Mojo Midges and PMD Soft Hackles

This past week I finally got back into my tying groove. I always go into an involuntary hibernation for at least a month during the winter, and for a month during the peak of summer. This is a natural by-product of making a living doing something you're passionate about. Of course, I use the phrase "making a living" loosely. Either way, It's healthy to take a short break and let yourself get away from the stress long enough to remember why you play for a "living". Anybody who thinks being a guide is not hard work is sorely mistaken. End of short rant...

Moral to the story is that it's still fun to be a guide, and here are the photos to prove it...

PMD Soft Hackle

Kleis's Chocolate Mojo Midge

Kleis Mojo Midge in blue.

These are the bugs I've been tying! The bottom two might not be anything special to look at, but they are of a pattern I am extremely proud of, the Mojo Midge. It's about as durable as a size 22-24 midge gets, and hammers fish on our local tailwaters. The top photo is of a PMD Soft Hackle that I fish religiously as my first fly in a two fly rig during the summer. I take a great deal of pride in the fact that 95 percent of my fishing and guiding is done with flies that I have tied. Between a recent addiction to carp fishing, a love for stillwater fishing, doing special orders for customers, and all of the guiding and fishing I do, that is a ton of tying during the course of the year! If you want to help support me and my growing family, and contribute to my work load by ordering some of my flies -which I would greatly appreciate, then send me an email with your requests to jonkleisflyfishing@yahoo.com. Mojo Midges are also available in size 22 in brown, olive, chocolate, and black at Anglers Covey fly shop on the corner of highway 24 and 21st street. Thanks and tight lines!

Brings a Whole New Meaning to Pan Sized!

Jamie with one of many great fish from the Frying Pan!

Jamie, Marty, and Ben made another one of their regular trips to the Frying Pan to chase giant Mysis fed fatty rainbows. No exaggeration, it seems like every time these guys go up there and manage to get in the "toilet bowl" they come back with photos of trout like the one shown, or larger! This time he did me the huge honor of tying up some of my new Kleis's Mysis and giving them a shot for the first time on the Pan. Guess it worked out for them...  Follow this link for the whole story, and for more photos and insight from this Frying Pan junkie! Thanks again for showing such enthusiasm for my bug Jamie!

For a complete recipe and tying video for my new Mysis follow this link! I will be doing a tying demo at noon during the big fly fishing show at Anglers Covey fly shop on March 2nd. There will be a ton of great presentations and free seminars, along with prize give-aways, and more. Stop by and cast the new Helios 2 fly rod on our casting ponds, or just stop by to say hi. Doors open at 9 a.m.  For more info follow this here link! Thanks everyone!

                                                                                                         -Jon Kleis
                                   

Pueblo Tailwater Fishing Report 2-22-2013

One of many healthy colorful fish to the net below Pueblo.

We recently fished down by the nature center and had an awesome day. The water was low, and very murky from stream improvements being done up river. Fortunately, we are getting closer to the spawn, so fish were chasing eggs and pink sparkle worms with reckless abandon. There was a decent Baetis hatch that started around noon and lasted a couple of hours. Midges were everywhere, but we only saw a few sporadic rises -which might have had something to do with water clarity. We also pretty much had the entire stretch to ourselves. We counted 15 cars in the Valco Ponds parking area, but literally didn't see another angler all day down river by the Nature Center. You might not be able to sight fish below the stream improvement construction, but with flows this low finding fish is a no brainer. Dredge the deeper runs with bright stuff and you should have a killer day.

First Fishing Trip of the Year!

What an insanely gorgeous day it was! If you were stuck inside a cubical or a dusty old fly shop then you have my sympathies... No exaggeration, today was the most beautiful February we have spent in Elevenmile Canyon maybe ever! We only fished for 3 hours at Ed's Rock, and each landed and lost one fish a piece, but that's because most of the day was spent taking photos and battling snow blindness.

My goal going into today's trip was to just relax, try and catch a few fish, but more important I wanted to try and capture some decent photos of the ice formations that build along the bank, and to try and capture some of the beauty that most of us just glance at on our way to the fishing spot. Getting good landscape shots in the Canyon was a lot harder than I expected. You would think that because it's such a beautiful place it would be easy, but ironically that made it a little more difficult because we kept passing up opportunities.

Before we knew it we were towards the top and getting ready to fish, when the goal was to make frequent stops... It should come as no surprise that the most original shot (the one looking out from inside the tunnel) was Kristen's idea. All photos -except the one of that jackwagon standing in the tunnel- were taken by me, and of course my favorite is the fish shot with Kristen and Baby Bree! Here's what we got...

                                 -Jon Kleis