First signs of fall

[Tom Butler]

Here's your sign.


Fished a section before it closes in a couple days. Lightning and thunder crashing overhead, 30mph gusts put a new cottonwood snag in about 100' behind me, and a surface covered with leaves. I was a little late, but the surface was carpeted after a gust

Fished a bunch of flies. The muddled hare's ear with partridge collar up top was the bomb. I don't know how they can find it out of all the other stuff riding along.

Started the day with, what else

and ended the day with, what else

Lots of fish in between, but the best fish ate, and the real star of the day, was Anderson's Bird of Prey, in October Caddis dress. Fall on the streams too.

 

[Dave Westburg]

What were the nymph cases on the log Tom? Golden Stones? I thought they just hatched in the spring.

 

[Tom Butler]

What were the nymph cases on the log Tom? Golden Stones? I thought they just hatched in the spring.

I'm really not positive. Doing my stream sampling though I'll come up with smaller stones represented by the golden knuckle dragging stone in jig hook 8-10, up to those big 6 and 8 3XL coffee/black guys all year round. They have more than a year life span so the trout are always familiar with them. There are always new ones showing up. Like the hares ear, I like to have something in my cast that the fish would be familiar with all year 'round, and big enough to be worth moving for.

 

[Dave Westburg]

I knew Golden Stones were in the river year around but didn't know that they hatched at different times.

 

[Tom Butler]

I knew Golden Stones were in the river year around but didn't know that they hatched at different times.

I'll even find new shucks like these showing up with the fall caddis shucks later.

 

[Hoofer]

I think these are shortwing stones — mainly nocturnal so the cases show up a lot more than the adults. But they definitely get eaten.

The Strange Case of the Mystery Hatch | The Caddis Fly: Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

 

[Tom Butler]

I think these are shortwing stones — mainly nocturnal so the cases show up a lot more than the adults. But they definitely get eaten.

The Strange Case of the Mystery Hatch | The Caddis Fly: Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Yep, sounds like the ones. Very helpful, thanks. I never see the adults, but the fish like a big black stimi sometimes.

 

[Mike Cline]

The Nocturnal Stone Hatch

The Nocturnal Stone also known as the Midnight Stone or “Mr. Midnight,” is one of the lesser known stonefly hatches we see on the water around Southwest Montana. Nocturnal’s will hatch on most freestone rivers in Southwest Montana. However, if you like to sleep in or get off the

bozemanmagazine.com

A very common sight on the Big Hole in late summer.

 

[Tom Butler]

The Nocturnal Stone Hatch

The Nocturnal Stone also known as the Midnight Stone or “Mr. Midnight,” is one of the lesser known stonefly hatches we see on the water around Southwest Montana. Nocturnal’s will hatch on most freestone rivers in Southwest Montana. However, if you like to sleep in or get off the

bozemanmagazine.com

A very common sight on the Big Hole in late summer.

That's a good piece too, and a great description of how to fish the flies. Good confirmation of my experience. I lost upwards of a dozen flies yesterday as a result (and a few in the trees).

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

Tom, I'd like to know more about that "muddled hares ear with partridge collar" fly. Could you post a close up? What size fly? And was it fished as the upper half of a two nymph drift? Clearly this is a new fly to me and one that the fish like.

 

[Tom Butler]

Tom, I'd like to know more about that "muddled hares ear with partridge collar" fly. Could you post a close up? What size fly? And was it fished as the upper half of a two nymph drift? Clearly this is a new fly to me and one that the fish like.

It is this fly, hares ear sbs, tied on a 12 or 10 1xl wet fly hook without the bead. I find it fishes well as a top dropper dry or film fly, or on point. Usually on point I fish it 24" behind a weighted nymph to get it deep.
Muddled hare's ear in the vice. Here is a shot of one, w/ added dyed "creeish" grizzly hackle palmered down the body. These were good to but I lost all my testers and need to tie more. I tied them for lake fishing, and they are super stream flies too.

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

It is this fly, hares ear sbs, tied on a 12 or 10 1xl wet fly hook without the bead. I find it fishes well as a top dropper dry or film fly, or on point. Usually on point I fish it 24" behind a weighted nymph to get it deep.
Muddled hare's ear in the vice. Here is a shot of one, w/ added dyed "creeish" grizzly hackle palmered down the body. These were good to but I lost all my testers and need to tie more. I tied them for lake fishing, and they are super stream flies too.
View attachment 80989

Tom, that is very cool. A mix of two of the best flies ever created.

 

[Tom Butler]

Tom, that is very cool. A mix of two of the best flies ever created.

Here is the link to Rob Denson's Muddled Hare's Ear you asked about.

 

[jact55]

Really enjoy your reports, your flies and you style. Thanks for sharing

 

[RCF]

So nice to have temps in the 50's in the morning and low 70's in the afternoon. Just flat out comfortable.

Almost time for October Caddis --> a true sign fall is here. My favorite fly to fish with a dropper below... And NO the October Caddis is not an indicator. It is a catcher of some really nice fish...

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

So nice to have temps in the 50's in the morning and low 70's in the afternoon. Just flat out comfortable.

Almost time for October Caddis --> a true sign fall is here. My favorite fly to fish with a dropper below... And NO the October Caddis is not an indicator. It is a catcher of some really nice fish...

Great fly for the Lady M in the fall, it'll catch mighty fine fish.

cheers

 

[joefromchicago]

It is this fly, hares ear sbs, tied on a 12 or 10 1xl wet fly hook without the bead. I find it fishes well as a top dropper dry or film fly, or on point. Usually on point I fish it 24" behind a weighted nymph to get it deep.
Muddled hare's ear in the vice. Here is a shot of one, w/ added dyed "creeish" grizzly hackle palmered down the body. These were good to but I lost all my testers and need to tie more. I tied them for lake fishing, and they are super stream flies too.
View attachment 80989

Check the tying thread. There's a guy there that has about 147 versions of muddled flies.
I think I joked once that deer always felt nervous around him.☺

 

[Tom Butler]

Check the tying thread. There's a guy there that has about 147 versions of muddled flies.
I think I joked once that deer always felt nervous around him.☺

Yes, @Scottp , I have visited several of the sites he's shared and adopted his/those styles into several flies I fish. @Zak inspired me to start fishing muddlers a couple years ago. Hadn't had much luck with them before I retried them. Love them now. Fished these today.