Today,Tomorrow&Yesterday –March/April 2019

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

****Here’s some tying videos  produced last month for your viewing pleasure–No Oscars won here; There’s more videos on my YouTube Channel!

Ray’s Fly( How I tie my fly)

Palmered Marabou Body Saltwater Streamer Part 1

Palmered Marabou body Saltwater Streamer Part 2

Root beer Fly

Olive Golden Retriever

Simple Caddis Larva

The Stayner Ducktail

Mullet Fly  with Palmered Grey Marabou Body

Yellow Foam Popper for Smallmouths

Fly Rodding for Stripers along R.I. ‘s  rocky shoreline

Today—Tuesday. March 26,  2019–><(((°>–-It’s the final week of the month. will March go out like lion or a lamb?  Right now ow it looks like it will go like lamb, a wet one that is.  Last week I posted two new videos.  one is on tying one of my favorite Smallmouth lures a yellow foam popper.  The other one contains some old video clips(1999) about fly rodding for Striped Bass along Rhode Island’s rocky coastline with my friend Al”The Guide.” Check’em out.

Today—Sunday.March 6,  2019–><(((°>—Daylight savings time began today along with Snow ,sleet and rain.  The type of day to  stay home and  tie a few flies.  I decided to make another video this time  on tying a Mullet Fly with a grey marabou palmered body.  Losing an hours sleep when we changed the clocks last night showed its affect on me.  I wasn’t with it and the video shows in a number of miscues. Broken tying thread , unruly materials and disorganization were apparent. However that’s what happens sometimes and as long as Stripers approve of my fly that’s all that really matters.

Wednesday.March 6,  2019–><(((°>—Today temps remained below freezing once again.  I’ve had a fair number of visitors visit my Ray’s Fly blog  in search of info on the Staer Ducktail. because of this after walking Lola this afternoon I decided to  make a tying video on the Stayner Ducktail. This is a pattern I’ve been tying/fishing for 5 years after learning about on Hugh Kelly’s Puckerbrush Flies blog. It’s been a pretty productive pattern for me especially on Brook Trout..Click here for more info  on this pattern. Next video i ‘m planning is for saltwater  folks on tying a Palmered Marabou body Mullet Fly.  Hope to have this one up before weeks end

Today–Monday.March 4,  2019–><(((°>—-March came in like a lion. snowing on March 1st and just dumped a foot of fresh snow last night. Seems like winter finally arrived here in Southern New England in early February and is continuing into March. I guess ole Punxsutawney Phil was right on when he forecasted 6 more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day. I’m unsure if it will be a late Spring this year however I’m getting indications that point that way. For as long as I can remember Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds typically arrive in my backyard around President’s Day each year. Here it is the first week in March and I haven’t seen neither hide nor feather of them. Is it because of winter’s late arrival or a sign of a late spring?  Only time will tell.

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Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday–January/February 2019

Today–Monday..February 25, 2019-–><(((°>—-Over the weekend I managed to post a YouTube video on tying a  Root Beer Fly I consider this pattern as perhaps the deadliest Smallmouth pattern I fish. It’s definitely a fly anyone fishing for smallies should carry. It also works for tidal water Stripers! Despite my exhaustive effort in producing my latest big budget videos none were nominated for an Oscar at last nights Hollywood gala event. However the night was not a total loss as it motivated me to produce two additional videos today. One on a simple & effective  Caddis Larva, the other video is on tying a Palmered Marabou Body saltwater streamer. For several years now I’ve been tying many of my saltwater streamers with a Palmered Marabou body. The palmered Marabou functions as the fly’s throat and under wing. Just add the topping and water. I love the way flies tied this way look when wet. They have a great shape and profile. I consider shape to be almost as important as size and color. Let say your’re fishing a fly with the right color and size and have caught a few fish on it. Suddenly the action stops and you notice the fly looks to be slightly fouled. You have the right color and size but don’t have the proper shape or at least the shape they’re looking for or are familiar with..—Ray

Today–Thursday..February 21, 2019-–><(((°>—–Yesterday was a cold and cloudy winter day.  Temps were in the mid-20s and several inches of freshly fallen snow covered the ground.- a good day for a walk in the woods. With “Lola the Wonder Dog” in the truck I  went to spend some time ramblng along a local brook that I fish for native Brook trout… A short way in I decided to make a video of our trek along the brook.  Here’s the link for Lola and I winter’s walk. –—-<°(((><

In the next few days I’ hoping to do several tying videos– so stay tuned here or visit my YouTube Channel.

Saturday..February 16, 2019–><(((°>–My tying hand continues to  s-l-o-w-l-y heal. While I continue to have some tingling and numbness I’m able to tie a few flies  and make  two videos.  I recently posted two YouTube videos One is entitled  Ray’s Fly 101(Basics) which is about the ins and outs of the Ray’s Fly construction and why certain materials were chosen. The other video called Simply Flies is about certain flies lying  about on my tying desk and  and my lighting  effecting their colors. Next week I plan on posting two more videos. One about the Root Beer Fly,  perhaps the deadliest Smallmouth pattern I fish. The other video will be about a truly simple Caddis Larva that you can put together with a minimum of fly tying materials and tools—<°(((><

Wednesday..January 23, 2019–><(((°> Yesterday I went in for carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand. Of course this is my casting and tying hand so I’m really hoping that tingling and numbness of my thumb, middle and index fingers will be soon be gone completely. The day before my surgery I made another trial tying video knowing that I wouldn’t be tying again for while. It’s a video of a pattern that I’ve had consistent success with for the past several years and I wanted to pass it on. It’s called the Olive Golden Retriever.

WET- Olive Golden Retriever

I highly recommend you tie or try this pattern band because not too many flies that I tie become a go to pattern. In fact I like this fly pattern well enough that when I go to a place I’ve never fished I’ll fish it first before before Black Wooly Bugger which I typically try. That’s saying something.--<°(((><

Today–Friday..January 18, 2019–><(((°> 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—<°(((><

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

 

 

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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.