The Offseason

What does a northeast fly fisher do when it’s simply too cold to take to the water? Some of us might tidy up our gear, maybe organizing our fly boxes once again after a season of fishing, or getting our leaders and tippet straightened out (no pun!).

Others might day dream about their next fishing trip, or book their “dream” fishing trip to some nirvana for trout, salmon, or other long sought after fish species.

And then some fly fishers spend their winter time replenishing their stock of hand tied flies (not me – no time, and even less patience), in anticipation of hooking some trout on their own flies.

Chuck Degray of North Country Fly Shop does a lot of fly tying in the winter, and while he’s definitely tying some for his own personal consumption, the vast majority of his flies are tied for customers of his shop or for other fly shops in our area.

The numbers that he gave me are pretty staggering, and this is only to this point in his 2017 tying schedule (he’s got more to do):

1. Since late December, he’s tied 160 dozen flies, not including experimental patterns and samples.
2. 1,100 yards of thread used.
3. 1,080 beadheads and coneheads used.
4. 14 oz. of marabou used.

While’s he’s long been known for his giant articulated streamers for catching big trout, Chuck’s also completely given in to his “darkside”, as he’s been tying some patterns for northern pike as well.

Those flies resemble something like a chicken or rooster with a couple of hooks in them. A blast to cast though.

He’s been working on some new patterns this winter (too much time at the vise), so we’re anxious to see what he comes up with, and even more excited to try them on the river …

Yup, that’s what he looks like when he comes up with something really good.