Trico Fly Patterns for the South Platte: Size, Wing, Silhouette
Six Trico patterns ranked by when I actually tie them on, why #22–24 beats #20 on this river, and the male-versus-female call that decides refusals.
The journal · Page 5 of 13
Blog.
River guides, fly selection, and field notes from the South Platte. Written from the water, not a desk.
Page 5
151 posts · page 5 / 13
Click-and-Pawl vs Disc Drag (for Trout): Which Do You Actually Need?
Click-and-pawl or sealed disc drag for trout? How each works, when each wins, and the honest truth about how little drag a trout reel really needs.
Why Bamboo Fly Rods Are So Expensive
Why hand-built cane costs so much — 100+ hours of labor, single-source Tonkin, taper precision in thousandths, and the value-cane tier that changed the math.
Dog Days: When the Water's Too Warm, I Go Up
Late August on the South Platte cooks the lower water. Here's the move I make instead — up to cold high-country creeks. Easier on me, easier on the fish.
When to Walk Away: Summer Water Temps and the Fish You Don't Catch
Warm water kills trout you release. Here's how I read summer water temps on the South Platte and when I'd rather drive home than cook a fish.
Euro Rod vs Indicator-Nymph Rod: Why They're Not the Same Tool
Both fish nymphs and both run about ten feet — but a euro rod and an indicator rod are built for opposite jobs. How they differ, and when to fish each.
How a Bamboo Fly Rod Is Actually Made
What really goes into a split-cane fly rod — from a culm of Tonkin bamboo to a finished hex blank, and why it takes over 100 hours.
Why Your Flies Cost Twice What They Used To
Trout flies held near $2 for twenty-five years. Now they are $3–$4.50 and climbing. The actual reason — tariffs on hand-tied imports — and what it changes.
How Many Fly Rods Do You Really Need?
The honest 1-rod, 2-rod and 3-rod trout quiver logic, what each one adds, and then my six-rod pile as the cautionary tale.
The Chubby Chernobyl: My Summer Attractor and Dry-Dropper Anchor
How I fish the Chubby Chernobyl on the South Platte — a foam attractor that doubles as a summer searching dry and a dry-dropper anchor.
What Is Tonkin Cane — and Why Every Bamboo Rod Depends on One Chinese River
Why nearly every bamboo fly rod is built from one species of bamboo grown in a single small region of China — and what makes Tonkin cane work.
Fly Rod Action Explained: Fast vs Medium vs Slow
What fly rod action actually means — where a rod bends, how fast it recovers, and which action is right for your fishing and your casting.