Day four found me deciding to bring my dog with me fishing. This means knowing that I’m probably not going to catch much but I did want to scout and hike down some trout water. We spent several hours travelling a section of stream that I’ve passed but never fished. I chucked a streamer into several holes with nothing to show for it. The dog made staying on a single spot difficult for more than five minutes. 

I was hoping that after a while she would tire and allow me to get a few casts in but that wasn’t the case. Even with her bad leg she kept me going the entire time we were out. I took only a few pictures this day but I had a good time regardless. The stream looked in good shape but it had some damage from the flood that occurred two years back. Interesting how the snow melt made the dirt erode from the banks that had been cut by the flood waters. 

I’m just throwing this one out there for anyone thinking about getting a dog and happens to tie flies, get a German Shorthair. Liz and I started dating almost two years ago and right from the start she informed me that we (if we were to be) were going to have to live with the puppy she had coming once it was of age. I thought little of it at first and then she arrived, we named her Lily and I had no idea what I was in for. Honestly, I never thought I would like a dog let alone love one so much. She chewed through shoes, dug through the trash and went on the floor just like any other dog but for a hunting dog this ones the way to go. She is very loyal, smart as a whip, loving, fast and good for hunting pheasant.  Which if you tie flies and want to hunt pheasant this is an obvious match. Note: I’m not big on guns but Liz’s father and brothers have been hunting for years and as such there are three German Shorthair’s in the family. Abby, Bailey and Lily comprise the hunting trio. 

Abby is Liz’s fathers dog and Bailey is her brother’s. Bailey stays with us frequently and is Lily’s best friend. Unfortunately, Lily broke her leg a few months back and has been out of commission for anything other than leash walks. She shattered her back right leg jumping for a Frisbee and had to have surgery for an orthopedic bone plate to be installed. She is limping and walking now and could be back to normal by next spring if we are lucky. She won’t be playing with me in the snow this winter. 

This post was spurred by the fact that the guys took the dogs to the game farm and got quite a few pheasants and even one partridge which I have been looking to get my hands on for some soft hackle feathers. In great style the dogs and guys came back with quite a few which gave me the opportunity to learn how to clean a bird, and to fully skin and cure what is left. We skinned the partridge and took Borax (from the grocery store) and covered the skin side face up and any thing left on the pheasant tails as well. This should make for good fly tying.

So if your so inclined and need a companion I recommend a German Shorthair, alittle on the hyper side but very friendly, loving, protective and good at finding birds with feathers for your flies.