Tying One On

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DONNA STACKHOUSE

Jeff Sheldon Shares His “Trout Candy”

BY MIKE MCKENNA

Jeff Sheldon’s fishing buddies call him “Jefe.” The Spanish version of his name also translates as the “boss” or the “big man.”

After examining some of Jeff’s hand-tied flies, you can see why his buddies chose the nickname, especially since he’s always giving them some of his “trout candy.” Jeff’s unique flies flat-out work on the high-mountain lakes and streams he loves to fish, so his friends are always happy to cast them.

“I’d like to think I’m the man,” Jeff joked from his home in Mc- Call, “but I’m really just a flatlander gone good.”

Jeff was born in Kansas and discovered his passion for angling while casting for bass and sunfish in the Sunflower State when he was a kid. In 1977, he moved to southern Idaho and really got into fly fishing. Jeff moved to McCall in 1982 where he met his wife, Toni, and he’s been chasing trout all over Idaho’s high country ever since.

“My secret passion is hiking and fly fishing in the high-mountain lakes,” says Jeff, who retired in 2010 after a career teaching elementary and middle school. Jeff also likes to mountain bike and often works that into his fishing adventures.

“I get to fish more than I have a right to,” Jeff comments, adding, “My wife is very forgiving.”

All this fishing not only means that Jeff goes through a lot of flies, it also means that he spends lots of time studying what trout like to eat, from the big terrestrials to the small aquatic insects. So “Jefe” took to tying his own flies many moons ago and has now pretty much perfected a half-dozen flies.

We asked “Jefe” to share some of his favorite “trout candy,” as he calls the flies. His six-pack of flies for high-mountain fisheries includes: Beetle, Caddis, Damselfly, Griffith’s Gnat, Mayfly, and Red Ant.

Beetle

Beetles are somewhat simple flies that are often overlooked as an option, but Jeff says they shouldn’t be. “When the afternoon winds pick up in the mountains they push insects into the water and the fish take notice. Terrestrials like beetles are a big part of a trout’s diet in the warmer months,” Jeff says. “I didn’t have a lot of luck with other people’s beetles so I created a pattern that really works for me. I’m proud of this one. It’s become one of my go-to patterns.”

Caddis

“Trout love caddis, which is why patterns like the Elk Hair are so popular,” Jeff says, explaining that the key to a good caddis fly is its ability to float. He uses a tent wing that looks like a “pup tent” to keep it buoyant. “You skate it across the surface and there’s a big splash and it’s gone.”

Damselfly

Damselflies, like their larger cousin the dragonfly, are some of the most striking insects out there. They are not easy to tie or fish, but when the trout key into one of them, there’s nothing like it. “Trout will literally jump completely out of the water or even up onto a log to grab one and then slide back in the water. All of my fishing buddies have seen it happen,” Jeff says.

Griffith’s Gnat

Griffith’s Gnats are usually thought of as a winter fly, but Jeff loves to use them when hunting cutthroats in moving water, especially if it’s a little windy. As he advises, “Give it a shot. It just might work for you.”

Mayfly

“Mayflies are the most famous dry flies there are. They are just a beautiful, amazing aquatic insect,” Jeff says, pointing out that size is usually more important than color.

Red Ant

“If I had to choose one pattern for the summer season it would be the red ant,” Jeff explains. “All through the summer, red ants are hatching and getting blown onto the water and the fish go crazy for them.”

By all accounts, trout go crazy for any of the flies that “Jefe” ties for himself and his friends. His advice for aspiring fly tiers is simply to be creative and have fun with it.