Fred Davidson is a long time Pere Marquette angler and friend of Indigo. Fred’s Ugly Bug has been producing well so far this winter. Fred ties them on a long shank streamer hook like the TMC 300. Indigo guide Steve Martinez converted Fred’s fly to a tube version using an aluminum rivet. The aluminum rivet has a bit of weight and a flat head that really makes the materials pulse. Steve watched Aaron McDaniel use rivets at a Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers meeting and has used the idea since.
Tube… aluminum rivet (pin removed) glued over plastic tube- glue and insert plastic tube that will fit inside the rivet, a Q-Tip shaft often works. Trim to length and mushroom end near a flame.
Tail… marabou
Body… estaz
Legs… rubber legs
Under Wing… tinsel
Over Wing… small zonker strip
Inner Collar… crystal polar chenille
Outer Collar… cross cut rabbit
Steve and his son Mitch went out or a few hours and Mitch hooked several fish and managed to bring one to the net. It was Mitch’s first unassisted steelhead. Congrats Mitch. Remember Mitch’s first unassisted salmon?
Water temps are just above freezing and Steve says the fish are very lethargic. Takes are super subtle so be sure to set on any bump. Dark streamers on the swing are working well as are clown eggs and chartreuse nuke eggs. All the launches are in decent shape and with warmer temps and a stable weather pattern the fishing should be good for the next week or so.
Once in a Blue Moon, a very good fly fishing movie about mousing in New Zealand, released last year, is available in its entirety on Hulu. For free. Pretty cool. Watch it below.
Dec 28
2010
Best Pictures of 2010
This is the first of three Best-Of posts we’re doing over the next week of so. Next up will be Best Fish Pictures of 2010 and finally the most highly anticipated Best-Of post, the Best Steve Martinez Pictures of 2010. We’ve also added a new light box feature which allows you to page through all the images in a post. Enjoy.
