Props to the USPS

The United States Postal Service saved our bacon today. We had a customer order and pay for US Express, which guarantees 48 hour delivery. From our remote location it is the best deal we can offer, as Fed Ex leaves here at 9:00 am, and UPS leaves at noon, (both of which are substantially higher in price.) The USPS leaves at 4:00 giving us a whole day to pack and ship. Anyway we missed the express and sent it First Class (the first amd last time this has ever happened, as we now have fixed any loophole we had in our procedure.) Anyway the customer called Tuesday to get his tracking number as was leaving for a trip on Wednesday. His response was less than enthusiastic as I told him we goofed and he told me his situation.



Anyone who has dealt with us about upcoming trips knows there is nothing we hate worse than to screw up trips, something must remain sacred in this throw away society, and I can think of nothing more sacred than your upcoming fly fishing trip.



Desparate for a solution I asked if we could ship it to his hotel, but he was camping. I asked if a buddy would be joining him, perhaps leaving a day later, we could ship there, nope they were all leaving together. I asked him if he was going anywhere close to a town, he told me Lake George, Colorado. I told him to give me 15 minutes. Googling their Post Office, thank goodness the town of 500 had one, I talked to Karen told her my predicament, and asked if I could Express mail a package to her for General Delivery. She said of course. I called the customer back, told him my brilliant solution, he still seemed skeptical, but thought it was worth a shot, said he would be going through there about noon Thursday. Looking at my watch it was 3:30 pm, I went back and helped the shipping crew (something they just as soon I never did) get the order together, and then ran it down to the Post office at 3:58.



Just checked the USPS website the package arrived at 9:00 a.m. three hours to spare. Nobody is perfect including Big Y Fly Co. and the USPS, but in this case they came through when they needed to. And I kind of think we did too, although if we had it done it right the first time, we all could have slept better last night.

Beautiful vs. Practical

Had a customer on the line the other day, who had just watched his beautiful handmade 16 window aluminum fly box take a tumble from the stripping platform on his pontoon boat to the depths of the great unknown. For a fly fisherman that must have been fairly heartbreaking, not only was his beautiful box somewhere down at the bottom of the lake, but with it were dozens of flies, in fact all the flies he owned. In the true spirit of bend not break he continued fishing with the three flies he had on his vest, and caught many more fish.

He ended up ordering over 12 dozen flies and a Morell fly box. Perhaps lacking the beauty of his previous fly box they make up for it in practicality, and they float. And you can put several of these in your vest and not know they are there. Just a thought.

Summer Steelhead

The summer steelhead game is now upon us. These magnificent creatures come up at a lesiurely pace, and mingle in freshwater for months. Not in any particular hurry they are tempted to stake out territory and defend it. Biters they are and tempting them on a dry fly line is a joy and a triumph. It is mostly about the fishing, occasionally about the catching, but as your hours in the water increase the time between the catching does decrease. And the pinnacle of this is watching the fish chase your Bomber across the river. When the hook up occurs the real chase is on. Like their cousins the Atlantic Salmon these splendid creatures streak, jump, twist and pound like few others, seemingly tireless, ferocious and tough, one fight with these beauties can make you forget all the fruitless hours spent on the water paying the tuition of steelhead fly fishing U.

A note of gratitude

We updated our customer testimonials page yesterday. As we were going through some saved emails, we were moved by the kind comments from our wonderful customers. We can't say enough how much you taking the time to say some extra thanks is appreciated. Also appreciated are all of those who tell their fishing buddies about us, word of mouth advertising is the best there is, and it is definitely the #1 source of new customers for Big Y Fly Co.

As we continue to grow, our goal is the same, to put out the best fly fishing products combined with the best customer service, we thank you for your patience when we fall short of that, but also thank you for giving us incentive to ever improve our methods. Because while the customer testimonial page is suppose to be about showing potentianl customers how good of job we do, it really feels like a nice pat on the back from all of you , and for that we re-dedicate ourselves to our goal.

Now let us go forth and fish.

Damsel flies

Damsel flies are common, they land on your rod tip, they land on the rock you are on, the hover over the water's edge, but does an imitation ever find it's way to your tippet? If you are like me, not very often. You might be surprised to learn they are frequently consumed by trout, bass, blue gill, etc. Lake and pond fly fishers might find this common knowledger, but they are also important in many rivers as well. Starting now through late fall to early winter, their presence in trout's diet become more prominent. To learn more try reading Damsel flies and fly fishing.

Helping in the selection of flies

We have some newer features on the Big Y Fly Co website, all of them will be expanded as time allows, (think winter) but they can aid you in selection of flies, especially when trying something new. We have several hatch charts, also a match the hatch page that matches flies to insects. Both of these will be greatly expanded and updated soon.

We also catalog flies to fish species and certain locations. And we have flies cataloged by insect species. Again watch for updates and expansion, but in the meantime these features can help give you basic information and help you try new flies in old places.

Fly fishing Radio??

Yes, it is true there are actually two fly fishing radio site on the internet. Ask about Fly Fishing.com and Fly Fish Radio.com. Both of these sites have in depth interviews, from knowledgeable guides, authors, innovators of fly fishing, they can be podacst, and the archives are all acessible. And yes it is free.

If you find yourself stuck in front of a computer for hours on end, this isn't a bad way to expand your fly fishing knowledge, and at elast ease some of the longing to be out there on the water.

Magic Flies

I was speaking with a customer yesterday, and he was telling me about one flashbugger they fished last year on a series of lakes, that one fly, he told me, caught 111 fish. "There was nothing left of it but some black thread, and it was still catching fish." Of course he ordered some more and adjusted his expectations down somewhat. But that one fly was like "magic."

Anyone who has logged some hours fly fishing most likely has a similar story. Mine was with a caddis larva. I fished that thing until is was green fuzz and nothing else, still catching fish. Looked nothing like the original pattern, still catching fish. My friend cast his fly into the same riffle, nothing. I cast his fly threw the same riffle, figuring it was I that was magic, again nothing. Went back to the green fuzz, wham-o. My friend tried the same pattern only fresh out of the box, nothing. He then sliced up his pattern to make it look like the ragged remnant that mine did, nothing. All the while I never went three casts without hooking another trout.

I did not count the fish caught in the one spot with that one fly, but it was well over twenty, and I never went more than three casts without a fish. This lasted until dark. The fly, looking more like a blank hook, stayed on my tippet, but alas the next morning the magic had worn off.

We'll never know what triggers fish to strike these magic flies in a mad frenzy, after 20 plus years of tying and designing fly patterns I am no closer in figuring it out than a novice. But one thing I do know, if we did know the answer it would certainly take out the very thing thath makes us cast one more time, or try one more spot, or try one more fly. In fact it is the very thing that makes fly fishing so dang addicting. And that is the unknown. If we ever learn everything there is to know about fish and fly fishing, there really wouldn't be a point in going out this evening for a few casts.... Well there is the natural beauty of scenery and fish. And the sheer enjoyment and relaxation of stepping in to the river, and the feel of the evening air, and watching the fish slurp bugs, and the birds diving about. But other than that there would be no reason at all.

New patterns anyone?

One thing we try to at Big Y Fly Co, is continue to add new patterns. Our goal is to add some every month, a goal that is not always attained, but usually. We get new pattern ideas from a myriad of sources, our customers recommendations is one of the best places, but also in talking to guides throughout the world, articles, books, and our own imaginations, we strive to offer the biggest. most diverse selection of flies. We are not there yet, but our pattern list is growing and will continually grow. With well over 600 patterns now listed, we are sure you can find what you are looking for. If not let us know and we'll do our best to add it.

Adding new patterns takes a couple of months as they need to be researched and then a few samples tied and tested (testing is a brutal process of actually fishing it), from that point it is then tied for production in our own facility. We will sell no fly before it's time.

New patterns added in the last few months include: BH Barr's Emerger, BH Bloody Mary, Bh Czech Mate, BH Danger Baby, BH Le Bug, BH Micro Mayfly, BH Red Squirrel Rubber Legs, Bh San Juan Worm, Ginger Quill, Greased Lightning, H&L Variant, Parachute Black Gnat, BLack Quill Nymph, Burke's Nymph, Girdle Bug, Hot Spot Pheasant Tail, Micro Larva, Mushmouth, Pm BLonde, Mini Puffs, Whitlock Sculpin, Swimming Frog,.....Well you get the idea,

Salmon

Here they come, Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Silvers, these beautiful fish you can set your calendar by. Returning to their native grounds has been an event cultures have been built upon. Surfing the internet one can find many an excellent source for local info. Here are some: W.W. Doak Miramichi Atlantic Salmon, Northeast Fly Fishing Guide Service, BC Fly Fishing Resources.

Techniques, vary of course, but you could do worse then getting your fly down and swinging it in front of them. Try starting with the old adage bright day, bright flies, dark day dark flies, and then go from there. Water levels and temperatures play a huge role, in where the fish lie, low levels and high temperatures can concentrate the fish, especially this time of year.

Favorite flies: Popsicle, Flash Fly, Steelhead Egg-Sucking Leech, Boss, Glo-Bugs, Cosseboom, Green Highlander, aw heck check out the whole page: Salmon flies

Streamers

Was perusing an article by Ed Engle in Summer 2007 American Angler called Meadow-Stream Monsters, the point of the article was fishing streamers for the largest fish. It is a point we have made repeatedly in our articles and newsletters at Big Y Fly Co. The techniques are featured through out the book by Ed Galloup, Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout, we also have touched on some techniques in our articles Steamer Techniques and Fly Fishing with Streamers.

The meat and potatoes of the fact here, is to repeatedly catch larger trout, try using streamers. It might be old news, but it is currently getting lots of attention and for good reason. Streamers work all seasons, through all hatches and for all types of fish.