Belly Dancers Successful for Early Streamer Fishing in Idaho

On March 9th, 2010 by Bryan H

Belly Dancer - Brown Trout

Streamer fishing is a new kick for me. For some reason I am kinda an “anti hatch” kinda trout guy. There is nothing more irritating to me than a pod of trout keyed-in on any given bug. I actually get grumpy in a hurry.  My MO is to cast whatever fly I already have tied on to the group, and if I don’t find a player, I just move on.

Big flies are my thing! Big meals.  If 3 out of 10 fish will eat my big fly, I’d rather present my fly to 30 fish proper, and catch 9 and call that good.

My fishing theory is covering water and max efficiency.  I could be totally wrong, but I think a trout will usually eat my fly the first time he sees it, or he won’t eat it at all. To me it just does not make sense to sit in a spot and play “chess” switching up sizes, colors, whatever, to try and talk some fish into eating it.

That’s where this new streamer kick comes in. A guy can cover so much more water in a given amount of time pulling a streamer. On top of that, it is usually the large, confident, and cranky big bastard that is going to move on a streamer.

Take Some Time to Look Around and Enjoy Where You Are

One thing that has been working decent for me is casting up stream and fishing the fly back to me.  I have found this makes the fly swim really erratically as you strip to keep up with the current. (Erratic equals wounded in fish brains) Another thought is fish see it coming straight at them and the “fight or flight” instinct kicks in.  My hope is the small ones flee and the big ones stand their ground. Also seems logical to assume wounded or shocked prey fish would be flowing down with the current.

These are all just theories I talk myself into while out on the water. Many experts have probably already proven or dis-proven this years ago, but when I do crank in a fish or two every now and then like this, it keeps the wheels turning in my head, and my confidence in the Belly Dancer strong.  BH

Sorry you had to put the Beer down to catch this Brown.

Bryan Huskey lives in Idaho where he is a photographer, videographer, angler and plane restoration expert.  More of his work can be seen at his video site or on his website which it opens with a red and white bobber  making him awesome!

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Top 10 Sound Bites from 09 – As Heard and Returned by Kevin Price

On March 8th, 2010 by Zach

They Said: The Salmon will come back someday, it’s just a cycle!

KP: YEAH…. A cycle of, fucking shit up!

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They Said: Why does this video have an hour of “bonus” footage?

KP: It’s for when you wake up after the first hour is done; you have something still playing to watch

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They Said: Wanna see some photo’s from Alaska I took with a disposable box camera?

KP: SHIRLEY!

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They Said: How come this is on backorder?

KP: A. somebody didn’t do a preseason; B. Somebody didn’t pay their bill.

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They Said: Have you always swung?

KP: You mean ….flies?

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They Said: I remember when that river was loaded, just full of big fish everywhere!

KP: What model carriage did you roll back then?

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They Said: I don’t really want to try anymore, I have headache!

KP: Look, if we take off all that split shot, you won’t hit yourself in the head again.

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They Said: I mooched meals the entire time I was there!

KP: Good job Brian!

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They Said: That guy liked to spike it in their end zone!

KP: (Busted a gut laughing out loud.)

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They Said: Just because they catch fish, doesn’t mean they will sell.

KP: hmmm.

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Not Fishing Enough? Then Ask Your Dr. if Testemax is Right For You

On March 8th, 2010 by Zach

After seeing this video I contacted Nate and explained to him that the fly-fishing industry just might be the perfect market demographic for his revolutionary product “Testemax”.  He agreed and thought running the ad on our blog with its skewed male demographic might just pay off.

Check out more of Nate’s video work on his site.  Hey Nate thanks for sharing your sense of humor with us.  And remember us little people when Testemax sales spike after this posting and you are kicking it on your new ranch back in Oregon.

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Slab – That’s What I Am Talking About!!!

On March 5th, 2010 by Zach

Slab!!…….. of the week?  month?  year?  lifetime?  Who knows, but he is one picture-perfect specimen that very few people get to see up close.  Some of us have probably hooked into similar fish before but getting them to hand is rare.

Serial monogamist, Idylwilde sig. tier, hot dog connoisseur, guide and environmentalist, Jeff Hickman, hooked this bad boy on his Signature Party Boy fly. It was an epic battle taking over a 1/3 mile of river bank, 4 pools, touching the fish 3 times.  With a class 4 rapid looming downstream Jeff finally managed to get enough of a grip to hang on and land the fish.  When asked afterward what was going through his mind during the battle?  He replied,  “I just couldn’t stop thinking about Zach and the team at Idylwilde for making me and my fly patterns awesome enough to hook a fish this big. “  After he landed the fish he christened it “Jeff” after himself because he is awesome too and thanked all of the ladies in his life for their patience and support for the few days he is away fishing.”

Seems like there is a below-the-knee contest going on with the blog nerds about the Slab of the Month.  Not sure if this chromer will shed any light on the debate or merely fuel the fire more.  My advice, get to the river, for its the only way you have a chance at seeing one of these beauties 1st hand and there is nothing like seeing them with your own eyes!!!! Nothing!

Party-boy catches huge chromer on Party-boy Red- Notice Drips

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Double Tube Technology Keeps Producing

On March 4th, 2010 by Zach

Chris Conaty, official “Fly Guy” for Idylwilde recently returned from an annual spring fishing trip.  Its nice to have the “Fly Guy” who is in charge of fly development, raw materials and quality control spend his vacation fishing.  What can I say, the guy is passionate about flies and about fly fishing and being the Fly Guy is not just a job to him but a life time passion that just happened to turn into a job.

Sea Lice and transparent fins = fresh

Recent rains pushed the local rivers high so conditions were not exactly what Fly Guy had hoped for.  Regardless, he put hours of casting in and managed to find a fish.  Actually it is the other way around.  He put a few minutes of casting in on the 1st day and caught a steelhead, then proceeded to do lots of casting for some possible grabs.  When you fish for steelhead, where “getting a grab”,  can be deemed an extremely successful day,  it takes a passionate fisherman to keep coming back even on vacation/ work days.

Double Tube technology developed by Brian Silvey helped  Andy Brown who was fishing with Fly Guy catch this chromer which took the Tandem Tube in Pink and Orange.

One reminder to all of you out there going to the rivers.  Don’t forget to take some time to look around and enjoy the place you are in regardless of how good or bad the fishing is.  The Fly Guy and his best friend David did some looking around and David found this PERFECT set of elk sheds right on the river.   Myself,  I would take finding that perfect pair of elk sheds over a lot of days of catching steelhead.  Luckily for me David gave the sheds to Fly Guy and in an unexpected turn of fate, the sheds will be living in the Idylwilde offices.   Fly Guy and his wife spent hours walking through their house trying to find “just the right place” for these majestic antlers and they just could not part with existing wall decorations to make room for the horns.  From afar I have to respect the quality of Fly Guy’s marriage.  I mean, there just aren’t that many couples I know that can be so in tune with each others taste in art and house decor that can make a decision like this together.  A decision “as one” if you will.  I am okay benefiting from such a strong relationship.

Perfect Set of Elk Sheds - RARE

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You Too Can Stroke the Chromers – Go Big Red

On March 4th, 2010 by Zach

Like fishing big flies for big winter fish?  Silvey’s Tube Snake is a pattern you want in your arsenal if your answer is yes.  Tube flies sometimes get a bad rap because they require additional rigging before fishing them. (If pre-rigged versions were not purchased)   Tubes generally require more effort than just putting the line through the eye of the hook tying a knot and letting it rip.  Last time I checked, the end game is to somehow attach yourself to a hot chrome steelhead.  From my perspective if that means taking an extra 2 minutes to rig up the right fly to give yourself the best chance that is what I choose to do.  Really? The two minutes you save in rigging compared to the hundreds of casts you will make to not catch anything don’t seem to add up in my mind.  Maybe after you watch how Silvey’s Tube Snake swings and teases steelhead in this video you might decide 2 minutes + rigging effort = stroking chrome and it’s worth the minimal sacrifice in time.

Brian Silvey,  a full time and life long guide on the Deschutes and Sandy Rivers and through his “double tube technology” has pioneered a way to allow anglers to fish larger profile flies that are easier to cast while still having the hook ride exactly where a steelhead will strike the fly.   I bring up the “double tube technology” because the other rap on early tube fly designs was that the hook swung separate and free from the materials tied on the tube.  Anglers felt that they were getting strikes but missing fish because the hook was separate from the materials.  This gave the fish a chance to eat the materials while the hook might be dangling too low (on the inside of the swing or slow water) or too far to one side with the end result being a big take but no hook up.  After hundreds of casts an experience like that can be described as frustrating and generate some bad press for tube flies.

Using his liberal arts education in a time of need Brian made an assessment!   He chose to experiment with different technologies in order to harness the benefits of tube flies which:

  • Are realistic in the swimming motion of the fly.
  • Have lots of movement of the materials not hindered by the stiffness of a hook shank.  Thus giving the end of the rabbit strip a “come hither” look similar to the ones you and I might find in a gentleman’s club.
  • Have a direct attachment of the line and leader to the hook in the fish’s mouth = better hook to land ratio.
  • Eliminate the weight and bulk caused by tying large flies on a hook shank.  The shank adds weight and bulk as materials are wrapped completely around the shank and further impedes easy casting and fast sinking.  (Note: Many anglers find larger harder to cast flies okay to throw at first, when they are fresh and excited about the day ahead.   Its when they get into cast number 50 that the wheels start to fall off.  We all know you have to have your fly in the game on every cast to be successful winter steelheading.)
  • Are fast sinking because these tubes have  less material bulk.  Bulky materials cause water resistance and impede the fly sinking into the zone.   Once again making for easier casting through a day of winter steelheading that can consist of hundreds of casts before being touched.
  • Makes these fast sinking flies that are easy to cast allowing anglers to use lighter sink tips.  This adds up to better casts at the end of the day because the angler is less tired and hence, more awesome.

Brian’s  goal was to eliminate the free swimming hook and he succeeded by creating  “double tube technology” which remains the industry leader in cutting edge tube design.  Double tube technology is where a small 2nd tube is tied onto the tail end of a rabbit strip, simple but effective solution.  One of those ideas where we all look at it and say, “why didn’t I think of that?”  Silvey’s original yet basic technology allows the hook to swim in tandem (pun intended) with the rabbit strip eliminating the short strike.  Bottom line;  Silvey’s tube designs are the only commercial tubes available using “double tube technology”  that are designed to make his clients more awesome.  Lucky for Idylwilde and lucky for the general steelhead fishing public, Brian Silvey decided to share his “double tube technology” with Idylwilde so all of us can become more awesome.

If this video doesn’t convince you that any angler will benefit from Tube Snakes or Tandem Tubes I would recommend booking a trip with Brian, contacting with him through his site or blog.   That way he can personally show you how he strokes it and help get your stroking techniques dialed in on the river.

Note:  For those of you who want to rig your own here is the rigging video that demonstrates how to do it.  (We are in the process of making a newer version that will eventually be posted on our You tube channel.)

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