Variation on the Shannon's Fly

On a visit to Lake Carlton, Rockwood-Morrison State Park in IL, I came up empty-handed when fishing... except when using the Shannon's Fly and a varient of this fly (pictured).  Bass love the Shannon's Fly but the bass and panfish were hitting the variation more heavily on this day when the temp was 92* and the water temp a mere 90 degrees.  The variation also sunk more readily than the original, which was a great benefit as the fish were not hanging in the shallows.

   For more information on this easy tie, please see the Fly Tying tab.

'Preview' of 1st Annual Trout & Morel Hunt in NE IA

   Camping, fly fishing, beautiful scenery, and friends... how could it get any better?  Finding & cooking morels over a campfire on the same trip is what comes to my mind!
   Today, a friend and I spend a few hours in woods in Rock Island county.  We came away with 8 small morels.  This year, it didn't prove foolish to hunt for the fungi on April Fools Day.  My mom is getting a tasty addition to today's birthday celebration! 
   Whether we hunt for morels at home and transport them or -better yet- if we hunt and land trout and morels in NE Iowa, I'm looking forward to a  great weekend in the Driftless Area.  Sometime between mid-April and mid-May a four-some will meet.  Tents will be pitched, water waded, & the woods enjoyed.  One can't quite predict when peak morel season will occur, but we hope to be part of it.  If not, I'm certain we will enjoy a few of those 365 days/year of open trout season in NE Iowa.