Wisconsin Annual Pilgrimage

It's been a while since I did a blog post.  I have been a huge slacker.  Things have been busy with life in general but I promise to make an effort at keeping Keystone Predator Flyfishing updated.

Phil Smeal and myself made the annual pilgrimage to Wisconsin to fish with Brad Bohen.  We caught tons of fish and had a hell of a trip.  We ended up boating 8 musky, 2 pike, and a walleye in 3 days.  Most of the musky were smaller around 30" but did get a couple bigger ones.  One of the musky caught was my new personal best musky (46-47") that ate a figure 8 at the boat.  I actually stole this fish from Phil because it followed his fly to the boat and then I snaked it.....sorry Phil.  Actually no I'm not lol.

While out there we also competed in the Musky Flyfishing World Championships.  We had high hopes going in but after the 2 day tournament Team Keystone Predator ended up taking 1st place in the team championship.  We landed 6 fish but 3 were under 32".  Our scoring fish were 32, 36, and 40 inches.

Brad, Phil, and I

Getcha Some

Penny Sue

Nice Wisconsin Pike

This one got the grease!!!

Nice low 40's fish

My Personal Best

Look at that mug

My smile says it all

The release

Battle Scar

36" fish from World Championships

40" and Phil's personal best

Grrrr

32" from World Championships

Scrappy Fella

Just a little guy........Just as hungry

Blowing the Musky Warhorn calling to the Musky Gods

Phil and I after winning

MORE EXCITING NEWS!!!!!!!!

A lot of good news has come my way in the last couple of months with being published and becoming a licensed guide but the best news of all is I got engaged.  Jess and I went to North Carolina to do some backpacking and camping and I popped the question.  It was quite the trip. Really excited and can't wait to start the rest of  my life with her.

Officially a Licensed PA Fishing Guide

It has been a goal of mine for a few years now to be able to get paid to do the thing I love to do the most.....fishing.  Well I took the plunge and got my PA guide license.  The name of the business will be Keystone Predator Outfitters and will specialize in flyfishing for pike and musky on the waters of Pennsylvania.   Hopefully soon there will be a website up but for now here is the information.  Get a hold of me if you are interested.

Rates:
$375 full day drift boat trip
$200 1/2 day drift boat trip
$300 full day walk in wade trip
$150 1/2 day walk in wade trip
*drift boat trips for 1 or 2 anglers
*wade trips for 1 angler

Full day includes at least 8 hours on the water & lunch
Half day includes at least 4 hours on the water


Contact info:
Todd Deluccia
814-592-1080
keystonepredator@yahoo.com

Article Published in Mid Atlantic Flyfishing Guide

Was asked to last year to do a piece on predator flyfishing for the Mid Atlantic Flyfishing Guide.  I must have done a good job because I was asked for 2nd piece that was just published.  I am honored to be able to do this and have my name on the cover with names such as Ed Jaworski, Lefty Kreh, and Bob Clouser.

September 2013 Article

May 2014 Article

PAFF Museum

I was asked to tie at the 2nd annual open house for the Pennsylvania Flyfishing Museum and the hair was flying. I think I had bucktail all over that entire museum lol.  I was the only guy there really tying big meat but thats why I was asked.  If you haven't been to the museum in Boiling Springs check it out it is very cool.  PA has a rich heritage in flyfishing.  Here is some of the stuff I tied this weekend.

PA Flyfishing Museum Open House

2014 PENNSYLVANIA FLY FISHING MUSEUM EVENTS

2ND Annual Open House

Friday April 4TH and Saturday April 5TH / 10AM to 5PM

Vendors and Craftsmen / Fly Tiers, Artists, Bamboo Rod builders, Net Makers,

Featuring The Colonial Angler.

This Event Will Be Held In The PFFMA Museum

No Charge for this event, refreshments complements of the Allenberry Resort

I have been asked to tie predator flies at this event. Should be a good time.  Hope to see you all there.

Big Things Coming!!!!

Some big things are coming here at Keystone Predator so stay tuned.  In the meantime check out the new logo Jess designed for me. 

Flytying Secret

While getting my boat ready for this weekends musky float which involved removing 10 inches of snow and about 6" of ice because I was too stupid to cover my boat before the last big storm we had, I realized water had got into the shaft of my oars and when the water froze broke the end of the blade off of both oars.  A new pair will be purchased but this obviously left me no time to have functioning oars for this Sunday.  You are probably asking yourself "What the hell does this have to do with flytying secrets?". Well here it is. Superglue and borax.  For those of  you that don't know when superglue and borax are mixed it instantly has a chemical reaction that hardens on contact.  Not only does it harden on contact but it is as hard as concrete.  I learned this from a friend of mine that is a taxidermist.  I have been using this trick for various flytying activities.  I use it to mount custom carved taxidermy foam  heads onto hooks for topwater predator flies but it has numerous uses both in flytying and around the house.  I am putting this fix to the test this weekend by fixing my Sawyers.  Now that I have fixed them I have beat these things off of the floor and even twisted them as hard as I could and couldn't get them to break again.  Hopefully this will do the trick.  Hell I might not even need new blades now.

Borax and Superglue

I sprinkled Borax on the end of broken blade

Put some super glue on the other end and stick together.
I then added some more externally on the blades to reinforce

Color it with black Sharpie

Finished product good as new

Topwater fly using same process

Fishing Funnies!!!!

Thought I would post some funnies that I have seen lately.  

This will start the Meme of the Week now.  Enjoy.