My job has recently taken me very far away from my beloved Rockies, and forced me to miss out on the fantastic spring fishing that I have been reading about. South Texas is home for me for a few months, leaving me to only dream about the caddis hatch on the Ark, and the rainbows on the Dream Stream. Luckily, I brought along some of my tying stuff to keep me busy down here while not working. I bought an Umpqua Fly Merchants medium box, with the goal of filling up the entire box by the time that I get back to Colorado. My plan is to fill one side completely with midges, while the other side will be a mixture of BWO, PMD, and caddis nymphs. It took me three weeks to finish the midge side, and I think it turned out pretty swell. I focused on small patterns for the midge side, tying nothing larger than a size 20. Most of the patterns are South Platte River patterns, focusing mostly on midges that I have had success with in Cheesman Canyon. I feel confident that I go to most tailwaters in the state, equipped only with this fly box, I will be successful. Being down here in South Texas, at least tying helps me to stay connected to the sport that I love, dreaming about the day I get back to Colorado, grab a fly rod, and chase trout in the mountains.
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| My tying desk in the Marriott I've been calling home. |
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| Midge Side of Box |
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| From Right: Dorsey's Mercery Black Beauty, Ramirez's UV Pearl Jam Midge, South Platte Specials, Variations of Garcia's Rojo midge, Shuck Khan midge, and Kleis' Mojo midge. |
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| KF Midge Emerger, Dorsey's Mercury midge, Cream thread midge, Yong Special |
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| Assortment of Yong Specials, Assortment of Barr's Pure Midge Larvae, Red Hot midge, Red Mercury Brassie, Cinnamon midge, and a white variation of Mercury Blood midge |
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| Dorsey's Mercury Blood midge, Christmas Tree midge, and annelids |
