Well, it's
another day in the neighborhood, and I hope this finds you well, enjoying
what you are doing - reading this missive!
Thanks
again for being there, for reading and commenting, for responding to offers
we make and for attending classes and clinics. This is fun!
It is cold again
in Longmont, and snowing a little bit. Funny how the snow sometimes sticks
first to cement and asphalt, and other times to grass and plants. This
morning from above, I'd guess that Longmont would look something like a
demented checker board as sidewalks are covered with snow but the grass is
not. The good news is that snow pack in the high country is up, promising
spring runoff that will fill reservoirs and keep streams flowing. Our friend
the dry wheat farmer was in and said his wheat is doing well this winter; a
good thing as well.
Water is a good
invention, don't you think? How many ways do you use water? That would be a
good conversation at the evening supper table.
I got a burr in
my saddle last week after writing this missive and decided to go visit
Brittany in Sterling, Kansas. Her 19th birthday was Friday, so I drove out
on Thursday, arriving in time for the women's basketball game, which was
followed by the men's
game. It was great fun. On Friday I did some writing in preparation for the
Entomology 101 Class we had last night, and then listened in to a Brass
Quintet rehearsal - Brittany plays trumpet in that group - and then a trip
to Hutchison for dinner at a Chinese buffet. Brittany wanted to get off
campus, just the two of us to visit and eat Chinese food, which she had not
had for some time. Little did she know that her friends were planning a
surprise party for her back on campus. She was surprised, and everyone had a
fine time.
I was going to
leave on Saturday morning, but some of the kids
prevailed
on me to go watch the basketball games on Saturday night, which I'm pleased
to say I enjoyed very much. The kids at this school are fantastic young
people who learn more than just the information found in books, freely
sharing with one another deeper issues of their hearts and minds.
Happy Birthday
Brittany!
For me
it is teaching season. This is the time of year we help you prepare for the
fishing times to come. We teach fly tying, Entomology, Bugs & Flies and much
more. I'm continually trying to come up with new class sessions that are
interesting, useful and fun! If you have any ideas or comments about
classes, please drop me a line at
angler@peakpeak.com.
Here's what we've
got going for now!
Saturday Clinics
The
pictures above are from a recent Saturday Fly Tying Clinic in the shop. As
you can see, flies are tied, Mark is happy - coffee and donuts are present
as well as lies, riff raff, tying instruction
and so on - and the atmosphere is informal and unpretentious. We love
sharing fly fishing ideas, and this is one of the ways we do so. Please join
us each Saturday from 10AM until Noon. Questions? Please call the shop at
303-651-6061. Thanks.
Note: This Saturday we will not host a formal clinic; please see
below! Clinics will resume the following Saturday with something very
special.
West Denver TU
Tying Clinic
Jay and I will be driving to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds to attend the
umpteenth annual West Denver Trout Unlimited Fly
Tying
Clinic. It starts at 8:30 and is loads of fun. I hope you'll join us. Dozens
of fly tiers will be sharing their ideas about fly construction at this
session and a fine time is had by all who attend. They have basic
instruction for kids, as well as a Fly Tying theater where a few very
special tiers share specific fly tying ideas on the big screen. If you have
questions, please call the shop at 303-651-6061.
Did you know? Mayflies and Stoneflies do not pupate but
emerge directly from their nymphal shucks. Stoneflies always have two tails.
Mayflies may have two or three tails. Stoneflies have gills on their thorax
and mayflies have gills on their abdomen. In other words, if a nymph has two
tails it could be a stonefly or mayfly. The determining factor will be where
the gills are on the bug.
Creative fly tying is so much fun. Our friend Scott recently
entered a fly tying competition and received an award and recognition for
his stonefly nymph, shown at right. Congrats, Scott!
Nice looking fly, 'eh? Scott promises that we'll get together to take
step-by-step tying pictures and write instructions for this pattern. We'll
share them on the web page, and offer a kit to tie the fly. Please stay
tuned!
If anyone else has an interesting fly to share with our readers, please let
me know and I'll post it for you.
angler@peakpeak.com or call the shop at 303-651-6061, or drop the fly by
the shop.
Thanks! Thanks, Scott. Well done.
Specialty Class Offering:
I've mentioned tying some Steelhead flies, and there has always been some
interest in doing so. I'm going to offer a Steelhead Tying Class on
Thursday, February 10, 2005 at the shop. We'll meet at 6:30 and finish at
9:30. We'll tie several flies, including a Rusty Rat, Green Butt Skunk and
several others as time allows. I'll provide the material, including jungle
cock, and instruction. I'm going to limit this session to 6 people. Tuition
will be $35.00 per person. Please call 303-651-6061 to reserve your spot.
By the way, the flies shown in the picture were tied and fished by Zane
Grey. Cool beans, huh? Sign Me Up!
There are still a couple of
openings in this session. Please sign up and enjoy an evening of special fly
tying fun!
The first
Introduction To Fly Tying Class of 2005 finished last Tuesday. Tonight,
February 8, 2005, a new session begins. Classes are held at the shop
and start each evening at 7:00PM. We're usually done about 9:30PM and lots
of fun is had by all. Mark informs me that a few spots are open for this
session. Give him a call at 303-651-6061 to reserve your time.
Tuition is $70.00 per person and includes our Intro To Fly Tying Solutions
booklet and all the materials we use during class time.
Sign Me Up!
Our
Intermediate Fly Tying Class is in its fourth week tonight. We're having
a fine time. Last week we tied attractor patterns. Tonight we'll tie
Streamers! The
next session will begin on February 15, 2005. We plan to tie caddis and
mayfly patterns, work on wing and hackle techniques and have a fine time.
This is the last
Intermediate session we have scheduled. However, if it fills and there is
still interest we'll do another one. Tuition is $75.00 per person, and we
have a fine time together. Please call 303-651-6061 to reserve your time.
Sign Me Up!
As I mentioned
last week, we've added an Entomology Class.
Interested?
Please
let us know. The first session was held last nigh at the shop. We had a
great turnout for this one, and everyone had a good time. I created a Power
Point presentation which we showed on the big screen. We stayed on the point
- bugs - and did not get too high falutin' about it. In other words, we
spoke English and explained how bugs live and feed trout.
Two sessions
remain. Please sign up soon! We'll meet at 7:00PM and finish by about 9:30 or so.
Tuition is only $30.00 per person. Sign Me Up!
It seemed to me
that the folks in the Entomology 101 wanted a follow-up course on the flies
that imitate the bugs. I'll put it together if there is enough interest.
What we'd do is review the bugs in a basic manner, and discuss specific fly
patterns that imitate the bugs throughout their life cycle. Interested in
this one? I'll call is Bugs and Flies
101.Tuition will be $30.00 per person. Anyone who attends Entomology
101 will be a $10.00 discount on Bugs and Flies 101. Fair enough? Please let
me know by filling in this form. Thanks!
Sign Me Up!
I'd like to take
Bugs & Flies 101!
Did you know? Line control is about getting the fly to do the right
thing in the right place on the water. While we have all of this fly rod,
fly line, leader, tippet and so on, the fruit of our tying, hunting and
casting is the fly and how it drifts or is moved to hungry fish.
It all
comes down to a little fly, friends. A concoction of fur, feathers, steel
and thread that is designed to trick, fool, fake and entice fish. That's one
of the reasons I spend so much time talking about the flies. Well, that and
the fact that I love tying and teaching fly tying.
If you
looked at the Class Schedules, you may
have noted that I've added several
Line Control
Casting Class. Interested? Sign up soon; these should fill very fast.
Almost every angler I know needs what I'm going to offer in these sessions.
Hackle
Swap
Last year we
offered several Hackle Swaps at the shop. People loved them, and in addition
to great hackle received wonderful information about the birds that grow
these feathers.
This is a great
deal for anyone who is just getting started tying flies, or for someone who
has done it for some time and just needs excellent feathers to tie new
patterns.
We need ten folks
to sign up because that's what works best.
Tuition will be based on the feathers we get. It has usually been between
$70.00 and $100.00 dollars per person. The value is much greater.
I'd like to host
one session in February, one in March, and one in April. That will be it.
February 21, March 21 and April 18 - all are Monday nights. We'll meet at
the shop at 6:30 and be done by about 8:00PM.
Sign Me Up!
Hook Swap
In light of the
popularity of the Hackle Swap, we've decided to offer a hook swap. Here's
how it works. We will buy 1,000- packs of hooks in popular styles and sizes.
There will be ten boxes of hooks, and ten students. Each person will count
out ten piles of
one-hundred
hooks and put them into a box which we will provide. So, each student will
get ten boxes of 100 hooks that are most commonly used to tie flies. What a
deal. In light of the fact that 100-packs that are pre-packaged cost about
$16.00 to $20.00, we're going to charge each person about $100.00. That's
$10.00 per 100-pack. That's a significant savings.
The limit is ten
per session. Call 303-651-6061 to let us know you are interested; the first
session is in the works. We'll do more of them as there is demand.
Sign Me Up!
This is another
great deal from your friends at St. Vrain Angler. We're always trying to
solve fly fishing problems.
St. Vrain Anglers TU News
Last night after the Entomology 101 Class, Steve Anderson, the new VP of
Longmont's Trout Unlimited Club announced upcoming events, asking folks
in attendance to participate in the local organization. The new Board
has been elected, their first meeting held, and lots of good things
begun. Several folks are heading up an effort to sample water quality on
the St. Vrain from Longmont upstream. Specific dates and spots have been
noted, and the work begun.
The time is right for you to get involved with this group. There's new
blood, new energy and new enthusiasm. Please attend the next meeting on
Thursday, February 17, 2005 from 6:30 until about 8:30PM. We meet
downstairs at the VFW Hall on South Main, just south of the St. Vrain,
in Longmont. For more info, please call the shop at 303-651-6061.
It is time to get involved. Please join the fun, with purpose in your
heart.
Shop Trip
After we do a
shop trip there is a neat level of electricity running around the shop.
Folks say they wish they could have joined us, folks who joined us say it
was great and they'd like to go again,
and so on. Mark always has a certain aura about him after fishing trips that
invites others to join the fun.
Well, Mark has
scheduled another Shop Trip for later in February. Please call him for
information about this trip at 303-651-6061. You'll be glad you did!
Shop Hours
Our days of
having Monday off to fish are over. Either Mark, Jay or I will be in the
shop. Here are shop hours for the rest of the Winter, Spring and Fall.
Please stop by, have a cup of coffee and get some goodies to tie your next
fly or to prepare for a fishing outing.
Monday:
9:30-6:00 (Specialty Classes start at 6:30PM)
Tuesday
9:30-6:00 (Tying Classes start at either 6:30 or 7:00PM)
Wednesday:
9:30-6:00
Thursday:
9:30-6:00 (TU Board meetings are 1st Thursday of month at 6:30; TU Meeting
at VFW on 3rd Thursday at 6:30; specialty Classes on the other Thursday
evenings!)
Friday:
9:30-6:00
Saturday:
9:00-4:00 (Free Clinics from 10-Noon)
Gear News
There's not much of a question that we all like fly fishing toys. Most of us
wish we could get a few more of them, as well. I'm going to keep you
informed of the new things we're getting in.
We
just received our first shipment of the new Redington Rods and outfits, as
well as a great mix of wonderful, economical fishing shirts, pants and
shorts. It's time to gear up, friends.
Redington's new CPS - that's Core Performance Series - of rods look great.
They are all 4-piece rods and come with a nice case. The rods are fast and
will work well for windy conditions and long casts. And, they are only
$249.00!
Come
in a cast a new Redington fly rod. When you cast one, we'll give you 10% off
any piece of clothing from Redington. When you buy a rod, we'll give you 30%
off Redington clothing! That's a good deal, and it is good through February.
Bamboo friends
abound. There's been much interest in our new Tea Stick Bamboo fly rods.
Here's the opportunity to own and fish with a bamboo fly rod for a mid-level
graphite fly rod price. If you like cane, follow the link for more info.
Bamboo New!
Well, that seems
to be all that I've got in me for today. If you haven't visited the shop
recently, please stop by, say hello, have a cup of coffee, and ask us fly
fishing questions or share fly fishing info.
Roam around the
web page a bit. Be sure to check out the Tips
section, which has fly tying and other interesting information. At least it
was interesting to write!
Mark, Jay and I
are always wishing you the best, always hoping to see you in the near
future. Come on by! Jay and I hope to see many of you on Saturday for the
West Denver TU clinic, and I'll see lots of you tonight for fly tying
classes.
Thanks for
reading, and remember: 2005: the year to get out and go fishing - again.
Thanks
again for being there, for reading and commenting, for responding to offers
we make and for attending classes and clinics. This is fun!
game. It was great fun. On Friday I did some writing in preparation for the
Entomology 101 Class we had last night, and then listened in to a Brass
Quintet rehearsal - Brittany plays trumpet in that group - and then a trip
to Hutchison for dinner at a Chinese buffet. Brittany wanted to get off
campus, just the two of us to visit and eat Chinese food, which she had not
had for some time. Little did she know that her friends were planning a
surprise party for her back on campus. She was surprised, and everyone had a
fine time.
prevailed
on me to go watch the basketball games on Saturday night, which I'm pleased
to say I enjoyed very much. The kids at this school are fantastic young
people who learn more than just the information found in books, freely
sharing with one another deeper issues of their hearts and minds.
and so on - and the atmosphere is informal and unpretentious. We love
sharing fly fishing ideas, and this is one of the ways we do so. Please join
us each Saturday from 10AM until Noon. Questions? Please call the shop at
303-651-6061. Thanks.
Tying
Clinic. It starts at 8:30 and is loads of fun. I hope you'll join us. Dozens
of fly tiers will be sharing their ideas about fly construction at this
session and a fine time is had by all who attend. They have basic
instruction for kids, as well as a Fly Tying theater where a few very
special tiers share specific fly tying ideas on the big screen. If you have
questions, please call the shop at 303-651-6061.
emerge directly from their nymphal shucks. Stoneflies always have two tails.
Mayflies may have two or three tails. Stoneflies have gills on their thorax
and mayflies have gills on their abdomen. In other words, if a nymph has two
tails it could be a stonefly or mayfly. The determining factor will be where
the gills are on the bug.
entered a fly tying competition and received an award and recognition for
his stonefly nymph, shown at right. Congrats, Scott!
Thursday, February 10, 2005 at the shop. We'll meet at 6:30 and finish at
9:30. We'll tie several flies, including a Rusty Rat, Green Butt Skunk and
several others as time allows. I'll provide the material, including jungle
cock, and instruction. I'm going to limit this session to 6 people. Tuition
will be $35.00 per person. Please call 303-651-6061 to reserve your spot.
By the way, the flies shown in the picture were tied and fished by Zane
Grey. Cool beans, huh? 
and start each evening at 7:00PM. We're usually done about 9:30PM and lots
of fun is had by all. Mark informs me that a few spots are open for this
session. Give him a call at 303-651-6061 to reserve your time.
Tuition is $70.00 per person and includes our Intro To Fly Tying Solutions
booklet and all the materials we use during class time.
Tonight we'll tie
Streamers! The
next session will begin on February 15, 2005. We plan to tie caddis and
mayfly patterns, work on wing and hackle techniques and have a fine time.
This is the last
Intermediate session we have scheduled. However, if it fills and there is
still interest we'll do another one. Tuition is $75.00 per person, and we
have a fine time together. Please call 303-651-6061 to reserve your time.
Please
let us know. The first session was held last nigh at the shop. We had a
great turnout for this one, and everyone had a good time. I created a Power
Point presentation which we showed on the big screen. We stayed on the point
- bugs - and did not get too high falutin' about it. In other words, we
spoke English and explained how bugs live and feed trout.
Tuition will be based on the feathers we get. It has usually been between
$70.00 and $100.00 dollars per person. The value is much greater.
one-hundred
hooks and put them into a box which we will provide. So, each student will
get ten boxes of 100 hooks that are most commonly used to tie flies. What a
deal. In light of the fact that 100-packs that are pre-packaged cost about
$16.00 to $20.00, we're going to charge each person about $100.00. That's
$10.00 per 100-pack. That's a significant savings.
and so on. Mark always has a certain aura about him after fishing trips that
invites others to join the fun. 