Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday–January/February 2019

Today–Friday..January 18, 201 9–><(((°>During the past week I’ve received several suggestions and comments about my prototype Rays Fly tying video. One of the comments said “Thanks Ray. Hope to see more videos. Have you used your fly in freshwater?”. I replied: “yes I’ve fished the Rays Fly in freshwater . It works well for large and smallmouth bass and of course pickerel I haven’ used it for trout or salmon but I I know it will work. I’ve tied it with both bucktail and Marabou and found that bucktail works best. if you tie some peacock herl in between the Olive and yellow and not on top it makes a good juvenile largemouth representation. Hope this helps.” I’ve tied a variation of the Ray’s Fly called the Harold”s Meadow.

                         Harold’s Meadow

The peacock Pearl is placed between the Olive and yellow bucktail and not on top. Here’s a link to this fly that I posted several years ago.  This link tells about my Ray’s Fly along with the Harold’s Meadow picture and recipe.-

–<°(((><

Today–Friday..January 11, 201 9–><(((°> It’s the first full week of January and the start of the new year that’s said, I’d like to wish everyone a prosperous and fishy 2019.
For quite some time now I’ve been wanting to do a video on tying a Ray’s Fly however, I always seem to go off track and end up doing other things eventually forgetting about the video for a while.Last fall the desire to do the video returned and I thought that after the first of the year I’d sit down and just do it. Often times things are easier said than done especially when you lack motivation and it takes a certain something to trigger you. Last weekend I received an order for my book and a Ray’s Fly to accompany it. I thought this would be an ideal time to do a trial video as I now had to tie up the fly. Because I don’t have a big box of Ray’s Flies lying around I tie them as needed ,one at a time.This approach makes tying my Ray’s Fly more personal if you know what I mean. I went down to my fly tying desk and set up a tripod and Camera to do the recording. I tied the fly and recorded the process. Here’s my trial Ray’s Fly tying video.

After viewing it several things were quite evident and needed work. Especially the lighting to ensure the true colors were shown. To me that was most critical. I plan on doing several more videos after the adjustments and would like to have a good final copy by months end. If you have any suggestions after viewing it send them along I’d be glad to hear from you. In the same time frame I’m hoping to produce a video on a freshwater pattern that I’ve been using with great success for two years now. It’s becoming a favorite and sort of go to pattern. So check back in every now and then to keep up with what’s going on—<°(((><

 

 

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Today, Tomorrow & Yesterday–September/October 2018

 

Sky blue Guide’s fly

America’s Most Wanted

Today–Tuesday…September 25, 2018 –-><(((°> Al “the Guide” has been chasing Albies for 3 weeks now at various locations along the R.I. shore. Sometimes he gets’em other times he doesn’t, but that’s  Albie fishing. You don’t get many shots at them when these speedsters show,  Today despite the rain and wind Al did get’em and sent me the following pics.. He said” Albies. Love water. What’s a little wind.1000 casts later.”  No doubt he’ll be at them tomorrow and he may just have company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today–Monday…September 24, 2018 –-><(((°> I recently returned from 4 days of fishing around Maine’s Moosehead Lake area. The weather was cloudy with showers and drizzle for much of the time that I was there. I fished  the Roach River and the East Outlet of the Kennebec River. At the Roach River I only manage two small landlocked salmon and two small brook trout, a far cry from the previous year.  It seems the fish have yet to enter the river in any numbers according to my findings and also from what I learned from talking to others about the fishing at the Roach. At the East Outlet I managed several foot-long brookies one day and another pair of brookies the following day. Despite being told that the fish would only chase streamer flies I managed the first two brookies on a # 8 Hornberg dry. Seems these fish didn’t get the word. The other pair of brookies did chase streamers and they took a Stayner Ducktail, a pattern I’ve had good luck with on the East Outlet.  Upon returning home I had already planned  to go striper fishing this morning as I’ve been told there were a lot of fish all along the Rhode Island Coast, it was just a matter of finding them.

While I  didn’t catch a lot I did manage a few. They certainly were a different type of sport compared to the trout and salmon I  brought along a cheap Chinese video camera that I recently bought. This would be its test run and I wanted to see what the videos would look like and I managed to have it on  one spot that I was fishing and did catch several stripers in the area, one of which is on this video. Tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be very windy with heavy rain I guess I’ll have to wait a few days before I get back out again. I’m looking forward to it—Ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mackerelola Flies

 

Might give the Cape Cod Canal a try again soon I so tied up a few Mackerel flies to try.

The lower tail hair and the bottom underwing on these flies were tied using long, fine, white hair from my dog Lola’ s tail. She’s part Husky, Border Collie and Great Pyrenees.

Her Hieness–Lola

Lola’s tail fur is fine and shiny and runs up to 9″ long. Hence the name Mackerelola.  Lola’ s fur/hair reminds me of cross between Yak and Polar Bear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I often use Lola’s shorter hairs to tie this handy pattern which will be nice to have with you in the next few months.

 

Catch’em Up

Ray

My Favorite SW Fly

Here’s a few pics of my favorite SW Fly-The Bondorew Bucktal. Despite being the fly I fish most of the time it didn’t produce yesterday at the Cape Cod Canal.Then again I didn’t see anyone else catch any Stripers. While this  is a great striper pattern , Atlantic Bonito are equally fond of it.

While i fish the Bondorew Bucktail most of the time there are occasions when it just won’t work. Sometimes they want small stuff and nothing else. It often happens in the next few months(Sept/Oct) when this handy little pattern is nice to have on hand.

Ray

The Bondorew Bucktail

****Special***Today, T0morrow & Yesterday–June 21, 2018

 

***” Inside every good dog is a great dog”***

 

In Loving Memory

              Maddie “The Wonder Dog”
             12/21/99 to 06/21/2014

Today is the fourth anniversary of Maddie “The Wonder Dogs’ ” passing

Today –June 21,2018–>Today and for many future tomorrows to come my wife and i will grieve of her passing. However it’s the many Yesterdays  that continually come to mid to over take our saddened hearts,  wiping  away our tears and putting  a smile on our faces.  Yesterdays that tell of the great  fun, joy and companionship she provided us each and every day for  all those  years. We were truly blessed to have such a fine companion to share our lives with.

I guess the saying “Gone from our side but forever in our heart  sums it up.

 

oday-Tuesday.. June 24, 2014–> It was clear and 55°F at the backyard bird bath this morning at sunrise. I made a pot of coffee and grabbed a cup to take out to the backyard and sip it while visiting  Maddie’s final resting place to chat with her. Tomorrow I head up north to the Umbagog Lake area for a smallmouth fishing trip with my friend Dave Aguiar. (click on pics to enlarge)

Umbagog & Maddie’s in the truck

With less than a day to go I don’t have a thing ready except some food items as the past two days have been perhaps the most tear filled and painful of my life. Some friends and family members have said the trip would do me good. It would start the healing process and not seeing the many momentos around the house for several days would be a beginning. Perhaps so for some but Maddie and I did everything together. Where I went ,she went. The very first time I went to the Umbagog Area(NH&ME) was with Maddie. Just her and I camping /fishing for three rain filled days. You can learn much about yourself and your relationship with your dog when you’re confined to a tent or the truck cab for hours on end.

Camping on the banks of the Magalloway with Maddie

 

She was with my wife and  I each year we camped/fished and paddled up there, so there’s many inescapable fond memories that will come forth while I’m there.

Most will bring a smile to my face as we surely had many, many good times.

Yesterdays ago-Sunday..June 22, 2014–> It’s clear  and 55°F at the backyard bird bath this morning .  Despite the forecast for a bright and sunny day,  a dark cloud  with tearful showers will hang  over my wife and  I  today and for days  to come just as it has since Wednesday.  Yesterday after 14 ½ wonderful years, Maddie “The Wonder Dog” was put to rest.  Numerous re-occurring medical conditions and a rapid decline in her overall quality of life caused my wife and I to make this dreaded decision. This past Wednesday I called Maddie’s vet to see about putting her to sleep. Yesterday  was the earliest we could have this painful moment take place so for  the next two days we beat ourselves up by second guessing  and continuously trying to re-assure ourselves that our decision  was the right thing to do. Our emotions and deep love for our family member always seemed to rise above what we knew was best. This made the past several days some of the  longest, saddest and most painful days of our lives.  The days ahead won’t be any easier because of her deep involvement in our everyday lives. Everywhere we look we see Maddie. However now her pain is gone and at the end there was no suffering  as she now peacefully rests by the big pond in the sky surrounded by balls, bones, sticks, treats and of course CHEESE. In the days ahead my wife and I  will attempt  to not feel sorry for ourselves about her passing  and  losing her forever , but rather to look back at all the good times and great memories we made together. Believe me there are many of them. I was fortunate to have her as my fishing partner and our daily companion for so many years. I can only wish for others to be so fortunate.

In Loving Memory

Maddie “The Wonder Dog”
12/21/99 to 06/21/2014

 

“We’re for dogs and for everything they do for our quality of life here on earth”– Pedigree Dog Food

Amen-Ray

 

 

7 June, 2018 09:42

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Today, Tomorrow & Yesterday –Fishing in May 2018

” A single trout caught in solitude is of greater reward than a full creel  taken in the midst of other anglers”—Ray Bondorew

***Make every day Earth Day–Pick up one piece of trash daily ***

****May 2018 Playmate of the Month is here.*****

Today–Tuesday…May 22, 2018  –-><(((°> May is quickly moving along and soon it will be Memorial Day.   Early May was spent fishing for Natiive brookies  and school Stripers  I spent last week in Maine opening my small camp for the season.and  managed  a few hours of fishing during the trip. i did well on the Piscataguis R. in Sangerville ME catching many brookies and foot long landlocks.  They seemed to really  want my Olive Golden Retriever fly that I’ve been fishing lately. This fly has proven itself here at home  as well as Maine and  I recommend you tie/try one.  While I was in Maine  Al “The Guide”   was chasing Stripers in nearby tidal waters and doing well. While the majority of his catch were schoolies  he  managed several respectable stripers. Here’s one of them.–<°(((><.

       Al ‘The Guides’ tidal Striper.

Tuesday…May 1, 2018  –><(((°> The first day of May was a smash hit/strike with me as I returned to try schoolie Striper fishing again.  I managed to land eleven schoolies with my new MAXCATCH 7.5′  3 wgt. They ranged from 14-16″, a little bigger than yesterday.

         May Day Schoolie

My little  fly rod was up to the test showing plenty of backbone and casting like a rocket. I’ll give the stripers a rest  tomorrow and go fish a small stream for Native Brookies with a good friend. Hopefully the natives will oblige us just as the stripers did me today.–<°(((><

“They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from  her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse.”-Chief Sitting Bull – Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux

Trout fishing in April 2018

” A single trout caught in solitude is of greater reward than a full creel  taken in the midst of other anglers”—Ray Bondorew

 

Today–Monday…April 30, 2018  –><(((°> It’ s cloudy and chilly with an occasional rain drop. Al”The Guide” called and told of some stripers in the nearby tidal waters.  It was 46 deg when I left the house to try for a few schoolies.This would be a change from trout fishing.

        A Change of Pace

Early bass are usually on the small side  and the ones Al and I caught fit that mold. Although small they were fun on a six weight outfit They were enough fum to get me thinking about celebrating May Day by trying for them tomorrow.

 

Wednesday…April 25, 2018  –><(((°> The Rhode Island t& Connecticut trout fishing seasons opened on Saturday April 13th. After a week of fishing for stocked trout in  often crowded areas I once again returned to what I like best: fishing for native brookies:  The stocked trout I’d been catching averaged 12-13″ with several in the 16-17″ range.  A few trout of this size are fun to catch on light fly tackle but quickly becomes boring to me. Size and quantity may matter to some however to me they just don’t have it. This past Monday was sunny with average temps for this time of year, a good day to try for natives in a nearby brook. In a couple of hours I managed to take three on an Olive Golden Retriever and one on a Hornberg dry. They certainly weren’t big but they’ll have time, hopefully years to grow. Just knowing they were there was reward enough for me.  The quiet solitude often found  with this type  of fishing is the icing on the cake .–<°)))><

 

 #12 Hornberg

><(((°>– Yesterday I went to another brook , one that’s bigger than the one I fished Monday.  This one is a pleasure to fish and has bigger natives.  It was  another sunny and seasonable day, slightly warmer than Monday. My plan was to fish upstream  a ways using  my Olive Golden Retriever and fish a #12 Hornberg Dry on the return downstream.In several hours I managed seven  natives fishing  upstream  and five going  back down. I missed or dropped many more in the process. Taking natives on the surface with the Hornberg highlighted the day. These brookies were also the largest of the day,several nearing 9 1/2 -10″ . –<°)))><

       Nice Native Brook Trout

 

><(((°>–The Hornberg I tied/fished  was modified slightly. The Original Hornberg was tied with yellow calf tail hairs for the underwing and grizzly hackle for the collar/hackle and jungle eyes for the cheeks. In recent years the most commonly seen version is one tied  with yellow hackle tips or fibers for an underwing  and the hackle  consisting of brown & grizzly hackle mix.  I’ve  tied  some with yellow poly yarn fibers for the underwing  to improve the flies floating quality and   also used yellow bunny fur fibers,  yellow bucktail  or any other yellow material that’s  lying on my fly desk. .  Soon I’m going to try a thin strip of 2 mm yellow foam for the underwing to improve floatability.  The streams I fish for Native Brook Trout seldom have little back casting space making roll casting mandatory.  A high floating,  water-resistant pattern is a must. I’ve also omitted the jungle cock eyes on most Hornbergs I tie–<°)))><

Ray

 

This day in 2012 photo

This year the buds on my apple and peach trees haven’t even begun  to swell and yesterday it snowed.

On the plus side  the grass is starting to green-up a bit. I’d say we’re about two weeks behind weather wise.

 

 

Today, Tomorrow & Yesterday –April 2018

**** Sunday, April 22,2018–Earth Day***

“They claim this mother of ours, the Earth, for their own use, and fence their neighbors away from  her, and deface her with their buildings and their refuse.”-Chief Sitting Bull – Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux

***Make every day Earth Day–Pick up one piece of trash daily ***

***April 2018 Playmate of the Month is here.*****

 

Today–Sunday April  8, 2018—It remains 7-10 degrees below normal for this time of year. and it seems like spring never arrived or winter refuses to leave. Forecast is for a few fifty deg. days later in the week.. Even tying up a handful of my must have Smallmouth bass for some people couldn’t warm my spirit.

Favorite Smallmouth Flies

Top to Bottom 1. YELLOW Foam Popper, – 2. Root Beer Fly   3.  Black Bunny Leech,  4. Bead Olive Wooly Bugger or Crystal Bugger   5. Chartreuse/White Clouser

These patterns are the ones I use 99.9% of the time. Despite carrying many other patterns these are the ones I count on.

 

mockingbird apple

 

Sunday April 1, 2018—Happy Easter

 

 Black Bunny Leech

  My Easter Bunny