Pencil Poppers

Pencil Poppers

Thanks for looking

Disco Midges

Red and Black

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Black

Body - Red tinsel

Thorax - Black peacock herl

Purple

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Black

Body - Purple tinsel

Thorax - Purple peacock herl

Chartreuse

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Chartreuse

Body - Chartreuse tinsel

Thorax - Chartreuse peacock herl

Silver and Gray

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Black

Body - Silver tinsel

Thorax - Gray peacock herl

Copper and Tan

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Tan

Body - Copper tinsel

Thorax - Tan peacock herl

Copper and Brown

Hook - Curved style

Thread - Black

Body - Copper tinsel

Thorax - Brown peacock herl

I recently purchased some Peacock Eye feathers in various dyed colors and tied up some Disco Midges in different colors. Do not hesitate to tie the in different colors and mix and match the various colors.

Stripping Peacock Herl from the Quill

There are may ways to strip the herl from a peacock eye feather to get just the remaining quill but I thought the following method is a little different and worth some viewing. Some of you may already be doing this method but I just found out about it recently.

The tutorial is in the following link. It site is in German, so get those translators ready.

Stripping Peacock Herl

The other methods of stripping peacock herl includes bleaching the feather, using an eraser and the good old scraping with your thumb nail.

Hard to Find Tying Items

In the process of cleaning out some tying materials, I came accross a couple of items that were purchased  a long time ago and most likely no longer on the fly tying market unless they can be found on ebay.

Draper Fly Hook by Partridge

The Draper hook was used for stone fly bodies.

McMurray Ant and Emerger Bodies

Ant body prior to painting

Thanks for looking!

River Creature

Yesterday while at the Bears Den Fly Shop in Taunton, Ma I spied some flies called River Creatures from the  Flymen Fishing Company and purchased one fly as a sample. I also purchased some rubber legs and Fish Skulls to tie some up for myself. $2.90 a fly is a bit up there if you were to buy a dozen or so.

I'm figuring these flies will work on some big bluegills, crappies and the occasional small mouth and large mouth bass that I fish for in my area. These should work in your area also..

Recipe

Mustad 3366 or Equivalent

Thread

Rubber legs (Your favorite color)

Estaz (Your favorite color)

Fish Skulls

CA Glue (Your favorite brand)

Reference

http://flymenfishingcompany.org/products/fish-skull-flies/fs-river-creature/

Flex vs Flex

Uni-flexx

Uni-Flexx is a fine elastic strand and comes spooled in thirteen colours. The strand may be divided into even smaller strands if desired. Uni-Flexx can be used for as a body wrap,legs or skirts. Many like to use Uni-Flexx as a floss replacement because of it's easy handling qualities. Suitable for bodies of small nymphs, larva and pupa. Uni-Flexx retains the original colour when wet unlike many other materials.

Flexi Floss

Flexi Floss/Floss Flex is a crinkly spandex material that is stretchable yet handles like floss.  Great for ribbing, wiggly legs, antennae, segented wrapped midge bodies, and more.  Flexi Floss/Floss Flex is easy to use and adds a little extra shine to your flies.  Best of all it doesn't break down like rubber does, so your legs will last longer.

Spanflex

Spanflex is a very strong, extremely stretchable semi-translucent material with many varied used for the fly tier. Great for tails, feelers, ribbing,legs and bodies.

Life Flex

This spandex material is oval in shape and wiggles like crazy in the water when tied in as legs. Also can be wound like floss for bodies on dries or nymphs


Legs Alive

Easy to use with over 200 strands of 8" leg material...great colors and easy to dye yourself! Ties even small flies as body wrap, midge larva & "Buzzers"

One flex product may not be EXACTLY the same as the other, but i'll bet they can be used interchangeably.

Fishing Places

Bighorn River, Montana

Pittsburg, New Hampshire

Salmon River, Connecticut

Hopeville Pond, Connecticut

Basswood Popper

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I received permission to post these videos from the originator and I hope you like them as much as I do!

Poppers

For a while now I have had an interest in making bass poppers. I had been collecting the necessary parts to make them, so I decided to document my efforts either good or bad in the following tutorial. As I went along on the build process, I quickly learned that certain steps should have been done prior to proceeding to the next step. 

So, let's start this tutorial.

Mustad CK52S Size 4 hook covered with thread to give the crazy glue a better surface to cling to and for a slightly tighter fit on the popper body slot.

I took a Wapsi brand hard foam popper body and sanded the bottom to be flatter than the original rounded shape and sanded all of the mold lines off that remains from the molding process. I use a standard flat file for the operation. Sanding off the mold lines is probably not necessary but if you decide to do it you will have a smoother end product. Apply your favorite brand of crazy/super glue to the thread covered hook shank and position the popper body to your liking.

Tying Tip: Now is a good time to decide if you want rubber legs coming out of the popper body. Drilling the hole NOW will make things easier later on in the build process such as not damaging your paint job. Its your choice.

Time to paint the popper. I used acrylic paints from Michaels Craft Store and some cheap throw away brushes.  Use your choice of colors.

Tying Note: In order to speed up the drying of the paint, I used a portable hair dryer on a low setting. Worked great.

Now it's time to paint the eyes. For this popper it was a 3-step process.  For step 1 I used a 1/4 diameter nylon screw for the first part of the eye and black paint. I also have a Wasatch Eye Painting Tool set that I used for the next 2 steps.

Step 2 of the eye painting process.

And finally the last step.

Tying Tip: If you want a black eye with a white pupil or a white eye with a black pupil, then just stop there. Use your imagination when painting eyes.

Top View

Painting the rest of the body is entirely up to use. This popper is rather simple (it's only the 2nd one i made). You can go from mild to wild.

Bottom View

Side View

Remember that hole? Should have drilled it earlier but it came out all right.

Bottom View 

Now its time to protect your paint job. After letting the paint completely dry, I used Diamond Hard UV Cured Resin. What you use is strictly up to you. 2 part epoxy is another choice and its cheaper.

Top view

Side View

I chose 1 strand of orange and 1 strand of chartreuse for the rubber legs and threaded them through the drilled hole in the popper body. The rubber legs are held in by a drop of the Diamond Hard on each side.

All finished. 

I used some congo hair, northern lights tinsel, orange and black hackle.

As always, thanks for looking.

Forming Good Habits

Remove all fly-fishing manufactures decals from your vehicle. You’re asking for trouble. Some thieves are not as dumb as you think and know exactly what to go after.

Carry that 4-piece rod in its rod tube when bushwhacking and your chance of losing or breaking a piece is greatly diminished.

Have a set of dry clothes. You won’t be sorry.

Use a waterproof camera, not your expensive DSLR. You can bring both but only use the waterproof one near water. Today’s newer point & shoots take excellent photos

Don’t forget to pack your waders, boots rods, reels etc. It’s disheartening to drive xxx miles and when you get to your destination they are NOT in the car.

Break down your outfit and put it INSIDE the car BEFORE changing out of your boots and waders or driving away to go home. You will be glad you did and so will we.

DO NOT put your rod & reel outfit on top of the car or lean it up against the nearest tree. You are asking for trouble. You will forget where you put it. When you realize it’s not where it should be and you return to the place where you put, it will be gone!

Pack out what you pack in

I'm diabetic and always carry something sweet just in case. Always carry a bottle of water and a snack on you. You never know when you might just want to keep finding out what’s around the next bend. The water and snack will make the hike back to car much easier.

Respect someone else's ideas. We are all different people. Your way is not the only way.

Use a wading staff and a wading belt. Either one or both may save your life.

Always wear a Personal Floating Device (PFD) or some kind of inflatable device when on the water. OK, so you think you'll look silly, or you are a big macho man who doesn't need one, but it beats lying in a casket the rest of your life! Your family will be glad you did.

Put your cigar/cigarette butts in a zip lock baggie in your vest pocket instead of throwing them in the water. Same thing for your mono/leaders etc.

Carry a small garbage bag and do a little stream clean up. It won’t hurt you to pick up some discarded waste. Some of it just may be your own.

Have respect for other people. Yes, they may be fishing your sacred spot but so what! Sometimes fishing a new spot reaps great rewards.

Practice good etiquette. If you don't like someone doing something to you, then don't do something to them.

If you are landing them one after another and someone asks you what fly you're using, offer 1-2 flies to them so they can have the same experience. Will it really kill you if you were nice to someone?

Help out a struggling newcomer to the sport of fly fishing. I'm sure somebody helped you out in your endeavor into fly fishing.

If you wear a neck lanyard, make sure it has a breakaway feature. Choking is not fun.

Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. What you have in it is up to you.

Take a kid fishing.

Keep the adult beverages for the end of the day when its relaxation time.

A good knife just might get you out of a bad situation (I don't mean with people). Also don’t forget a small pair of scissors.

If there is a lot walking to be done before you reach the water, pack your waders and where your hiking boots for the hike. Better to put the wear on the soles of your hiking boots then your waders’ soles. Your hiking boots will give you maximum comfort and support also.

Avoid wild roses bushes and other thorn bushes. It might seem like the long way around and easier to just wiggle through the bushes, but the long way is better than damaging your waders, especial on fishing trips or in the winter.

Clean your fly line. It truly does make a difference.

Place all your mono and fluorocarbon tags and other waste piece in a pocket to dispose of properly. Even the smallest tag.

Have stream etiquette, everyone is out to have the best time, and experiences they can, not just you.

Always look around you and observe your surroundings before you cast.

Add a whistle or micro air horn to your vest or pack pocket for signaling emergencies

Carry some bear spray if you're going to be in bear country

Carry some bug spray with you

Check yourself for ticks especially when you're in wooded areas

Leave those bird feathers on the ground. They're most likely illegal anyways

Mash down hook barbs. You'll be glad you did to prevent an emergency room visit to have it removed from wherever it stuck on you

Beware of the poisons - Ivy, Oak and Sumac

T.D.C Nymph

T.D.C. Nymph

Thompson's Delectable Chironomid

Hook - Your favorite hook and style

Thread - Black

Ribbing - Oval/round silver tinsel

Body - Black wool yarn

Collar - White ostrich herl

The TDC (Thompson's Delectable Chironomid) was developed by Richard B. Thompson in the late 1950's. Richard was a Fishery Biologist for the State of Washington. Prior to this fly, Chironomid fishing within lakes was just not done. Richard developed techniques with this fly, such as utilizing an indicator for depth control and fishing the pattern off the bottom of the lake with a slow retrieve. He wrote an article , "Chironomids and Trout" that was published within the State of Washington's Game Bulletin describing his TDC fly. Many tried using the Chironomid pattern but failed, due to their habit of using a fast retireve. However, by the early 1960's, his techniques caught on with other lake fly fishermen and a number of other Chironomid patterns were developed. His TDC pattern, using a dubbed body, remains highly effective and is the basis for many new variations.

Reference - Popular Fly Patterns - Terry Hellekson