Happy Places ...

We all have places and points in our lives that were defining and set us on a path. This one speaks to a place that is very special to me. While I won’t call this one out by name, those of you that know me well know the back story. Think about yours and enjoy this one. Till next time …

My first true wild char

I found here as a boy

A first glimpse of native beauty in all its wonder

Tangerine fins trimmed in black and white

A living galaxy of stars and planets in haloed spots

Glittering jewels and gems

Marbled lines on an olive canvas

Wild perfection swimming in bright currents

A lifetime later I still move upstream

Return to where it began

To find beauty in the shade of Hemlock and birch

Bring descendants of that first to hand

Restore peace in my soul

Whiskey and wood smoke

And bring that young boy back

Picking the Knots ...

   The past few months have been what I can best describe as a roller coaster ride in my life. A few highs and some rather significant and painful lows. Some rides in a life can be like that. While I haven’t been posting much on here in a while; most of my time has been spent working, fishing and trying to untangle the knots that have formed in the different lines of my life. Things can often get like that on the days that end in Y. With water temperatures moving to a level that will shut down much of my cold-water fishing for a time; I’ll be spending most of my free time working on two book manuscripts and hoping to live long enough to get them to the finish line. There is so much involved with conducting “research”, writing, photo shoots and post processing images to make a work that is accurate, insightful, enjoyable, visually appealing and complete. Readers deserve that experience. Both books will really be what I can best characterize as “life works” because both books will be a reflection and summary of my long-term love affair with moving waters, fly fishing and crafting flies worthy of the beautiful wild trout I pursue. There have been many years spent waiving a stick over the water and wrapping feathers around little hooks, with many stories to tell. It’s hard to maintain a social media presence and give these projects the effort they deserve, and it’s best at times to be quiet, focus and continue to pick away at the knots. Stay tuned for more in the future. Till then …. www.ramsayflies.com #tieoneon #itsaboutthefish

The Hendricksons ...

No hatch in our eastern waters creates more longing for me than Ephemerella subvaria, better known as the Hendrickson. Like springtime, the Hendrickson hatch seems like a renewal of life and the launch the fishing year. While I've fished quite a bit in every month so far this year, it's such an annual celebration when these big pink mayflies begin to emerge. This weeks post is my Hendrickson Flymph which did quire well this past weekend. The pattern is wood duck flank fibers for the tail, mixed red fox belly and pink rabbit dubbing touch dubbed on Pearsall's #35 Salmonberry silk and sparsely hackled with Gambel's Quail. Coot or Chukar Partridge work equally well. Tie a few, and tie one on ....