Tying the Tungsten Psycho Nymph

This is a great nymph from Solitude flies. We used this pattern many a day this past summer. In the smaller sizes it does a great job imitating a variety of mayfly nymphs. It is also a good attractor when tied in larger sizes.

Happy Tying

Dakota Angler & Outfitter

www.flyfishsd.com

Tying the CDC Beetle

Beetles and Ants are some of trouts favorite summer foods. This pattern has done me well the past couple of summers. It was my go to fly on the fish in our catch and release area. Fish that had repeatedly refused other offering would often take this fly on the first presentation. The fact that it is easy to tie is a bonus.

Happy Tying

Dakota Angler & Outfitter

www.flyfishsd.com

Spearfish Creek Trout

There are a bunch of them in Maurice Intake. It isn't out of the ordinary to catch several fish, but most of the little stinkers continue to feed right at your feet. They ignore countless imitations of midge larvae and baetis nymphs- even though you can pick up a rock just upstream and see nothing but small black midge larvae and baetis nymphs. They have to be eating something awfully close to our imitations. Nevertheless, it's cast and switch flies, cast and switch flies...

And I'm not complaining. A small strange part of me actually enjoys getting snubbed by the majority of the fish. It is what fuels all night tying binges. Several good patterns have resulted from those bleary eyed tie fests. There have also been far too many disasters- of the variety that you hope are never seen by your angling pals. These are promptly razor bladed and the hook recycled.

The fish in the picture above were about four feet away and ignored most of our offerings. We had a good time anyway. It was fun to watch all the fish feeding. We did manage to catch a few on bubble backs, WD-40's, and Scuds. One of the fish was a beauty- 16" and fat. A great Spearfish Creek Rainbow.

Bighorn Fly Fishing

The Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming offer a great summer get away for Black Hills residents. An easy 3 hour drive from Rapid City, Buffalo, Wyoming, makes a perfect jumping off point. From Buffalo it is roughly an hour and a half to the northern Bighorns or the southern Bighorns.

My wife Christine and I have made it a point for the last 3 summers to spend a weekend or two in the Bighorns. This past weekend we traveled to the West Tensleep trail head for some camping and fishing. We usually pack in and spend a couple days at a mountain lake. However, on this trip we opted to stay near the trail head and make day hikes into mountains.

The bugs were terrible again this year, but we had a great time hiking into Lost Twin Lakes. The wildflowers were in bloom and views were spectacular. Here are a couple photos from the trip.