I just added a new step-by-step fly tying tutorial for a fun pattern I call the Simple Stonefly nymph. Check it out in the pattern directory or from the link on my home page. It is a variation of the Bitch Creek pattern. It is almost stonefly time on my home water, the Gunnison River! Can't wait to cast a few of these to the hungry rainbows and browns living in the Gunnison. This a great pattern that will work anywhere there are stoneflies. You can change the color and size to match the bugs in your local rivers. Have fun tying this one and let me know how it works for you.

Here are a three of the bonefish fly patterns that I got from the guys from Black Fly Outfitters as samples for my fly tying as I am getting ready for my trip to the Black Fly Bonefish Club in the Bahamas. These are some of the local favorites. I am buy tying these patterns and some of the old stand by patterns like Crazy Charlies, Clouser Minnows, Puffs and Gotcha.

Click here for more information about bonefish flies or the 2010 Summer Guide Camp at Black Fly Bonefish Club in Abaco Bahamas.

King of Abaco Bonefish Fly

Queen of Abaco Bonefish Fly

Clint's Secret Fly

Lots of teaching is taking place this year. Just last week I taught a class at Anglers All fly shop and taught fly tying and casting techniques at Oak Grove Elementary School in Montrose, CO. At Oak Grove I taught six groups of fourth graders and every person in each group got the chance to cast a Ross Journey Youth fly rod! All of them seemed to think that the blue rod was pretty cool. I also showed them how to tie a basic Woolly Bugger. It was awesome to see that all of them were excited to learn about fly fishing and fly tying.

The following day at Anglers All located in Littleton, CO. I taught a kids class on basic fly tying, fly casting, gear and entomology. I had four students, all of which had gone fishing before, that were very excited to learn more about fly fishing. Three of them had tied flies before and for the fourth one who had not tied a fly, did an excellent job tying his San Juan Worm and a Woolly Bugger. Here are some pictures from both days of teaching. Enjoy!

Enjoying a little bit of fly tying outdoors!

Learning about the fly rod.

Some more outdoor fly tying at Oak Grove Elementary School!

Getting the class started at Anglers All fly shop.

Some fly casting games out on the grass.

Learning about different fish we can catch on a fly rod.

Me and the students from the kids fly fishing school at Anglers All fly shop.

I Will be at Angler's All in Littleton, Colorado this coming Saturday (May 8th) from 11:00AM till 5:00 PM teaching a Fly Fishing School for Kids. The cost of the class is $45.00. Rods, reels, fly line and all the fly tying tools and materials will be provided along with lunch. Call Chris or Gary at Angler's All to sign up 800-327-5014.

We all had a great time at the classes I taught there last year. It is a great time to learn about fly fishing and meet other kids that are also interested in fly fishing. Sign up now!

This past Thursday my dad and I made a trip over to the Front Range to visit a school known as Acres Green Elementary School. There at the school I gave a presentation to a couple of fifth and sixth grade classes on fly fishing. It was great to see that there are so many kids that want to learn about fly fishing and with the great youth program at Acres Green they are really getting a good start! After the program I gave away some prizes that some of the kids won during a question and answer session.

After we left Acres Green we headed to the South Platte River to fish. The section we fished was the Dream Stream section between 11-Mile Reservoir and Spinney Reservoir. Since it was overcast we had a really hard time sight fishing and the water was a little off color. Despite our disadvantage I still managed to catch a couple resident rainbow trout on egg patterns and Zebra Midges! Here are some pictures of the days adventures.

Enjoy!

Talking to the kids at Acres Green Elementary School.

One of the girls that won some fly fishing stickers I was giving away.

Alright here are the rules!!!

I came, I saw...

I conquered!

I am honored to be a member of the 2010 America Cup Youth Fly Fishing Team along with four other incredibly talented youth fly fishers. My teammates include our team captain Cody Burgdorff-age 16 (Lafayette, CO), Connor Murphy-age 15 (Fort Collins, CO), Charlie Valuck-age 12 (Centennial, CO) and Jacob Knight-age 12 (Vail, CO). We will be competing against 14 other teams that are made up of some of the best competition anglers from around the world.

The 2010 America Cup Youth Team is the youngest of 14 teams currently scheduled to compete in The America Cup, an international fly fishing competition to be held in Frisco, Colorado on September 17-19, 2010. The goal of The America Cup is to sponsor good will, grow tourism, and enhance and protect trout fisheries in the State of Colorado, nationally, and internationally. This years America Cup Youth Team is made up of five boys, ages 12-16, from across the state of Colorado. Despite their young ages, these boys are all fine young fishermen, and will compete against the best fly fishing teams in the world without handicap.

Visit the America Cup International Fly Fishing Tournament website for more details.

Summer Guide Camp!

June 27th - July 2nd and July 4th - 9th

A five day event that is designed to give young people, ages 12-14, and their parents a fun training experience as life as a guide! I will be one of the instructors helping with the camp. It will be $1,595.00 for kids and $895.00 for parents. Includes food, lodging at Black Fly Bonefish Club, camp activities, a fly rod and reel, fly tying vise and materials, t-shirts, hats and other cool stuff from sponsors of the event. Only 8 student/parent spots are available.

The camp will include: - Conservation and science of flats fishing - Fly casting lessons - Fly Fishing techniques - Fly tying - Boat handling and lots of FUN!

Talk to Jean at Black Fly Outfitters 904.997.2220 for more information or to book your spot for the camp.

Visit the Black Fly Bonefish Camp website and blog to learn more about this amazing place in Schooner Bay, Abaco, Bahamas.

I have been fishing my local river (Uncompahgre River)the past few weekends and almost every afternoon after school. The nymph fishing has been very good with caddis larva and different beadhead patterns. I have been practicing Czech nymphing techniques and am starting to get it down. This past weekend I saw caddis adults, Blue Winged olives and Midges all hatching.

Here are a few pictures from my latest trips to the river.

I am so excited! Spring is almost here which means that it is time to do some warmwater fly fishing. Here in Montrose we have been getting some amazing days that are in the high fifties to low sixties. With such warm weather the lakes have been unfreezing at an unbelievable rate. So, yesterday as we were driving past one of our local ponds I saw some fish working the banks and even rising some! Since I love fishing for bluegill and bass I asked my mom if she would take me fishing. Being the wonderful mom she is, she ran me home to get my gear then took me back to the pond to do some fishing! I started out looking for bass and was unable to cast to the ones that I saw so I went to plan B. and caught a couple of bluegill on beetles and small poppers before I went to swim practice that night. The best part was to be able to see that the fish were healthy and had great coloring.

Here are some pictures from my fishing at Chipeta Lake.

Well, last Thursday I fished the Gunnison River at the Gunnison Forks Area. I fished with my friend Lori Nicholson from Angler's All fly shop in Denver (I will be teaching three kid's fly fishing classes at their shop this summer. It was nice day and we had sunshine, clouds and wind off and on during the day.

There was a good midge hatch all day but only saw a couple of fish rising. I hooked most my fish on small #18-#22 black midges and Brassie patterns. Here are a few pictures from our day. I hope you enjoy them.

Lori Nicholson with a Gunnison River Brown trout.

The release!

An amazing March day. (photo by Lori Nicholson)

Watching my strike indicator. (photo by Lori Nicholson)

Hmmmm...What fly to use? (photo by Lori Nicholson)