[steve yates]

This guy has a nice blog and his main focus is fishing midges and small flies.

http://poudrecanyonchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/11/essential-midge-patterns-red-hot.html

[steve yates]

The Round Bottom road leading to the trail head is generally locked at the Cherokee fish hatchery this time of year, so you can add another mile or mile and 1/2 just to get to the trailhead. The trail is steep and very rocky, wear proper hiking boots. There is no maintained trail up or down from the campsite. Downstream goes into a gorge and is a very rugged area. Up stream is much more passable, but still difficult due to large boulders and laurel hells. I personally wouldn’t do this trip in the winter time. The fishing will most likely be difficult at best, and it is very likely with the cold weather we have been having that the stream or at least most of it could be frozen. It’s not a very big or deep stream.

[steve yates]

Look at some flat black paint used to paint grills and fireplaces.

[steve yates]

Late March to early June the fishing is usually on fire. If you go before schools get out for the summer you will have a lot less company. You can do the Hazel Creek trip yourself with minimal planning. Pick up one of the fishing guides to the park, they have enough information to get you started in just about direction you want to go. Just about every major watershed and tiny rivulet has fish in it.

[steve yates]

I use an isopropyl alcohol prep swab to remove the tackiness.

[steve yates]

I understand exactly what you are saying. It’s not just fly shops that have been kicked in the head in this economy. Any small business is more than likely struggling to keep it’s head above water. Any serious fly fisherman will tell you though that a good local shop is a valuable resource that deserves your business, and must have it to stay in business.

[steve yates]

Oppps! I’m sorry, I bet you have to be a subscriber to the journal to see the archives. Hopefully the tips I gave you will help. If you have any interest you can go to the Little River site and sign up for the journal and then you would be able to see the archive. Click on the link for Little River Journal under the banner photo of the fish. Then go to the bottom of the page and sign up for the email newletter.

http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/index.php

*note I have no financial stake or interest in LRO or the Little River Journal. Byron, Paula, and Daniel are my friends and they have a nice little shop in Townsend TN. Anyone that has any interest in fishing the Great Smoky Mt National Park would do well to browse the forums and the journal.

[steve yates]

I can already buy Winston and most other high end rods from online shops. Most will ship them free, and with no sales tax. Most local shops know this and are willing to work with you if you just ask 😎

All you fly shop guys don’t blow me out of the water, I buy about 80% of my terminal tackle, accessories, and tying stuff from 2 local shops.

[steve yates]

Hackle pointing a little forward isn’t necessary a bad thing.  😉 Try a couple of things and you might get a little more consistent result.

1. tie in the hackle with the shiny (convex) side face you,

2. wrap just a wisp of dubbing behind and in front of the wings where you are going to wind the hackle. It will help seat the hackle and keep it in place.

3. Strip off a few more hackle barbs on the right side of the hackle. It will help start the first wrap with the hackle oriented correctly.

4. Before you wrap the hackle bend the hackle stem backwards just enough to bend the stem. It will help getting the first wrap started.

Look at this tutorial I did for LRO Journal, it has photos for most of the tips I have mentioned. Notice even here not all of my hackle fibers are completely vertical, I think flies tied like that look good, but a few fibers pointing slightly forward may give the fly a more realistic footprint in my opinion.

http://littleriveroutfitters.com/littleriverjournal/storiesmay09/syates/cfly.htm

[steve yates]

I bought an IMX G Loomis signature series from them years ago. When the company changed hands and the rod went out of production I pretty much thought I was toast on any warranty issues. The rods they make today are not a big favorite of mine anyway. I’m gonna ride it until till it blows up, not sure I would give them a $100 to replace it even if they would. ;D

[steve yates]

Zach,
I’ll be at Troutfest this weekend as well. I’m really looking forward to it. I went last year and had a blast. I saw the schedule today and after seeing the material you plan to cover I am very interested in your class. I may pick up some much needed help for the fly tying article I write and photograph for the Little Rive Journal every month. I’m interested in improving my fishing photography in general, and any help with photoshop would be great. I will be tying Sunday morning myself, so if any of you want to learn some “secret” smoky mountain patterns stop by and see me. 😉 See you there Zach!

[steve yates]

John most of the larger suppliers will have it. The thread doesn’t follow the normal 3/0, 6/0, 8/0 sizing. When you order the thread you will see numbers like GSP 50, GSP 75, GSP 100, and GSP 200. The number refers to the number of stands in the thread. The higher the number, the stronger and thicker the thread. For me the 76 or 100 is plenty strong enough to spin the deer hair for the head on these flies.

[steve yates]

I also use the double sided razor blades, but I use a small tool to hold the razor blade. The angle of the blade is fixed but it will make most of the cuts you need.

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0045157318361a.shtml

I have also found steaming the hair for a couple minutes makes it easier to cut and shape.

[steve yates]

Look around, there are several places that have free shipping, or free shipping with a small minimum order. Also if they are out of state, you generally don’t have to pay taxes on your purchases. I don’t have any problem with supporting local business, but some of these shipping and handling charges are out of whack. The ones that really kill me are the ones that charge progressively more the larger your order. Dang, if I am buying a hundred dollars worth of stuff that cost them $2.50 to ship charing me $10-12 bucks is ridiculous IMO.

[steve yates]

Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead is another good one.

http://www.lyndenhuggins.com/flyfishing/howto/cooperheadfly/cooperheadfly.htm

[steve yates]

Nice fish, this looks like it could be fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSp3nwVltmM

[steve yates]

Keith,
Yes I use the GSP 100. The number after GSP refers to the number of strands. You can buy 100, 150, and 200 I think. Are you packing the hair or pushing it back towards the previous clump? Get a stout ceramic bobbing for the GSP and either buy or make a hair packing tool. The casing from an old ink pen will do, although on these type of flies I don’t pack the hair too tight. I want it tight enough to push water, but not so tight that it makes the fly want to float.

Nice looking flies Neal and Tim!

[steve yates]

Here are a few more names to add to the pot in addition to some good ones that have already been mentioned. I look for good selection, quick service, quality of materials, accuracy of order, items in stock, and reasonable shipping fees.

Mad River Outfitters
Front Range Anglers
Blue Ribbon Flies
Little River Outfitters
Hook and Hackle

[steve yates]

I think Kelly has some very good patterns, but I think his real success stems from the techniques he uses to fish them. I love his Zoo Cougar pattern 😎

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