So much fun for 50 dollars

Well, I'm stuck at home to clean out my large storage locker. The end is in sight but it will cost me another 3 to 5 days of fishing at the lake. However, I will be saving $150 per month for the rest of my life, so it isn't too bad a deal. Now, how can I spend some of my savings in advance, in a way that will also save me money in the long run? A fly materials shopping spree!!! In my earlier posts I expressed my interest in obtaining all of the native trout in California in their heritage waters. With the snow runoff putting the trip off until late July, I figured I had better start tying flies for the small streams that I will be visiting. Fortunately, Tom Chandler at The Trout Underground found a great small creek pattern from the Arizona Wanderings blog. Thus, my foray into our local fly shop and our local Michael's crafts store.

From the craft store I found an 8.5 x 11 inch piece of leather that has the perfect color for making earthworm flies (yes, I've pounded half pounder water for hours only to have an earthworm guy move through the water hooking several fish -- figured I'd give it a try with an earthworm fly). I also found a small 3 x 9" leather trim piece, darker, that could also work, in combination or alone. The final piece was a lifetime supply of foam sheets (65 at 6" x 9" in several colors) to be used for the mini-hoppers described above. Not bad for $18.50 including California sales tax.

Then, off to my local fly shop. In the picture you will find a small patch of Elk Body Hair for the mini-hoppers. Rabbit Zonkers in natural brown for easy to grab Hare's Ears tails, ThingamaBobbers for floating Lewiston Lake, Black Hareline Dubbin, and materials for legs (speckled orange and black, speckled copper brown and black, and amber barred sili legs) round out the materials to tie dozens of dozens of mini-hoppers. I ran out of the shop for $24.50...not too bad and I got to talk to some nice ladies who were raiding all the Hoffman hackles. Social interactions along with feeding the fly tying addiction. Bonus!!

Not a bad day shopping, and certainly more fun than hours in the storage unit (although it is "kind of fun" looking through all the boxes). Now to tie up a couple of mini-hoppers for practice and then head out for the storage unit. July is coming up fast and it WILL be my month of fishing first, everything else last.

Take care,
Shane