December Freshwater Fly of the Month: Hemmingway Caddis

December Freshwater Fly of the Month: Hemmingway Caddis

The Hemingway Caddis is a variation of the Henryville, developed by Mike Lawson, with a Peacock Thorax and a Blue Dun Hackle for both the collar hackle and the palmered rib. It was named for Jack Hemingway, son of Ernest Hemingway, who preferred this variation when he fished the Henry's Fork in Idaho as he thought the Henryville Special was a little too brown in coloration.

The Hemingway Caddis is often used within Sierran streams, particularly Spring Creeks and slow-moving waters. Lawson usually ties the Quill Wings with two segments having the convex sides facing each other with some overlap. This is a quill flatwing style. Often, you will also see this pattern tied with one segment in a "Tent" style similar to the Kings River Caddis.

Either way, the quill wings provide a very good caddis sillouette. The colors of the hackle and body can be matched to the caddis found on the water.

The Hemingway Caddis has a extremely realistic narrow wing profile, is heavily hackled for good skittering and its charcoal color tone matches many real caddis. This is an excellent pattern to pull out when you have a late evening caddis hatch coming off. The darker color really shows up well in flat light and the profile is a dead-on match.

This is a very realistic looking dry caddis. It will float well in both still water and fast bubbling streams. It truly is a pattern Hemingway himself would be proud to fish with.

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rapala X-Rap Gold Xtreme Action Slashbait

Happy Holidays to All of our Fishing Enthusiasts!!

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: 
Rapala X-Rap Gold Xtreme Action Slashbait

"This is the ultimate subsurface swimmer in shore and offshore for king mackerel to the usual back country species; even a great bass fishing lure for schooling bass in open water." 

The Rapala X-Rap is the dream lure of the 21st century. It is where technical innovation meets Rapala fishing smarts to create a lure like nothing that has hit the water before.

It's premium finish includes prominent scales and lateral line on the fuselage to capture and flash light like a beacon. This Rapala slashbait cuts, darts and slashes its way through the water. Intended for trout and panfish, with an internal long-cast system built in, fishing the X-Rap will get any angler's adrenaline pumping.

Evolving the lineage of the X-Rap family, the Rapala X-Rap XR-8 Xtreme Action Slashbait

is "all about the action." The versatility of the X-Rap allows an angler to impart a number of fish-catching actions in a single retrieve. Casts like a bullet for long accurate casts. Prominent scales and lateral line on the fuselage capture and flash light like a beacon. It can be fished both in an aggressive "Slashbait®" technique or with a classic Rapala® wobble. The angler defines the cadence for maximum effectiveness. 

Loaded with features from tip to tail, textured translucent body, internal holographic foil, internal long cast system (XR04 excluded), 3D holographic eyes, flash foil teaser tails, Slashbait® action, Rapala “wobble” action, suspends on pause. All topped off with premium VMC® black nickel hooks, each hand-tuned and tank-tested to ensure top performing action from the start.

Features:
Running Depth: 3' - 5'
Weight: 1/4 oz
Body Length: 3-1/8"
Slashbait® Action
Suspending on Pause
Textured Translucent Body
Internal Holographic Foil
3D Holographic Eyes
Internal Long-Cast System (XR04 excluded)
Stainless Steel Through Wire Construction
VMC® Black Nickel Hooks
3D Holographic Eye
Flash Feather Teaser Tail

Hand-Tuned & Tank-Tested

December Saltwater Lure of the Month: Paul Brown's Original

December Saltwater Lure of the Month: Paul Brown's Original

Happy Holidays to all of the Fishing Enthusiasts!  

In 1974, avid Angler Paul Brown began experimenting with different types of trout lures.  He worked out of his garage, a place that his wife, Phyllis, lovingly called "The Shop".  It was in this very shop that Paul knew he was on to something with his newest creation, the "Corky".  The Corky has gone on to become one of the best big seat trout lures ever made, and is sold through Mirrolure's great line of baits.  

It was always Paul's dream to supply fishermen throughout the country with a creation of his own, and this dream has been a reality for many years.  Paul continues to work with MirroLure consulting on lure creation to this day.

  The Corky was a unique lure that is actually a hybrid between a hard plug and a soft plastic.  If you look at the organic looking lure, it features a torpedo-like profile, an oversized eye, a subtle rattle, and a set of sticky sharp hooks that give it a very home made appearance.  The built in action of the Paul Brown Original, when fished correctly, is absolutely deadly on big speckled trout.  

Deadly on coastal predators, Paul Brown’s Original Series Lures have a soft-bodied mullet profile. This lure once held the Texas State record for speckled trout and has taken thousands of other trophy-sized fish. Scientifically weighted with an internal wire harness and fish-calling rattle, the Original’s suspending action and lifelike eye make this one outstanding lure. The Original darts erratically from side-to-side with a twitching retrieve. Working depth: 0 to 24".

Features:

Soft-bodied mullet profile
Scientifically weighted
"Fish-calling" rattle
Suspending action
Lifelike eye
Side-to-side action on retrieve

October Freshwater Fly of the Month: Blue Winged Olive

October Freshwater Fly of the Month: Parachute Blue Winged Olive

Any good angler knows that it is important to know the tendencies and seasons of the flies in the area they fish in.  But the blue wing olive mayflies are a unique fly, because you will find them at almost every month of the year, wherever you are.  The blue wing olive mayfly looks like a tiny, greenish gray sailboat on the water to the human eye, but to the trout - that sailboat looking fly with wings that are light gray to black looks like lunch! The olives typically hatch and then swim to the surface.  After swimming to the surface, they split their nymphal shells and emerge as winged insects.  The blue wing olives are prime trout food from fall through spring. This gives anglers a distinct advantage over other anglers, as the flies are a sure shot at rising fish at almost any time of the day (particularly effective during the warmest part of the day).

The key to success is to wade as closely as possible to the rising fish, and then target individual fish (as opposed to shooting into a group of the risers).  By watching the individual fish, you can see what stage of the hatch the fish is keying on and where in the current he is feeding.  Be patient! With careful observation, you can pick out the largest fish in the pool and then specifically target it.  Try to position yourself slightly upstream and across so that you can make a fly first downstream presentation to the trout.  

The Blue Wing Olive Spinner Secret (from Hunting and Fishing Suite 101)

Within 24 hours, the spinners mate and fly to the river's surface to lay eggs and die. On many days, the spinners land on the water's surface at the same time the immature nymphs hatch into duns. Anglers see the upright wings of the duns - and tie on a dry fly with an upright wing.  Most anglers miss the secret part of the blue wing olive hatch. The adult blue wing olives that survive the trout fly off to streamside brush and molt into the sexually mature insect, which is called a spinner. Spinners have bright, clear wings and big eyes.  Few anglers see the spinners - with clear, almost invisible wings - sprawled flat on the surface at the same time.  But the trout - especially the bigger, warier fish - see them just fine, and they lock onto the safer, easier prey.Tie on a spinner - such as a Hackle Spinner - and watch tough trout get much easier!

Fishing Gifts for Fishing Enthusiasts!

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October Saltwater Lure of the Month: Gulp 3” Shrimp New Penny

October Saltwater Lure of the Month: Gulp 3” Shrimp New Penny 

"Don't waste your money on real shrimp. These are much more effective than frozen shrimp and just as effective as live shrimp, but much more durable."
~Customer Review from Darren

At Fishing Enthusiast, we love trying new things, and this bait is one of the hottest baits on the saltwater market.  Great for Speckled Trout, Flounder, and Puppy Drums EAT THEM UP!  I've used the shrimp as well as the minnow in this series, and both are outstanding baits for every saltwater fisherman's tackle box.

This is better than live bait!!! Specked Trout,Flounder,&Puppy drum EAT them up! Have used both the shrimp as well as the minnow, either one just flat out catches fish!

Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Shrimp is without a doubt one of the most effective saltwater baits of all time. Designed to look, feel, smell, and move just like live shrimp - you can even fish with it the same way! Made to release 400 times more fish-attracting scent than other plastic baits, Saltwater Shrimp are 100% biodegradable, extremely durable and long-lasting.

Since the baits are soaked in the powerful attractant they are more effective and catch more fish. Put the bait back in the bucket to ReCharge its effectiveness. You don't have to deal with the hassle of live bait anymore - try Gulp! Alive! and fish the revolution.     

Features:
-Designed to look, feel, smell and move just like shrimp
-100% biodegradable
-Durable and long-lasting

-Each bait has a natural presentation in action, scent, and taste
-Rig and fish using any technique appropriate for live shrimp
-Gulp! Alive! baits absorb up to 20% more fish attractant by weight
-"Recharge" bait by placing used bait back in powerful Gulp! Alive! attractant

October Freshwater Lure of the Month: Bandit 200 Series Chartreuse

October Freshwater Lure of the Month: Bandit 200 Series Chartreuse

Whether you're a pro or just a weekend fisherman, Bandit Lures prides themselves on being able to help take your fishing to the next level.  That's because a Bandit is everything you'll need in a quality crankbait - state of the art molding, premium grade plastics, multi-coat gloss paint.  And, with a complete selection of 51 stock colors, 12 body styles, and twelve different depth ranges, there's a lure to match any fishing condition.  Plus, a Bandit always runs true right out of the box.

 Bandit Crankbaits are some of the most popular crankbaits with experienced anglers for a reason - and it's not just because they are one of the most affordable crankbaits on the market. Featuring a compact shad-shape, with a wide wobble and loud internal rattles, the Bandit Crankbaits have all of the fish attracting features available in a crankbait. Combined with infinite color schemes to match to your local forage, there is a Bandit Crankbait for your situation. Super durable as well, you can bounce it off of every rock, stump or branch you see and it will still look good and swim like it's supposed to. Match up a Bandit Crankbait Series with the depth you want, a color scheme for where you're fishing - and go catch some fish.

About the Bandit Series 200 Crankbait:
Bandit Series 200 Crankbait - The 200 series crankbaits are 2" long and run 4' to 8' deep. This is the best seller of all the Bandit crankbaits. It is an excellent search bait in the spring and fall. It runs as true as any lure made.  

• Premium grade plastics
• Multi-coat gloss paint colors
• State of the art molding
• Dives 4' - 8'

September Freshwater Fly of the Month: Streamer- Thin Mint Wooly Bugger - Beadhead

September Freshwater Fly of the Month: Streamer- Thin Mint Wooly Bugger - Beadhead

The woolly bugger is always listed as one of the top ten flies you should have in your fly box. This is one of the most productive and popular wet flies for a variety of species of fish. The woolly bugger is an awesome sub-surface fly that imitates a variety of baits. Leeches, minnows, nymphs, and sculpins begins the list of what this fly can represent to a hungry trout, steelhead, bass or panfish.

"The Woolly Bugger is so effective, it should be banned from some watersheds. I suspect its effectiveness is due to its resemblance to so many edible creatures in the water--nymphs, leeches, salamanders, or even small sculpins. Its tail undulating behind a fiber, bubble-filled body is just too much for most fish to resist. It just looks like a meal!" – Bill Hunter, The Professionals' Favorite Flies

Trout spend most of their time on the bottom of rivers, near the rocks and in the cover of structure.  The advantage to anglers using bead-head flies, is the fact that the weight of the bead, sinks the fly. Bead-head flies can be especially effective in rivers with fast, deep water. Keeping your hooks around the fish is a sure way to get more strikes, and ultimately, catch more fish. 

Most anglers would agree that a common nymph rig with an indicator and additional weight is perhaps the easiest way to catch fish in moving water. However, many sporting fly fishers also enjoy fishing a large dry fly with a bead-head dropper attached.

Bead-headed flies became popular in the eighties and have been catching fish since then. Bright gold, silver and copper metal beads are most commonly used, but flies that include glass beads are also very effective.

Every conceivable nymph pattern has been tied with a bead at some point. Mayflies, stoneflies, midges, and many more imitations of aquatic species have bead-head variations. Limited only by imagination, beads can be used in many ways to add to the effectiveness of a fly. As the popularity of flies with beads increases, bead manufacturers have begun to increase a fly tier's options with colorfully anodized and painted versions.