Red Dart testing coming up...

[Roadkill]

Here is a #16 Red Dart I just finished for a new fly box...

RIMG3912 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

In a couple of weeks, I want to test out my new knee and a load of new flies in central Oregon.

I also want to compare on a 3-fly cast the dart and more traditional #16 Gray and Brown Hackle Peacocks that I added on the Dart's Fl Pink collar and red thread Head.

These were tied on Mustad 3906B #16 hooks...

RIMG3917 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

RIMG3916 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

[Brooktrout52]

Great looking flies. Ought to do well. Hope the new knee works well.

[Roadkill]

Great looking flies. Ought to do well. Hope the new knee works well.

Thanks! The knee is good enough to get me in my waders to test a lot of flies! Doc doesn't want to see me until my 1-year anniversary.

[Roadkill]

First day fishing on the Middle Deschutes a week ago, I tried these 3 peacock variations for about 15 minutes with no success. It was not a day for these flies.

No fish feeding on top and very little insect activity in the air. I switched out those flies to try three different wets. Fishing down the riffles I got a few grabs but no solid takes until I replaced the point fly with my old Lightning Bug Soft Hackle. I ended my 45 minutes of fishing with three trout between 7 to 10 inches, 3 long distance releases, one break off, and about dozen grabs. the flies that produced were my old Lightning Bug and my new Fluorescent Yellow Lightning Bug.
https://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11596

The next day conditions were the same. I fished starting with the same cast and after a breakoff I changed the middle fly from the Ichiban Sakasa Kebari to my old Transition PMD. Yellow was the key again today. I fished twice as long today, fishing 2 sections of the river. My results doubled today with fish on the: TPMD, Fluorescent Yellow Lightning Bug, Polish Hot Spot Hare & Partridge and Hare'y Carrot Flymph .

https://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11423
https://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11613

The next day I was skunked on the Metolius swinging soft hackles and a few nymphs. There were a few large yellow mayflies egg laying but no surface activity. The Bull Trout even ignored my Vinyard eel until I left it securely hung up on the submerged lava rock on the bottom!

My last day on the Middle D was typical to 2 days before. The one variable was only the amount of smoke in the air from the OREGON WILDFIRES. Sometimes you could see the outline of the nearby mountains, other days only the smoke. The TPMD, Fluorescent Yellow Lightning Bug, Polish Hot Spot Hare & Partridge and Hare'y Carrot Flymph all produced again. I added a Yellow bodied Polish Grizzly Soft Hackle to the success column as well.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11492

[Roadkill]

Here are the flies used for the Central Oregon Rivers Knee Test...

RIMG4013 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

The 8 flies on the left passed the tests, as well as the new knee.

The others will pass at some other time. A Floating Vinyard Eel like the one on the right has passed superbly in the Salt but had never gone after a Bull Trout before down in the Lava.

[DUBBN]

Great patterns and a superior report on the testing. Well done Bill.

I havent been able to sign for a few weeks to comment.

[RickA]

That's great that your knee is coming along so well, good for you!
Now go soak it in the cold tailwaters of the Owyhee...

[Roadkill]

Now go soak it in the cold tailwaters of the Owyhee...

I have that in mind for early next month if the fires don't hit that area!