THE GIRL IN THE STRING BIKINI - Readers cast (Neil Travis) - Apr 25, 2011

THE GIRL IN THE STRING BIKINI

It was an idyllic summer day; an early June day wrapped in a robin egg blue sky and washed by a sweet smelling southern breeze with a hint of sweet fern and moist earth. It was a day to be on a trout stream, waist deep in cold flowing water, sparking water, dappled water flowing through a green tunnel of trees.

Great story. It reminded me of an incident that happened maybe 20 years ago. I hiked about a mile into a small creek that was loaded with brookies. I had fished the creek several times over the years and had never seen another person. So there I was fishing away not really paying any attention to what was going around me other than the creek & the fish. All of a sudden there was a voice behind me that asked "Hows the fishing". I looked up and there was a young man and a young woman standing about 20 yards away. Both were as naked as a plucked chicken. After I regained my composure I replied and wished them a good hike. I imagine they were laughing and saying to each other "We sure shocked that old geaser".

By the way the creek is named Paradise Creek.

Tim

Neil M. Travis and James (Castwell) Birkholm where best of flyfishing buddies, in Michigan long before the Birkholms and Travis families moved to Montana. In Neil's Reader's Cast "The Girl in the String Bikini", Neil mention the "Nearanuf" fly pattern that Neil used when first taking up flyfishing when living in Michigan.

James Birkholm wrote a "Fly of the Week" on the "Nearanuf", back in January 1998. As much as I like looking at pretty girls wearing bikinis, I would like to know whom taught whom, how to dress the Nearanuf" fly pattern? ~Parnelli
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...w/nearenuf.jpg

Nearanuf

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...w/1298fotw.php
Hook: Any dry fly hook: 12, 14, 16, 18.

Thread: 6/0 dark thread.

Wing: Lemon wood duck, split and upright.

Tail: Two stripped grizzly hackles, flared and tied extra long.

Body: Quill from peacock eye.

Hackle: Mixed dark ginger and grizzly.

Parnelli,
The "Nearenuf" was a pattern originated by H.g. Tapply, and, if my memory serves me correctly, that is where we got the pattern originally. I have an old memographed copy of the pattern in my "Noll Guide to Trout Flies" and the picture of the fly was drawn by one of our friends when we were back in Michigan teaching beginning fly tying classes.

Neil - The Chronicler