Uncategorized – Page 18

Lance Egan’s Team USA Competitive Angling Flies

Euro nymphing is all the rage among marketing and fly shops these days as they tought their wares of "tactical angling" and "competitive angling." This is nothing really new compared to the methods that Rim Chung has employed for the last 30 years with his light-line nymphing methods here in Colorado, but the European methods seem to have evolved along similar paths. Fly shops have jumped on board, in an effort to sell more rods and a whole new line of leaders and flies, in an industry that has been largely stagnant for the last ten years. I have to admit that the premier guru of this euronymphing method is Lance Egan who has now produced probably the two best fly fishing videos/movies that have ever been produced to date, and the links to these movies are below. So being curious about his flies, I decided to order a few of his flies from his www.flyfishfood.com site. The ones we have found most useful in Colorado and Montana, we have posted tying directions here. Gut Sack Sow Bug Gray - 18 Stonefly Chenille - Coffee/Black Egan's Rainbow Warrior - Red - 18 Egan's Rainbow Warrior - Pearl - 20 Egan's Tungsten Surveyor - 18 Egan's GTI Caddis - Amber - 14 Egan's Frenchie - 18 Egan's Jig Frenchie - 12 Egan's Jig Rainbow Warrior - 16 Transfoamer Pink - 10 Pat's Black and Tan Rubber Leg - 8 The Thread Frenchie, a take on the classic Frenchie a very well-known Euro style fly is a great way to get a super slim bodied Euro style fly. This fly has evolved thanks to Lance Egan of Fly Fish Food and for good reason. Not only is

By Sporting Road|August 26th, 2019|Categories: Fishing, Fly Tying, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Trail Etiquette for Horses, Bikers, and Hikers

https://youtu.be/zzc2ZbyGNqw This is a good reminder from Douglas County Parks.

By Sporting Road|August 16th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Turck’s Tarantula

It's funny how time flies and how over time, some flies disappear while others just get repackaged with easier to tie foams, etc. One day, the Madam X is a popular pattern, and then you wake up and it's two decades of Turck's Tarantulas, and now there are dozens of knock-offs including the The Chubby Chernobyl, the Rubber Legged Stimulator, or the Stoneflopper. Thirty years has gone by since the Madam X. Sounds like a country song doesn't it? But, so is life, time passes, things change, some get easier, some just get uglier. And the flies are in essence the same, but have gotten easier to tie with foam replacing spun hair, etc., which not only makes the flies uglier, but much easier to tie. I have to say I am glad I stocked up, back when flies were good looking. One of my favoite flies is Guy Turck's Tarantula. I was one of the first to order it from him from his site back in 1995. In 1990, Guy began guiding float fishermen for Jim Jones’ High Country Flies in Jackson. In August of 1990, while searching for a pattern that improved the durability and visibility of the increasingly popular Madam X fly, Guy developed his clipped deer hair head, rubber leg hopper/stonefly imitation. During a slow afternoon Guy handed his creation to a client, World Bank head Jim Wolfensohn. Noting the fly’s bulky, leggy appearance, Wolfensohn quipped, “What is this thing, a tarantula?” This wonderfully creative fly name stuck like head cement. By September when the Snake’s hefty Classenia Sabulousa stoneflies become active, another guide pal, Shannon McCormick, introduced Guy to master fishing entrepreneur George Anderson of Livingston. Turck gave the “Montana

By Sporting Road|August 3rd, 2019|Categories: Fishing, Fly Tying, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Silk Fly Tying Dubbing

Often times I am asked where do you get the natural beaver fur dubbing dyed in various colors for tying Rim Chung's original RS2? I was surprised the other day when Rim suggested to a guy that he buy silk dubbing. I didn't even know it existed. The problem with commerical beaver dubbing is that the fibers are cut and blended in a blender type machine. This results in a lot of short, coarse pieces that go onto the thread in a big clump. The natural fibers off the pelt, can be 1/2" to even 1" long and they can be aligned vertically with the thread, a few fibers at a time, to form a dubbing rope which is then twisted finely onto the thread. The problem nowadays is there are not many commercial companies offering beaver fur on the pelt, and if it is offered, it is usually only in the natural gray, brown and sometimes black, not the olive, yellow, and tan that Rim also uses. So to check it out, I ordered some Kreinik silk dubbing in the following colors:Adam's Grey Black Cinnamon BrownDark DunLight CahillOlive Hare's Ear Pale Yellow They are nice and fine fibers, with longer strands, perfect for substituting for natural beaver. So if you can't find natural beaver dubbing on the fur, and/or don't have time to dye your own then try some silk dubbing. Kreinik Manufacturing Phone: 1-800-624-1928 Fax: 304-428-4326 URL: www.kreinik.com

By Sporting Road|August 3rd, 2019|Categories: Fishing, Fly Tying, Rim Chung, RS2, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Crystal Meth and Other Crazy Pink Flies

Our daughter is going crazy over pink flies. Here’s one of her favorite new patterns. Pink Crystal Meth: The Crystal Meth or Sucker Spawn is a another pattern that was originally designed for Great Lakes Steelhead fishing and now used a lot in the Northwest and Alaska. The flash in this pattern makes is especially effective in off-color water. Also a great fly for trout in high water conditions. Hook Daiichi 135, size 12 Pink Veevus 8/0 Thread Fluorescent Pink or Fluorescent Shrimp Pink diamond crystal braid

By Sporting Road|July 14th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Dai-Riki Fly Fishing Hooks Discontinued!?!?

One of our favorite hook companies, at least for scud and streamer hooks, has discontinued business as a hook manufacturer. It was a less expensive alternative to Tiemco/Umpqua hooks, and was better for scud hooks as the hook was offset to the eye, which improved hooking performance. Now we begin the search for a substitute, as there are many new hook manufacturers entering the market in the last few years. We loved the Dai-Riki 135 for my daughter's favorite fly.

By Sporting Road|July 12th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Fat Ratios When Grinding Game Meats

I read a recent article by David Draper on "The Perfect Game Meat to Fat Ratio is None at All - Stop adding fat to your healthy ground game meat, you don't need it." Draper writes: I've been processing my own (and others) deer and elk for about a dozen years and view adding some type of fat to ground venison as a necessary evil. I prefer ground pork, adding anywhere from 10 to 20 percent. Due to a calculating error on my part... the grind ended up at about 25 percent pork, a bit more than preferred. You don't need to add fat to your ground game meat to make it taste good. This math problem set me to wondering why hunters take a healthy source of protein and fatten it up? That's like someone on a diet taking a carrot stick and dipping it in ranch dressing. Quick research shows no clear consensus on what or how much fat to add. Some hunters swear by 50/50, others just 10 percent. Some like pork, others beef tallow. Some add bacon ends and pieces. Certainly, there's a rationale to adding fat, including enhancing flavor because, hey, we all know fat tastes good. Fat also keeps meat from drying out when you fry it and helps patties from falling apart. But is there a better, healthier alternative? Yes, depending on how you're planning to cook it. Burgers on the grill are probably how much of the ground venison in America makes it to the table. I'll be the first to admit, making a good burger without fat sounds impossible. The fat not only makes a burger juicy, it also helps it stay in patty form. Next

By Sporting Road|July 10th, 2019|Categories: Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Utah Killer Bug

Those of you that know me or follow this site, know that I am a big follower of the late Frank Sawyer and his grandson, Nick Sawyer, in their carrying on of the traditions of the Sawyer Pheasant Tail, Grey Goose and Killer Bug flies. After may years of trying to follow in the traditional way of tying the Killer Bugs and acquiring Chadwick's 477 and every possible variation of substitute yarn (over a dozen now), for the last 20 years and a good deal of experimenting with them on the stream, I am about to break with tradition. https://sportingroad.com/friends-met-along-the-sporting-road/frank-sawyers-killer-bug/ I feel more than a bit ashamed, actually probably lower than the likes of a crack whore who has cheated on her pimp, but I have to confess that I've recently been tying the Utah Killer Bug and I'm going to fish it. I ordered the New Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift Oyster 290 Utah Killer Bug yarn. I got the pink thread and wire. I got the ugly Klinkhammer hooks, and I found myself whipping out lots of Utah Killer Bugs at the vice, like the junkie that I have become. This fly was developed by the Tenkara Guides in Salt Lake City. The fly shown to the left was tied by Tenkara Guide Erik Ostrander. It is a variation of the Killer Bug that I have been tying and fishing for years (and catching lots of fish with ever since I first tied it). It looks very similar to the Dirty Politician and pink scuds that we have been fishing with great success on a nearby river that is running very high. So we are going to give them a try. UTAH KILLER BUG RECIPE

By Sporting Road|July 8th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Hatch Green Chile Season Aug-Sept

HATCH CHILE RECIPES AT BOTTOM OF THIS POST...

By Sporting Road|July 8th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Fitness and Stretching for Polo

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/2714deba6dbbe9a4b11e052d6/files/ec1556e8-956f-46de-8f5d-bdd1ffc4c58f/30_Day_Core_Training_Challenge_HDb.pdf?mc_cid=e4be164d75&mc_eid=9500f108f7 Martin Perez has a new website with a lot of information on fitness for polo. I used to do a fair amount of yoga before and after polo, but this guy is a professional trainer for polo athletes at the highest level and he's onto an even better stretching regime. He has nuitrition, conditioning, and loads of other information on his site. Check it out. https://www.fitnessforpolo.com I used to be a sun salute stretcher, incorporating some running and hockey stretches, but I am taking a closer look at Perez's program because he has a lot of great information on his site. Whatever you do, do some stretching before and after polo and it will help your game and your recovery times.

By Sporting Road|June 24th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off