AR Halfpounder Flies

[Troutsource]

Caught 6 fish Saturday morning mid-river. Swung early, nymphed later. Biggest one, 15 inches, I caught swinging the mystery fly I own, which it turns out is a Beldar Rubberlegs:

https://catalog.theflyshop.com/beldar-rubberlegs-4/


The Beldar is a PITA to tie, as you have to palmer in 3 soft hackles in succession while you're wrapping cactus chenille and several sets of rubberlegs. But it really moves -- maybe that's why it works.

I caught the other 5 on a copper G6 caddis. I think it imitates the small tan caddis.

Below is what I tied after I left the river. The bottom right is the real Beldar and the ones above it are mine. I tied a few G6-type flies, and am still experimenting with some green caddis larva patterns since that seems to be the most abundant food source in the river.



The green wormy material I got on Amazon, and it's called "SAMSFX Fly Tying Materials Squirmy Wormy Soft Worm Lures Flie Making Assorted Colors." It's too bulky if I wrap it around the hook shank, so I threaded the hook through it then wrapped my thread around it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ALQNXYC


Didn't have time to tie any of the recommended flies yet, but I bought some sculpin heads, olive maribou, grizzly hackle and rabbit and pine squirrel strips. I've probably amassed $500 materials over the last month after my 30-year hiatus. I enjoy buying the material as much as I do using it. I may need to move my new addiction over to the fly-tying board.

2700 CFS was definitely more wadeable (seemed about 6"-8" shallower). I started seeing more salmon casters.

Some other flies I tied over the last month.

I've dubbed this the "Shocker" but it didn't produce squat over the weekend. I need to add some marabou to it -- something to give it life.



A bunch of Psycho Princes (green worked great last year, nothing yet this year -- maybe the psycho colors are better later in the fall?)



More experimental caddis larvae and some streamers.



PS: These clouds and warm rain right right now are making it hard to concentrate on work.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wonderful post TS......nice pictures too.

Remember folks.....these photos are just thumbnails until you click on them.


Good looking flies too.