CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2013 • VOL 6, ISSUE 2 bigrflyshop.com
FEATURES
7 The Anatomy of Spey - FRED TELLEEN
pg3
Discussion on the inner workings of spey casting. This month we cover switch casting for trout on the Missouri River.
11 Winter Release - FRED TELLEEN
Most fly fishermen practice catch and release. We suggest a bit of angler etiquette on how to do it properly in winter.
15 New Face in Omak - ROB GUEVARRA
TANNER WAY steps it up at the Washington fly shop and we get a chance to get to know the rising star.
We have a conversation with PAUL CONSIDINE, one of the founding members of Big R Fly Shop.
21 Great Falls Artist Profile - ROB GUEVARRA
We speak with local Great Falls Artist KATY LUNSTAD and witness her meteoric rise to fame.
27 Scuds and Sows - JOHN EWALD
These aquatic arthropods make up at least 20% of a trout’s diet. We get buggy with the fresh water denizens.
31 What’s in Your Box? - MATT GUTZMANN
Great Falls Fly Shop’s newest member divulges his aquatic arsenal.
DEPARTMENTS
6 Material Witness - FRED TELLEEN & ROB GUEVARRA An illuminating experience with Spirit River’s UV2 Dubbing.
13 Tying Technique - FRED TELLEEN & ROB GUEVARRA Have you been working your abs? Weaving a sexy abdomen.
14 Creature Feature - FRED TELLEEN & ROB GUEVARRA Use this month’s technique to tie a Bitch Creek variant.
ON THE COVER Sam Wike & Calvin Fuller on the Okanogan River, Washington 2012 • Photo by Rob Guevarra
Photo by Alfonso Martinez
17 Personnel Personal - ROB GUEVARRA
F I S H F U L PONDERAY
T H I N K I N G
SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER Fresh steelhead are entering coastal streams and �ishermen are getting off the couch and out of the ice shack after a long and cold January. Looking back on my past January experiences I can’t help but smile. For me it is a time to slow down and take my kids ice �ishing. My shanty is �illed with snacks, juice boxes, and hopefully two happy kids. Their favorite thing is to hold the perch in their hands and have mini puppet shows with conversations that only they understand. Moving into February I am looking forward to spring. This year The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has made all the tributaries we like to �ish around Lake Pend Oreille, catch and release. The $15 bounty is lifted from wild rainbows and the �ishery is being re-built. Soon there will be many more giant rainbows to be caught in Lake Pend Oreille and we simply can’t wait. A good model of what is in store is a lake to the north named Kootenay Lake. Fishermen are cleaning house up there catching multiple double digit �ish everyday all fall and winter. Those �ish will soon be 20+ pounds and even into the 30 pound range. As �ishing gets better we will continue to keep �ishermen updated with more frequent �ishing reports and blogs from our three �ly shops. New �ly tying material is �looding the shelves with some truly un-believable stuff. Moving forward our eMag will have photo content not seen in any other magazine. We will be featuring hard core �ishing photographers from around the world who have stock piles of �ishing images that will make you drool. Good Luck �ishing this spring and tight lines. Carpe Carpum,
Calvin on the Okanogan River. Photo by Rob Guevarra
Calvin Fuller
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 2
P R E S E N T E D
B Y
for more info visit
flyfilmtour.com
Photo by Rob Guevarra pg 3
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
Photo by Rob Guevarra
NG G M MA A TT EE R R II A A LL SS T YY II N
LAST MONTH WE INTRODUCED Spirit River’s new UV2 line of �ly tying materials that touted both UVR (ultraviolet re�lective) and UVF (ultraviolet �luorescent) properties. We took some materials to the vise to test these claims for ourselves.
THE RESULTS RESULTS WERE WERE ILLUMINATING ILLUMINATING THE Our resident �ly tying expert Fred Telleen chose the most obvious pattern to test UV2’s shrimp/scud dubbing in pink. Under UV light, the bug practically came alive with brilliant bioluminescence. Follow the video link below to watch this bug’s birth.
Try it and see the results for yourself!
All Spirit River UV 2 Dubbing REGULAR PRICE $299
1
$ 75 Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 6
In Anatomy of Spey, we demonstrate a specific spey configuration for a specific purpose. This month, Fred Telleen in Great Falls, MT disects his setup for
Switch Casting for Trout on the Missouri River
For backing, I load the spool with 125 yards of 50# Spider Wire Stealth Braid. Its super slick, super strong and packs down tightly on the spool. It will also slice through the water easily if a big fish should run it out there. Before I fill up with the Spider Wire, I put down a 20yd base of regular Dacron fly line backing. This will ensure that the slick surface of the braid does not slip on the spool.
To the terminal side, I added an Airflo Skagit Compact 420 grain head with a length of 22.5’. The Skagit Compact easily throws the medium series of MOW tips.
pgpg 2 7
R Fly Shop | February 2013 BigBig R Fly Shop | February 2013
To my backing braid, I loop on Rio SlickShooter. It shoots incredibly well and adds little bulk to the reel. It also slices through the water easily, which is great when a fish is already towing a Skagit head and MOW tip. I tie a non slip loop knot at both ends of my running line.
To my MOW tip, I loop on 3-5‘ of 12# PLine SHINSEI. Then I tie on the fly du jour with a non slip mono loop. Sometimes if the water is really slow and I’m fishing a smaller fly, I might step down to 8# tippet.
BigBig R Fly Shop | February 2013 R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg pg 8 2
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Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 10
Catch
Release
Words and photos by Fr
ase actice catch and rele pr s er gl an ng hi �is �ly t n Mos ve fu with ea is to land your �ish, ha
The id all or much of the time. metimes, we the �ish unharmed. So se lea re en th d an s es od, the proc s. This is all well and go re ctu pi e tak d an h �is e want to admire th gs we need to consider. but there are some thin l. more stress that �ish will fee the h, �is a le nd ha d an ht �ig • The longer we from barbless hooks. • Fish are easier to release , not the air. • Fish breathe in the water water. d oxygen content than warm lve so dis r he hig s ha ter wa • Colder pply leads to stress. Reducing a �ishes oxygen su . Removing ir bodies for their protection the g rin ve co me sli ve ha h • Fis rable to infection. that slime leaves them vulne are destroyed. • When tissue freezes, cells
pg 11
ed Telleen
it takes for a �ish out of g lon w ho is ow kn n’t What we do me quick t frost burned. I did so ge to ps tem g in ez fre b water in su lp. There was d found very little to he an t ne ter in e th on s. ch resear ent of Natural Recourse rtm pa De sin on isc W e th one posting by h's gills are lder than freezing, a �is co re tu ra pe tem y an t "A d to air," says Sue Marc se po ex en wh g in ez fre h in the very susceptible to . "It is best to keep the �is ist ial ec sp h alt he h �is R quenski, DN ." while removing the hook e ibl ss po as h uc m eyes as water low 10 degrees F, a �ish's be g in nn ru rt sta s re tu “When tempera damaged.” eyes are also at risk of being ight notice the �ish's m u yo ld, co y all re s "When it' rcquenski. t of the water," says Ma ou 're ey th en wh ue aq become op h the eyes clear ea has frozen and althoug rn co e th at th e ibl ight ss po "It's ter, the cornea or lens m wa e th in ck ba t pu is h up when the �is can also infect or bacteria in the water us ng Fu . ed ag m da en have be ss.” rhaps leading to blindne pe , ea rn co ed ag m da e th
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
er "At any temperature cold
than
eptible to freezing sc su ry ve e ar lls gi s h' freezing, a �is
ion that cold s a common mispercept “Along the same lines, it' h.” hood of infections in �is water reduces the likeli ply slow the ent infections, they sim ev pr n't do s re tu ra pe r," "Cold tem bolism is so much slowe eta m h's �is e th e us ca y, it may infection down be internal or external injur an ts ge h �is a "If . au en says Marg ather comes and nter, but when spring we wi e th ut ho ug ro th l." ist subs ts worse and can be letha ge n tio fec in e th , up rm the waters wa be aware of and release, we need to and When we practice catch n to minimize damage ca we ng hi yt er ev do ustion a our impacts and e �ish. The extent of exha th to rs so es str tal or m potentially
when exposed to air,"
the �ish is t, the length of time that gh fou g in be en wh s ter �ish encoun ich the hook is and the ease with wh , air g in ez fre to d re on se expo h on the snow for a pictu �is a ng tti Pu . rs to fac y removed are ke od idea. The dry is probably not a go d an ld co is air e th ly. en a day wh ls can freeze very quick gil d an es ey eir th in near freezmoist membranes picture is likely okay at a for air e th in h �is at Holding th s should be brief. ing temps, but the proces
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 12
pg 13
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
C R E AT U R E
FRED TELLEEN’S
F E AT U R E
BITCH CREEK VARIANT
RECIPE
shows how to weave an abdomen using two different colors of chenille. What better pattern to follow that up with than a bitch creek variant tied by Fred Telleen. In his version, Fred uses neon green legs rather than the traditional white, and a chartreuse underbody instead of orange.
• Hook: Dai-Riki #700 Streamer Hook - Size 6 • Weight: .015 lead free round wire • Thread: waxed 210 - olive green • Abdomen: chenille - black and chartreuse • Legs: medium round rubber legs - neon green • Thorax: strung saddle - black
Standard coloration
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 14
N E W FA C E I N T H E F LY S H O P OMAK
WASHINGTON
Leaving it Better Than He Found it
Tanner Way has been �ishing his entire life. He calls the Okanogan River, Omak Lake and Conconully Lakes his home waters, just to name a few. "We are the land of still water over here", he says "but I prefer moving water". Tanner practically lives in the outdoors and loves to explore new areas. When not at Big R, he is �ishing either before or after work, daylight permitting. Hunting, snowboarding, camping and pretty much anything else you can think of doing recreationally outdoors, he does. "I ride dirt bikes, quads, mountain bikes. I also rope and race horses" he adds. Tanner, 24 was born in Mid Valley Hospital in Omak, WA and raised on a farm just outside of Okanogan. He grew up playing football, basketball and baseball. He has worked on a farm for the majority of his life but has also spent time in construction, as a lifeguard and has worked at Stevens Pass Ski Resort and for UPS.
When asked what he felt was his most valuable contribution to the organization, Tanner enthusiastically says "Greg (Bennet), Steph (Avena), Tom (McCorrmick), Eric (Arnold) and myself are �isherman, plain and simple. Having to push these guys to push the sport is never an issue. My contribution is perhaps that I am the next generation that will drive the sport. I have learned so much from all these guys in such a short amount of time; it's amazing! Now I can take that knowledge and bring it to the customer �irst hand. I want this store to make it. I remember when there was bare ground north of Omak, no stores and even less people. Now we have Big R, which is a true blessing. This area is an undiscovered outdoorsman’s paradise.
“I’m going to do what I can to help make this store an enormous success.” In 2007 he graduated from Okanogan Senior High and went on to earn his Associates in Arts and Certi�icate in Energy Technology from Washington State University. He also played Cougar football under Coach Bill Doba. After living in Stevens Pass for a few years, Tanner suffered two heart attacks one year apart from each other due to a blood disorder. His doctor advised him not to pursue the career he was working towards in college. So Tanner came home. He heard Big R was hiring and applied for a part time cashier position. By the end of the interview, he was a full-time carryout associate. Because his outdoorsman spirit shone through, he was moved to the �ishing department, then a few months later to �irearms and archery. Fast forward a few more months and we �ind him the Outdoor Lead in Omak. "I've been at this position for a while now and am truly grateful for the opportunity", Tanner says.
pg 15
Though already well on his way towards a bright future, Tanner still has aspirations. "I have a bucket list of goals I would still like to achieve. I'd like to one day move to Montana, shoot a huge bull elk with my bow, have a family and provide for them, �ish out of the country, �ly in a plane, but most important to me today is to progress in my current profession. And I'd like to think that I left this place in a better state than when I walked in."
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
Photo by Rob Guevarra
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 16
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Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
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Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 20
Always
Work
Photo by John Ewald
Scuds and Sowbugs
are food sources that are always in the river. They are the staples of any �ly box for one good reason...
THEY
It was Christmas Day a couple years ago.
Having done the whole gift opening thing with the family on Christmas Eve ever since I can remember, Christmas Day is usually a day of relaxation, laziness, and a time to recover from eating too many cookies and sweets, and from drinking all the unnecessary eggnog. So what better to do than to get in my truck and head to the river for a day of solitude, re�lection upon the year gone by, and catch fat, lethargic Missouri River rainbows and browns? With not another soul in sight, I stepped into the weedy run that pg 27
SEEM TO
by John Ewald
offered excellent bottom structure, walking pace �low, ideal depth, and abundant aquatic vegetation. It was the perfect recipe for scud and sow bug stomping grounds. Armed with Fire Bead Soft Hackle Rays and Sows, Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, standard orange scuds and brightly colored thingamabobbers, the �irst subtle pause of my indicator and tug at the end of my line came less than a dozen drifts into the run. Moments later, a sluggish 22-inch brown with a pink Fire Bead Ray embedded in its lip was in my grips. The rest of the afternoon went Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
mostly like it had within these �irst 10 minutes of wading into that run. All in all, a baker’s dozen or so of scud and sow �illed rainbow and brown trout no less than 16 inches were brought to the bank of the Missouri River that Christmas Day. All of which were caught on scud and sow bug patterns. Even though not wrapped in Christmas paper, each trout felt like a gift at the end of my line and reeling in each one was just like the excitement of not knowing what was hidden beneath the paper. Winter on the Missouri River is one of my favorite times of year to �ish. And this day proved to be magical. You can have one of the busiest and arguably the most famous western tailwaters all to yourself, literally – as long as you are willing to share the waters with millions of small freshwater crustaceans and a few willing trout. Scuds and sow bugs are synonymous with large trout. Find a large sow bug or scud population and you will most likely be rewarded with a large trout by matching your �ly pattern to these freshwater arthropods or crustaceans. Fishermen often overlook these tiny morsels of food, yet trout key on them when they are found in their aquatic habitat. Most scuds and sow
Photo by Jason Neuswanger • www.troutnut.com
Photo by Jason Neuswanger • www.troutnut.com bugs are abundantly found in slow moving waters of small streams, ponds and lakes, spring creeks or spring like creeks such as tailwaters. Especially in areas of leafy debris on the streambed or where aquatic vegetation is abundant. Sow bugs are rarely found in lakes and ponds, but
their legs hanging below the body whereas sow bugs (Isopoda) are dorso-ventrally �lattened meaning they are wider than they are tall with their legs held out to the sides of the body. Scuds range in color from orange to tans or pinks, browns, grays and olives.
they do exist under the right conditions. Scuds are more dominant in stillwater than sow bugs, so plan accordingly when �ishing this type of water. Look for scuds and sow bugs to exist together in slow moving, thick aquatic vegetative areas, most commonly within a 3 to 5 foot window below the surface of the water. Both scuds and sow bugs have similar body characteristics, but the easiest way to distinguish one of these freshwater crustaceans from the other is that scuds (Amphipoda) are laterally �lattened meaning they are taller than they are wide with
Most sow bugs tend to be subtle shades of gray and olive, and almost translucent in appearance. Both species range in size of ¼” to ¾” or hook size 8 through 16. When underwater, scuds are much more active and swim in a pulsating motion with their bodies stretched out. Sow bugs tend to crawl slowly along the vegetation or debris they have in their environment and becoming easy meals when dislodged and drift downstream, unable to swim to safety. Both dislike the sunlight and tend to remain hidden in their habitat, but during early and late lowlight
hours of the day as well as overcast days they become more active and move about foraging for food. Some studies have shown that trout tend to favor brightly orange colored scuds over any other color. There are also studies the have been carried out to determine why many scuds are orange in color. Contrary to fact, many anglers believe that pregnant scuds carry egg sacs that are orange in color, thus being the reasoning they appear to be this hue, usually as a “hotspot” near the center of the scud. It was later concluded that the “hotspot” are not eggs at all, but a common parasite that forms within the scuds intestinal tract from feeding on �ish feces on the lake or river bottom, which causes the orange colorization. Other times, especially near tailwater dams like the Missouri River below Holter Dam in Montana where �lows tend to �luctuate, scuds can become exposed on the streambed during low �lows causing them to die, which turns them orange in color. When �lows rise, the dead scuds are dislodged and washed back into the river
“It’s a good idea to seine your own sample when �ishing scud and sow patterns.”
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
system sometimes causing trout to manically feed on the easy meals �loating by them. This orange color is due to the presence of carotene. This carotene actually transfers to the �ish while digesting these tiny critters. This is why you may �ind brilliant pink �lesh when harvesting trout up in alpine lakes on your backcountry �ishing trips. Pat Dorsey, the Southwest Field Editor for Fly Fisherman Magazine once wrote that when collecting seine samples of tailwater scuds, he would often �ind gray-olive scuds with an occasional tan colored scud. He has never collected pg 28
pg 29
possible. This will increase your chances of getting your �lies in front of the trout’s nose. Most takes on scuds and sows are very, very subtle. Trout do not have to move very far for these creatures. At any given time, a multitude can be �loating by helplessly. It may be hard to tell if any pause in your indicator is a snag or a trout, but never hesitate to bring tension into your line in case you just so happened to smack a trophy trout in the nose with your �ly. You would be surprised at the size of trout that tend to hang out in crustacean cesspools. You never know, the trout of a lifetime might be hanging in those weed beds you may have otherwise overlooked during past outings, �illing its belly on those tiny shrimp and roly-poly looking things.
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
Photos by Jason Neuswanger • www.troutnut.com
an orange scud sample by seining river vegetation. But when stomach pumping a trout, he usually �inds mostly orange and olive scuds. It’s unclear whether the trout had taken the scud dead or alive, or if the scud had turned orange as a result of death inside the trout’s gut. It’s a good idea to seine your own sample when �ishing scud and sow patterns. Color isn’t the most important factor; you should be more concerned with size and shape as this will get you into more �ish. When personally �ly �ishing the Missouri River below Holter Dam, I like to �ish scud and sow bug patterns throughout winter and into early spring, even though they are available all year round. This is a great time to �ish with a variety of these patterns, mainly because no other hatches are occurring besides the midge. I have successfully caught trout with scud/midge, sow/midge, and scud/sow tandem rigs. I usually put my indicator one-and-a-half to two times the water depth. This usually varies between 6 and 8 feet up the total length of my leader and tippet. With the tippet tied with a double surgeon’s knot about 12 inches from the end of my leader, I add 1 to 2 small split shot, depending on depth and �low. From here, I tie on a beaded pattern, then a smaller un-beaded pattern about 6 inches off the bend of the hook. This way, the split shot will tick through the weeds and the �lies will just �loat above the weed �lows, intermittently bobbing in and out of the vegetation. This is the trout-feeding zone you want to be in when �ishing scuds and sows. Some trout will actually root around in weed beds to dislodge these crustaceans, swim back downstream and inhale the easy meals they have sent down the buffet line. You can actually see this happening by the presence of nose down, tailing trout in shallow water. The point is to get your �lies as close to the aquatic vegetation as
Subscribe to the Big R Fly Shop eMagazine and be entered to WIN! Open to ALL CURRENT
and NEW SUBSCRIBERS Winners announced FEBRUARY 15th, 2013 Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 30
His majestic performance in A River Runs Through It isn’t the only reason why we hang Tiger Beat posters of Brad Pitt up on our fly shop walls. Pitt’s role as Detective David Mills in the 1995 thriller Se7en haunts us as well. So this month in homage, we ask GREAT FALLS FLY SHOP’S
BOX?
WHAT’S IN THE
5
. . . .Matt . . . . . . Gutzmann
FLIES:
• Rainbow Czech Firebead - Pink #18 • Firebead Rays - Tan #16
• Juju Bee Midge - Zebra #18 • Fore & Aft Midge #20
• Polar Express Minnow #6
................................... MATT’S METHOD:
NYMPH: Using a two-fly technique under and indicator will produce the most fish on the Mo’ this time of year. Using the Rainbow Czech or Rays on the bottom and the Zebra Midge above, dead drift these in the slow deep pools and areas where the river bottom is flat or slowly gets shallower. This is where most of the fish will be congregated. Pink flies and firebeads are incredibly productive. STREAMER: Polar Express Minnow: Toss this out straight across or slightly down stream in the slow and deep pools. Use a slow or fast rated Airflo sink tip poly leader and let it drift down while keeping your line tight with the fly. If the pool is very slow, you can slowly strip in fly. The water is about 34˚ and will stay there until spring time. The fish are slow and lethargic but will still go after a slow moving streamer. SWING: Swing the Polar Express across with a 5’/5’ or 7.5’/2.5’ floating/sinking mow tip in the slower moving water. If you are having a tough time keeping you fly moving quick enough, you can thrown a downstream mend just after you cast. pg 31
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
Photo by Rob Guevarra
DRY: Fore & Aft midge: Though it may be winter on the Missouri, there are still occasional midge hatches. You don’t want to be out and see a bunch of fish rising and not have a dry fly to throw at. If it’s cloudy and not quite so windy, be ready to see rising fish.
FAVORITE SPECIES: As cliché as it is, any fish on the end of my line in the winter is a good fish. It takes a little more work and a lot more coffee to get out and fish on the cold and windy days, so any fish I catch makes it worthwhile that I made it out. FAVORITE FLY: The Polar Express minnow is quickly making its way up the list to be my favorite single fly. With streamers seemingly getting bigger and bulkier with every new fly, the sleek- and slenderness of the Polar Express is great. It doesn’t get heavy and waterlogged when it gets wet, it’s a great weight for swinging on the Missouri, and it catches a lot of fish!
Photo by Alfonso Martinez
Big R Fly Shop | February 2013
pg 32
Great Falls, MT
Ponderay, ID
Omak, WA
(406) 761-7918 4400 10th Ave S
(208) 255-5757 477181 N Hwy 95
(509) 422-9840 1227 Koala Dr
Big R Fly Shop Magazine is a free monthly electronic publication bringing the latest perspectives, events, blogs and products related to the sport and art of fly fishing. This magazine is published online @ www.bigrflyshop.com every month. To receive email notifications when new issues are released, enter your email address HERE. All email addresses will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for purposes connected with Big R Fly Shop. Š Copyright 2013 CSWW Inc., dba Big R Stores. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.
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