Today I had a chance to put a few of the CBBs to work. They did quite well. Here’s some video.
If you want to see how I make them, click here.
Coffee Bean Beetle
A few weeks ago I came across an article on coffee bean beetles. I am not a fly tyer by any stretch of the imagination but this intrigued me, primarily because it didn’t really involve tying at all. Instead it relies on the ability to use a magic marker and some glue – skills that are regularly employed by 5-year olds across the country without incident.
Most of the raw materials you probably already have at home. In fact, here’s the list of ingredients:
- Coffee beans
- Black magic marker
- Epoxy or super glue
- Small hooks (I used size 10)
- Clear nail polish (Make sure to ask your wife. I forgot . . . )
- Orange or red magic marker OR nail polish (Optional)
- Monofilament or other material to imitate legs (Optional)
I wandered over to the kitchen cabinet and found a bag of coffee beans. Poured some into a bowl and picked out the largest round beans that I could find. Took them down to my basement workbench and, using a small file, created a small straight recess on the bottom of the bean for the hook to rest.
Next I used the black magic marker and colored the bottom of the bean. Set the hook in the recess and epoxied it to the bottom of the bean. On a couple of the beetles I cut up monofilament (old leader) to make legs.
Once the epoxy dried I turned the beetle over and, using an orange magic marker, colored the back of the bean. I also left some in the natural bean color as well.
Finally I covered most of the beetle in clear nail polish. Not only does it add a certain shine, it will help protect the beetle from cracking and water damage.
Done! Now let’s see how they do. Check this out
Fishing Derby
Started spreading mulch Saturday morning, only to have the skies open up and start pouring within less than an hour. Instead of enduring a solid drenching in the name of lawn improvement, I covered the mulch with a tarp and went inside.
My 9-year old daughter asked about going to the local fishing derby. Although the rain had stopped, the weather was marginal at best. Undeterred, I grabbed my bream spinning rod, bought some worms at the local convenience store, and the two of us headed to the derby.
Somewhat to our surprise, there were only 3 or 4 families standing around the designated pond. This was a different experience from the usual, where I am shoulder to shoulder with other moms and dads, trying to convince a trout or panfish to take my worm instead of the 30 or so other options out there. A few other families showed up over time, but there was always plenty of room for everyone.
Luck was definitely with us. Over the next 2½ hours my daughter caught 22 panfish and perch. She fished through the rain and the cold (temps in the 40’s), only stopping when she needed new bait (for the record, she would not touch the fish or the worms). At one point I was actually standing over her with an umbrella while she landed fish (she only hooked my raincoat once).
Like any new angler she missed some strikes and had others that did not make it to the shore, but I was impressed that she was willing to work on her technique and by the end of the derby she was landing more fish than she was missing. I could see her casting improve as well as her ability to determine when to set the hook.
When I could no longer see the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket that we were using as a live well, I decided that we had probably caught our limit. She did not want to stop, but when I suggested that we could go look at the prizes and get a burger, she acquiesced.
I brought the bucket over and showed the judges, then released the fish back into the pond. She won the prize for the Most Fish Caught – a Cabelas light tackle spinning rod and reel along with a small tackle box consisting of rubber worms, bobbers and split shot. Not a bad prize – definitely better than the rig she was using.
Later in the day I returned to the mulch. She asked if I would help set up her new rig for some lawn casting. I happily obliged, and she was soon out on the front lawn preparing for her next derby.
Fishing With Kids
Today my wife and I took our daughters to a local park for some outdoor family time. Close by is a small pond of a few acres that is loaded with bream, bass and crappie.
While the kids were exploring the playground, I assembled the 4 wt that I keep in the back of my car for emergencies and tied on a small yellow popper.
My oldest daughter, who recently turned 9, came over and asked if she could fish with me. Last summer I spent some time teaching her how to use a fly rod. She now knows the basics and enjoys catching fish.
I sent the line out a few yards and hooked a nice bream. Once the hook was set, I turned it over to her. She took the rod, and with some gentle guidance, kept the rod tip bent and the line taut while she landed the fish. The picture below tells the story – just look at the smile on her face.
Upon seeing her sister’s success, my soon-to-be 5-year old also asked for the opportunity to catch her own fish. Once again I cast out into the pond, and once again the popper was met with an aggressive tug by a bream. I set the hook and asked my youngest daughter to hold the rod and gently turn the reel. I kept the rod tip low and bent, and soon the bream arrived on shore.
Angling, particularly fly fishing, is often referred to as a solitary sport. While this may be true, it can also offer a great opportunity to spend some time with your family and make some great memories.
Teaching kids to fish does require patience, but the payoff is in the smiles and their continued interest in sharing experiences such as this one.
I recently saw a commercial with the tagline “Don’t let your child be the one that got away.” Make some time this year to get out and fish with your family.
Back in the ‘Yak
Easter has arrived with some beautiful weather in tow. Temperatures in the 70’s with light winds and low humidity. Local rivers are still high due to snow melt and a dousing of heavy rain, but some of the lakes and ponds are fishable.
I put the kayak racks back on the car a couple of weeks ago, and this weekend gave me an excuse to use them. I loaded up, and along with a friend of mine, went to a private lake to practice some early spring casting.
It started out slow, but picked up around noon. Tried a few different flies, but small green poppers were preferred.
Here are a few of our catches.
