Backpacking for Brookies

I recently received a free pass for a weekend of fishing from the missus.  Had a weekend planned in NC with some friends but, 3 inches of rain forecast for the weekend of the trip made me have to bail.  With the baby, my free passes are way to valuable for me to spend in wet blown out stream conditions.  Virginia was forecasted to receive far less rain so I decided to hike into a brookie stream I've had on my radar for a while now.  Gave an old friend a call to see if he was game and we were lock and loaded for the weekend.  A few things I have learned from this trip are:

1. I really enjoy sleeping in a hammock over in a tent.  Stayed dry in the pouring rain the first night and much more comfortable to me then sleeping on the ground.
2. I need to learn how to pack lighter.  3 mile hike in, and we took everything plus the kitchen sink.  We even hiked in a 28 QT cooler for good measure. 
3. This goes along the lines of packing lighter, but I need to buy a good back packing backpack and lighter gear in general.  Cause what I have now is fine cause I'm still a young buck, but as I creep along slowly in age, it just isn't going to cut it.

Had a great time back on the stream with a good friend.  Stream fished marginally.  Even though that area has received a far amount of rain, it still needs another couple inches to it to really get the big fish out and moving around.  For the conditions though, I did well.

Rained all the way to the stream

And all the way on the hike to the campsite.  (Really need to get a hammock rain fly instead of a tarp)

But I stayed dry.

And we ate like kings. 

Steak Fajitas.

Rain broke sometime around 5 am.  Very from Camp.  Fall is in the air.  The weather Saturday behaved and did not start raining again until we were a half mile from the car on the hike out.

Some fancy camp coffee.

 

All the brookies I caught were not wearing their fall colors yet except this odd ball trout.

 

Stream could use a little water.

 

 

 

Friend couldn't resist a little rock climbing.

Staple stream side lunch for me.

Dace for the win.

Lots of crawfish in this stream.

 

Red Spotted Newts are always a treat to see.

Hike back was a bear.  All up hill for 3 miles and close to 1,000 ft elevation gain.  Had to take a couple breaks, but we managed to lug all our crap out of there.

Celebratory coffee at the car to celebrate the hike is over.

Had a great weekend catching up with my friend and getting in a little fishing.

Part Two to come later.

Late Summer Drought and a Dead Oak.

This late summer has yielded zero rain.  We have maybe gotten half an inch in two months, and that's being generous.  Not enough water in the rivers or trout streams to fish so a friend and I tackled a dead oak that has been standing too close to the house for too long.  Glad it is down and I have lots of good wood to burn in the fire pit now.

Now I am preparing for a weekend fishing trip coming up this weekend.  It is currently raining as I type for the first time in a long while.  Rain baby rain.

Musky Fly Body Tubing

I have recently bought a bunch of wire tubing that I have been using to tie musky flies with and will be selling small batches of it on my EBay page.  There are other options out there, but they are typically overpriced, especially for the quantity you receive.  I have gotten several questions on what I have been using and how its tied in, so this post is in regards to how to use Musky Body Tubing.

Cut off about 3 to 5 inches depending on how much depth you will need for your fly.  With a lighter, lightly singe both ends of the tubing so it will not unravel with you are folding it over itself. 

 

Now this is the part that I do a little different.  I prefer to fold it over itself instead of tying it onto the hook and folding it.  This allows me to not have to fold it over my bucktail that is already tied in and crush it.  I push the tubing over a pinched end until it buckles like pictured above.

 

Then I keep pushing the tubing over itself until the right side is inside out and to the left.  The orginal left side is still right side out and tucked in the inside to the right.

 

Then I go thru the left side, and pull the end that is inside the tubing back out until it is like the picture above.  Now your ready to tie it onto the hook.

Slide the tubing around the hook eye and into where you want to tie it in at.  Make a couple loops with the thread and add a drop of super glue and continue to make a couple more tight wraps to secure it.

Then pull the top tubing back and tie it in over the bottom layer of tubing.  Add another drop of super glue and a few more wraps.  Whip finish and cut the thread.

Then grab the right side that isn't tied in and fold it back over your thread wraps.  This will create a nice body and allow you to tie bucktail right in front of your tubing and give it the maximum flair needed with musky flies and other baitfish patterns.

I am selling the tubing at the links below.  There is 3/8" in white and black and 1/2" in white and black as well.

 

3/8" White Tubing

1/2" White Tubing

3/8" Black Tubing

1/2" Black Tubing



Night Time Musky Fishing

I've been hearing that the night time musky fishing has been hot lately.  This weekend I decided to get it a go with a musky fishing friend of mine.  Only think we caught is a crawfish claw my buddy hooked when retrieving a crankbait. 

I will also say that throwing a 12 wt and a 10 inch fly at night will make you flinch ever time the chicken flies by your head.

Another Musky Fly Up For Sale

I put up another musky fly on my ebay page.  First fly has sold.  I put up flies as I tie them, and with a new baby in the house it will probably be sporadic. If you are interested, link is below.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181846678856?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649