But, my boxes are empty. The flies that I really want to fish haven't been tied. I'm talking about skaters. Oh, I've got a few bombers, a steelhead caddis or two and some muddlers that would do in a pinch. But, I really don't have that one skating fly that would make me step through a run with all of the confidence I should have while steelhead fishing. I've got my hunches, but having never hooked a steelhead on the surface, have nothing to base them on. So, what to do?
Well, I'm just going to have to think about crushing surface takes in glassy tailouts while I paint this dang house. That's what I'm going to do! I'm going to have to take a mental inventory of hooks, threads, deer hair, crystal flash and all of the other trappings that will have to make up my riverside fly tying kit. I'll most likely fill these boxes in another county 300 miles from my house with the sound of the river rushing by. That's definitely not a bad thing......
Now where'd I put that masking tape????