The Colorado Experiment: Way past due

Well lets just say I have been busy....like super busy....for months. Lets see what been going on shall we. My brother Jesse got married last summer, which I was a groomsmen in. I was blessed with a hernia, and had to have surgery last November. That was a real experience let me tell you. I did quite a bit of fishing last year...of course not as much as I would like too, but I haven't found someone to pay me to fish yet. Jessica is doing well, she graduated last fall with a bachelors in psychology. I am graduating in May with a bachelors in History, and a minor in Anthropology. Cant wait, haha! Thats the highlight reel I guess.

Recent activity is school more or less. I have gone fishing a few times, once with Dale Darling, and Charles Vestel. I also got a chance to fish a couple times with my good friend Frank Phelps. Nothing like sharing good times with good friends. Fishing is just starting to pick up....but I have to buckle down and finish school.

Took a few months off of tying salmon flies, and it showed. However I got back on the horse and I am still learning all kinds of great stuff. I was also invited to participate in tying salmon flies for a new book by Mike Radencich. I tied 12 flies for the book, 10 classic, 2 artistic. Quite a fun experience, and I am patiently awaiting the final result. Been tying a lot of salmon flies besides the book flies. Unfortunately the trout boxes are empty, but will soon be full upon completion of school. I just finished wrapping my first bamboo fly rod. It is a Garrison 209E which is a 7'9" 5wt, can't wait to fish it. I got a wonderful reel that suits it perfectly, a Hardy Princess. I was a birthday present from Dale....quite the present! Since I liked the Princess so much, I picked up a lightweight for my 4wt rod. Perfect reels believe you me.

Anyway enough blathering here are some pics.

Salmon Flies (in the rough order I tied them):
Popham 2/0

Carnegie Size 1 or 2ish

A made up Dee fly I gave to a friend.

A Glen Grant variant

Childers 2/0

Moon Over Nepal (artistic fly)

Blue Boy 2/0 (artistic mixed wing)

Balmoral (2/0, first fly on a hook I made, from here on out I doubt you will see me tie a fly on a purchased hook)

Black Dog 2/0

Rogans Fancy 2/0 Tied today!

Wets: I am doing something stupid and trying to tie all the flies in the Bergman book "Trout", the first plate is done just dont have pic handy but here is an old one.

Some MOM flies:
Claret Montreal 1/0

Thistle 1/0

Nicholson on a double hook

Cassard 2/0

My Grandmother passed away, so I tied this fly in honor of her memory. I have a painting of hers which features a Scarlet ibis...which is also the name of the fly.