Proven Patterns

Tube Flies 101

2012-01-18T10:57:00.000-05:00

I've been addicted to tube flies lately and here's why...

You can tie flies as big as you want, and the hook (generally short shanked and wide gaped) remains constant. I believe this makes a big difference with large fish. Last season I had too many fish pop off due to large shanked streamer hooks, and the forces heavy rolling fish can put on them. Using almost exclusively tube flies this year my landing ratio of these huge lake run fish has increased dramatically.

Another bonus of using tubes is they can be done on the cheap. Can you spend tons of money on a fancy tube vise, metal pre-shaped tubes, and oversized cones? Sure can, but you don't have to. Below are steps to make my tube starter kit that can be used with any fly tying vise, and directions to tie a basic fly, enjoy!

As always feel free to click the photos to get a larger view to help with your tying, but do not use any of the photos without my written permission.

Step 1: Go to the craft store and buy large embroidery needles check my pack above for good sizes (around $2.00 - $4.00 for a mixed pack). Then your local fly shop for HMH rigid plastic tubes size Small (around $4.00).

Step 2: A little prep work here, first find the right size needle for the tubes (all sizes of plastic tubes are covered by the variety pack of needles). Wrap the eye in a tapered fashion with 8/0 thread, and seal with superglue. Let it dry.

Step 3: Close up here, trick is to go very light with the thread, one trip down and back does the trick as long as your initial needle size is correct.

Step 4: Cut plastic tube to desired length, melt the rear section slightly, and push tube on the needle. Make sure it goes onto the thread (you'll feel the click of each wrap), the goal here being it will not spin when you tie. You can use your tying desk for leverage to push the tube on, but do not put the tube on too tight or it will be almost impossible to get off.

Step 5: Start flash (or comparable body material) near the head and work it back. Do the same with the wire rib. Try and keep the thread underbody smooth. Add weighted wraps to the body prior to all this if you'd like.

Step 6: Wrap the flash forward, and counter rib the wire. You can add some superglue or UV epoxy here to really lock down the body. Remember these flies (potentially) can last much longer then traditionally tied hook flies.

Step 7: Add eyes, and a collar of hackle behind the eyes. Make sure you leave room for a head, and additional room to melt the tube back to the head. Check the picture for appropriate left over space.

Step 8: Prepare a barred feather of your choice. Most of the time I use Mallard Flank because it's cheap, there are however, many options out there. Teal, Guinea, and Gadwall are other great choices.

Step 9: Tie in by the tip, trim, and wrap the barred collar.

Step 10: Add a wing. In this case I used Arctic Fox, but you can substitute other materials here. Rabbit strip, marabou, and all of the synthetic streamer fibers will work too.

Step 11: Add a couple strands of flash if desired, and finish off the head. Push the tube off the needle (again you can use your tying desk for leverage to pop it off the needle), and melt the head back with a lighter (do this slowly with the flame away from the tube, as over-melting can be big trouble). That's it!

Next post I will show you some other tube flies that have worked well for me this year and why (in theory) they have worked, and I'll also lay down the basics of rigging them up. Thanks for reading!

Homemade Tube Fly Box

2011-11-09T08:29:00.000-05:00

This past summer I attended Spey Nation, and one of the raffle prizes there was a tube fly box that caught my eye. I sat on the idea all summer, researched some other successful designs out there, and finally this fall I made my own. I tweaked the design a bit, and made it with materials I had laying around. By making it myself I could customize it, and it was crazy cheap which I like when it comes to fly storage. Total cost is somewhere in the neighborhood of FREE to $12 depending on what you have laying around.

Here are the materials and steps...

Step 1: Get some wire (I found 20 gauge galvanized steel wire to be perfect for small and large diameter tubes). Cut as many lengths as you would like to go in the box. Make them around 4 inches long, as this is the easiest size to work with, without wasting too much wire in the end.

Step 2: Get an old fly box (I found the cheap plastic shop boxes to be the best). Rip out the foam, and measure the width. Cut the wooden dowels to fit snug (see pics below for a better idea).

Step 3: Wrap the wire around the dowel (2 to 3 turns is fine). Depending on the size of your flies add as many wire sections you would like. My boxes (which are streamer sized) have 10 per dowel.

Step 4: Put the dowel in the box. Trim the wires to length (or not... it doesn't really matter), also consider filing down the ends of the wire so they are not so sharp. The slight bends in the wire is what holds the tubes securely. The larger diameter tubes may require larger bends in the wire.

Step 5: Depending on your initial dowel cut you may need to glue/epoxy them in. Putting them in without glue is ideal as you can adjust them later, add more, and change configurations. Here's my setup (specifically for BIG tubes), but you could arrange it differently... 3 rows all going the same direction come to mind for smaller sized tubes.

Step 6: Make more! Here's another box of mine I made from an old plastic fly shop box. You can see the wires rotate up making it simple to grab a fly or put one away.

Here's the finished product from above. It is made from an old plastic lure box.

If you tie tubes, or are thinking of starting to tie them, give this box idea a try!

Vagabond Fly Box Project

2011-10-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year a couple guys via facebook created the Vagabond Fly Box Project. It's a creative idea that I immediately took an interest to, essentially a couple high quality box of flies traveling around the world and getting fished. The only requirement was to report on the box after you fished it with a few photos, sign it, replace any lost flies, and eventually send it away.

I was lucky enough to have a box land in my mailbox and it was a beauty.

The boxes origin was the western US and the flies were tied by Terry Edelmann, but I was getting it all the way from Germany! The box was filled with swing flies for salmon and steelhead, however it's arrival was a bit early for our Great Lakes tributary season. I had to swim these flies before I shipped them off, so I hung on to them for a couple weeks, and eventually the fish began to arrive.

Here's first light on the first confident morning of the season.

The fishing was slow as early season is expected to be, however the river was void of fisherman and popping with fall colors.

My friend started the day off hooking and landing a beautiful steelhead.

I tried a few of the flies in the Vagabond Box, but was particularly drawn to this purple tube fly. Look at it swim!

After a long morning on the water, without a bump or tug of any kind, I finally hooked and landed my first steelhead of the season. Unfortunately it was not on one of the flies in the box, however, it was a tube fly I tied the night before inspired by those incredible flies that showed up in my mailbox one day.

Canvas Print Giveaway

2011-09-15T11:35:00.002-04:00

I was contacted recently by Easy Canvas Prints with an opportunity to review their product. I agreed, uploaded one of my latest macro jpegs, chose the size, wrap thickness and style, and there it was on my front porch a few days later.

Like the website name suggests it is easy to get your own wrapped canvas print, and it turned out great! Ordering, pricing, and sizing are all very clear. There's also a nice graphic that shows what your print size will look like in a typical room. You can use your own image, or order one of their stock images, and it comes ready to hang. If you're looking for a canvas print of your own check out Easy Canvas Prints today with the following link...

Photos to Canvas

As a thanks to my readers I'm going to give this Canvas Print away!

If you'd like a shot at getting this 16" X 20" Canvas Print just drop a comment below and I'll pick a winner at random on Oct. 1st.

Craft Fur Mouse

2011-08-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

This is a quick and easy mouse pattern, give it a try!

Material 1: A Craft Fur dubbing brush. Prepared earlier and in bulk if you're looking to save time. I spin up craft fur dubbing brushes in a few colors but mostly white, and in two sizes. Since they are built with wire they stay together and are ready to tie on when you need them!

Materials 2 and 3: Foam cut like the photo above, and a rabbit or squirrel strip (I prefer squirrel).

Ok if you want instructions on building the craft fur dubbing brush you can comment below and I'll post step-by-step pics on how I do mine... or you can check this link for Nick Granato's method (scroll down to the bottom). Looking at Nick's instructions is how I learned, I just tweaked it a bit.

Remember, you'll most likely use these flies at night so don't get caught up in minor details like how neat it's tied, and how pretty it looks.

Now lets tie a rodent...

Step 1: Tie in the squirrel tail.

Step 2: Tie in the foam at the back. I use a single strip of foam for #6-10, and a double strip for anything bigger.

Step 3: Tie in pre-made craft fur dubbing brush in the back.

Step 4: Wrap the brush forward, pinching the fur back each wrap. Leave a generous gap between the last wrap and the eye.

Step 5: Fluff out the fur and tie all the fibers back away from the eye.

Step 6: Fold the foam over the top gurgler style, making sure the craft fur gets worked down and back towards the hook. You can dub a little at the head to post the foam flaps up a bit.

Step 7: Whip finish and superglue the head.

Step 8: Trim the fur flush exposing the hook. Also trim the sides a bit giving it that mouse looking taper.

Step 9: (optional) Color the fur to match the foam and tail strip. Any permanent marker will work fine on craft fur. Remember it's going to be dark so don't go too crazy.

That's it! Here's the fly after taking a swim. Note the craft fur soaks up the water allowing this fly to float low in the film with just the 'head' sticking out. It also splats loudly with all that absorbed water.

Here's the top view after the swim.

Mousing is new to me, but I can tell you in my limited experience this fly catches fish, and it floats all night long. It's also easy to tie, and a nice base for extra bells and whistles if you'd like, perhaps rubber legs, stinger hooks, articulated, etc... Have fun and wade carefully.

Medallion Wing Trico Spinner

2011-07-26T23:07:00.000-04:00

After an almost hatch-less Spring the tricos have come to save the season, and the trout are looking up! This has got me back to the bench tying dries again so I thought I would throw up a post. Below I have step by step instructions for an easy and effective male trico spinner pattern. Feel free to click the pictures for a better look but please do not use any of my images without my permission.

Tricos as far as the eye can see...

And here's a close-up of what I'm trying to imitate...

Ok here we go...

Step 1: Get a #20-26 2xs curved shank hook (I usually stick with 22 and 24). Start the thread in the thorax so you don't bulk up the body. Use the smallest thread you have, something smaller than 8/0 is ideal.

Step 2: Tie in 3 synthetic tail fibers, around 2 to 3 times the length body. Work the thread down and back only tying them in straight, do not X wrap and split the tail as this bulks up the body.

Step 3: Cut a piece of clear medallion sheeting and twist it like a bow tie. Then X wrap it into place.

Step 4: Dub up some black superfine. Keep it kind of loose this will create a bulkier/leggier thorax without the bulk or the addition of hackle legs.

Step 5: X wrap the dubbing. Check the underside to make sure it looks good. You can trim it up if it's too bushy.

Step 6: Whip finish and superglue the knot. Also split the tail fibers with your thumb nail and superglue the back part of the body where the tail comes in (make sure you use the brush-on kind of superglue), this will keep the tails splayed.

Step 7: Trim the medallion wings to shape. I trim mine slightly smaller. They will catch fish and cast with less tippet twisting with smaller wings. This doesn't mean the wings can't twist the leader, so be mindful of this on the river. My tip to avoid leader twists is to eliminate false casting, and/or mash up the wings a bit before the first cast.

Here's the side view. Note the flush look and that loose superfine looking a bit like legs.

This isn't my only trico pattern, but it is one of the best. It's easy to tie too so I don't mind when I snap a few off in the bushes. I hope you are fortunate enough to enjoy a good trico spinner fall where you live, if so try this little pattern out and let me know how it goes. I've posted a few photos of my latest trico trips on my flickr page, check em out if you'd like.

Bass Popper Tutorial

2011-06-22T22:37:00.001-04:00

It's been a crappy spring for dry fly trout fishing. I've been struggling to find a reliable hatch and rising trout for two months now, minus a couple 30 minute spinner fall sessions. Instead of the typical mayfly hatch-matching tying frenzy I get into this time of year I've moved on to bass.

Poppers are awesome to fish and equally awesome to tie. There are many ways to create these things, even kits that come complete with hooks and shaped foam. This year I tried a new (to me) technique when I found some cheap cork at a local craft store. I made a few, caught some fish, and now I'll share how I did it. You can click on the photos for a better look, and feel free to leave a comment with any questions about this fly.

Step 1: Start with the corks and a razor knife. Make sure it's a fresh blade. (kids should ask an adult for help!)

Step 2: Cut a channel out of the cork carefully. Cut away from the fingers with firm even pressure towards the table.

Here's a detailed look at the channel... try and make it look like a V if you can.

Step 3: Get a hook with a wide gap and tie some thread where the popper's gonna go. Make the thread kind of sloppy and the glue will stick better.

Step 4: Apply a little super glue on the thread, and in the channel of the cork. Don't use too much or it will take too long to dry.

Step 5: Wedge the cork on there. If you got the cash or the time you can UV or epoxy the channel.

Step 6: Let the glue dry. If you do multiple poppers at once the first one should be dry by the time you get the rest done.

Step 7: Get a bodkin to make a hole for the front legs.

Step 8: Poke the bodkin through (kids again should ask for help here) making sure you are perpendicular to the hook, level, and not gonna stab your hand on the other side.

Step 9: Get some permanent markers, colors are up to you! You could paint it too, but markers are cheap and dry really fast.

Step 10: Color that thing up, pretend it's a frog or just make it crazy.

Step 11: Add some eyes if you'd like.

Step 12: Grab a threader and pick out some rubber legs.

Step 13: Pull the legs through.

Here's a detailed look of the legs.

Step 14: Get some clear coat.

Step 15: Make it shine! Special Note: If the marker isn't completely dry the colors will blend a little (I like that), however some of the marker color will come off on the clear coat brush then back in the bottle (that's not that great). You could drip a little on and apply it with a bodkin to avoid that.

Step 16: Add some legs however, and with whatever, you want. You can do this while the clear coat is still a little tacky just be careful. You can add another clear coat layer if you'd like once your done.

Step 17: Go fishing and enjoy!

Korkers Fisherman's Moc Review

2011-06-07T15:11:00.001-04:00

At the start of this year Korkers revealed their new product line, and one shoe caught my eye right away. The Fisherman's Moc was exactly what I was looking for, a comfortable shoe you can wear to and from the river, around the campsite, or at the local bluegill pond. I bought a pair and have been wearing them around enough now to give a review with some pretty cool pics. Check them out...

These shoes were designed to give your feet a rest after a long day of wading, and they do a great job at it. My favorite part of the shoe is the heel and how it folds down so you can slip them on like slippers right out of your waders, and they are comfortable to wear around like that too.

The tread is Korkers Kling-On sticky rubber and it performs nicely when you're scrambling along a stream bank. However the sticky rubber treads will inevitably wear out, and it's my guess the upper will outlive the sole. If they update this shoe in the future I would like to see them put on the omnitrax sole system, or even a fixed hard rubber sole. I will say after 3 months of regular use the tread is holding up nicely, but I haven't really put a beating on them like I want to.

The sizing length is accurate, however they are a little on the wide side so be aware if you have skinny feet. The Fisherman's Moc are not for everyone (hence the name), but I love mine and I'm wearing them a lot more then I thought I would... they are just that comfortable! If you would like to see more info, or get a pair here's the link you need.

Hendrickson Flies

2011-04-16T13:26:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again, and not a moment too soon. The Great Lake tributaries are wearing me out, the people not the fish... but I'll spare you the ranting, and move straight to the flies I use for the first hatch of the season, the Hendricksons! SIDE NOTE: All the flies shown below are tied small and sparse for clear and flat water as that is my favorite kind of water to fish. If you fish broken water these patterns will still work, just tie them a bit more bulky with a few extra turns of hackle. Also the flies are all patterns of male Hendricksons to save time and space. If you want females just tie the same patterns with different colors. Finally, PLEASE feel free to CLICK on the PHOTOS for a detailed look at the patterns, but do not use any of my photographs without my written permission.

The above photo is of a stuck n the shuck male Hendrickson. One of my favorite bug finds of last season. This will be it for bug photos though, as this blog post is all about flies from here on out. If you are looking for Hendrickson bug photos to tie from, click here.

Lets start with the nymph. This is my new Hendrickson nymph for the upcoming season. Brown glass bead, brown hen hackle, and a black and brown dubbing mix. I don't think the fish get picky here, usually they are so hungry at this point in the year they'll eat any nymph that is dark in color and between #16 and #12.

Next up is an emerger. Grey foam, brown hackle, rusty brown superfine, and a nymph colored shuck. This is a knock off of a local guide's pattern, sorry I don't know the guide or the shop it came from... I was given a fly like this for the sulphur hatch last year, and I modified the colors and size for Hendricksons. It works so give it whirl.

Here's a Dark Hendrickson Dun knock off. Only real difference is the rusty brown underbody, and the dun snowshoe wing.

Another Hendrickson Dun pattern. It's a goose biot, medallion wing, parachute version of a male Hendrickson dun. This will catch when fish are picky.

Here is the spinner pattern... for that epic Hendrickson spinner fall. This is a modified version of Shane Stalcup's medallion spinner pattern. Turkey biot body, and swiss straw wing. Casting this fly is tricky but worth the effort when you figure it out... tie and fish this you will not be disappointed.

Last but not least a standard wet fly. Brown Hen Hackle for the collar, and a dubbing mix that goes from dark dun to rusty brown. Tie this on solo if you like swinging, or you can use this as a dropper when times get tough.

Looks like we have a week or two before the first bugs pop off in my part of the world, and it's time for me to tie up some new flies to test out! A few weeks in I'll get another post up with some new bug photos.

Midge Follow Up

2011-03-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

I thought I would write a quick follow up to my last post about small flies. I hit our local midge hot spot, did some detailed photographing of the little bugs, and a little dry flying! I fished a few of the patterns from the previous post, and did particularly well with this one...

I avoided the bobber, and stuck with the dries, and with some patience and a little luck I found some willing risers. Below is my first dry fly fish of the year!

Once the fish stopped rising (I'd like to think I caught them all) I focused on some extreme midge macro photography.

The black midge that were pretty much everywhere, were the typical early season #22 and #24's. They will slowly shrink as the weather warms. For now though, these 'large' midge make for some fun fishing, and photography.

Here's a nice close up of the black midge. Notice the tapered and segmented body, pronounced legs, and small wing size. I hope this photo helps you tie better midge flies! My next post will switch gears completely and discuss big streamers for swinging, as our Spring Great Lake Trib season is starting to heat up...

New Small Flies

2011-02-25T16:06:00.001-05:00

It's been a long time since I've posted some small flies on here. I got a little package recently that inspired me to get cranking at the vise... TMC 16/0 thread, and TMC 518 #32 and #30.

First off, are some generic adult midge patterns assorted from #26 to #32. All the flies below are in that range as well. I threw in a #22 blk CDC midge emerger in this first picture for scale.

And now on to some of the new creations...

Blk x-sm wire rib, tied shaggy.

Brown Micro Tubing, pink thorax blk BH.

Not a midge but had to toss it in here... BWO emerger #26. Partridge aftershaft, thread tail.

BWO emerger sparse.

BWO mature nymph.

Brwn/white softhackle midge.

Blk/white softhackle midge.

Circus midge pupa.

Green Butt Skunk Midge

Thanks for checking out my new patterns... If you have any questions on materials, or tying instructions please feel free to leave a comment.

Guys, Flies, & Pies 2011 Photos

2011-02-23T08:53:00.000-05:00

Had a great time at GFP 2011! Below are some shots of the event...

Great to see a few kids at the event this year.

The big raffle item.

Me doing a tying demo. (photo by Jessie Hollenbeck)

A nice turn out this year.

Crazy box of streamers in the raffle got my attention.

Brian Bradfield doing a tying demo.

Guys, Flies, & Pies

2011-02-07T15:10:00.001-05:00

On February 19th there will be a fly tying event in Rochester, NY! I'll be there, and I'm scheduled to do a little tying demo. If you live in the Western NY area and are interested in fly tying (even a little) make sure you swing by. It's a great place to meet some local fly tyers, share some patterns, and eat pizza. As a bonus the raffle prizes are awesome this year! To see more info about the event check out their website.

Winter Spey Flies and Methods

2011-01-27T11:16:00.001-05:00

This winter I decided to pursue traditional spey flies and their methods. I made this decision because our local Great Lake tributaries are finally void of crowds, and I've never stuck to the swing in the winter before. Below are 5 ways to keep you tying and fishing all winter.

1) Try it. Don't be afraid of a slow day. So far my friends and I have not been skunked this winter fishing in every possible weather condition and temperature. Stick with the swing and you will be rewarded! You may not hook as many as you could on an egg/nymph, however, you will cover more water and increase your chances of finding a fish that is really hungry!

2) When the temps have been in the 20's and 30's fish will take medium sized flies in the 1 to 2" range. Best methods are a low and slow swing in medium current... and don't forget to strip slowly through the side slack waters!

3) When the temps are in the Zero to Teen range (which usually coincides with low water flows) use small and sparse patterns. Old school traditional spey flies work, just stay confident and keep the flies low in the water column and with the slowest possible swing.

4) When temps are warmer high 30's and 40's, tie on the big stuff! Still try to keep the swing slow but don't be afraid to give them a real meal. The slightest warm up can really turn the bite on. Don't forget you can tie spey flies on any hooks, I use 'cheap' bronze finished straight eye streamer hooks, and they still catch fish!

5) Introduce a new person into the world of tying and fishing (especially kids)!

Want to see some more... Check out some of my photos from the last few weeks of winter fly fishing.

Korkers Chrome Review

2011-01-21T00:04:00.000-05:00

I rarely post gear reviews here, but you need to hear about these boots if you haven't already. The new Korkers Chrome wading boots recently became available, and I've had enough wades in mine to give appropriate praise. Check em out...

I have fished the Korkers Guide boots for a year now, and until the Chrome came along I thought these were the best boots hands down. The Guides are still a great a boot don't get me wrong, I would even say they're the 2nd best boot on the market. If you're on a budget and need boots you can find the Guide's on clearance. If you want the best, get the Chrome. Here's why...

The new Interchangeable Sole System (OmniTrax® 3.0) is what you've always wanted Korkers to do. The soles are actually easy to change, and they cover the whole bottom of the boot... perfect! The new BOA lacing system is much faster then the old style on the Guides and it's much smoother. The ankle support has also been beefed up, fabric feels durable, better drainage, and they still managed to put out a light weight boot!

You will love the Chrome boots for many reasons. I love mine for how fast they get me out of my frozen waders and into my warmed up car...

Check out Korkers website, or visit a local dealer and try them yourself.

SC Salt Trip

2011-01-11T11:32:00.000-05:00

Beadchain Mudminnow.

First off thanks for all the replies and comments on Redfish patterns, it was very interesting to research and tie for a new species. For the few weeks leading up to the trip I got to the vise and created a few patterns...

Dark and Sparse Mudminnow.

Dark beadchain sand crab.

I met up with Mike Benson shortly after sunrise outside of Charleston, SC, and we fished hard almost all day. The trip was a blast filled with countless new scenes to take in and attempt to photograph. Below are a few shots from the day. Special thanks to William Joseph for the gear, and Mike for the trip!

Mike on the platform looking for Reds.

Quick casting demo... humbling to say the least.

Frozen deck to start!

Local wildlife, fellow fisherman.

Sad to end such a great day, and I can't thank Mike enough!

Redfish Flies?

2010-12-07T17:23:00.001-05:00

I'm heading down south in a few weeks to spend Christmas with my wife's family. While I'm down there I will also be traveling to the coast to fish with fellow William Joseph ambassador, and The Fiberglass Manifesto creator Cameron Mortenson.

Fishing saltwater has been a dream of mine ever since I began the sport, so as you may have guessed I'm pretty excited. I have had limited experience with saltwater tying however, so I'm looking for some advice on patterns. Have any of you fished for Redfish before? If so... what flies worked the best for you? Specific pattern names, pics, and links will be greatly appreciated.

Photo courtesy of Tim Romano. Check out some other great Redfish Pics of his.

It's not that I'm above buying flies and supporting the local shop when I get down there, but I really enjoy tying new patterns for new fish. I have found that a great way to improve your tying (even improve your old standbys) is to create something completely different. I've also learned that bringing a few extra flies for your friends goes a long way!

Hopefully I'll get another post up in a week or two with some of my creations, and in the end I will most likely tie what I always tie... proven patterns that are easy/fun to create! I'll also post the full story when I return. Thanks for the help and reading my blog.

Tying With Friends and Family

2010-12-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

Lake run fishing has been exceptional lately and I've been fishing more then tying. The weather is quickly turning however, so I've found a little more time at the vise. Recently I've found inspiration and motivation from tying with my daughter, and a couple of my fishing friends. It has gotten to the point that I needed to build an addition on my desk!

My daughter has been tying around twice a week for a little over a half hour each session. She has been tying her typical 'streamers' which consist of anything and everything that looks interesting. Her technique has developed though, and I believe any day now she will start tying actual patterns.

Lately I've been tying marabou spey flies, in hopes of intriguing the local post spawn lake run browns.

Remember this off season to invite your family and friends to join you at the vise and tie a few flies!

Stonefly Nymph 3.0

2010-10-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

If you have followed my blog at all you may remember my obsession with tying a stonefly that is easy enough to take to the tribs. This season I have created, used, and had success with a new stonefly pattern... and you can see that blog post here. That fly worked, but after I lost 2 or 3 in one trip I was more heart broken than I planned. The fact is they still took too long at the vise. When I sat down to replenish the stash, I changed the pattern yet again...

Hot Bead Easy Stone

Same tail (stretch magic .5mm), and body (black med tubing)... but different legs, wing case, and thorax. This new version is a breeze. Basically it is black dubbing, with a pinch of peacock ice dub, and a black hackle collar. I tied versions with black bead head, thread head, and a hot bead head... and all versions worked.

Easy Stone (wet)

I caught fish by dead drifting the fly, and it also brought strikes on a wet fly swing. The steelhead couldn't get enough, and when I lost a few it didn't hurt so bad. Give them a try this lake run season, or try them anywhere fish eat stoneflies!

Flies for Kings

2010-10-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

If you are fortunate enough to live near a body of water that contains King Salmon I would suggest you go try to catch them... Hooking, fighting, and landing these massive fish is an adventure you will not forget.

The flies I use for Kings are very simple. Large wooly buggers in assorted colors do the trick, I personally like pink, red, purple, and chartreuse. If you want a high chance of Kings actually taking the fly (as opposed to sight fishing aka lining) stay off the gravel and stick to deeper pools and runs where the fish can't see you, and you can't see them. Drifting along the bottom, or swinging will elicit fair strikes, and a fight you will not forget!

King salmon fights usually take a great amount of effort for the angler and the fish. Even though these fish are destined for death, handle and revive them properly so they have a chance of spawning. Using a net will avoid the fish from damaging flops on the shore, and it will also allow you to keep the fish in the water. A lengthy revival may be needed, so take your time and make sure the fish can swim away with full strength.

My Favorite Midge

2010-10-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

Midge flies are my favorite to tie and fish... photographing them is another story. Below you will find a few photos and tying tips for these micro bugs.

Adult Cream Midge #24

Adult Black Midge #22 with #22 Basic Midge Adult

Adult Black Midge #22 with #22 KF Emerger

As winter quickly approaches and hatches fade away do not forget about the midge! If you are lucky enough to live near a spring creek or healthy tailwater you may be able to fish these little bugs all year around.

When tying midge flies I can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep the body slim and the rest of the materials sparse. Buy the smallest thread diameter you can tie with and not break, and then go a size smaller, and learn how to tie with that. Make every wrap count, and if you find yourself building up the body too much, start over. Notice the last photo above and the body size difference... my flies even need a little slimming down!

Whatever you do, don't be afraid of these little flies. You CAN learn to tie them (and tie them on your tippet), and with a little practice you will find they are even easier to tie then the big dry flies. Best of all big fish enjoy feasting on these bugs, and with practice the hooks will hold them on.

PT for the Tribs

2010-09-21T10:05:00.000-04:00

Last year I was blessed with an insanely large supply of pheasant tails. Before this surplus of feathers, I conserved my PT feathers, and tied only #18 - #24 nymphs making sure never to waste one fiber. Now I've moved onto tying larger nymphs, and tying them in bulk quantities. I sampled a few patterns last season on our great lakes tributaries, and found some sizes and colors that worked particularly well for the big brown trout. Below are this years prototypes ready for action.

A close-up of the Pheasant Tail.

Extreme close-up!

Trib BH PT.

Trib BH PT hot spot.

These nymphs are tied in the round, and are very quick to assemble. If you would like specific tying instructions just shoot me a line.

Articulated Double Bunny

2010-09-17T09:43:00.002-04:00

I tied up the classic double bunny streamer a long time ago and tried it out, see post here. It was ok, but I knew I could make it more effective. I have tied and tested this articulated version over the last 4 months working out the kinks so you don't have to. This fly is durable, relatively easy to tie, and I have caught many different species of fish with it... all larger than average. It can be a time consuming pattern, however in my eyes it's worth it! Below are the step-by-step tying instructions with pictures for one of my favorite streamer patterns. Enjoy.

Step 1: Cut strips (4 for each fly) and insert hook through the back. Repeat this process with as many flies as you plan on tying to save time.

Step 2: Start thread anywhere make a base (quickly, sloppy is ok) and leave thread at the eye.

Step 3: Tie off strip at eye. Leave room at for a head and make sure strip is tight to the shank.

Step 4: Add top strip and tie in at the eye only. Super glue head and strips together.

Step 5: Mass produce the 'tails' before moving on. (this saves lots of time)

Step 6: Attach wire(around 6" worth) and beads to all tails.

Step 7: Insert another streamer hook in the vise and start the thread near the back. Tie in wire and tail leaving space for the beads.

Step 8: Tie down wire to the eye, and at the eye loop the wire back and tie that down too.

Step 9: Add heavy hour glass style eyes (leave room for the thread head).

Step 10: Add bulk behind the eyes. (a surface for strip to glue down on... I use foam).

Step11: Add flash, legs, or whatever you want! (I use flash, light weight and lots of movement)

Step 12: Mass produce this step.

Step 13: Using the previously cut strips attach strip through the hook at the back.

Step 14: Tie down bottom strip, and add top strip all ahead of the eyes. (this is the same step as the tail)

Step 15: Super glue strips and head and you're done!

Mass produce... your friends will want some.

Musky Madness

2010-09-09T11:24:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago a good friend of mine told me about a possible Musky trip that I could go on... the crew will consist of two boats and 5 guys all of which will be throwing gear. "Can I try throwing flies??" was my only question. I haven't been this excited about a fishing trip in a long time, and the preparation has been (and usually is) a lot of fun. So here are my first attempts at Musky Flies... the next step is giving them a try in some local water to see how they cast and swim.

My very first attempt... I got the general idea from fellow William Joseph Ambassador Brad Bohen, and his awesome PDF from Hatches Magazine.

Here are the rest of the prototypes... I added in 'typical' streamers for scale. The wooly bugger is a #8, and the Black Streamer is an articulated double bunny that is around 4" in length.

I will post again either before the trip or after with the results and finished 'box' of flies I will be bringing with me.

My Little Fly Tyer

2010-09-02T07:09:00.000-04:00

Recently I had the chance to write an essay and share some photos for the latest issue of Sleeping in the Dirt. Upon publication I was happy to find a shot of my daughter tying flies on the cover!

This issue was dedicated to kids who have parents that are kind enough to share their love of fishing with them... it was awesome to read and browse the photos of this unique issue! I want to thank the guys at SID for putting an issue like this together and including my work in it. If you haven't checked it out yet, you can by clicking here.

The Lost World of Mr. Hardy

2010-08-27T07:46:00.000-04:00

I was contacted recently with the opportunity to watch and review the new British fly fishing documentary The Lost World of Mr. Hardy by Andy Heathcote & Heike Bachelier. After watching the trailer I am really excited to get the dvd see the whole thing... check back for the full review!

The Latest Creations

2010-08-20T09:56:00.000-04:00

I've been slacking. Tying and posting... but lately I've been picking up the slack and getting back to the bench. My daughters interest in fly tying keeps increasing and the trib season is fast approaching, so I've been cranking out some flies, and taking some pictures.

I started with the on-going process of developing the perfect Tributary stonefly pattern... and after almost a month of tying #26 midge patterns, and #24 tricos it is nice to tie something BIG!

This stonefly satisfies the three things that matter most with Tributary nymphs: 1) It is relatively easy to tie aka I wouldn't be heart broken if I lodged a couple into a submerged log. 2) It's built really tough, and 3) It will sink. (If you are interested in materials and tying instructions just shoot me an email or comment below)

I have also been trying out some bass popper tying, as I have never attempted them before. I purchased two varieties of popper material, one was a kit called 'perfect poppers', which are hard foam popper bodies and matching hooks ready to go. I also bought blank white foam cylinders that you need to cut to shape, and supply your own hooks.

I like the ability to cut my own foam and design different body styles, but the ease of the perfect popper kit made it really easy and less time consuming. I also enjoyed coloring them up in my own style in the end. All in all it was a great break from the typical trout stuff and I'm looking forward to trying them out soon!

Finally, every tying session in the last two weeks has either started or ended with a few flies from my daughter. She is completely independent now at the bench, and even interested in learning more specific techniques. Her flies still look the same, but the way she is tying them has improved dramatically. Any day now she will tie her first fishable fly... I just have to convince my wife it's ok for me to leave the hooks on!

Tricos

2010-07-27T14:42:00.000-04:00

This is my favorite time of year for fly fishing and photography... and that is the reason why I haven't posted in so long! Tricos are the real deal I like to think of them as the world series of dry fly hatch matching. If you can catch a weary brown during a Trico, hatch or spinner fall, you are doing something right!

Female Dun

Males generally hatch first sometime between sunset and sunrise and they are of no use to an angler. Females, however, hatch closer to the spinner fall in the early morning hours, so if you get up early you'll can have a crack at catching trout on an upright wing fly. Females have olive to bright green bodies, with grey/brown/black thorax. They are a short and stocky mayfly.

Female Dun

Male spinners will start to fall first, and sometimes they will be falling while the females are still hatching. This transitional period can be really frustrating to fish, with some trout selecting the duns and others feeding on spinners. On my stream a #24 BWO spinner also falls around the same time making the fly selection that much harder. Watch a trout rise and see if you can tell what it's taking before tying on your fly.

Female Dun and Male Spinner.

During the major spinner fall casting and presentation trumps every other factor. Fish often feed in a quick rhythm gorging on many bugs at once. If you are not hooking up, try focusing on making an accurate and perfectly timed cast instead of tying on a new fly.

Male Spinner.

When all else fails go for a fly that will stand out from the masses of Tricos. My last Trico spinner fall was the most frustrating of all, so I clipped off my tiny mayfly and tied on #14 cinnamon ant... the fish loved it!

Sulphur Spinners

2010-06-21T16:07:00.000-04:00

The sulphur spinner fall can be epic... the only problem is the time of day at which the bugs dance, die, and get eaten. For most of this summer the sulphurs hatch, swarm, and fall just before dark. This gives the angler a window of approximately 15 minutes to an hour depending on a few key factors in his/hers approach to the scenario.

Female Sulphur Spinner (backlit)

Here are a few tips for low light spinner action that will increase your success, and decrease your stress.

1) Preparation: As the day winds down and the sun is getting low, start to prepare for the upcoming madness. Get a headlamp ready, make sure the batteries work and pop it on your head! You will need this if you accidentally break off and have to retie. Also make sure your floatant is somewhere handy, and your tippet and leader are fresh. You do not want to be messing with any of these things while fish are boiling around your feet!

Male Sulphur Spinner

2) Position: Find someplace with flat water close to riffles. Fishing water with a little chop can be much easier than flat water during the day, as your imitation can look better, and the trout need to make a faster choice to eat. However, when fishing in low light, flat water can be just the edge you need to see your fly and stay on the water for that extra hour. The best position I like to get into during a spinner fall is a flat section directly below a tailout of a riffle, as the sulphurs will swarm and fall around the riffles and once they hit the water they will quickly get washed down to the flats. The farther you are from the riffles the less time you will have to catch fish.

Spinner Swarm

3) Fly Selection: Here is where making the right choice can make or break your night. Choose your spinner pattern considering these factors... a) Does it float well, and will it be easily spotted in low light. b) Can you catch numerous fish with the fly and it will not get destroyed or begin to sink. c) Is it the right size and shape. If you can tie a fly with these three factors you will have an epic night of low light spinner action!

Until next time...

Fishing a low light spinner fall can be one of the most rewarding events of the dry fly season. It can also be one of the most frustrating. Already this year I have had both kinds of nights, which has led me to writing this post. There are many factors out there that will help you in your quest for spinner action, learn from the problems you encounter, and apply your new knowledge the next trip out!

Sulphurs

2010-05-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

We have recently endured a hot streak that has dropped the flows and heated up the water a bit in the local creeks. This has sparked the emergence of the sulphurs, along with a hundred other aquatic bugs, but sulphurs will soon be the popular fish food.

Check the spider webs on your local creek to see if you get your own sulphur hatch...

You can also do a kick sample... here is an example of a sulphur nymph. Nymphs are generally #18 - 16 and are dark brown to almost black in color.

This time of year the duns will be between a #16 and #14 (in another few weeks the small version will begin to hatch #20-#18), and they will vary in color. Some streams will produce a brown/tan with a hint of yellow on the bottom, and others will produce bugs that have a bright lemon yellow, and of course there will be every color in between! Before you tie 2 dozen dry flies go to the stream and take pictures, observe, and bring some samples of the colors you have. Match them up, and then go home and tie.

When tying, and fishing, a sulphur hatch think emergers. Since sulphurs emerge in the hotter months they dry their wings quickly and depart for the stream-side foliage at once. Rarely if ever do I fish or tie a sulphur dun pattern. Have a few because you never know, but do not focus your accurate hatch matching abilities on the duns. Instead focus on the three basic types of emergers, no-wing (half nymph - half dun), the short wing (pictured on the left), and the up-wing emerger (I like to tie a parachute with a shuck. All represent varies stages of emergence, and you will have to observe and let the trout tell you what they want. Don't forget about the nymphs either... many times during a sulphur hatch a nymph drifted just below the surface will take many fish.

Feel free to tie patterns from the photos above, but remember the bugs in your stream can be different size and color... the best research is always done off the computer and on the river!

Streamers

2010-05-17T21:33:00.000-04:00

April was relatively dry, and May has already had some serious rain. Stream flows have been up for the last two weeks putting the dry fly action on hold. I'm not the type to hang up the rod or stand in the river flailing dries at a blank river, and after having a poor day nymphing in higher flows I realized a plan C is in order. After traveling out west and fishing with the big streamers I decided to bring the idea back with me. I'm not talking about little bucktails, I'm talking meat.

I have a few basic streamers I like to tie up (including bucktails), but I wanted something bigger, with two hooks, and really easy to tie. After a little research online, I found a great idea for a huge streamer pattern that can be used for pike... perfect. It's called the double bunny, and below are pictures of my version. This is a proven pattern.

Lead painted eyes. Small slice of foam behind the eyes to taper from the eyes down to the shank to give the rabbit strips something to glue to.

Finished fly. I have a trailer hook near the tail connected to the main fly by backing.

Fly wet. This is around 5 inches in length from hook eye to tail. Notice I added a little flash down the sides on this one.

Fly connected. This is a 17" brown, my biggest inland brown of the season, and a well above average fish for the creek. Special thanks to my Utah buddies for giving me the confidence to bring the big streamer strategy back east.

Trip Out West

2010-05-04T14:56:00.000-04:00

Just got home from my trip to Utah... man was it fun! The library fly tying event was exciting and I learned a lot. Hopefully the nice people who attended got something out of it too. I can't wait to go back next year if they will have me!

I managed two solid days on the water while I was out there, thanks to my good friends Bryan and Corey. The first day out on the water we were hunting down big trout with big streamers. The fishing was a little slow, but we all managed a few takers. The scenery was amazing... fly fishing while surrounded by mountains is perfect. If you have that at your doorstep don't take it for granted!

The next day we switched things up and hit some carp water, and it was awesome! I landed a couple beauties, had a few misses, and a whole bunch of refusals... and I thought brown trout were picky! The carp were taking small ugly buggers twitched along the bottom.

You can see a couple pics below from my trip, and as always you can visit my flickr page for more shots. In the next few days I will be writing an update on the hatch action in my streams back in NY, and hopefully getting some new bug/fly shots!

Website and Upcoming Trip to Utah

2010-04-24T23:00:00.000-04:00

I have been running a website dedicated to just my photography for a few months now, and I try to update it regularly. It has (what I think to be) my best work on it. If you have a minute check it out and let me know what you think! www.lucascarrollphotography.com

I'm also headed to Salt Lake City, UT next week to visit a good friend, climb some rocks, and of course fish! I'm looking forward to a new adventure, and meeting new friends that share the same love of photos and fishing. I will also be doing a fly tying demonstration and photo slideshow at the SLC main library on Thursday April 29th at 7:00pm, if you live in the SLC area stop by!

Not Always a Dun

2010-04-22T09:27:00.000-04:00

If you have ever fished a mayfly hatch you know that using the standard dry fly that imitates an adult mayfly may not be as successful as you would like. Sometimes it works, and works well, but other times you may struggle to hook a fish, or the fish you do hook are small. For the most part you can tell what the fish are taking by how the fish are rising. This isn't 100% accurate, but it is a good place to start. If fish are not slashing at the surface for adult bugs you need to try something different. Below are some strategies and patterns that I like to use during these tricky situations.

Emergers: There are a million emerger patterns out there, I personally have the best success with emerger patterns without wings, and the reason... I think the fish just know a bug without wings is going to be an easier meal, than one that can fly away! I usually fish these patterns in flat water to get a good idea where the fly is, or I tie them as a dropper. When tying emergers, try to imitate the nymph first and have the emerging adult be a secondary aspect to the pattern. Many emerger patterns out there are basically a fancy dun pattern with a generic shuck, try it the other way around, fancy nymph and generic adult, and see if it is more successful for you.

Cripples: An often overlooked part of a hatch, and sometimes an absolute killer pattern. During a hatch watch the water, take a sample... observe first. You will not miss any action, and if you pay attention to what is happening with the bugs, you will end up catching more fish. Sometimes adult mayflies can't make it out of their shuck, and they float helplessly down the stream... When there are high numbers of these cripples, the fish respond, and so should you. Tying a cripple is where I like the upwing emerger patterns. I tie a standard upwing emerger with a shuck, and then mash it up with my fingers. The worse it looks, the better it works.

Nymphs: Many times anglers will use a nymph under an indicator before the hatch, and once they see a fish rise, the nymph gets put away and the adult pattern gets tied on. There are a few ways I like to use nymphs during a hatch... If you see a rise where the dorsal and/or the tail are coming out of the water trail a nymph pattern from your dry fly and put a tiny split shot on to get the nymph down a few inches in the water column. During other situations you can dress the nymph with the same stuff you use on your dry to keep it in or around the film. You will catch fish on the nymph so watch the dry like an indicator and hang on!

Next time you are in the middle of a nice hatch cast less, observe more, and don't be afraid to try something new!

Recent Bugs

2010-04-19T08:28:00.001-04:00

Here is what has been floating on top of, or in, my local inland streams lately... feel free to use these photos for tying reference if you are experiencing similar bugs in your area.

Male Hendrickson emerger #12.

Female Hendrickson dun #14.

Female Hendrickson spinner with eggs #14.

BWO male spinner #18.

Hendrickson nymph #14.

Sulphur nymphs #16.

March Brown nymph #12.

Hendrickson Dun

2010-04-13T21:53:00.000-04:00

Hendricksons are the first great hatch of the season in my area of Western NY. The bugs are big and the fish enjoy coming up for them. This hatch is nice for beginner fly fisherman to get their first fish on a dry, so if you are new and interested in trying out dry fly fishing now is the time! When tying a pattern make sure it is the right size and giving off an accurate profile first before getting into the many other picky details. A good drift with the right sized fly is often rewarded.

Male Hendrickson Dun

Female Hendrickson Dun

Parachute Biot Bodied Dun

Nice Brown on the Parachute

Hendrickson Spinner

2010-04-06T16:05:00.000-04:00

Here is my Hendrickson Spinner pattern... I got the idea from Shane Stalcup's book. This imitation catches fish when other 'rusty spinners' do not, and it is relatively easy to tie. The wings and case are medallion sheeting, which I strongly suggest trying out. Fish this pattern during the spinner fall and hang on! Click here for my post last year at this time to see the changes I've made, and feel free to click on any of the images below to get a closer look.

Classic view from above.

Flush floating side view.

View from underneath.

Hopefully in the next week or two I can get a real bug next to this to give you a feel for accuracy... Feel free to comment or email for further tying instructions or questions.

Build Your Own Seine

2010-04-03T13:33:00.000-04:00

Serious hatch-matching is beginning all over the country, and this is one tool you do not want to leave home without. Before I even tie on a fly I use my eyes and my seine to carefully investigate what kind of bugs are floating around, basically I fish for bugs first! Doing this every time you go fishing will make you a better fisherman, and a better fly tyer.

There are seines on the market for purchase, so if you are rich and can afford $10-20 on a bug net then stop reading here, and go buy one. If not, go to a craft store and pick up some wedding veil (there are other alternatives but wedding veil is my material of choice). You also need duct tape and scissors.

Materials.

Step 1: Figure out how big you want it. I like mine to be as wide (duct taped edges) as my longest fly box, that way I can roll it up and it will fit nicely in my vest.

Step 2: Cut the wedding veil to size. I double mine up to capture the small bugs, so cut two if you like midge fishing.

Step 3: Duct tape the ends with two or three layers, that's it!

Finished seine.

When taking a sample start on the surface, and gradually work your way down the water column. If there is nothing rising and nothing free floating in the water column kick up some of the gravel above the seine and let the silt filter through. This will give you an idea what could be drifting around. As I've said in many previous posts, put one of your flies next to the real thing it should imitate. Good luck and let me know if this helped you catch more fish!

Tributary Kick Sample

2010-03-22T08:07:00.000-04:00

On a trip to the tribs last week in search of steel I decided to get kick samples to see what the migratory fish could be feeding on. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least as both samples were filled with life! Below are the results of the two kick samples I took, in one tiny section of the stream. While you are out this early season, and any time for that matter, get a sample and see what is tumbling around in your stream, take some photos, and go home and tie. Try to take the samples from a gravel section with flowing water. My next post I will show you how to make a cheap homemade seine.

Caddis Larva.

Sow Bug.

Midge larva.

Crayfish.

Nymphs

2010-03-11T13:28:00.000-05:00

Hendrickson nymph and imitation.

If you live anywhere near my latitude (Western NY approx. 42 degrees) you still have a few weeks until the first major mayfly hatch... this does not mean the fishing stinks, it actually means the opposite! The fishing this time of year can be incredible (no fisherman + plenty of food = successful fly fishing)... so find out what is going to hatch in your local stream, and use the appropriate nymph. The best way to do this is to take stream samples so you can accurately match the nymph size and color. Why does using nymphs before the hatch work? Since the mayfly emergence is approaching the nymphs are fully mature, and becoming more active... some will begin to drift in the current, and that's why trout are keying in on them already. Do a little research, tie up some nymphs, and go catch some trout!

JP Ross Fly Tying Symposium

2010-03-08T11:46:00.000-05:00

Had a great time this past weekend traveling to Utica for the 2010 Fly Tying Symposium, created by JP Ross Fly Rods & Co. Had a chance to grab a ride with my good friend Brian Bradfield and his son... my other fishing buddy Jessie Hollenbeck joined us for the long ride, which was a nice bonus to the road trip. All three of us rarely get to hang out together, so we had a lot of 'fishing' talk to catch up on.

This years event was a full day of fly fishing fun, with tying demonstrations by over 30 professional tiers (Brian and I were fortunate to be on the list of tiers), and fly fishing seminars running all day long. Great vendors, raffles, and even fly tying for the kids, made the day interesting and applicable for every age and level of fishing/tying experience.

If you didn't go this year make sure you stop over to JP's website and tell him you are interested in attending next year!

Useful Midge Patterns

2010-03-02T08:20:00.001-05:00

Here are a few midge patterns I like. Some are straight copies of popular patterns, some are variations of popular patterns, and some are created from my own research.

CDC midge emerger. Use this when trout are sipping (small rise rings) for midge in the film, or try it subsurface if nothing is going on up top.

BH Blue Ribbed midge pupa. You can use this in the film to catch rising trout, but I often use this when adults are hatching but there is little/no surface activity. A tiny split shot may be needed to get this through the film. Keep adding or subtracting weight until you determine where the trout are feeding in the water column.

Midge mini bubble pupa/emerger. This is a kind of in-between pattern... fish dry in the film, or add weight and fish it subsurface.

Foam wing midge emerger. This pattern was modified from my friend Brian's pattern and success. Use this in the film or subsurface.

Please leave a comment if you would like additional tying instructions. Also check out my photo blog for pics of my recent fishing adventure at lucascarrollphotography.blogspot.com.

March Midge Madness

2010-02-28T18:11:00.001-05:00

As the weather warms and winter looses it's grip look around... there may actually be some bugs. Most trout streams have some sort of midge population, and when the big bugs are not around the trout focus on these little nuggets of protein. Trout must eat a lot of these little beauties to gain any sort of energy, so this spring increase your fish catching odds and buy some small hooks and tie a few midge flies.

My last trip to the stream I was happy to see the banks covered in something besides snow. Black is a popular early season midge color.

Many times if there are a lot of adults around you can catch fish in numbers on pupa and emerger patterns. Take out a fly and hold it up to a real bug... is it close? Many early spring midge flies are relatively big, so try hooks from #18-#24.

If you are lucky you can witness trout rising to these little bugs. Try this adult midge pattern, it is thread and two wraps of hackle... that's it!

My first dry fly fish of 2010 came to the net connected to #22 black midge emerger. Many times when you see small early season rises (sips) they are taking midge emergers in the film.

Guys, Flies & Pies

2010-02-22T08:42:00.000-05:00

Had a great time on Saturday night tying flies, talking fishing, and eating Pizza. Met some great people and some really impressive tiers! Go check out their website for future events! Below are a few pics from the evening.

Having a good time and making a mess!

Lots of colorful materials to shoot.

Tying hands.

Very nice vise.

FishFreakOnline

2010-02-21T13:29:00.001-05:00

Guys at FishFreakOnline.com were nice enough to give my blog a shout out on theirs. Go over and check out their website today... FishFreakOnline.com Thanks again!

Segmentation

2010-02-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

Segmentation on midge flies can be very enticing to the local trout. When you are creating a midge body, or any aquatic bug that has a segmented body, try using micro tubing and leave a little space in-between the wraps. This really gives the fly a nice look, and so far in my stream testing the fish think so too.

Brown midge pupa with segmented body, and a light thread rib to enhance it even more.

This b/w shot really shows the segmentation of the midge larva.

Flies that are tied like this work!

Small Flies (really small)

2010-02-12T10:41:00.001-05:00

Have you ever fished when you know the trout are eating, but you can't tell what's on the menu? I'm not talking about having trouble with insect identification, I'm talking about when you can't even see the bugs that the fish are eating! Micro midge activity, can be a tough day on the water if you don't have the right fly (see the 2nd photo below). On the other hand with the right fly it can be the most productive day of fishing you have ever had. Anglers typically do not like to use these small flies (which is another reason why they work so well), but from experience they are worth the extra effort of tying them on and using light tippet. Most days when the trout key in on these ultra small midge larva or pupa you do not have to tie on another fly all day (unless of course you break off).

#30 midge larva. Don't be afraid of this hook. It is not that hard to tie, you can fit high quality 7X tippet through the eye, and they actually hold on to fish!

The 'big' fly in focus is a #20 midge larva. This picture shows the true size of these micro midge flies.

#26 midge emerger with krystal flash wings. Many times #26 is as small as you need to go. With a little practice this size fly can produce a high land:loose fish ratio.

Finding Winter Motivation

2010-02-09T12:38:00.001-05:00

I am in full swing winter tying mode right now. The winter fishing remains ok around Western NY, but the fact is spring is approaching and I need to get my boxes ready! A few things that have improved my motivation: upcoming trip to Utah at the end of April, the new fly binders I have created, and a new book Modern Midges by R. Takahashi & J. Hubka (buy this if you fish with midge flies).

The small fly binder is about 1/4 of the way full already. Once full these flies will be available for purchase.

Light sow bug #14.

BWO soft-hackle #16.

Homemade Fly Binder

2010-02-02T10:18:00.001-05:00

Here is my brand new homemade fly binder. It is modeled after my C&F boxes, but costs much much less. This is not something you can bring to the stream, but a great storage method for excess flies, and a nice presentation if you plan on selling your creations (which I am).

Materials: High Density Foam Sheet ($0.39/ea), Superglue ($1.49/3 tubes), Razor Blade (?), 3 ring binder (?). All things can be purchased at a craft store, binder and razor knife you may already have. See step by step pictures below...

Work Time: 15 minutes.

Total Cost: $4.00.

Step 1: Get an area to cut on. I us a scrap 1/2" piece of plywood.

Step 2: Cut uniform measured strips of foam (I used my mat cutter here to save time, you can use a ruler and a razor knife). I used a single layer of foam for my strips b/c my binder is for small flies... you can double up or triple the foam sheets to use for larger flies (glue the sheets together before you cut it into strips). Once you have all the strips cut stack 6-8 strips together and use the razor blade to cut slices (like C&F foam).

Step 3: Super glue the strips on a binder. I also superglued strips of cardboard to keep space between the binder so you don't squish your flies.

Step 4: (optional) You can add inserts if you would like. I used an old scrap mat board to glue more strips on, punched three holes and it gave me space for 400 more flies!

Step 5: Organize your excess flies and enjoy! This binder is for approximately 1000 flies #16 - #30 (yes it actually holds #30 sized flies nicely!)

There is unlimited potential here so feel free to modify my design. For example.. You can glue the whole sheet of foam on and make long slices in the foam for big flies (see C&F streamer boxes), you can use small plastic shell boxes to create fly boxes to bring to the stream, you can use a zipped 3 or 4" binder to fill with inserts to bring big streamers on a bass boat. It's up to you!

Dubbing for Beginners

2010-01-31T11:31:00.000-05:00

This is my daughter who is 2 1/2 years old... if she can dub a fly, you can too!! Check out the step by step photos below, and please do not use any of these images for any reason unless you have my written permission.

Step 1: Use a little wax if you are starting out, it helps keep the dubbing on the thread and it helps you twist it on.

Step 2: Get a pinch of dubbing and twist it on the thread in one direction.

Step 3: Wrap the dubbing on your hook.

Step 4: Admire your creation! Try to start out practicing the dubbing technique before you move on to actual patterns. Use all kinds of dubbing so you get a feel for every type. (don't worry I snip the hooks off)

Her finished fly... completely done all by herself, no help from dad! (yeah I'm bragging a little but that's what dads are supposed to do) Thanks for visiting... you can look for an advanced dubbing instruction post in the future.

Hackle Organization

2010-01-24T21:17:00.000-05:00

Here is a real time saving tip for any of you who tie a lot of hackled dry flies. Can't remember the specific book that I got the idea from, but I'm sure it was from A.K. Best. The basic idea here is to pre-separate hackle feathers by size and color so when it is time to tie flies it is one less step to slow you down.

Step 1: First step is to buy a nice cape of hackle. Expensive capes offer a great range of sizes, usually #10 - 24! If you only need a few sizes and colors you should buy saddle hackle that is packaged in specific sizes, and then you can stop reading as they are separated for you!

Step 2: Get a hackle gage and a piece of paper with some sizes drawn on it. Bend the cape and start cutting. Try to cut low on the feather stem and also from all parts of the cape to get a variety of sizes. You can also skin the whole cape at this step.

Step 3: Measure every single hackle feather and place in appropriate section. Make sure you measure the middle of the feather as there will be a small variance in size at both ends of the feather. This variance increases with cheaper hackle so take your time measuring if you have a low quality cape.

Step 4: Place the measured hackles in a marked package. I use cut envelopes because they are cheap, just the right size, and you can easily write on them.

Step 5: Repeat with all your colors.

Pre-separating your hackle will help you tie multiple flies much faster, and it will ensure your patterns are consistent. Enjoy, and have a great winter tying season!

A New Trib Nymph

2010-01-11T15:45:00.001-05:00

I really like this trib nymph, and I've had some success this season when other flies are not working. It is essentially a giant PT with a hot spot for the thorax. Not really imitating a specific thing, more like an egg/attractor nymph all rolled into one. It is not the easiest tie, but it is also not the most difficult so I wouldn't be heart broken to loose a few. When I'm fishing the tribs I always start with simple patterns that I'm not afraid to loose, and gradually use the more complex patterns if the fish are picky. Good luck!

Please give my new website a visit too, LUCAS·CARROLL·PHOTOGRAPHY.

New Year Exposure

2010-01-07T19:44:00.001-05:00

Ok last post not directly related to tying flies, and then I'm hitting the vise! I'm blessed to have people notice my work and like it enough to attach it to their work. Thanks again to the people I'm mentioning below, make sure you click the links and check them out.

Here are a few places you can find my photography this New Year...

Eastern Fly Fishing Jan/Feb Exposure Piece which contains 12 photos (starts on page 18).

Dave Kile at PAFlyFish.com wrote a little article mentioning my work along with the other great fly fishing photographers found on flickr.

Paul Prentiss did a nice photo slideshow of my Real and Fake photos in the January News Magazine for Front Range Anglers fly shop in Boulder, CO.

So far it has been a great New Year!

The Best Day of 2009

2010-01-05T14:39:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted in a while, as I haven't tied many flies in the last month due to fishing opportunities and holiday traveling. Now that the holidays are over, and the streams are almost frozen solid, I can get back to posting, tying, and catching up on other people's blogs. I had some memorable fishing experiences in 2009, but this particular fall day on my favorite Great Lakes Tributary was one I will never forget. The water levels were perfect, the weather was great, fish were in, and I shared the experience with great friends. November 19, 2009.
A big mess: Late night tying session w/ Brian.

Brian's big fish of the day!

Jessie's first ever lake run brown trout!

My only brown trout of the day, but it was beautiful.

The Hatch 2

2009-11-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

Notes on the App

Check this app out for your iPhone or iPod touch. If you like to travel and fly fish, it is exactly what you need. It also features some of my bug shots!

See it here

Lamson and the Jumbo

2009-10-28T10:37:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Fly

Two things I love about tributary fishing together in one photograph...

The Jumbo John is a John Barr classic that can influence even the most picky lake run fish. It is a little more involved than I would like for a fly that is almost certain to get lost in the bottom debris or in the mouth of an angry fish, so I put my personal touch on the pattern which simplified things slightly (see picture or comment for more details). Use this fly when nothing else is working, and pray it goes back in the box when your done.

The Lamson Velocity 2 is my new reel for this lake run season and so far I like it. The drag is smooth and for a large arbor it holds plenty of backing.

Mini Comet Bi-Color

2009-10-22T17:33:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Fly

After some success with the mini comets from a previous post I decided to take the fly to the next level. It really does not add any steps or extra time to make these little bi-color beauties. Give them a try, you never know they may spark the interest of a big fish!

** Please leave a comment if you would like more specific tying instructions.

Tributary Stone

2009-10-09T09:21:00.000-04:00

Hook: Strong Nymph #6-14

Thread: Black 6/0

Tail: Black Krystal Flash

Body: Black Dubbing

Rib: Tying Thread

Case: Black Flash Back

Legs: Rooster Hackle

Head: Black Bead

Notes on the Fly

This is an easy stonefly nymph for the big fish from the lake. What makes a good nymph for migratory fish? Something that looks and feels like food to the trout, has some weight tied in to it, and is easy to tie so you can tie a lot of them in a short amount of time. What makes this pattern nice is the rib for the body and the hackle in the thorax is the tying thread. That eliminates the step of tying in a wire/thread rib. I will be posting this time saving step in more detail in the future, and if you can't wait just send me an email or comment and I will give you more instructions.

Mini Comet

2009-10-07T09:09:00.000-04:00

Hook: Standard Length Nymph Hook #6 - 14

Thread: 6/0 color to match

Tail: Marabou color to match

Body: Chenille color to match

Collar: Rooster color to match

Eyes: Mini Bead Chain

Head: Thread

Notes on the Fly

The original comet comes from the Salmon River and is generally much larger, with varying materials for the body and tail. My idea was the result of two factors... one was my past success with mini wooly buggers, and two was my recent find of mini bead chain eyes. I found this pattern to be extremely easy to tie, with most of the fish enticing characteristics of a wooly bugger.

My first outing of the tributary season was last Saturday and I used a #8 chartreuse version of this fly. I had two takes dead drifting through a deep pool. I lost both fish, one after a few head shakes, but the other was after a lengthy battle. It was enough excitement to spark my memory of how awesome it was to fight the giants from the lake. Give these little flies a try, they are easy to tie and they work!

Published!

2009-10-06T08:37:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Fly Tyer

Please check out the latest issue of The Drake where you can find some of my photos of bugs and flies!

Tributary Caddis

2009-09-29T16:47:00.000-04:00

Hook: Any Strong Nymph Hook

Thread: Chartreuse 6/0

Body: Olive D-Rib

Thorax: Partridge Fluff

Notes on the Fly

The trout season is over for me, and lately I have

been filling my tributary boxes. Most of my streamers are done and ready for action, so today I started on my nymphs. This is a new fly that I am going to be trying out this year, I will post later with results.

Worthy Ways to Spend Money

2009-09-22T09:23:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Materials

Contrary to an older post this one is about expensive aspects of fly tying. If you are serious about tying flies and you see yourself doing it for many many years, or even tying commercially, there are a few things that you should spend more money on.

1. Hooks: When buying hooks, getting them in the largest quantity possible helps keep the cost down. Good hooks are sharper and stronger, and therefore catch more fish.

2. Scissors: Buy good scissors. They will outlast and outperform the cheaper varieties. They are always worth the extra money, and they can be sharpened.

3. Lighting: Eye strain is bad. Buy a nice light

and increase the enjoyment of tying. Incandescent bulbs are hot, hurt your eyes, and do not depict accurate colors.

4. Vise: There is a reason why a nice vise is expensive. If you are going to tie flies for a long time buy a vise that will last, and perform.

**Shown in the photos are brands that I use and am happy with, there are many other quality brands of hooks, scissors, lights, and vises. Shop around but be prepared to spend more.

Caddis

2009-09-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Flies

Don't forget the caddis! If your season of mayfly action is done, like mine is, but you still want to pursue inland trout try a caddis. If these bugs are found fluttering around then the fish will most likely be eating them. I have had success with flies imitating all three stages of life and in all zones of the water column.

A New Scud

2009-09-01T07:54:00.000-04:00

Hook: Curved #12 - 20

Thread: Grey (or color to match)

Dubbing: Grey squirrel ( or color to match)

Rib: Tying Thread Tag

Shell Back: Pink Krystal Flash (midge size)

*(the fly is featured far left and you can click the image for a better view)

**(scud color darkens and becomes more opaque when they are out of the water)

Notes on the Fly

Why more scuds you ask? Well if you are still in search of tricos or trico related fishing tips at this time of year, I don't have a solution for you, and just like when I first started fly fishing, you may have to wait for next year. The rising fish in my neighborhood are becoming few and far between and the ones that are rising look more like bait fish than game fish. So lately I have been working nymphs, specifically scuds, which isn't really a nymph at all, but that is a different post...

Why more scuds you ask again? Well my stream is chalk full of them (see pic above from the latest kick sample), and the trout like to eat them (think shrimp scampi for trout). Also if you are a beginning fly tier than the scud is a great fly to start with. It is relatively easy pattern, and will catch fish in a variety of ways. You can dead drift it. Swing it. Twitch it. You really can't go wrong...

I thought you already had a scud pattern that worked? I do, however, variety is a key strategy in keeping the larger/smarter fish guessing. If you want to buy flies at your local shop that all the other locals are buying and using feel free, they will work when fished correctly. However, if you want to catch more fish, and maybe even larger fish than tie some of your own and make them look different.

And finally... as always if you have any tying instruction questions feel free to comment here, I will gladly get back to you with any additional info I can. Good luck, and if you have scuds living in your stream tie a couple and give them a try!

Blood Worm Revisit

2009-08-24T21:16:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Fly

The fly on the left is my old blood worm pattern, and the fly on the right is the new one with modifications.

At first glance they seem the same! Look closer and you will find the changes I talked about in the previous post. No head, more slender, and larger segmentation. A much closer representation to the natural.

Using this new fly I landed my largest trout to date in my home stream this past weekend! It may not have been completely due to the fly, after all I am a firm believer in presentation is 9/10 of the law, but making the fly look closer to the real thing couldn't have hurt!

Baetis Nymph

2009-08-23T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hook: Curved #18 - 26

Thread: Brown/Olive

Tail: Tag of Thread

Body: Micro Tubing

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Notes on the Fly

I have been developing a more accurate and easier to tie baetis nymph pattern since last winter, finally this summer I collected a few good samples to match from. Normally I use a small Pheasant Tail to match a BWO nymph but as you can see below that is not a close representation, and PT take to long to tie. The new fly is super easy to tie, very durable, and matches the natural nicely. Give it a try and let me know if you have any questions I would be happy to help.

Scud Revisited

2009-08-19T21:21:00.000-04:00

Hook: Any curved #20 to #12

Thread: To match outer dubbing

Rib: Silver (sm) Ultra Wire

Body: Superfine

Overbody: Light Sparse Superfine

Notes on the Fly

The other day I realized that I never posted the actual 'dry' version of this fly in my original post. If the new photo doesn't help and you are having trouble tying this imitation give me a quick contact and I'd be happy to help.

Bloody Worms

2009-08-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

Hook: Any Hook #14 - 18

Thread: Red 8/0

Body: Micro-tubing

Notes on the Fly

The blood worm is a great tie, especially for beginners who want to catch fish on their own flies. I use micro-tubing for an over-body to better segment the body, but I've also had success with plain thread versions too.

I've used blood worms for a few seasons now, but this is the first year I've actually picked some real ones up in a kick sample. My pattern shown in the picture, although it has caught fish, is a little off from the natural, and since this picture, I have changed my standard blood worm pattern a bit, keeping it more slender, and tying the fly with no head. Fish the blood worm pattern when the trout are feeding low in the water column, and when they are not taking anything else.

These flies are easy to tie and effective, so tie a few, and go catch some trout!

An Early Start

2009-08-13T08:05:00.000-04:00

Notes on the Fly Tyer

This is my daughter a day after her two year old birthday. For this past year she has been sitting on my lap and practicing her thread wraps. For the last few months I have been allowing her to choose materials out of my scrap bin, and I would hold them on the hook and she would tie them on.

For her birthday I finally let go and let her tie by herself. The fly in the picture was her first creation done by her alone. Well I started the thread, but that's it! So now we tie together and it is one of her favorite activities. If she grows up and enjoys tying and fishing even a little, I will be one blessed dad.

Organize Cheaply

2009-08-11T09:28:00.001-04:00

Notes on My Bench

Here are three ways to organize your fly tying station cheaply.

1) This tip was taken directly from AK Best, because when a master of a craft writes something you pay attention... Take a 2x4 cut it, and drill holes in it. This will serve as your tool caddy. Even if you by an 8 foot 2x4 it will be a MUCH cheaper investment than

those fancy fly tying organizers. If your wife complains, paint it.

2) Search the 'spinning/casting'

section of your local fishing store. All of my plastic organizers are the small cheap Plano boxes... around $3 each. Compare that to an official hook organizer, fly box, or dubbing box, and you can by a lot of those little boxes! I also use those boxes for all of my dubbing. NEVER buy an assorted dubbing box it is overpriced and you will run out of your favorite color fast. Instead, buy the cheapest plastic box you can and purchase small packs of all the colors in the assorted box. This may actually work out to be the same price in the end, except, you have TONS more dubbing 'backup' you can add when that favorite colors run out.

3) Build/customize an old, small, cheap, computer desk. Most of you will have an old one, unless you have trashed it already, or sold it in a yard sale... if that's the case go to a yard sale and get one for $5, it may be your old one! My wife gave me her old one willingly and it took me all of 30 minutes to customize it into my ideal tying station.

Staying organized keeps the other people in the house happy, and it makes you tie faster and better. Being cheap allows you to spend your money on money worthy materials, such as good hackle and quality hooks. Have fun and be creative.

*(If you are rich then disregard this post, and buy a custom built Oak fly tying station... someone needs to support a cool business like that!)

**(A photo of my complete bench can be found on the right.)

The Only Way...

2009-08-10T14:18:00.000-04:00

Hook: Curved #20-24 fine

Thread: Black 10/0

Tail: Partridge

Body: Thread

Wing: Medallion Sheeting Clear

Thorax: Black Superfine

Notes On the Fly

I have fished the Trico Spinner Fall for three years now and have done so relatively successfully. It is tough fishing but it caries the potential for some larger fish on a dry so I have always loved the 'hatch'. This season temps have been cool and the last two outings I have had a crack at the actual trico hatch. The first attempt was a failure. My adult imitations were not up to snuff, and I got plenty of looks but no takers, and here is where the title fits in. After being refused I did some quick research as to why, and there were a lot of reasons (see previous post photo)! The hackle didn't quite match, the flies were too big, and the wing color was completely wrong. Using the photos I tied up some new flies, went back to the stream a few days later, and caught fish. Picky fish need picky fly tiers. Do some research and tie your flies from what you observe on the stream, not what a book or blog tells you, and you will catch more fish. Not exactly self promoting information here, but I feel like it is the only way...

A New Way...

2009-08-06T22:50:00.000-04:00

Notes On the Fly

When you begin to really 'match the hatch' try to catch a few of the bugs and really compare them to your imitations. My tying and fly selection really began to change when I started this process.

Your perception of a bug can be a little different than you think when they are in the air, on the water, or even in your hand. I know after a few years of matching the hatch successfully I still struggle with this same thing!

I picked this fly (seen in the image above) a #20 Medallion Trico Dun because it appeared to be the correct match when I first examined the air and water. Not until I caught a bug and tossed it in my trico box did I see I was 2 sizes off... as usual I needed a smaller pattern. Right around the time I started putting real bugs in my fly boxes was when I started tying all my flies smaller... and catching more fish. Give it try and see if it helps you.

Ants!!!

2009-08-02T15:46:00.000-04:00

Hook: Any Dry #16 - 30

Thread: Color to match

Hackle: Color to match

(keep it simple they are just ants...)

Notes on the Fly

Make sure you bring a variety of sizes and colors this time of year. If there is nothing rising, find a few on the stream bank and match them up the best you can. Throw to some fishy looking places, and don't be afraid to give them a twitch or two as most terrestrials squirm while floating to their demise.

Trico Spinners

2009-07-03T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hook: #20 Standard Dry #22 and smaller

I use curved shank hooks.

Body: Black Thread (male) Black Thread

with white floss over (female)

Tail: Synthetic X Long

Wing: Organza

Thorax: Black superfine

Notes on the Fly

It is that time of year again... at least in Western NY. Make sure you set your alarm well before sunrise to catch this spinner fall, or wait for an unseasonable cool spell, and the bugs will wait for you to sleep in a little. Good luck, you will need it!

Graphic Caddis

2009-06-16T22:20:00.000-04:00

Hook: Any Curved Shank #10 - 18

Thread: Olive 8/0

Underbody: Metallic Flash

Body: Olive D-Rib

Legs: Partridge

Thorax: Olive Ostrich

(pattern by John Barr)

Notes on the Fly

It has been a while since I have posted, or shot any fly photos for that matter. My focus has been fishing, and shooting outside in the beautiful spring weather. Lately I have had some success with this pattern, especially fished in the riffles during times without surface activity. This is another John Barr pattern, so you know it works.

Micro X-Caddis

2009-05-27T16:14:00.000-04:00

Hook: Standard Dry #18 -24

Thread: Olive

Shuck: Amber Atron

Body: Olive Superfine

Wing: Elk Hair (or CDC)

Click image for more detail.

Notes on the Fly

The Micro X-Caddis can be the saving grace to an otherwise tough day on the stream. This fly sits low in the film, and imitates a hatching/struggling adult. I have had good luck fishing this in broken and flat water, and also giving the fly some movement. When tying add a generous amount of head cement to the wing base and the wing will keep it's shape longer. Also don't be afraid to make these really small (you can use CDC for the wing), and of course do a little research to match the colors of your area.

BWO Rabbits Foot Emerger

2009-05-24T22:32:00.000-04:00

Hook: Curved #12 - 22

Thread: Olive 8/0

Body: Olive Goose Biot

Wing: Dun Rabbits Foot

Click image for more details!!

Notes on the Fly

A very easy tie, and durable fly makes this a must have imitation this mayfly season. It works as an all purpose emerger similar to the klinkhamer special. Match body colors to the appropriate hatching bug and enjoy!

The Rusty Spinner

2009-04-15T12:34:00.000-04:00

Hook: Standard Dry #14 - 10

Thread: Rusty Brown 8/0

Tail: Synthetic Fibers Dun

Body: Goose or Turkey Biot Rusty Brown

Wing Case: Dun Medallion Sheeting

Hackle: 1X Short Dun

Wing: Clear Medallion Sheeting

Thorax: Rusty Brown Superfine

(Pattern From Shane Stalcup's, Mayflies "Top to Bottom")

Notes on the Fly

Over the last season this fly has out produced every spinner pattern I have ever tried. Have you ever wondered why a standard Rusty Spinner has no hackle, but standard 'Real Spinners' have legs? There are three things that really set this fly apart from others in it's class. The Medallion wings are very realistic, unlike other synthetic fibers, gathered hackle, or hen tip wings. The biot body gives off a nice buggy appearance with natural segmentation, and the flush short hackle gives the all important appearance of legs.

Most early season spinner falls are very productive for the average fisherman, because of the hungry trout and shear numbers of spinners on the water. This I believe, is the reason for the very basic patterns people tie/buy, and fish with. However, even with these relatively 'easy' conditions I have witnessed some veteran fisherman getting practically skunked on the water during an intense early season spinner fall. So far this pattern has worked every time, even when others are not hooking up.

The only thing I would caution when using this pattern is the poor casting qualities of it's spent medallion wings. These can cause some major leader twisting so beware. One way I have over come this issue is smashing up the wings, or even slicing them up. The fish do not care, and if you examine a real spinner on the water they rarely look perfect, because after all, they are dead.

Give this pattern a try. It takes a little longer than a basic rusty spinner, but trust me it is worth the extra effort.

Surface Midge

2009-04-07T08:51:00.000-04:00

Hook: 1X fine Curved #18 - 30

Thread: Black 10/0

Shuck: Light Dun CDC

Wing: Light Dun CDC

Body: Thread

Thorax: Black Superfine

Notes on the Fly

I finally hooked a fish on the surface Sunday... and this was the fly. When I arrived to the stream there were plenty of insects fluttering around and an occasional riser. As I settled into the water I picked out a couple of the more steady risers and began to cast the staple midge surface patterns I have caught plenty of fish on before... nothing. I had recently tied this pattern as an experiment, so I thought I would give it a try, determined to avoid the sunken drift. After a few casts I had my first fish of the season to hand with a dry fly.

The pattern is a flush floating emerger that is easy to tie, but not the easiest to see (but neither are real midge emergers so I look at this as a good thing). When fishing small patterns that you can't see, mark where the fly hits the water, and visualize the flies path. Watch the water for a rise in the area, and lift on anything that looks close. If the lift proves unsuccessful let the fly continue following the new mark left by the lift. Some fish begin to follow the fly after the slight movement.

Midge Madness

2009-03-20T15:16:00.000-04:00

Hook: Curved 1x fine 1x short #30 - 20

Thread: 10/0 color to match natural

Overbody: Micro Tubing

Head: 8/0 color to match natural

(click image for a closer look)

Notes on the Fly

This is John Barr's creation, and my favorite midge pattern to date. The size of an actual midge larva is quite astonishing if you actually do some research and take a sample. When I first began tying I thought my midge patterns were small... and than I looked at a real bug and compared it to mine. I quickly learned why I never hooked anything on my imitations. The real thing made my midge look like a #8 stone! Around that revelation I had purchased John Barr's book, Barr Flies. I tried out his Pure Midge Larva pattern, and it looked much closer to the natural.

I have had tremendous success with this pattern, and here is how... First I tie a box full of every color and size I think I will see on the stream (think small and than make it two sizes smaller is a good rule), next I observe what the majority of the midge activity looks like. Once I have an idea what the popular bug is I catch one and throw it in my midge box. Finally I choose the imitation that looks the closest, tie it on, and fish the pattern where the fish are feeding. These will take fish at every level, from surface film to right off the bottom.

Now is the time of year that can produce some great midge fishing so make sure you tie some of these and get fishing!

Stretch Magic!

2009-03-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

Hook: Standard Nymph #10 - 16

Thread: Black 8/0 or 6/0

Bead: Black Cyclops

Antenna: Black Krystal Flash

Tail: Goose Biots

Rib: Stretch Magic

Legs: Black Stretch Magic

Body: Any Buggy Dubbing

Wing Case: Thin Skin

Notes on the Fly

This is a mixture of a few stonefly nymph patterns I have found. I have taken certain qualities I liked and found easy to tie and used them, and dropped others that were not worth the effort.

First thing I really like about this fly is the antenna coming out of the bead. One of the few bead-head patterns that really look life like! Also the stretch magic material is a great product that is easy to tie with and very durable.

This is a nymph that takes a little bit longer to tie than I would like, but is a must have early season pattern. You can fish this fly in every moving body of water in your area, and catch a variety of fish... from 5 inch brookies, to 14 inch browns, and even 12 pound steelhead. Give it a try, and keep thinking warm thoughts!

Not Your Usual Adams

2009-03-09T09:08:00.000-04:00

Hook: Standard Dry #12 - 20

Thread: Black 8/0

Tail: Synthetic Fibers

Body: Snowshoe Dun Dubbing

Wing: Snowshoe Natural

Hackle: Brown and Grizzly

Notes on the Fly

This is a small variation of Fran Betters "Usual" which is a high floating all purpose emerger pattern. The Adams by origin is considered an all purpose adult Mayfly pattern, however this may pass as a general attractor. Another fly that will ride the rapids with ease... give it a try!

**From now on I will only post tying instructions by request to save time, and allow me to post more patterns. If you are interested in the instructions just leave a comment and I will get back to you as quick as possible.**

Those Beadchain Eyes...

2009-02-23T07:58:00.000-05:00

Hook: Any Streamer or Long Nymph Hook

Thread: 6/0 Color to Match

Tail: Marabou

Body: Chenille

Hackle: Rooster

Rib: Ultra wire or Heavy Thread

Eyes: Beadchain

Tying Instructions

1) Pre-weight hook shanks with lead wraps, I usually do half the hooks weighted and half not.

2) Insert the hook in the vise and start your thread next to the eye, laying a good foundation for your beadchain eyes.

3) X wrap your eyes near the eye but giving yourself room for a thread head at the end. Once the eyes are set move your thread back and drop a generous amount of head cement in between the eyes. This will help keep them from spinning around the shank.

4) Tie in Marabou Tail, around the length of the hook shank.

5) Tie in rib, and chenille and create a nice thread underbody and leaving your thread right before the beadchain eyes.

6) Wrap chenille up to the eyes and tie off. Prepare and tie in a hackle feather making sure the fibers will curve back towards the bend.

7) Palmer hackle with hackle pliers making the wraps away from your body. Leave the pliers dangling after the last wrap.

8) Rib through the hackle and try not to hold down any fibers.

9) Tie off rib and trim excess and trim the excess hackle.

10) Make a neat head and whip. When all flies are done cement generously.

Notes On the Fly

This variation of a standard pattern is successful for a few reasons. It is a little different looking than the standard wooly bugger, and sometimes being a little different makes the fish a little more interested. The eyes give this fly a nice flash, but they also allow the fly to pass as a more natural looking food source then the standard beadhead does. Fishing without a heavy bead gives this fly a more balanced look when drifting in the water column, this could be just what the fish are looking for.

Try this fly in any color you have. My personal favorites are all black, all white, black/brown (pictured), and black/olive. Add extra flash to the tail if desired especially when fishing deep or in cloudy water. If you are just starting to tie flies this is a good place to start. They are durable, easy to tie, and will catch any species of fish you are after!

Just the Beginning

2009-02-13T14:12:00.000-05:00

Hook: Standard Dry #14-20

Tail: Pheasant Tail

Rib: Small Copper

Body: Pheasant Tail

Post: Snowshoe

Abdomen: Brown Superfine

Wing Pad: Pheasant Tail

Tying Instructions

1) Tie in a short tail with 4-10 PT fibers depending on hook size.

2) Tie in copper rib, and pull back the excess fibers from the tail and tie them in the same as the rib.

3) Make a smooth thread body, and wrap the PT fibers forward. Do not clip excess.

4) Counter-rib the copper wire, tie off tightly, and clip excess.

5) Pull back the excess PT fibers in preparation for the wing pad.

6) Prepare Snowshoe fibers and tie them in the middle of the abdomen section creating a bushy post.

7) Dub the abdomen with superfine.

8) Pull the PT fibers half on one side, and half on the other to form a split wing pad, clip excess.

9) Whip finish, trim snowshoe fibers, and cement when all flies are complete.

Notes on the Fly

The snowshoe is durable, visible, and will easily float this nymph. Use the shorter snowshoe fibers, because you want to save your longer stuff for upright wings. Make sure you use long and strong PT fibers, and they will suffice for three sections of the fly!

Click on image to the left to get a better view.

If you find trout are rising during a hatch, but not eating the duns, or other emerger patterns try one of these.

Almost Time for an Old Favorite

2009-02-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

Hook: Curved #16-22

Shuck: Partridge

Body: Olive Goose Biot

Abdomen: Olive Superfine

Hackle: Light Dun

Post: Grey Z-Lon

Tying Instructions

1) Tie in partridge tail half way down the bend, and *goose biot notch down.

2) Make a smooth thread underbody and leave the thread where the thorax will begin.

3) Use hackle pliers and wind goose biot up to thread, exposing the natural rib, tie off and clip excess.

4) Tie in the Z-Lon post at a slight angle towards the eye, and clip excess.

5) Tie in a prepared hackle feather up the post, so the feather and the post are pointing up.

6) Create the thorax using superfine leaving room near the eye for the hackle and thread head.

7) Hackle down the post clockwise, and *tie off making sure extra hackle fibers are clipped, or hidden on top of the hook.

8) Whip finish, and cement when all your flies are complete.

(* Denotes an important, sometimes difficult procedure. Take your time and get it right!)

Notes on the Fly

With a day that almost reached 60 degrees I got the itch to post something that rides on the surface. This is one of my favorite emerger patterns, and in a month or so I plan on using it! Take your time with these, and soon you will be able to whip them up like any other dry fly.

This is one of my go to BWO patterns. I can tie these down to a #22, fairly easily, and it will ride right every time, primarily because of the angled post and curved hook shank. If you are having trouble getting this to float right, make sure you keep the partridge shuck sparse, and do not apply floatant to anything except the post.

Don't be afraid to change the colors to suit the mayflies where you fish. Have fun, and think warmer temps!

The Season of Scuds Continues...

2009-02-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

Hook: Curved #12 - 20

Thread: Grey 8/0

Body: Thread

Rib: Small Silver Ultra Wire

OverBody: Light Colored

Superfine Dubbing

(fly shown is wet)

Tying Instructions

1) Start thread and tie in ribbing half way down the bend.

2) Continue the thread up the hook to form a nice body, this should be slightly tapered towards the front and back of the hook.

3) Rib the wire leaving around 1/32 to 1/16" of space (depending on hook size), between each turn. Snip wire and leave the thread near the eye.

4) Apply superfine dubbing loosely, by the direct or dubbing loop method.

5) Work the dubbing over the body and the rib making sure it stays loose and keeping the tapered ends. Whip finish at the eye and that's it!

Notes on the Fly

After examining a kick sample during my last trip to the stream I noticed a few things about the little critter we call a scud. The colors and sizes were accurate of my last post, however, the body was very translucent when it was in the water. If you want a larger more detailed version click here. This photo was taken seconds after I pulled the seine from the stream.

My last four trips to the water I have used a small pink version of this pattern, and it produced some very nice results. Try tying one yourself!