Fred Telleen

The 2” Montana Mini Intruder is perfect for flinging on two to four-weight trout spey rods. When you tie one, you can choose to run the hook either up or down on your wire. In the summer, I swing it fast and high through riffles and over buckets with the hook angled down. In cold water, I fish it slow and deep with the hook riding up, Clouser-style. This keeps bottom contact to a minimum and hook ups to the maximum.

House of Fly's Fred Telleen heads to Montana's Missouri River to test his favorite "grab zones." Unfortunately, the fish aren't there, forcing Telleen to change his tactics and his locations until he finally solves the puzzle. His methodology could help you on the water when your typical tactics fail.

The Trico, or "Trikes" as anglers often call them, are small mayflies that hatch prolifically between early July and early September, and may last as late as October. They are commonly referred to in angling circles as the "white winged curse.” The defining characteristics of freshly hatched duns are dark bodies with white wings. The curse portion of the equation is that they are tiny, typically represented by hook sizes ranging from #22 to #26. When I show anglers the flies we use to represent Tricos, they often get mad. "How can I even tie it on? I can’t see it."

The Clocks have completed their spring forward. Cold snaps are getting shorter. Chinook winds have carved away the ice and snow. Warm days are sprinkled into the coming weeks. It is ice out time again, and it’s hard to pass up the springtime urge to tangle with some large, hungry trout.

The Montana Intruder – a trout spey fly tying introduction and tutorial by Fred Telleen

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". -Albert Einstein.

Sharks on the fly rod. Crazy? Maybe. Fun? HELL YEAH.

Fred lets us know why Carp are elite.

When the weather heats up and it gets too hot for trout, anglers begin searching for warm water species such as the common carp. This is how you catch carp on a fly rod.

It is not always the best technique, but it’s not in my nature to put down the spey rod for long. Beyond effectiveness, it is an enjoyable style of fishing. It’s deliberate. It’s laid back. It’s showing a fly to the fish and giving them ample opportunity to eat it. If they like it, they will respond and when they eat, it’s a jolt on a tight line.

In fact, chances are they’ll ask if you are in possession of any bananas before you board their vessel. If you are, they will end up in the water or on the dock. The bananas will not come on board. They all have stories to back up why bananas on fishing boats or fishing trips are taboo. I’ve got lots of them myself.

Whatever you call them, blue-winged olives are an important part of a fly fisher’s yearly playbook.