David Roberts

Class’s are ready to start.

David — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:31:48 +0000

I will be taking sign ups now for beginning Fly Tying. This will be a 6 week class with every thing supplied for the class. You will learn the right way to get started and enjoy the fun hobby. Tying is a great way to unwind, and relax. I have tyied for over 50 years and it never gets old for me, and yes I am still learning. I am a Demo Tyer at a lot of shows every year (14 this coming year) and I can’t wait to get a chance to watch other great tyers do there demos so I can learn more. why should you take a class? Can’t you just learn from a book or the internet? Yes you can, but you get a real head start and learn how to get that info our of other writing and understand what they are talking about. This is a life long learning hobby, I will bet after you learn and catch a few fish on your own flys, you will be hooked.

David

Fly tying room

David — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:10:09 +0000

Heading

Partridge and Orange (just to see if I could take a picture thought

the Mag.

The roll top some what clean

The new (old) reel cabmets

reel case

Reel Case

rod racks

tying shelfs

Library

student/gathering tying area

This is the full view of Dave’s Cave. Hope to see you soon here.

David

Fly Tying Class’s

David — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:01:16 +0000

DAVE’S CAVE

Well tomarrow is is Turkey day, (and sneeking off to fish the Holy Water in the morning to get out of the wifes hair). After that it is time to start booking class’s here at the ” Fly Tyers gathering room.” Some really good friend, Morris, Jim, Dan, Ron, and Dale Have help me with labor and idea’s to make the room that much better. I will be starting a sign up sheet both here and by phone 541-601-5658 for those that are intersted. I also want to know what are best dates, times that folk’s want. I will have 5 week begining class’s, and all day pattern class’s. ( Steelhead Pattern’s, Dry Fly Pattern’s, Soft Hackle/Wet Fly’s, Nymph, etc). I have been tying for over 50 years and it still never gets old. The beginning class’s will give everybody a real good foundation, and give you the tools to look at a book or see a pattern on line to tye it. Class’s will be small (6 max) for beginner class’s, and (10) for clinic’s, so every one get a lot of help. I try and keep an hour open after class to help with someones problem. I don’t mind a student calling when they are working on flys at home to come over for a little one on one if they need it. These are fun class’s and very relaxed. I will keep everybody informed on when show’s are coming up or clinic’s at area shop’s with other instructor’s because no two people tye the same and the more you learn the more fun it becomes. I tye at about 13 to 14 show’s a year, and I can’t wait to do my demo and get done so I can go watch and learn. Lets get together and let the feathers and fur fly.

David

Rogue fishing and the flys

David — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:55:03 +0000

Well the Steelhead are starting to show, and we are hitting more every trip out. No not in great numbers, but when you do hook up its great. The river is dropping (75cfs a day until they get down to inflow outflow) with the drop they always seam to drop water temp also, so we will be having to go down and dirty. Until then though we have been getting a lot of fish, and my fishing/guide partner have been targeting trout with hopper/dropper, but have been experimenting with diff. leader rigs and hoping to work them into steelhead rigs and cut down on indicators. As we where fishing this rig last week I did hook up with a nice steelie, but once doesn’t mean I am going to write a book on the best way to catch big fish on flys. (maybe after Jim and I get off the river today I will start the book)

Vacation, and what is going on up here.

David — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:51:08 +0000

Linda and I just got back from a 3 week driving trip to and from Ohio. It was a fun trip, Boo our Lab was the best dog I have ever had as a traveling dog. I never heard her wine once (maybe I couldn’t hear her over me). We left on Fri. the 1st. of Aug. and returned on the 21st. I will just hit some of the highlights of the fishing and sight seeing part of the trip. After leaving Reno on Sat. morning at 4 in the morning we drove to the other side of Salt lake City and down the other side. Took a fuel stop and was looking for a area to run Boo, we came on a small stream that runs through a bunch of ranches, but the local fly clubs have worked well with them and there are gates or walk over steps for access to the stream that is full of Browns. (a new one to put on my new bucket list of rivers and streams to have to fish) after spending the night in Wy. somewhere, we made a small detour to Lyons CO. and a visit to South Creek LTD. bamboo rod shop, with Mike and Kathy, These are two great people and a class shop. Then off to fish the St. Vrains, no I didn’t hammer the fish, not even a hit, but who cares it was great water, and great area. I will get some help posting a few pictures of the shop and river, then continue the trip. I don’t want to make this to long.

About the fishing up here. I am starting to book more trips this year now that I have the time. The fishing for Steelhead is not hot and heavy, but it is early and we can hope for a lot more. For those that want to go down and fish for half pounders, there is the biggest run of them in many years, (close to 200,000 fish) e mail me and I will give you some places to fish. I don’t guide that area, but will be heading down to fish them next week. (you ready Jim?) Trout fishing on the Rogue is good, if you can keep the salmon smolts off. We have been using a little heavier bead head to get below them. The water is dropping well and the water temp is still in the mid 50′s so we are having some good dry fly fishing. Feel free to call me on any fishing in OR. if I don’t know I will try and get the info for you.

Good Fishing and see you on the river,

David

Heading to Camp Sherman

David — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:57:03 +0000

Well it’s 3:00AM and getting the food in the ice box’s and loaded up and we’ll be heading out. So this time I won’t be slacking by not writing, I will be fishing and hope to be able to come back with lots of story’s of fishing, (and maybe catching). But most of all about fine bamboo’s old reel’s, tying and just great people.

See ya in a week, or at the show, if we haven’t met please stop by at the show and say hi. If I should know you and don’t remember, please just put it to old age I did turn 60 yesterday.

David

Fly Tying

David — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:56:53 +0000

I love to tie, and tie with others. Yesterday as we do every Wed. a few of my cronys from SOFT (Southern Oregon Fly Tyers) met here in my fly tying room and tyed and shared patterns and method. A bunch of these guys are going up to Camp Sherman to tie for the show and tie as a group, although all have tyed at shows all over the country. This is a club that any of you local tyers that would want to think of joining is a lot of fun. There are no dues no officers just sharing once a month and a good source of info if you are just learning, or and old master and want to learn new things. I have been tying over 50+ years and always learn new things. We had our first swap and BBQ this last month and I came home with some real treasures, 7 new books (to me) to add to my library. (I still have a lot of room for more). Although I am a pro/custom tyer (that just means I sell a lot of flys) I still love to tie for fun and there is always something to learn. I am still planing on putting a lot more pictures up here, but still having trouble getting them up, also forget to take pictures. My guiding partner and good friend JimU, is going to help me, (when we can get off the water long enough to do it). Fishing is just to good now.

Those of you that want to start thinking of going after Steelhead its getting time the count is starting to move up, Also JimU is guiding lakes in our area and does pretty damn good. As of right now I am still stuck on moving water, and have a hard time not feeling the water moving under the drift boat or my waders. That may change with some of the trout he has been getting on the lakes.

See you at Camp Sherman, and if you are out of this area, please stop by and let me know who you are. I will be tying both days there, and if you want help casting your first bamboo let me know.

David

Heading for the Met

David — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:42:41 +0000

Just got back, but going up again. Linda and I went up the Camp Sherman for there 90th birthday party over the 4th, and had a lot of fun. Sitting around camp with good friends, and stuffing my face with all the chow. As Mike, Chuck, and I tyed at the store on Saturday, the gal’s headed for the garage sales and had a blast, and yes there was a lot more crap in the back of my P/U on the way home. We will be home this week then head back up again next week (Tue.) for the Camp Sherman Fly Fishing and Bamboo Fair. I do a lot of tying shows every year but this one is the high light of the year for me. I get to tie and visit with a lot of other tyers, and go into bamboo overload all in one trip. This is a great show for those that are bamboo nuts or those that want to find out what all the hoopla is. You can sit around with builders with no pressure. All the builders will let you go out and cast there rods. There are some great collectors there ( Dan & Kelly, Jim & Ron) that will let you know if your Grandfathers, or Fathers old bamboo or reel or other gear is worth fishing, let you know if you can retire. These guys are all great collectors of classic fishing tackle and are very honest. I am starting to get the collecting bug, so far I have just been a gatherer of bamboo, and older reels to fish, (Dan still calls me a collector) but know I am looking for some of the gadgets we use to use, and old fly tying tools. As for the fish around this area, the Salmon Fly/Golden Stones hatch was great this year and was more overlapping than I had ever seen them. The weather was a factor I am sure because although the Salmon Fly where hatching, it was cool and damp the first of the hatch so they where more in the bush’s and unless you where not working the edges where they where falling off, or just dropping off to lay there eggs. JimU, and I had some great days on the water when a lot of others waited. To tell the truth we just had cabin fever and really didn’t expect to find the fishing we did. The Steelhead fish count 656 (that was in June they don’t keep it up very well) so it’s time to start looking for them, early morning late evenings Grease Lining Muddlers, or damp fly’s, the rest of the time nymphs are the best bet. For me anyway.

See you on the water or at Camp Sherman,

David

Still fishing a bunch

David — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:38:33 +0000

The last few weeks I have been on the water a bunch both with trips, and just fishing with friends. Jim Ulm, (Jimu guide service). We run trips together and is a hell of a lot of fun to fish with. The Salmon Fly’s are starting to tail off as are the Golden Stones, but the fish where still looking up for them. Jim and I hit the water after 10 yesterday morning and hit fish pretty much right off the bat. I had on a new pair of waders that I won’t give a name or review until I talk to the Rep, but at this time I am not happy with them. I should have waded wet as Jim did, because it turned out to be real hot and it would have felt good. Jim had a good swim when his feet went out from under him, then he tryed to use the anchor rope to stop his decent (like that would work). After we got down to Casey Park took pitty on me because I couldn’t wade anymore he took the oars of my boat and let me fish (that is a true friend, and thank you Jim I was pissed at those waders), and I think Jim could tell, anyway I had switched to a new Golden Stone pattern I had tweeked and it seamed to be a keeper I got into quite a few of the bigger fish, and to make things better we are seeing more native trout not just young steelhead. The last fish I got was a large wild cutt that screwed my leader up so bad I took over the sticks for the last run thru Rogue Elk Park.

Well for today it will be getting ready for a trip on Sunday and staying hid in the fly tying room and trying to stay cool. At 4 this morning it was 60 deg. already. Just wanted to thank Steve Johnson, he said the smoke was going to blow out of his area today, its up here now. I have been sitting out front all morning sense it got light and watching the Elk feeding in the field across from the house. Will try and post more and get some pictures up soon. Will be heading out Friday to Camp Sherman to do some tying at there 90th birthday party, Roger has been working hard to get old owners and friend of Camp Sherman together. Then just a week later we (Linda and I) will be going back up there for the Camp Sherman Bamboo and Fly Fishing Fair where I will be tying and casting bamboo until my arm falls off. Of course this is a big one for me because I will be turning 60 that week so I am out to prove I can still do it. Hope to see a lot of you there.

David

Been slacken’ at writing,(not tying)

David — Sat, 31 May 2008 12:44:01 +0000

With the show season over for the most part,(two to go both at Camp Sherman), and high water here on my home water the Rogue. I haven’t had much to write about. I have been at the bench and tying a lot. Lately every Wed. a bunch of old farts (all founding members of SOFT) . No that stands for Southern Oregon Fly Tyers. Not what age has done to us and cold water. We get together and sit around in my fly tying cave and have fun.

Now for an add; I will be having a few class’s coming up and I want to see how much interest there is in them.

One will be on “Tying Small”, what is the best tooling, how to adapt tooling you have, hook’s, material, and where to locate them. and tying #18′s to #32′s. and yes these fly style’s catch very large fish. I have caught 3 to 5 lb. Rainbow’s very large Cutt’s and even Steelhead on fly’s 18 and smaller. Note* Thank God for a good drift boat when fighting steelhead on small fly’s and a buddy who could take over the oar’s.

The next class will be on “Steelhead Nymph’s” and like the other class’s I offer will cover much more that just wrapping material on a hook.

All class’s will be held in my fly tying cave here at home, and local shops will have the material you need to tye these fly’s. Although I will supply all material’s for the class’s you will want to be able to do them on your own when you get back to your own bench.

As for fishing reports, I will give one after Monday or Tuesday. The “State of Jefferson Fly Fishing Board” is having there BBQ and get together this Sunday June 1st. at the Holy Water on the Rogue, and on Monday we have a float for the Salmon Fly hatch, and I hope I have a good report for that on lots of fish caught. The Rogue is still up but dropping into good flow’s and we should be able to wade in some spots. Of course Mine and JimU’s boat will have the best chance of getting fish because we are both guides (yea like that makes for a sure think) don’t bet on it.

David