While possible to fish all year round here in Md, it's not much fun most times except for those nice freak 50 degree days and that's often after a storm that muddies up our low-gradient trout streams. I got out a day in Dec and one in Jan to keep the twitching down but our decent fishing starts in late March.

I ordered a couple dozen flies to replace the usual lost one's during the season. While I can and do tie some I've been ordering from these guys for the small or fussy stuff FlyStop for a couple years and been very please with the quality of the flies and the price.

So, cleaned up and sorted the boxes, put new leaders on the reels and cleaned lines. this afternoon and sure looking forward to the season. I know I carry far too many flies but you just never know!

Wow! I'd heard of gun bearers, but never a tackle carrier. Over time, familiarity with ones waters will weed that down a bit. Good luck out there.

Truthfully, 90% of the fish around here can be caught with;

Dries
Caddis, Green, Tan and Black in sizes 16 / 18 and 20.
Parachute Adams same sizes
Stoneflies - 14 / 16/ 18 / 20
Ant and Beetles 16/18
Craneflies 14 / 16
Sulphers 16 / 18 / 20 - CDC as well as parachute. Several colors from orange to yellow
Hoppers
Hendricksons 16 / 18 / 20

Nymphs bead head and plain

Pheasant Tails
Hares Ears
Copper johns (copper, green and red)
San Juan worms
Stoneflies - couple varieties
Patuxent Special (local pattern)

Then there of course Wooly Buggers and such.

That mix will cover the normal hatches in Md and take you up into most of PA. When I drop into a flyshop I usually buy a few of whatever is hot to support the local guy and thank them for any info. I could likely pare down to a box of dries and a box of wets but the couple extra boxes don't add much.

Pugs, haven't been fishing this year yet.. but the river is open here in town.. We are suppose to have warm weather this week, but we are off to Billings, Mt. for a few days.. May try the Bighorn near Thermop this next week.. Have to get my fly rods out and a couple back in the pickup..

I am trying to buy a few patterns of soft hackle wet flies.. I don't tie any more gave my stuff to one of my students.. The the one that is tough to locate here is the purple starling.. There may be a yellow starling also, I am not sure from the few notes I took in a shop in Montana.. If you happen to know of a tier who makes these I would appreciate his name.. I am going to do most of my fishing this years with wets, and especially soft hackle.. I would like some 12's and maybe a few 14's.. Best of luck in the coming year.

Was great nymph fishing the Wind river below Dubois last weekend.

There was a time when I would have said "that's all the flies you carry?!" Now it's just a small assortment of midges and a few basic classic Catskill patterns in size 18 and smaller, a couple parachute patterns, a couple spiders, and a handful of small Royal Wulffs for prospecting on seemingly dead water. All fitting in a couple small Wheatleys and plastic bin boxes, like what Pugs showed. (I'm strictly a dry fly man who fishes to rising trout on Maryland and Pennsylvania streams, if you can't tell. Limiting myself? Sure, but I want to.)

Me too. Well, except when I mess up and put a dropper on that Dry.

Ah, the old dry fly as bobber trick!

Call it a "float indicator" it sounds classier Of course I can recall some of my most memorable summer days were spent looking at a bobber so yes, I can call it a bobber.

Well its been sub zero temps here in Ct the last week or so and more to come along with another 1/2 foot of snow to add to what is already on the ground! I was up on the West Branch of the Farmington River yesterday, nice sunny day temp hard pressed to get to 25 deg, not much action- its good fly tying weather, thou Its going to be slow fishing when the run off starts! I expect things will pick up in late March or April, looked at a 7 ' Scott 4 wt a glass rod- thinking gee this would be great for the kind of small stream summer dry fly fishing I do, sticker on it $ 625 dollars, dam sport is not cheap!

I just got my early spring order of larger nymphs from them. I have been ordering from THE FLY STOP since they first opened. Good quality flies, most are about $.80. They used to be around $.60 but like everything else, they went up a bit in price. Shipping is still fast, even though they moved from PA to CA.

Glass. What was old is new again and retrospective isn't cheap I do like a slow action rod and the old glass rods fit me but I'll be darn if I'm paying they want now for one.

Check out the Scott fibertouch rod
I found a blank about 20 years ago and built a great little small stream rod. Can find used ones around $200


http://www.worleybuggerflyco.com/Gear%20Reviews/Reviews/WBFC_Staff_Gear_Reviews-Scott_Fibertouch.htm

Well Pugs, since I dropped another grand on a barrel for my Blaser R-93, and mounts and a sight I am a little sort of cash right now! This hunting and fishing business has kept me broke for 55 years now, I started young!

Don't get me started buddy. Up to Harrisburg tomorrow and will likely drop a deposit on an elk hunt for 2016. While I know my 7-08 is perfectly adequate I have somehow gotten a .300 H&H in my ear whispering.

Do I need it? No. Next question.

.300 H & H's are awesome.. I am starting to develop handloads for the #1.. Have a great trip with a fine caliber.

Alas, a #1 is the primary thought. Expect a PM once lunacy prevails.

Fine, Just started working with mine..

What will you load in that .300 H&H? A #10 Royal Coachman?

And I thought I had a problem!