Piru Creek Caddis Larva - Hydropsychidae

 I caught this nymph - foul hooked it really - while fishing Piru Creek.

These are some close-ups I took stream-side of the Caddis Larva or Hydropsychidae.

Grasshopper - Acrididae - photos

This young grasshopper was found right outside my home in So. California.  It seemed to be pretty banged up from the Santa Anna winds that were blowing strongly, so I took it in and photographed it for a hopper tying guideline.

From what I have read, trout will rise fearlessly to grab hoppers on the surface since the calories burnt:gained ratio is much in their favor.  I have had some success with hopper patterns in the past, and the thing that always surprises me is the willingness of all sizes of trout that will take them.

Sandcrab fly imitation 

This fly was created to imitate a Surf Perch's favorite meal; a sand crab.  It is an original design.  I call it the SP Sandcrab.  SP could stand for Surf Perch... but really I named it for my daughter - Samantha Paige.

Dragonfly Nymph Photos - Odonata-Anisoptera - Cordulegaster

At what point does a hobby become an obsession?

For me, fly-fishing has been somewhere between the two – I like to call it a passion. 

I might have crossed over last night.

My home is not the ideal place to spread out feathers, hooks and/or thread.  We have a playful cat and a dog that believes it's his personal responsibility to lick all my stuff.  This means that I need to clean up when I am done - even if I am just waiting for cement to dry.  Also, I wanted to be able to relocate my supplies easily from room to room.

I purchased a folding TV tray table for $9.99, two packs of 4ea alligator clips for $2.29 each, a kitchen cutting-board for $6.59 and a pack of nails for $1.29 (which I didn't end up using).  I grabbed a rat-tailed file from my toolbox, along with some drill bits.