Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Sofa Pillow


Sofa Pillow - Brown

Hook - Mustad 9672
Thread - Black
Tail - Red goose quill section
Body - Red floss/uni stretch
Wing - Red fox squirrel
Hackle - Brown


Sofa Pillow - Gray

Hook - Mustad 9672
Thread - Black
Tail: Yellow goose quill section
Body - Yellow floss/uni stretch
Wing - Gray squirrel
Hackle - Grizzly

Patriot Double Wing


Patriot Double Wing

Hook - Dry fly
Thread - Red or black
Tail - Brown antron stub
Tag - Blue krystal flash
Rear Wing - Medium-brown to dark-tan deer/elk body hair
Body - Red antron dubbing
Body Hackle - Furnace brown
Front Wing - White calf tail
Hackle - Brown

A Gary Lafontaine adaptation

Renegade


Renegade

Hook - Dry fly
Thread - Black
Tag - Flat gold tinsel
Rear Hackle - Brown
Body - Peacock herl
Front Hackle - White

Thor



Thor 

Steelhead

C. Jim Pray, 1936 

Tail - Orange hackle fibers 

Body - Red chenille 

Hackle - Brown saddle 

Wing - White bucktail

Classic Steelhead Flies - John Shewey

Measuring Hackle for Dry Flies

While you can spend additional money on some sort 
of hackle gauge, you really dont have to.








Or for measuring the length of the wing on streamers.


Since you already bought the hackles and hooks, use them to your advantage.

Splay out the hackle you intend to use on your fly and measure it against the hook shank.

From the eye of the hook to the bend of the hook shank (the straight part of the shank before it begins to bend) is equal to 1 1/2 times the hook gape. Perfect for hackle length.




Whatever method you use is totally up to you.

Bellamy


Bellamy

Hook - Streamer
Thread - Black
Tail - Red calf tail
Body - Copper wire over an underbody of brown floss
Wing - White bucktail tied over the body, with an over wing of dyed yellow natural bucktail
Eyes - Red painted eyes

Forgotten Flies - Schmookler & Sils

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Bobby Dunn


Bobby Dunn

Hook: Streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Red calf tail
Body: Copper wire
Throat: Red hackle fibers
Wing: White bucktail over the body, 
with an overwing of red bucktail, 
then sparse bunch of dark brown bucktail

Note: For simplification of tying the wing in layers, 
I mixed the red & white bucktail, 
then followed with the dark brown bucktail

Reference: Forgotten Flies (Schmookler & Sils)

Monday, May 29, 2017

Olive Dust Fly


Olive Dust Fly

Hook: Wet style
Thread: Black
Tail and wing: Sparse white hackle feather fibers
Ribbing: Pearl tinsel (original recipe)
Body: Black thread
Thorax: Olive flashy dubbing




Silver Tinsel Variation


Change out the colors and dubbing as you see fit

Reference: 1995 issue of stillwater trout angler, a british fly fishing/tying magazine

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Silly Creek Savior


Silly Creek Savior

Hook: Tiemco 2302 or Tiemco 700 #8-#2 (Steelhead) Weighted 
Thread: Black 6/0 
Tail: Black Goose or Turkey biots 
Rib: Fine Copper Wire 
Body: Black Seal’s Fur 
Wingcase: Pink Pearl Krystal Flash 
Thorax: Peacock Herl 
Hackle: Black Saddle Hackle 

Oliver Kite's Bare Hook Nymph




Note: flies may be coated with your favorite uv resin


Utah Killer Bug



Utah Killer Bug

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent
Weight - Lead free wire
Thread - Fluorescent pink
Body - Berroco Ultra Alpaca Yarn - Steel Cut Oats

Okey Dokey




Okey Dokey

Hook: Curved or straight
Thread: White and fluorescent colors
Ribbing: Wire

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Shop Vac



Shop Vac

Hook - Any curved style hook 
Bead - Brass or tungsten
Thread - Black
Rib - Gold or copper wire
Body - Pheasant tail fibers
Wing - White uni stretch


Ryer's Coho



Ryer's Coho

Steelhead

William Ryer Originator

Hook - Mustad 9575 or equivalent
Thread - Red
Tail - Orange bucktail
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - White yarn
Wing - Orange over white bucktail

The Book of Fly Patterns: Over 1000 patterns for the Construction of artificial Flies - Eric Leiser


Rainbow Special


Rainbow Special

Hook - Mustad 9671, 9672 or equivalent
Thread - Black
Ribbing - Round/oval silver tinsel
Body - Yellow floss
Throat - Dun hackle fibers
Wing - Mixture of white, green & orange bucktail
Eyes - Black over white

Poodle Sniffer



Poodle Sniffer 

Black Caddis Pupa

Hook - Mustad 3906, 3906B or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tail - Black pheasant tail
Ribbing - Chartreuse wire
Body - Black pheasant tail fibers
Thorax - Peacock herl

Originator - Bighorn Angler Head Guide David Palmer

Friday, May 26, 2017

Bean Special


Bean Special

Front hook - Nymph/wet size 6
Rear hook - Nymph/wet size 8
Connector – .018 diameter Beadalon wire
Thread - Red
Tail - Yellow hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body – Black floss or uni stretch
Throat - Yellow hackle fibers
Wing – 2-4 White hackle feathers

Tying note: Orientation of the rear hook may be pointed upward or downward (depicted) if desired

Reference - Tandem Streamers  -  Donald A Wilson

Super Pupa




Super Pupa
Simple Version

Thread: Black 
Hook: Dry fly size 12 
Hackle: Golden Badger 
Abdomen: Golden yellow dubbing
Thorax: Brown dubbing


The original pattern is as follows : 

Thread: Black 
Hook: Dry fly size 12 
Hackle: Dark brown rooster 
Abdomen Fly-Rite # 9 Golden Yellow 
Thorax: 60% Fly-Rite No. 2 Black and 40% No 26 Adams Gray mixed.


Variants 

Dark Olive Pupa

Hook: Dry fly size 12 
Thread: Black 
Hackle: Dark brown rooster 
Abdomen Fly-Rite No. 3 Dark Olive
Thorax: 60% Fly-Rite No. 2 Black and 40% No 26 Adams Gray mixed.


Dark gray Pupa

Hook: Dry fly size 18 
Thread: Black 
Hackle: Dark brown rooster 
Abdomen: 60% Fly-Rite No. 2 Black and 40% No 26 Adams Gray mixed
Thorax: 60% Fly-Rite No. 2 Black and 40% No 26 Adams Gray mixed.


Brownish-orange Pupa

Hook: Dry fly size 14 
Thread: Light brown 
Hackle: Maroon 
Abdomen: 50% Fly-Rite No. 18 Rusty Orange and 50% No. 20 Dark Tan mixed. 
Thorax: Fly-Rite No 32 Rusty Olive


Light Olive Pupa

Hook: Dry fly size 10 
Thread: Maroon 
Hackle: Maroon 
Abdomen Fly-Rite No. 15 Light Olive
Thorax: Fly-Rite No 5 Rust


Cream Pupa

Hook: Dry fly size 8 
Thread: Light brown 
Hackle: Dark brown 
Abdomen Fly-Rite No. 25 Cream Variant
Thorax: 30% Fly-Rite No. 2 Black and 70% No. 6 Chocolate Brown mixed.

Balloon Caddis



Balloon Caddis

Hook - Mustad 94840 or equivalent
Thread - Tan
Body - Your choice of dubbing
Wing - Deer or elk hair
Thorax Cover - Yellow Close Cell Foam
Thorax - Your choice of dubbing

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Theo's Danger Baby



Theo’s  Danger Baby


Hook - Straight or curved nymph/wet style
Thread - Black
Head - Brass or tungsten gold bead of appropriate size
Butt - Chartreuse flexi body, floss, uni stretch, thread etc
Body - Peacock herl
Wing - Antron, tan, green, red, or brown yarn


                

Monday, May 22, 2017

Silly Creek Savior



Silly Creek Savior
Hook: Tiemco 2302 or Tiemco 700 #8-#2 (Steelhead) Weighted 
Thread: Black
Tail: Black Goose or Turkey biots
Rib: Fine Copper Wire 
Body: Black Seal’s Fur
Wingcase: Pink Pearl Krystal Flash
Thorax: Peacock Herl 
Hackle: Black Saddle Hackle 

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Black Ghost


Black Ghost Marabou Wing
Hook: 6xl – 8xl streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Yellow hackle fibers
Rib: Silver mylar tinsel
Body: Black floss
Throat: Yellow hackle fibers
Wing: White marabou

Black Ghost Bucktail Wing

Hook: 6xl – 8xl streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Yellow hackle fibers
Rib: Silver mylar tinsel
Body: Black floss
Throat: Yellow hackle fibers
Wing: White bucktail



Black Ghost Hackle Wing

Hook: 6xl – 8xl streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Yellow hackle fibers
Rib: Silver mylar tinsel
Body: Black floss
Throat: Yellow hackle fibers
Wing: White hackle
Cheeks: Jungle cock

Black Ghost Hackle Wing Tandem

Hook: 6xl – 8xl streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Yellow hackle fibers
Rib: Silver mylar tinsel
Body: Black floss
Throat: Yellow hackle fibers
Wing: White hackle
Cheeks: Jungle cock



Mini Black Ghost - Schlappen Wing
Hook - 2xl - 3xl - 4xl streamer style
Thread - Black
Tail - Dyed yellow hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Black thread
Throat - Dyed yellow hackle fibers
Wing - White schlappen hackle fibers

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Seed Bead Size Table/Charts


There are times when you want to know the size of glass/seed beads for tying flies. 

Here's a few useful charts.


14/0 - 1.6mm - 0.063 inch 
13/0 - 1.7mm - 0.067 inch 
12/0 - 1.9mm - 0.075 inch 
11/0 - 2.1mm - 0.083 inch 
10/0 - 2.3mm - 0.090 inch 
9/0 - 2.6mm - 0.102 inch 
8/0 - 3.0mm - 0.118 inch 
7/0 - 3.4mm - 0.134 inch 
6/0 - 3.7mm - 0.146 inch 
5/0 - 4.5mm - 0.177 inch 
4/0 - 5.0mm - 0.197 inch 
3/0 - 5.5mm - 0.216 inch 
2/0 - 6.0mm - 0.236 inch

Killer Caddis Bead Size Chart


Monday, May 15, 2017

The Apprentice (Variation)




The Apprentice 

Variation recipe

Hook: Streamer, #4
Thread: Black
Tail: Soft white hackle fibers
Body: fluorescent chartruese/yellow thread
Rib 1: Peacock Herl
Rib 2: Oval Silver (counter wound)
Wing: White hackle
Throat: Red poly yarn
Over Wing: Omitted 


Original recipe


Hook: Rangeley Streamer, #4
Thread: Black
Tail: Soft white hackle fibers
Body: Glow-Brite Floss, #11
Rib 1: Peacock Herl
Rib 2: Oval Silver (counter wound)
Wing: White hackle
Throat: Glo-Brite Floss
Over Wing: Glo-Brite Floss, #11

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Platte River Bucktail



Platte River Bucktail

Hook - Tiemco 300 or equivalent
Thread - Black 
Body - Brown floss, yarn or uni stretch
Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel
Throat - Red bucktail tied short
Wing - Mixed yellow and brown bucktail
Collar - Brown and yellow hackle

Lady Godiva



Lady Godiva

Steelhead

Ralph Olson, mid-1940s 

Tag - Silver-embossed tinsel 

Tail - Red and yellow swan or goose, married 

Butt - Red chenille

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Yellow seal dubbing or yellow wool yarn 

Wing - Red bucktail over sparse white polar bear

Classic Steelhead Flies - John Shewey

Transformer



Transformer

Hook - Mustad 3906, size 10-12
Thread - Black
Weight - Lead/lead free wire (optional)
Ribbing - Pearl tinsel
Body - Black dubbing
Legs - Knotted pheasant tail
Wing case - Turkey tail
Thorax - Black dubbing
Antennae - Butt ends of the legs over the hook eye

Summers Gold


Summers Gold

Hook: Streamer
Thread: Black
Tail: Golden pheasant tippets
Body: Flat gold tinsel (I used gold twisted wire)
Throat: Red hackle fibers
Wing: Brown over white bucktail

Sweeney Todd


Sweeney Todd

Hook - Mustad 9671, 9672 or equivalent
Thread - Black
Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel
Body - Black floss with shoulder area magenta floss
Throat - Brown or magenta hackle fibers
Wing - Black squirrel or bucktail

Forgotten Flies - Schmookler and Sils
Perrault's Standard Dictionary of Fishing Flies - Keith Perrault

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Griffith's Gnat & Variations


Grifith's Gnat

Hook - Tiemco 101
Thread - Black
Hackle - Grizzly
Body - Peacock herl

Variations of the Original


Black Peacock Herl


BWO Peacock Herl


Dark Tan Peacock Herl


Gold Peacock Herl


Insect Green Peacock Herl


Muskrat Gray Peacock Herl


Purple Peacock Herl


Tan Foam


Bleached and Dyed Peacock Herl

Note: there are many more variations that can be tied by using different color hackle, dubbed bodies, foam, tinsel bodies, thread bodies, adding tails and highly visible wing posts etc.

Be creative. Experiment