Monday, February 23, 2009

BRTU Fly of the Month - Skwalla Nymph by Greg Chester

Spring is just around the corner and the sight of trout eagerly rising to a dry fly won’t come too soon. We saw a few sporadic rises early in February but it’s still a sub-surface, bottom bouncing presentation that draws the most strikes at the moment.

Skwalla Nymph by Greg Chester

We’re fortunate in the Bitterroot to have such a diverse bug population and even more privileged to have the Skwalla Stonefly to kick off our spring fishing. Before hitting the river most anglers wait for the bugs to surface, but if you’re really eager to get started I think you’ll be pleased with some nymph fishing until the fish start looking up, plus you’ll likely have your special spot all to yourself.


This basic pattern has worked well for me over the years and you can imitate any stonefly nymph by simply changing color and size. You may embellish it with soft hackle or rubber legs, a segmented thorax or a bead but it works quite well as shown. This pattern calls for dark olive but dark brown will likely work as well. I tie it weighted and add split shot when fishing. Work on getting a natural drift - it’s just as important when bouncing nymphs along the bottom as it is dead drifting a dry over risers.

  • Hook: Size 8 or 10 heavy wire 3XL nymph hook (Dai-Riki #710 e.g.)

  • Weight: 10 – 15 wraps of .025 diameter lead wire

  • Thread: 3/0 Dark olive Unithread

  • Tails: Black or dark brown goose biots, split

  • Abdomen: Dark olive Hare-Tron dubbing tightly wrapped in a dubbing loop

  • Ribbing: Black vinyl v-rib, medium

  • Wing case: Dark olive or dark brown Thin Skin

  • Thorax: Dark olive Hare-Tron dubbing picked out on sides & trimmed flat on bottom

  • Head: Tying thread

Good tying and good fishing!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

BRTU General Meeting presents Rob Breeding and Guiding on the Flathead River in NW Montana

Note: This meeting was cancelled and the speaker will be rescheduled. Check back for a complete schedule of general meetings and presenters. We are sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused.

The general meeting is at the Elks Club in Hamilton on Thursday, February 19 at 7:00 PM. Email Geoff Fitzgerald for more information at fitzes91@yahoo.com.

Rob Breeding is an outdoor writer who has worked for newspapers in Montana, Arizona, California and Idaho. He moved to Hamilton, Mont. in 1992, where he won his first Montana Newspaper Association Award for outdoor writing while working at the Ravalli Republic newspaper. After working in Arizona (where he edited the state's top outdoors section at the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff) and Idaho, he returned to Montana in 2006. He has worked in journalism as a writer, editor and professor for more than 20 years. He teaches journalism at Flathead Valley Community College and previously taught at Northern Arizona and Idaho State universities.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Home | Stream Explorers - THE COOLEST PAGE for kids!!!

Home Stream Explorers

"TU has a new group of members--a bunch of Stream Explorers. Youth 15 and under have a special membership level now, including their own magazine and website. Launched February 1, the Stream Explorers website introduces kids to the basics of fishing (GO FISH), trout science (FISH FACTS), and conservation (GET ACTIVE). Take a look at this great new perk for TU kids at http://www.streamexplorers.org/.

The MEMBERS section will help you help your favorite youngster become a Stream Explorer.

»Sign a child up for Stream Explorers »streamexplorers.org"

Monday, February 2, 2009

Celebrating 50 Years - Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited is celebrating 50 years of conserving, protecting and restoring North Americas coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. Visit http://www.tu50.org/ for more information.

TU will host its 50th anniversary celebration and annual meeting at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City, Michigan, not far from where TU was founded 50 years ago. A week-long schedule of events will mark the celebration. From hosted fishing trips, visits with fly fishing notables, casting contests and much more, the event will be a memorable celebration.

  • Time and Place: Monday, August 17-24, 2009 at 12:00am
    Location: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
    Street: 100 Grand Traverse Village Boulevard
    City/Town: Traverse City, MI
    View Map

    Contact Info Phone: 1-800-834-2419