Fly of the Week - Sparkle Dun

The Sparkle Dun is quite possibly my favorite fly. It's a fairly easy fly to tie (no hackle which is great for me), and it's extremely versatile. The pattern can be tied in a multitude of colors in order to mimic the baetis, pmd, and flavs, just to name a few. I tie them in all colors and sizes to use when I don't have a fly in the pattern of the hatch. Using sparkle duns I can cover a lot of different flies with just one pattern.

Recipe:

Hook: Tiemco 100BL
Thread: Olive
Body: Olive Superfine Dubbing
Tail: White Antron Yarn
Wing: Deer Hair

Inaugural Wolf Hunts in Idaho

Well it appears that Idaho is having their inaugural wolf hunting season this year. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has issued 220 hunting tags for the large predator, down from the proposed amount of 430 wolves, or roughly one half of the wolf population in Idaho. The move to begin hunts in the Gem state is not without controversy. Many environmental and conservation groups are outraged by the idea of hunting the recently re-established animal, especially since it was only removed from the endangered species list within the last six months. These groups are hopeful for a court injunction to stop the hunting in its tracks.

I always find it interesting that these anti-hunting environmental conservationist groups are always so quick to get upset at hunters, the "real" conservationist. I'm afraid they don't understand that hunters are responsible for more conservation and environmental improvement that any other group out there. I know some of you reading this are going to say where are the statistics behind this, my answer is just google it. There are multitude of reports out there for anyone to see.

I believe in hunting, and I think its completely necessary to maintain environmental stability. Hunting helps to keep in check the results of overpopulation due to under-predation. By enabling hunters to cull a researched quota from the population, you are allowing the animals to stay within a healthy balance. I'll leave you with a quote by Aldo Leupold from his book A Sand County Almanac, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends to do otherwise.

Death of a Legend

It's a sad day here at The Mediocre Fly, as I just heard the terrible news that the famed western writer Elmer Kelton passed away on August 22, 2009. Kelton one of America's most prolific and well-know writers of western literature, left a great legacy for future generations through his writings. Kelton one of my favorite writers, was one of the best storytellers I have ever been privileged enough to read. With his flair for the historic and his Texas story-lines he kept readers enthralled for years. Texas lost a legend.

Fly of the Week - "Shop-Vac"

I first came in contact with this fly while fishing on Soda Butte Creek in the northeastern part of Yellowstone National Park. A few of my buddies and I were fishing with so-so results when we witnessed an older gentleman fishing about 200 yards down river from us reeling in fish after fish. This was our first trip to the Yellowstone area, so we were kind of flying by the seat of our pants as far as patterns and fishing strategies. After about an hour of watching the disparities between our catches and his, we decided to go watch, from a distance though, cause you never want to interfere with a man's fly fishing, it's a rule. We meandered our way down stream, crouched down and started watching the fellow. After a while, the gentlemen noticed our intense study of his fishing techniques and motioned for us to come over. We slowly came down to the river bank and talked to the man for a little while, discussing things such as this being our first trip, our ignorance, the weather, hometowns, and finally his strategy. Turns out he really wasn't doing anything different from us, he was just using a different fly than we had tried. He was using what turned out to be a "Shop-Vac", since then I have found it to be a truly effective fly when looking for a pupa pattern that sinks quickly. The fly is, in Randy Moss's words, "Straight Cash Homey." Needless to say, I don't leave home without a couple of these useful flies in my box, and with the simplicity of tying the pattern, neither should you.

Recipe:

Hook: Tiemco 2487 size-16
Thread: 8/0 Black
Head: 3/32 Gold Beadhead
Body: Pheasant Tail Fibers
Ribbing: Fine Gold Wire
Wing: White Antron

Dove Season

It's September again and with its arrival, comes the beginning of cooler temperatures, but more importantly dove season. An American tradition like no other, dove hunting gives family and friends just one more reason to get together for a good time. I like to think of dove season as a warm-up for Thanksgiving.


Dove season is an early test for the hunting skills that have been forgotten over the long cold winter. Though the long cold part is not as applicable for those of us living in Texas. That first shot at a live bird always seems to be a bit of a surprise for me. Usually I miss, and I'm sure some of you can relate. The surprise comes from a combination of three simple facts. Dove are fast, I am not, and no matter what you do to practice, nothing can replicate the nervous, energy filled thrill of the hunt.

Dove season also brings back memories of past hunts with friends and family who are not with us anymore. The field can be a good place to reflect on things. I sometimes find myself drifting back to times past spent in the field with my grandfather. I expect many of you can relate to these feelings.

I'm ready to get out there and start hunting and I'm sure the rest of you are too. So I want to wish everyone a successful and safe dove season. Get out there and make some memories.

Whitney Gallery of Western Art Turns 50

The Whitney Gallery of Western Art in Cody, Wyoming turned fifty last week. The gallery which was started in 1959 by a donation from Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, the son of Harry Payne Whitney and Gertrude Vanderbilt, both of which came from very wealthy and socially prominent eastern families. Among other contributions, Whitney helped finance the production of, "Gone with the Wind" as well as, "The Searchers" starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford.



But enough about the original benefactors, the Whitney Gallery houses one of the most comprehensive western art collections in the United States. The gallery includes works by artists such as Fredric Remington, Charles M. Russell, N.C. Wyeth, along with many other pieces from notable western artists. The majority of the pieces were donated by wealthy benefactors for the enjoyment of the, "Average Joe." Interestingly enough, a lot of the art work was donated by prominent eastern families, however, in the last few decades, the works have decidedly been coming from more and more western collectors.



I've been to Cody a couple of times in my life, however, I have not had the pleasure of visiting the gallery. Usually my group is in too big of a hurry to get into Yellowstone, to get down to the business of catching trout. Definitely a worthy goal. We usually only make two stops while hurriedly passing through Cody. One at Tim Wade's North Fork Angler fly shop, for some river information and flies, and one at the Walmart right on the edge of town, to pick up some supplies before we head into the familiar canyon leading the way to Yellowstone.

The works of art included in this journal entry, all of which currently reside at the gallery are as follows:

Fredric Remington - The Night Herder
Thomas Moran - Golden Gate of Yellowstone
Carl Preussl - Old Faithful

Fly of the Week - "Cantankerous Caddis"

This nymph is kind of a hybrid between a cased caddis and a zebra midge. I do not really know the name of this fly, or if it even has one, so for our purposes we will call it the "Cantankerous Caddis." I think the name works, even if it was just the first thing that popped in my mind. I like to fish this little variant when targeting fish feeding on on caddis larva. I usually like to start out with a cased caddis, for no reason other than I've had good luck with them in the past. If I'm not getting any bites, but I still feel that the fish are going for the larva, then I throw on the "Tank" (short for Cantankerous), because I like the added flash of the hologram wing.

Recipe:

Hook: TMC 2487
Thread: 8/0 Black
Head: Gold Bead Head (7/64)
Ribbing: Fine Copper Wire
Abdomen: Olive Ice Dubbing
Wing: Pearl Lateral Scale

Obama, Who Knew

Who knew president Obama was a fly-fisherman? I know I didn't. While cruising the internet the other day I came across this article (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/rodricks/blog/2009/08/obama_fly_fishing_montana.html) with a couple of the usual, I'm a politician, and I am just having such a marvelous time pretending to be one of the people. I'm glad we seem to have chosen a somewhat athletic and coordinated president, its a shame I do not agree with his policies. I'm wondering though, if I am the only one who thinks it's a little odd to see a left-handed black man standing out in the middle of a river in Montana. Also, for such a supposedly cool guy and "Savior of America", he looks a lot like a yuppie dork. The left-handed thing always throws me for a loop I guess, no pun intended.

It seems that President Obama is in good presidential company when it comes to chucking a fly. Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter (not that impressive, just a president), and Grover Cleveland are just a few of the enthusiastic presidential fly fisherman. In fact, Grover Cleveland is said to be the most enamored with the sport. Cleveland, who was said would fish through any storm, was also ballsy enough to do a little fly fishing on his honeymoon. I can not imagine many of us could get away with that, if so you've done well for yourself.

I respect the fact that Obama was at least willing to give it a try. Hopefully, if nothing else, it will soften a place in his heart for the protection of the great rivers of the west. They are such a valuable resource not only to fly fisherman, but all Americans, and should be protected at all costs. On a side-note maybe the next time President Obama wants to go fly fishing he could reach across the aisle and take his good buddy Dick Cheney along to give him a few pointers.

Beginnings

I’m beginning this journal as a way of chronicling thoughts on my favorite activities throughout the year. Since I don’t have the ability to hunt or fish everyday as I would assume is the same for each of you, I need a means of reconnecting with the sports I love. I’ve found no better way than by writing. The act of putting ink to paper has a way of releasing memories and experiences from the bowels of consciousness.

As a young kid I did not have the opportunity to hunt very often. I did however, have the opportunity to bass fish a lot, at least when I was not playing baseball or grounded. The time I spent learning how to bass fish is where I gained my love and appreciation for the outdoors. Over the years, I have slowly been able to get into other areas of outdoor activity, like hunting, fly-fishing, and backpacking just to name a few. It is kind of sad to think that now that I have the opportunity to pursue these passions, I just don’t have the time, and when I was a child with all the time in the world, I didn’t have the ability. Kind of ironic, I am sure many of you can relate.

I am also adding art to this journal, because of the way art can connect our souls to the things we love. Sometimes all it takes is viewing a beautiful landscape to bring back memories of past trips and adventures. These feelings come from the core of who we are. As such, I feel it is important to share them.

I hope this journal brings a sense of peace and happiness to all who see it, and maybe just maybe help to reconnect with the activities we love.