Blog

This is a basic beginning fly tying video. If you have a fly tying kit and have never tied a fly this would be where you would begin. There are no fly patterns being tied but just a basic description of tools and the two knots that you need to begin tying flies.

Press Release of my new book Tactics for Bass

Whiting Pro Team member Chris Reeves and the editors of the Fly Dressers Guild wrote a really nice review of my book

Tim Jacobs uses many different materials to tie his flies but deer hair is his favorite. Whether it's trout or warmwater species deer hair flies can produce. Join us to learn about Tim's secrets to tying and fishing deer hair flies.

This article was included the book "Modern Terrestrials" by Rick Takahasi and Jerry Hubka. It was just released this fall. It was included in the Fishing Terrestrial: Tips from the Masters section. This is the version I wrote and edited myself (with some help from Beth and Susan). If you compare it to the version in the book you will notice that the editors at Stackpole Books did some further editing.

One of the most anticipated times of the year is when the warmwater lakes begin to reach their peak temperatures of the summer. For the midwest this begins to occur around the end of June extending through the beginning of August. Water temperatures begin to hit the high 70’s and enter into the low 80’s. When this happens the Largemouth Bass’ metabolism is peaking. Bass begin to actively hunt the shallow water making topwater and diving flies very effective.

There are many times when bass are just not interested in feeding on or near the surface. When water temperatures have not risen into the 70’s such as during the spring and fall or during summer cold fronts, bass become much less aggressive. They also tend to retreat into the deeper water during the middle of the day. During these times you need to get down to the fish with either swimming or bottom type flies. These patterns also account for some of the larger fish of the year.

I wrote the following article for the inaugural edition of the Whiting Farms Pro Team newsletter. It was sent to all the pro team members. As I researched the article, I exchanged several emails with Dr. Tom Whiting who was very helpful in my understanding of the history of this line of birds.

Doug Swisher and Carl Richards introduced the idea of super hatches in in their book Selective Trout in the early 1970’s and Western Green Drakes were included on that list. Being the largest mayfly to emerge in the Roaring Fork Valley river system this mayfly belongs as part of this group. The trout on the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork really key into this mayfly. They usually begin to appear in late June or early July. The hatch then moves up river and is in the Frying Pan during early August. This year they were still present in earlier October. As an angler, once you see a few green drakes you can usually begin fishing your green drake patterns and have success. Often green drakes will hatch simultaneously with other insects, especially pale morning duns. During these complex hatches, the fish will usually respond to green drakes, although having your PMD patterns is a good precaution for those fish that are keying on that mayfly. This is the premier hatch on the Frying Pan and some of the best fishing of the season can be had when this mayfly appears.

This article appeared in the October 2004 edition of Midwest Fly Fishing. As it was never archived on the Midwest Fly Fishing site, I have reformatted it and added my own photos.