It’s tough out here in Hawaii. Besides a saltwater fly shop on neighboring island Oahu (about $200 round trip flight from here), the closest fly shop is about 1,800 miles away. Gotta order by mail.
Well, Mail Man arrived today with a pkg. which had stuff I ordered from Blue Ribbon in West Yellowstone. Including the deer hair for the wing; widow web for tail; and bleached moose mane hair for the abdomen in this size 16 today.
I’ll keep repeating to myself, “it’s tough out there in Hawaii… it’s tough out there in Hawaii…”
Chuck
I hear you Chuck, but I am an expensive flight away from the streams I love.
Where do you fish?
Have you fished the Kauai trout streams? We hiked up there to look for native honey creepers with Jim Denny (a birding guide from Kekaha). Had a blast. Saw some native birds. There aren’t many left up there and you do have to work for them. At a top-of-volcano state park bookstore I was surprised to find out there are spawning rainbows in a few of the highest streams. The mountain top vegetation is nearly impenetrable. And you never know when one more step will take you off a 1500 vertical cliff. All of which makes it even more interesting. In a way. Like New Zealand, those fish might not have a great deal to eat, but they do have a 365 days a year growing season.
There are lots of good trails up there on top, gouged out by and for grouse and hog hunters. Of which there are a bunch it seems (hunters hogs and grouse). We saw lots of those grouse. And lots of hog sign too.
Anyway. It wood be totally cool if you could catch a rainbow trout in Kauai, on one of those hotrod little duns you tie.
Nice fly Byron.
I bet you really wish you were here in Scotland at the beginning of February.
Great little fly there!
Pitt: Yes, have tried that stream. It is impenetrable for a fly rod. There is a small reservoir which empties into the stream which the state used to stock. Budget cuts and now they no longer stock it.
It is a rough walk to get to the stream.
Byron
Also got some stripped quills:
Nice, Byron. I live north of Chicago, also known as the heart of trout fishing in America. In my dreams. So, I fish for trout in Wisconsin and Michigan, and Smallies in Wisconsin and here in Illinois.
Chuck
Chuck:
I grew up in Missouri and spent time in Iowa. I fished the S. Branch of the Root in Minnesota.
Mo. offers some pretty good fishing - especially around Taneycomo (sp?).
Is that the hook that is elevated in front?
I think I tied the first one on the Orvis “Ultimate”. it has a slight bend near the thorax.