Pass the Cocktail Sauce

Lipton's Cocktail Sauce:
Hook: Scorpion Venom 2X, Size 8
Thread: UNI Thread, 6/0 Black
Tail: Ultra Chenille, Micro, Olive
Case: Furry Foam, Tan
Body: Roughfisher's custom dub, UV Gold
Legs:: Krystal Flash, UV Tan; Coyote guard hair, coyote underfur
Eyes: #3 (2.4 mm) ball chain, black
Weight: Two strands .025 Lead wire

This fly is patterned after mysid (opposum) freshwater shrimp. Most shrimp range less than 25 mm (1 inch) in length. While mostly common to the Great Lakes basin, mysid shrimp have been introduced to certain tailwaters in the western US. This pattern, however can be tied small enough to mimic other freshwater amphipods like scuds, or even a bit larger to imitiate brackish water and saltwater shrimp species. The pattern can be tied several color variations to match the local forage.


Notes: The fly profile may appear to be less realistic tied hook side up compared to a traditional style tied fly (hook side down, body/legs covering hook gape and hook point). Having the fly tied hook side up, however, should allow for increased hook ups and greater hook penetration, especially when sight fishing on the flats. The ball chain eyes are tied double truck style on top of the hook shank, and there are two strands of lead wire tied on the top of the hook shank just behind the eyes. This should help your fly land hook side up and keep it riding that way.

Latergrams - Week 47

Dressing up an old favorite. Check out the armored car san juan worm wearing a bug collar. #carpfood #flytying #flyfarming #carponthefly #carppro #artisanflies @bozemanflygoods #sickflies #chokeyourbug

A photo posted by Jean-Paul Lipton (@roughfisher) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:19pm PST

Who doesn't love bumping a clam every now and then? The Darth Clam 2.0 #carpfood #flytying #flyfarming #carponthefly #carppro #artisanflies #darthclam #knowyourforage @umpquafeathermerchants @loonoutdoors @carp_pro

A photo posted by Jean-Paul Lipton (@roughfisher) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:55pm PST

Mama didn't get a deer this weekend but she did get me a couple of 'yotes for the tying bench. #flytying #flyfarming #coyotes #rollyourown #artisanflies

A photo posted by Jean-Paul Lipton (@roughfisher) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:38pm PST

Latergrams - Week 36

I realize that content being published on the blog has not exactly been superfluous this year. For that I apologize to my viewers, if any of you are even left here to read this. It's not that content isn't being created, it is! It's just that I haven't been posting and publishing that content directly to the blog. There always was, and will continue to be, content being published directly to roughfisher.com's social media outlets, due to its design to be simple, interactive and in real-time.

There is a need from time to time to have and maintain a static database, a log if you will, of all of my published content. This is where my blog will likely reside for the indefinite future. It is a trend I have been observing across the board, and frankly with my time constraints, it is quite burdensome and daunting to transcribe all of my content on the blog on a daily basis. Thus, I will bring to you a weekly digest highlighting my most popular Instagram photos of the week, so that you, the reader, can stay abreast of what's being created at my vise or being caught out on the water, even if you do not participate in social media. So please enjoy, and if you have any comments, question, or concerns, with my future publishing content and delivery methods, please do not hesitate to leave a comment or use the Contact form to notify me. The following listed are links to my various social media outlets. Please check them out if you haven't already done so and follow! Thanks!

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Lipton's Black Flag

Lipton's Black Flag:
Hook: Umpqua U401 (O'Shaugnessy Stainless) Size 6
Thread: UNI Thread, 6/0 Black
Tail: Moose Mane
Body: Roughfisher's custom dub, Black Gold
Underwing: Krystal Flash, Black/Peacock
Legs: India Hen, natural
Thorax: 3.2 mm tungsten bead; Roughfisher's custom dub, Black Gold
Eyes: #3 (2.4 mm) ball chain, black

This fly is patterned after the black quill mayfly, Leptophlebia Cupida, prevalent in northern Minnesota in early Summer. Most nymphs range in the 9-11 mm size range with adults measuring around 15 mm. While not prolific enough to generate superhatches, their medium to large size and their propensity to school up and migrate upstream like minnows are enough to make this species of mayfly relevant to anglers. As a result, I would not hesitate to fish this fly as a streamer in riffle sections or in pocket water adjacent to the slack water they are known to reside in much of the year. Due to the dark coloration and size of this pattern, these would also fish well as a larger mayfly, or stonefly or skwala nymph pattern.


Notes: I like to tie on heavy, short-shanked hooks, so even though this particular pattern is tied on a size 6 O'Shaugnessy hook, the body of the fly is probably sized closer to a traditional sized 10 or 12 nymph hook. I colored the hook black with a marker to keep hook glare down and give the fly a dark, subdued look. Like most mayfly nymphs, I tie mine heavy; there is a tungsten bead tied in underneath the body just behind the bead chain eyes. This will help keep your fly in the zone when fish riffles or deep runs.

Lipton's Crushtacean

Perhaps better suited for the salt flats, this shrimp pattern will provide plenty of protein to any freshwater predator.

Lipton's Crushtacean:
Hook: O'Shaugnessy, Stainless, Size 6
Thread: UNI Thread, 6/0 Fire Orange
Tail: Calf Tail, gray
Body: Roughfisher's custom seal sub dub, DSP Grey
Underwing: Krystal Flash, UV Tan
Wing: Calf Tail, gray
Thorax: Ruffed Grouse; Roughfisher's custom seal sub dub, DSP Grey
Antennae: Centipede Legs, Medium, Gray.
Eyes: #8 (5/32") bead chain, black

Notes: Eyes are tied in double wide, i.e. four beads on the chain instead of the normal two. This is also known as "hammerhead" style. Not only does this provide a wider profile, it also adds a bit of rattle and movement.
Antennae can be trimmed to length, if preferred.
This pattern is tied to imitate a forward swimming shrimp; if a rear swimming shrimp is preferred, simply move the bead chain to the rear of the hook instead of behind the hook eye.

Fly Carpin 2014 Carp Fly Swap

My entrants to the Fly Carpin 2014 Carp Fly Swap, a drift of Whistle Pigs.

Check out McTage's swap page to see all of the tasty shizz that has been submitted to this year's swap. Forty tyers, that's a lot of fly porn!

Crawfish Boil

Lipton's Craw Diddy
Hook: Umpqua U502 (1X Strong O'Shaugnessy), Size 4
Thread: UNI-Thread, 6/0, Brown
Antennae: Calf/Kiptail, Rusty Brown
Claws: Centipede legs, Medium, Brown (Or other rubber/silicone legs)
Eyes: 5/32" bead chain, Black
Body: 3 strips .025 lead on top of hook shank; Roughfisher Spectral Seal Sub Dub, Cinnamon
Shell: Latex, 1/8", Brown
Rib: UltraWire, Brassie, Blue
Tail: Calf/Kiptail, Rusty Brown
Weedguard: 50# Hard Mono, Green

Hunger Games

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"Get some #carpfood #carppro #artisanflies #animal"

Happy Thanksgiving

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"While we're all feasting on turkey tomorrow, just think, carp could be feasting on this! #carpfood #carponthefly #carppro #turkeyday #flytying "

Departure: RFX > CVX > SJX

The meat train has left the building.


Departing The Roughfisher Command Post (RFX) for Charlevoix, MI (CVX) then St James, Beaver Island (SJX).
ETA St James Harbor 1030 07/11/2013


Recent word from Indigo Guide Service is that the pigs have arrived, with plenty of 30# class fish being caught and landed. Even more impressive are the post spawn females weighing in at over thirty pounds.

Let Carp Camp 2013 Commence.

chum bucket

The carp of Beaver Island and Lake Michigan are unlike any other, they prefer meat and plenty of it. Out on the expansive flats of BI, I want to use any advantage I can get to help separate my fly from the abundantly plentiful round gobies and sculpins that the carp feed on. I tied up the Chum Bucket utilizing materials exhibiting visibility in the ultraviolet spectrum. UV visibility always adds an edge in cloudy weather, deeper water, or low light conditions. Even in bright sunlight, UV visibility can make your fly stand out on the flats.


When looking for UV materials to tie with, don't just go by the labels on the materials. Just because an item is marked UV doesn't mean it will show up in the UV spectrum. Sometimes it just gives off a purple UV like appearance instead of actual UV luminescence. Do yourself a favor and pick up a small UV light. I have a keychain sized UV light from Loon that was originally designed to cure their UV epoxies, adhesives, and paints, but now serves as a compact useful tool to bring along to fly shops and craft stores to help identify UV products.

Toss out the Chum Bucket and see what follows.

articulation

articulation [ahr-tik-yuh-ley-shuhn]

From Old French articulacion, from Medieval Latin articulatio

Noun: articulation (plural articulations)
A joint or the collection of joints at which something is articulated, or hinged, for bending.


Who's fishing articulated flies to carp? That's what I thought. Some fodder for the apex predators of Beaver Island.

The Midnight Meat Train

Some meaty morsels for Beaver Island. I have a feeling that the carp of Lake Michigan will enjoy feasting on these slabs of meat. Pass the bbq and hot sauce.




Still some room left for Carp Camp on Beaver Island. Rock Bottom Pricing: $1300 (Referral deal not eligible). Visit the Carp Camp page and use the contact form to book. Hard to believe it's only a couple weeks away.

Fly-Carpin's 2013 Fly Swap

Here are my entries for Fly-Carpin's 2013 Carp Fly Swap. As always, my flies are welcome company with some of the industry's best professional and amateur carpers and fly tyers. Can't wait to get my hands on my share!

Hot Lunch

Enjoy a Hot Lunch out on the river next time you're chasing after some carps. Choose from the following entrees: Hot Turkey, Beef Commercial, Hot Italian, and Veggie Delight.




Fresh, never frozen, these meals will stick to your ribs, not in your teeth, and keep you satisfied all day long!

Meal Ticket

Here's the Meal Ticket to your next carp outing.

Calamari

Take your average Ruffian pattern and add a rubber hackled collar using MFC's Rubber Bugger Hackle and the result is tentacled goodness ready to be deep fried and served with marinara.


Of course I always like my seafood a little hot, served with korean chile flake. Carp should find that this pattern will burn in your mouth.

the Chum Bucket

Another meaty morsel from the Roughfisher's meat locker, the Chum Bucket.


Featuring a heartyFun Fur yarn collar, this fly offers a stick to the ribs home cooked meal for any hungry carp. This fly is in the same size grouping as the Mustache Ride and Landing Strip, coming in at around 3 inches in length and a size 2 stainless hook. Should be served up with a side of Tums.

Improving the Swimming Nymph

The classic Swimming Nymph finds utility in just about any water and any situation you put it in to. Clouser hit one out of the park with his original design. My younger cockier self, manipulated the pattern years back to come up with something of my own, like the Men In Black nymph. Perhaps foolish at the time to think I could tweak a proven pattern and somehow make it mine but subbing a few ingredients and adding some flair. Naïveté. While the MIB has been effective over the years, it's not really mine per se, as it was just a bastardized ripoff of an idea that was never mine to begin with. I'm not trying to reinvent the Swimming Nymph, just modifying to better suit my needs.


As useful and effective as the Swimming Nymph is, there's always been a few things missing in order to make it the perfect carp fly. One is size. A size 8 is fine for carping, but I'm talking more about bulk. The original is sleek and hackled; I want a big warm fuzzy for carp. That means rabbit and plenty of it, along iwth a chunky mid section. The next thing is weight, so adding bead chain will help get the fly down, as well as add to a broader profile in the water. The final element is rubber legs. I like the movement rubber legs give a carp fly, and so do the carp. Look at any killer carp fly and it comes equipped with rubber legs. You add in all those factors and the fly pulses, moves, breathes. Carp are very tactile when it comes to feeding, and since you lose the element of scent when fly fishing, profile and movement of the fly and the feel of a fly in the carp's mouth is what's gonna make the difference between a take and a snub.


I've tinkered with a few variations and finally came up with something that I feel will work best for carp. Rabbit tail, beefy dubbed body, large pheasant hackled thorax, rubber legs, large bead chain eyes, and a bushy rabbit throat. I still maintained the classic signatures of the original swimming nymph with peacock herl and rust colored body, and still maintain a similar gestalt to the profile of the original. I think I've found the right balance for an Improved Swimming Nymph.


Now it's only a matter of time to see what the carp think.

The Air Cav

Bring in the Air Cav!


Introducing Colonel Kilgore and his cavalrymen. Decked out in Vietnam era olive drab and yellow cavalry accouterments. Airmobile!

The smell, that gasoline smell... I love the smell of rabbit strip in the morning. Reminds me of...victory.
-- Dan Frasier