Spider From Mars - The Royal PMX

The Royal Parachute Madam X

Hook: Size 14-6 (12 is shown)
Thread: 8/0 brown or black
Tail: Deer hair
Butt tag: Peacock
Body: Red floss
Wing: Deer hair
Thorax: Peacock
Legs: Rubber legs
Parachute post: Poly thread
Hackle: Tan, brown, grizzly all work.  Mixing them is best but not shown here.

This is the only fly you'll need for small streams in the summer time.

Elk Hair Caddis

A previously munched Al Troth's Elk Hair Caddis

I don't think I'll be happy until I have an entire boat box filled with Elk Hair Caddis in every size and color combination.  I'm getting there, slowly.  One of my favorite sizes and color combinations is the cream hackle/ light hair in a size 16-14.  It covers 3 bases and is durable - it's why it's a classic.

First, it obviously works for the small light colored natural caddis.  Second, it's super visible and works for any colored caddis on those 11pm sunset, caddis insanities we're about to experience.  Third, it is the perfect pattern for the spruce moths which come along later in the summer.


  

Suprise trip to the Big Hole

The prettiest sun dog I've ever seen

RBM got a last minute invite to go float the Big Hole with two guides yesterday.  I learned a bunch of new stuff including some new flies and a classic "dude rig" using streamers that I can't wait to use, on some family and friends who need all the help they can get, of course.  I'll post on that soon.

The Big Hole is big and clear (tea colored like always) and fished pretty good.  It took two guides and a trout bum a little while to solve the puzzle on the unfamiliar water, but when we did it was on!

The rivers around Missoula are about to start fishing balls-to-the-wall in the next week or so.  Folks are already on the Blackfoot fishing the colored water and word is that salmonflies on the Creek are days away. I'm going to check out my not so secret high water spot on the lower Clark Fork today.  The Upper Clark Fork looked pretty damn sexy as we drove past it yesterday.  Here we go, summer fishing!

Mostly cloudy on the Big Hole = brown trout