some time with another two long-time friends, Norm and Ruthie Norlander. Norm has an add-on that he has developed for his vise that locks the hook dead tight. It’s a great improvement that allows the use of all size hooks with great ease. He also has a new DVD showing him tying with his vise. Watch for some clips in the not too distant future.

Norm and Ruthie in their booth at the Denver Fly Fishing Show.

Today was a busy one at the show. Lots-o-people, and then some. I held a casting class from 8:30 to 11 am, had a book signing from 11-12, gave a talk entitled “Where the Trout Are,” and finished with a casting talk/demo from 3:15 until 4:15.

The American Gothic Casting Club--my class from this morning. Good work, Y'all.

Yesterday I met Jackson Leong and we talked fly tying for a bit. He told me he likes to do realistic flies, so I asked him to bring some to show me today. He brought his “pet” tarantula fly—it looks like a tarantula. I did pet it, but only with reassurances that it was “just a fly.”

I don't know, Jackson, that thing looks a bit too real.

That is not a fly, it's got to be a freeze-dried tarantula--wait a minute, I saw it move.

Shows are always a great place to see old friends and get caught up on the year’s events. Dave and Emily have been fishing for fresh-water Dorodo, and had some great photos with them. I’ve not caught this species, but they confirmed that all I’ve heard is indeed true.

Dave does not just sign a book, he turns it into a piece of art.

Emily looks gracious even when matting artwork.

I left home yesterday, but got grounded in Minneapolis by a heavy snow storm. After a night in a local hotel, I continued on to Denver early this morning, getting here at the Merchandise Mart an hour before my first presentation on Fly Tying. This was immediately followed by a program on Nymphing. An hour after that, and a couple of bottles of water for re-hydration, I did a presentation on Advance Fly Casting—advanced because most of the program is on mending.

There was an excellent Friday crowd at the show. Literally at times it was hard to walk the spacious aisles that Chuck has set just to prevent the kind of mob shown in the photo below.

Mob scene on Friday at the Fly Fishing Show at the Merchandise Mart in Denver.

A number of my long time friends are at the show this year, and it’s always good to spend a bit of time and get caught up. Rick Hafele is here this year, and he showed me a beta version of a new nymph fishing app that he is writing for the iPhone. Great stuff–fly fishing has finally gone techno-modern (at last).

Speaking of nymphing, John Rhodes, Jr., who was one of the people in the audience at my Nymphing talk today, asked if I would please post the diagram of my bottom-bouncing nymph leader. So, here it is John, and everyone else that agreed with him and wanted to see it too.

The Unibody Nymphing Leader used when bottom bouncing a nymph.

When mature, caddis larvae seal themselves in a pupal chamber and metamorphose into the pupa. The mature pupa is rightly called the “Pharate Adult.” It is the adult inside the pupal husk. There has been much discussion of the appearance of the Pharate Adult as it rises to the surface to hatch out. Some say it is a shining ball of movement that rockets to the surface and emerges in a heartbeat. And that is what I thought for years–it’s what many of the books say. But after much onstream observations, reading much scientific literature, and going back and reading the accounts in angling texts, I am convinced otherwise.

The insects seen with a shining bubble appearance that pop to the surface and “hatch” in an instant are caddis females returning from egg laying. They dive or crawl to the bottom and lay eggs directly on the bottom (see Caddisflies in the archives). They carry an air bubble with them so they don’t drown, and when done, they swim to the top (assisted by the buoyancy of the air bubble; the air bubble bursts, and the adult flies off.

The Pharate Adult is dressed in a loose cuticle (the pupal skin) which is separated from the adult inside by molting fluid. This gives the Pharate Adult a bit of a glistening appearance; the cuticle hangs on the adult like a filmy negligee. My friend Will Koukkari and his colleague Tracy Anderson have provided some excellent photos of the Pharate Adult showing the filmy cuticle and its pale, almost pearlescent glow. He has graciously allowed me to post these for all to see. Thanks Will.

Abdomen of Glossoma intermedium showing cuticle, copyright WLK

Head of Glossoma intermedium showing cuticle--note specifically legs and eyes, copyright WLK

I will be at the Denver Fly Fishing Show at the Merchandise Mart this weekend offering programs each day and a fly casting class on Saturday morning. It’s a great show, and a fun time for everyone. For more information, see Denver Show.

On Friday, I will give a fly tying demo at 11:30 am. At 1 pm, I will give a Power Point presentation on “Nymphing,” and at 3:15 I will give a casting demonstration.

On Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11, I will offer a casting class. At 1 pm, I will give a Power Point conservation talk entitled “Where the Trout Are,” and at 3:15 I will give a casting demonstration.

On Sunday at 1 pm, I will give a Power Point presentation entitled “Really Matching the Hatch,” and at 3:15 I will give a casting demonstration.

See You There. Please say Hello.