Houghton Lake Special
Hook - Mustad 79580 or equivalent, size 2-4 (I used a Mustad 9672)
Thread - Black
Tail - Red wool yarn
Body - Black chenille*
Ribbing - Silver tinsel (med. to wide), close wraps
Wing - Brown bucktail over white bucktail (1/3 white, 2/3 brown), tied full
Hackle - Brown, tied heavy
Bob Fortney
Originated by R.G. “Bob” Fortney in 1932
Hook - Mustad 94835 or equivalent, size 10-12
Thread - Black
Tail - Barred wood duck flank fibers
Wing - Blue Dun hackle tips, upright and divided.
Body - Pink floss
Rib - Gold tinsel
Hackle - Grizzly
Martinez Mahogany Nymph
Don Martinez Originator
Hook - Mustad 3906B or equivalent, sizes 8-12
Thread - Brown
Tail - Mottled brown hungarian partridge barbs
Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel over abdomen only
Abdomen - Dubbed with dark brown lamb's wool
Wing case - Dyed orange raffia tied over the thorax*
Thorax - Dubbed with dark brown lamb's wool
Legs - Mottled brown hungarian partridge tied on as a collar and tied back
*Floss, Z-lon or Antron yarn is a good substitute for raffia and other fragile materials.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Trout Streamer
Hook - Mustad 9575 or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tail - Golden pheasant tippet
Body - Gold tinsel
Wing - Brown over yellow bucktail
Flies - J Edson Leonard
Tak's Go 2 Copper Top
Rick Takahashi Originator
Hook - Mustad 3906B or equivalent
Bead - Brass or Tungsten
Thread - Black
Tail - Brown hen
Ribbing - Copper wire
Body - Copper tinsel
Wing - White uni stretch
Hackle - Brown hen
Thorax - Copper/brown sybai spectra dubbing
Colorado Guide Flies - Pat Dorsey
Colorado River Special
Mathew Thomas Originator
Hook - Mustad 3906B or equivalent
Bead - Copper tungsten
Thread - Wine or red
Tail - Orange marabou
Ribbing - Red wire
Body - Peacock herl
Hackle - Brown hen
Colorado Guide Flies - Pat Dorsey
John Keefover Originator
Hook - Sprite S2499
Bead - Red seed bead
Coffee Time
John Keefover Originator
Hook - Sprite S2499
Bead - Coffee tungsten
Eric Atho Originator
Hook - Sprite S2499
Chamon
Atlantic Salmon
Hook: Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent, sizes 4-10
Thread - Black
Tip - Oval silver tinsel
Tag - Short strand of fluorescent green floss
Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel
Body - Fluorescent green floss
Hackle - Bright green tied on as a collar and tied back
Wing - Sparse dyed black squirrel tail
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Doc Spratley Nymph
Hooks - MUSC53S, TMC200R, DIA 1270 or equivalent, sizes 6-12
Thread - Black
Tail - Barred teal barbs
Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel or wire over abdomen only
Abdomen - Dubbed with black lamb's wool
Wing case - Ringneck pheasant tail feather barbs tied over
the thorax
Thorax - Dubbed with black lamb's wool
Legs - Barred teal barbs tied divided beard-style
Author states “This pattern was adapted from the Doctor Spratley steelhead/wet fly.”
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Romy's Buzzer
Hook - Sprite S2499 or equivalent
Thread - Beige/tan
Tag - Glo-Brite #4
Butt - Glo-Brite #12
Ribbing - Gold wire
Body - Hends Shellback 02 transparent (I used opal mirage tinsel)
Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Magazine - April 2022
Poorman
Hook - Wet fly
Thread - Black
Tip - Gold tinsel
Body - Brown olive wool
Hackle - Brown
Wing - Tan mottled turkey
Trout - Ray Bergman
Vamp
Streamer
Hook - Mustad 3665A or equivalent
Thread - White under the body, black head
Tag - Flat silver tinsel
Tail - Black forked fibers
Body - White uni yarn
Wing - Cream neck hackles or bucktail
Collar - Badger
UV Resin coated head
Flies - J Edson Leonard
Hellcat
Hooks - Single salmon
Thread - Black
Tip - Flat silver tinsel
Tail - Golden pheasant crest
Body - Fluorescent pink chenille
Hackle - Purple tied on as a collar and tied back and down
Wing - White bucktail tied over the body
Frank Headrick of Seattle, Washington, developed this pattern in the 1950s.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art
Hellcat
Hooks - Single salmon
Thread - Black or red
Tail - Red hackle fibers
Butt - Peacock herl
Body - Yellow chenille
Shoulder - Peacock herl
Underwing - Brown bucktail
Overwing - Black bucktail
Cheeks - Jungle cock (Optional)
Steelhead Fly Tying Manual
Hellcat
Hooks - Single salmon
Thread - Black or white
Tip - Flat silver tinsel
Tail - Golden pheasant crest
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Pink chenille
Hackle - Purple
Wing - White bucktail
Topping - Golden pheasant crest
Steelhead Fly Tying Manual
Yerxa Bucktail
Trout Streamer
Hooks - DA12370, DA12340, or TMC300, sizes 2-6
Thread - Black
Tip - Flat gold tinsel
Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel
Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool
Throat - Yellow hackle barbs
Wing - White bucktail tied over the body
Cheeks - Jungle cock eyes or substitute
Jack Yerxa of Square Lake, Maine, originated this pattern.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Ida May
Hooks - MUSR72, TMC5262, or DAI1710 or equivalent, sizes 6-12
Thread - Black
Tail - Dyed dark green grizzly hen hackle barbs
Ribbing: Peacock herl. Reverse wrapped with fine gold wire
Body - Dubbed with black rabbit fur
Legs - Dyed dark green grizzly hen hackle tied on as a collar and tied back
Charlie Brooks originated this pattern.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
White Water
Hooks - MUS9672, TMC9395, or DA12220 or equivalent, sizes 4-8
Thread - Black
Tag - Red yarn
Butt: Dubbed with black lamb's wool
Body - Flat silver tinsel with a peacock herl joint tied in at the front
Throat - Black hackle barbs tied long
Wing - Natural brown bucktail tied over the body
Eyes - Painted black over white
Herbert Howard of New Rochelle, New York, originated this pattern.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Chief Fat Dog
Hook - Any brand straight eye style
Thread - White
Body - Oval silver tinsel
Wing - Silver Flashabou Accent tied over the body, with an over wing of purple bucktail
Throat - Fluorescent fire orange bucktail tied in at the throat
Head - Pearlescent blue (I used Glo Brite #14
This pattern was originated for freshwater coho and is thought to have come from Bristol Bay Lodge.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Lindgren's Wood Duck Nymph
Hooks - MUS3906, TMC3761 or DA11560 or equivalent, sizes 12-18
Thread - Brown
Tail - Barred imitation lemon wood duck barbs
Ribbing - Fine gold wire
Abdomen - Barred imitation lemon wood duck barbs wrapped in a thin taper
Thorax - Black ostrich herl
Legs - Barred imitation lemon wood duck barbs tied divided beard-style
Ira Lindgren Originator
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Lindgren's Yellow Nymph
Hooks - MUS3906, TMC3769 or DAI1190, sizes 12-18
Thread - Black
Tail - Black hen hackle barbs
Ribbing - Fine gold wire
Body - Dubbed with yellow marabou
Legs - Black hen hackle tied on as a collar and trimmed off on top and bottom
Ira Lindgren Originator
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Lindgren's Olive Nymph
Hooks - MUS3906B, TMC3761 or DAI 1560 or equivalent, sizes 10-18
Thread - Black
Tail - Black hen hackle barbs
Ribbing - Fine gold wire
Abdomen - Dubbed with olive marabou
Thorax - Peacock herl
Legs - Black hen hackle tied on as a collar and trimmed off on top and bottom
Ira Lindgren Originator
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Lindgren's Inch Worm
Hooks - MUS3906B, TMC3761, DAI 1560 or equivalent, sizes 10-14
Thread - Black
Tail - Black hen hackle barbs
Ribbing - Black ostrich herl wrapped close. Fine gold/silver wire is reverse wrapped over the ostrich
Body - Dubbed with dyed insect-green rabbit fur
Head - Black ostrich herl
Ira Lindgren Originator
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Lindgren's Dark Nymph
Hooks - TMC3761, DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 12-16
Weight - Lead free wire (optional)
Thread - Black
Tail - Black hen hackle barbs
Ribbing - Heavy yellow thread over abdomen only
Abdomen - Dubbed with black rabbit fur
Thorax - Peacock herl
Legs - Black hen hackle barbs tied beard-style
Ira Lindgren Originator
The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Dorato's Hare's Ear Nymph
Hooks - TMC3769, DAI1550 or equivalent, sizes 8-14
Weight - Lead free wire (optional)
Thread - Brown
Tail - Grizzly hackle barbs
Body - Dubbed with hare's mask fur
Legs - Grizzly hackle barbs tied in as a beard
Wing case - Barred imitation lemon wood duck barbs tied in at the head and extending over the thorax
Bill Dorato originated this pattern.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Ginger Quill Emerger
Hooks - TMC3769, DAI 1550 or equivalent, sizes 12-18
Thread - Tan
Tail - Ginger hackle barbs
Ribbing - Fine gold wire reverse wrapped
Body - Light stripped peacock quill
Legs - Ginger hackle barbs tied beard-style
Budding Wing case - Small loop of light brown poly yarn
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Feather Duster Nymph
Hooks - MUSR72, TMC5262, DAI1710 or equivalent, sizes 8-12
Thread - Brown
Tail - Barred imitation lemon wood duck barbs
Ribbing - Fine gold wire
Body - Brown ostrich herl
Wing case - Mottled brown Hungarian partridge barbs tied in
at the head and extending over the thorax
Legs - Mottled brown Hungarian partridge barbs tied divided beard-style or collar
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Elmo Nymph
Hooks - TMC3761 or DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 8-14
Thread - Brown
Tail - Dark ginger hackle barbs
Ribbing - Heavy brown thread
Shellback - Dyed brown turkey quill section
Body - Dubbed with pale yellow lamb's wool
Legs - Dyed brown speckled guinea fowl barbs
Elmo Nymph vs Tellico Nymph. Both are slightly different, but which one was first?
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Duster Nymph
Hooks - TMC3769 or DAI1550 or equivalent, sizes 10-16
Thread - Black
Tail - Sparse black hen hackle barbs
Body - Three or four natural gray pieces of ostrich herl tied in by their tips. The ostrich is twisted around your tying thread and wrapped forward. Body should be plump and full. The back of the body is trimmed off to about one-eighth inch.
Legs - Black hen hackle tied on as a collar and tied back. Hackle is trimmed off on top.
*Although the recipe mentions to trim the ostrich herl and hackle off of the top of the fly, I optioned to leave them untrimmed for more movement under water.
Doug Prince of Monterey, California, originated this pattern and it does well as a still-water water fly. Doug used the ostrich feather from a feather duster he had laying around, hence the name.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Turkey Nymph
Hooks - TMC3761 or DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 10-14
Weight - Lead free wire
Thread - Brown
Tail - Golden pheasant tippet fibers
Body - Dubbed muskrat fur
Wing case - Mottled brown turkey wing quill section tied in
at the head and extending over the thorax
Legs - Brown hen hackle tied on as a collar and tied back
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Pellis Muskrat Nymph
Hooks - TMC3761 or DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 6-14.
Thread - Black
Tail - Brown hackle barbs
Ribbing - Brown hackle tied palmer-style over the body and
then clipped short
Body - Dubbed muskrat fur
Legs - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back
Tom Pellis originated this pattern.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Tom Thumb
Hook - TMC3761, DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 8-14
Thread - Tan
Tail, Shellback, and Wing - Natural deer hair
Body - Peacock herl
"Tom Thumb - #247 FAOL" (flyanglersonline.com)
Cooper Bug
Hook - TMC3761, DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 8-14
Thread - Black
Tail, Shellback, and Head - Natural deer hair
Body - Black chenille
Originated by Jack Cooper, this pattern is also referred to as the Cress Bug.
This fly can be tied in a range of body colors, and you are not limited to chenille as a body material.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
From the Internet
Downeaster Jack Cooper invented this simple deer-hair bug
back in the 1930s to catch the brook trout that gobbled caddisflies off the
surface of his local ponds. The fly worked so well that Cooper applied for a
patent. He was denied on the grounds that his bug was too similar to Orley
Tuttle’s Devil Bug.
Babcock
Atlantic Salmon
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H
Thread - Black
Tail - Dyed yellow gray squirrel tail
Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel
Body - Dubbed with red lamb's wool
Hackle - Black tied on as a collar and tied back and down
Wing - Dyed yellow gray squirrel tail
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art -Terry Hellekson
Benn's Coachman
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Black.
Tail - Crimson red hackle barbs
Ribbing - Gold wire, counter wrapped
Body - Peacock herl
Throat - Brown hen hackle
Wing - Red over white calf tail
Coat head with uv resin
John S. Benn of San Francisco, California, originated this pattern in the late 1800s. The original pattern had red and white goose quill sections for the wings.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Purple Peril
Steelhead
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tip - Embossed silver tinsel
Tail - Purple hen hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Purple chenille
Collar - Purple hen hackle
Wing - Natural brown bucktail
Ken McLeod of Seattle, Washington, originated this pattern in 1934
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Gadabout Special
Atlantic Salmon
Hooks – Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tip - Fine silver wire
Tail - Grizzly hackle barbs
Butt - Fluorescent orange floss ribbed with fine silver wire
Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel
Body - Dark olive floss
Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied low over the body
Hackle - Olive tied on as a collar and tied back
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Richey's Golden Girl
Steelhead
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Red
Tail - Golden yellow calf tail
Body - Gold crystal chenille
Throat - Golden yellow calf tail
Wing - Golden yellow calf tail
George Richey of Flint, Michigan, originated the two preceding patterns. Chuck Lunn did, however, collaborate with him on the Golden Girl.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Princess
Steelhead
Hooks – Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tail - Orange bucktail
Body - Copper wire
Wing – Yellow bucktail over gray squirrel tail
Coat thread head with uv resin
Peter J. Schwab originated this and similar patterns between the mid-1920s and mid-1940s 1940s while he was residing in Yreka, California. This fly was inspired by Charles H. Conrad of San Francisco, California. The wings should be cocked upward 40-50°.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry
Hellekson
Otter Bar Purple
Steelhead
Hooks - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Claret
Tail - Purple hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Dubbed with purple lamb's wool or purple uni yarn
Hackle - Purple hen
Wing - Ringneck pheasant tail feather fibers
Coat thread head with uv resin
Marty Sherman originated this pattern and named it after Otter Bar Lodge while fishing northern California's Salmon River.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Acid Flashback
Kevin Cooney Originator
Steelhead
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread – Claret/red
Tail - Red hackle barbs and pearl krystal flash
Body - Purple chenille
Collar - Purple hen
Wing - Purple marabou
Topping: Pearl krystal flash
UV Resin coated head
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
Easdon's Blindside Midge
Hook – Tiemco 2487, Sprite S2499 or equivalent
Thread – Gray
Ribbing – XS Copper wire
Dubbing – Ice Dub UV Pink
Collar – White ostrich herl
How
to tie Easdon’s Blindside Midge – AvidMax Blog
Massacre Midge
Hook – Sprite S2499 or equivalent
Thread – Olive
Foam – 1/16-inch diameter foam cylinder
Rib – Small olive/green wire
Dubbing – SLF Dragon Fly dark dubbing
How to tie the Massacre Midge – AvidMax Blog
Wagstaff Special
Atlantic Salmon
Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent
Thread - Black
Tip - Oval gold tinsel
Tail - Peacock sword feather fibers
Body - Rear half, orange floss; front half, peacock herl
Trailer - Strand of orange floss tied in at the center top of the body and extending to the end of the hook
Wing - Natural brown bucktail
Collar - Brown hen hackle
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson