Friends

          Hello all and thanks for checking in at The O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. I think one of the most enjoyable parts about being in the Fly Fishing Industry is the amount of incredible people that we get to meet. I remember a few years back when Cat came home from work and was telling me how interesting it was that a neurosurgeon had been in the shop asking questions about fly fishing, and not only was he asking questions but he seemed to be hanging on every answer. Over the years we have dealt with judges, CEO’s, authors, politicians, and many other people that had in not been for fly fishing, our paths would have never crossed. It has been such a pleasure hearing how so many people’s hard work has made America great.

One friend that we have made would really fit into this category. If it weren’t for fly fishing, I doubt our paths would have ever met, but luckily for us they did and we got the chance to spend yesterday with Mike at Rainbow Falls. Rainbow Falls is a private fishery that The Drift has access to for guiding purposes. Now Cat and I had only been there once and that was during the worst part of the summer in the worst part of the drought a few years ago. Fish caught that day were nothing to write home about and at times we even felt bad for harassing them. Yesterday however was totally different; the fish were healthy, strong and way smarter than I had hoped. It was very fun fishing with someone that was as “possessed” when it comes to fishing as we are. When we got to the water it took all of about two minutes to get wadered up and to begin casting, after six and a half hours of frantic stalking, it was time to head home, and then we got to the food and drink that was supposed to be for lunch. Yep, the only way to fish. Well my arm was tired and sore by the time I went to sleep, but what a way to make myself hurt. Mike and Cat caught way more fish than you could count, and for 8 hours, I didn’t have a worry in the world. Thank you fly fishing for giving Cat and I the ability to meet and spend time with so many awesome people. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Rainbow Falls, and The Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…….

Lyrical Echoes....

            Hello all and thanks for checking in at the O’Grady Flyfishing Journal Blog. I like to think of myself as at least having a slight musical knowledge.   I am a lifelong Rock guitar fan and in most songs, if I take a little time, I can figure out the key and chord progressions, but lyrically I am usually clueless. Now my incredible wife is so different. Now if you don’t know Cat, she has a lyric superpower, Cat knows every lyric, to every song of all time. Case in point; several years back I was listening to and singing “ Ohhh I need a blah blah blah blah, yeaaa I need a blah blah blah. Cat started laughing and told me what they were singing. I know that sounds like it should be great but finding out real lyrics can really put a damper on what I sing and in some cases really limits the songs that fill my feeble little mind.

            I really wanted to fish today regardless of fishing conditions. I know I have talked at nauseam over the year about how I love sight fish but today I just wanted to fish. Cat was stuck in the shop today so it was just Winston and I on the river. We got to the river at around 9:30 this morning and while wading cautiously into the river, the pseudo-song that echoed through my brain was “ Oohhh I need a dirty woman, but oohhhh I got a dirty river”.  Yep three hours of that running through my brain, in between catching fish of course. The river was as dirty as I have seen in a while but had very little effect on the fish. In my first five casts I landed 2 fish right around the 16 inches. I know it didn’t seem like traditional sight fishing but I would just wait for fish to start to porpoise and cast in front of them. I didn’t see a lot of bug activity but something was definitely drifting. I think I landed 10 or so and lost a few more. My land rate was real good today and it felt as if their mouths were a little more solid today. I had a client on the river on Friday and the day was very similar, fishing was really productive til around noon or so and then it really slows. If you want to fish all day then switch to a streamer. Fish were on a size 22 Ninja and a 22 J-bomb and I picked one up on an egg. I had to listen to a little Floyd on the way home so I could try and get the real lyrics back in my head, what a price I have to pay..hehe. Anyway, Connell, Cat, Winston, Roger Waters and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading….

A Little Wind + A Little Lazy = ?

Answer: A Ninja Kick to the face

            Hey All and thanks for checking in at The O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. To quickly get this out of the way, Cat landed the fish of the day(a measured 19 incher). Now my excitement of the day came when I hooked and landed the largest and ugliest creature that has ever had a Ninja firmly planted in its cheek, yep I knew it had to happen someday, but a little lazy and a little wind and Cat got to do her magic trick and pull the fly from my face. What was funniest was as I walked up to her said I needed a little help it took everything she had to not bust out in laughter. She said just a second and turned around and when she turned back she told me to look the other way, and that was when I heard the shutter from the camera. She told me she would keep that pic for some day in the future when I’m catching all the fish and she’s feeling bad for herself.

            It certainly was an interesting day on the river. It seemed that every stop produced one fish and that was all. My first cast of the day produced a 3 and a half inch rainbow, it was kind of an omen of the day to unfold. I did manage one to the net that went about 16. I noticed the other night that it seemed that the fish had real soft mouths now and today only seemed to confirm that idea. Lots of fish on, and then I would feel it pull free. Caught fish on the Winston Caddis, a FOD and of course the Ninja. Can’t say fishing was great today but I can say for 4 hours today I did not think about my Huskers. Anyhow, Connell, Cat, Winston, Bruce Lee and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…. 

Home....

Waders and boots: 600 dollars.

Sage One with reel and line: 1000 dollars.

Watching Winston, after a two week hiatus, run down to the river, plop down on his belly and then have him turn and look at me and smile….PRICELESS.

            

           Hello all and thanks for checking in at The O’Grady Flyfishing Adventures. I kick myself now for not snapping a pic of his grin but I’m guessing next time down I’ll see it again. Fishing today was once again kind of a mixed bag. Cat was in Greeley for her cousin’s b-day so Winnie and I were semi-batching the river. We didn’t get to the river until around 11:00 and I never saw any real hatches. Caddis, Midges, PMD’s, tricos, hoppers and even a few BWO’s were around but nothing strong enough to move fish into traditional feeding lanes. My first 5 hookups went for not and then finally my 6^th hookup produced a beautiful 17 incher. My next hookup turner out to be a giant smelly sucker and as bad luck would have it, I had to touch the thing to get it off my hook. EWWWW. I moved back up river and found my run of the day, four landed and seven hooked and I was ready to go home. Fish today took a Winston Caddis, a FOD, and the J-bomb got the most action. It sure was good to be back on home water and running into people I know.

            If you are out and struggling right now don’t get frustrated. Find deeper seams and get your bugs in front of the fish. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, MasterCard, and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…….