Moose & Grizzly

Moose & Grizzly

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Body - Moose mane

Thorax - Black beaver dubbing

Hackle - Grizzly hen

Apply a swipe of crazy glue to the thread wraps before wrapping the moose mane or overcoat the body with uv resin

Lewi's Killer

Lewi's Killer

Hook - Nymph/wet style

Thread - Black

Tail - Black hackle fibers

Body - Black uni-yarn, oval gold tinsel, black uni-yarn, oval gold tinsel

Throat - Black hackle fibers

Quigley Cripple

Quigley Cripple

Hook - Curved dry fly style

Thread - Tan

Shuck - Dyed olive marabou

Rib - Gold wire

Abdomen - Dyed olive marabou (continuation of shuck)

Thorax - Dyed olive dubbing

Wing/stubs - Deer hair

Hackle - Grizzly

Hex Trude

Hex Trude

Hook - Mustad 9671, 9672 or equivalent, size 6

Thread - Tan

Tail - Moose mane or body hairs

Body - Pale yellow or tan poly yarn or dubbing

Wing - White calf tail, tied trude style

Hackle - Grizzly & brown, mixed

Tying Tips: Standard techniques

Fishing Tips: Developed for the Hexagenia hatch. This fly works really well in especially in very light or extremely heavy hatches. The fly floats well and is easily seen. When fishing heavy hatches try casting upstream and to the right or lift of the trout, and then twitch the fly into his window. On many occasions I have been able to coax large trout into striking this pattern long after all feeding has stopped.

Historical Note: Jeff Bonin developed this pattern around 1987. It’s a very simple yet durable pattern. According to Jeff, “it’s my top Hex pattern.” Jeff is the owner of ‘Steelhead Connection Custom Flies,’ located in North Muskegon, Michigan.

Michigan Moth

Michigan Moth

 

Hook - Mustad #R50-94833, #94840 or R50X-94845 Size: 8-10

Thread - Pale yellow

Body - Natural White Peacock Herl (i substituted white yarn)

Wing: Natural Deer Hair, divided and pulled down to the sides of the fly

 

Tying Tips: You can use any dry fly hook and if you prefer you can substitute the deer hair light elk hair. Begin tying as if you were doing a caddis fly; once your hair is tied in simply divide the hair and pull it down toward the sides of the fly. Then, using your thread firmly secure the wings.

 

Fishing Tips: This fly is designed as a generalized moth pattern. Here in Michigan we have many species that we commonly call grass moths, lawn moths or just plane common brown moths. They are usually out April through September. They are attracted to light. When night fishing a river where the banks are lined with cabins the moths will often be found crossing the river, drawn by the lights of the cabins. That’s the most productive scenario for the use of this fly. I suspect that it might also be used on spruce moths.

 

Historical Note: Developed by Tom Deschaine for use on the Au Sable River, here in Michigan in 2014.

Twist of Lemon

Twist of Lemon

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread - Yellow/white and Black

Tag - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Oval silver tinsel and yellow floss twisted

Thorax - Red flash dubbing

Hackle - Dyed yellow hen hackle

Brown Biot Nymph

Brown Biot Nymph (Variation)

Hook - 2xl nymph style

Thread - Woodduck

Tail - Brown goose or turkey biot

Body - Brown goose or turkey biot wrapped over crazy glue for durability

Wing case - Brown goose or turkey biot coated with uv resin (I omitted the tinsel under the wing case shown in the video)

Thorax - Ostrich, peacock herl, dubbing etc

Reference - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaQ2EnrOFXs

Mercury Brassie

Mercury Brassie

Hook - Nymph/wet style

Bead - Silver lined glass bead

Thread - Gray

Body - Copper wire

Thorax - Gray beaver/muskrat dubbing

Traditional Wet Flies

Dark Hendrickson

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Wood duck flank

Body - Muskrat

Hackle - Dun hen

Wing - Wood duck flank

Dark Cahill

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Dark ginger or brown hackle fibers

Body - Muskrat

Hackle - Dark ginger or brown hackle

Wing - Wood duck flank

Light Cahill

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Light ginger or brown hackle fibers

Body - Natural buff red fox fur

Hackle - Light ginger or brown

Wing - Wood duck flank

Quill Gordon

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Natural dun hen hackle fibers

Body - Stripped peacock eye quill

Hackle - Natural dun hen

Wing - Wood duck flank

The Classic Wet Fly Box - Mike Valla

Samuel R Slaymaker II Flies

Little Brook Trout Bucktail

As per Bates

Hook: size: 2-12, 6x long

Head: Black

Tail: A very small bunch of bright green bucktail, under or over which is a section cut from bright red floss, both slightly longer then the gap of the hook.

Body: Wound with cream colored spun fur

Ribbing: Narrow flat silver tinsel

Throat: A small bunch of bright orange bucktail, the same length as the tail. 

Wing: Of four very small separated bunches of hair, extending slightly beyond the tail.  A very small bunch of white bucktail over which is a very small bunch of bright orange bucktail, slightly blended.  Over this is a very small bunch of bright green bucktail, topped with a very small bunch of barred badger hair

Cheeks: Jungle Cock

Little Brown Trout Bucktail

As per Bates, with a slight alteration*

Hook: size: 2-12, 6x long

Head: Black

Tail: A very small breast feather, with the dark center removed, from a ring neck pheasant.  The feather is as long as the gap of the hook and curves upward.

Body: Wound with white spun wool

Ribbing: Copper wire (narrow flat gold tinsel may be substituted, *I used medium oval copper tinsel)

Throat: None

Wing: Of four very small separated bunches of hair, extending slightly beyond the tail.  A very small bunch of yellow bucktail over which is a very small bunch of reddish-orange bucktail, slightly blended.  Over this is a very small bunch of medium dark squirrel tail, topped and slightly blended with a very small bunch of dark brown squirrel tail. 

Cheeks: Jungle Cock

Little Rainbow Trout Bucktail

As per Bates

Hook: size: 2-12, 6x long

Head: Black

Tail: A very small bunch of bright green bucktail, slightly longer then the gap of the hook.

Body: Wound with pinkish-white fur

Ribbing: Narrow flat silver tinsel

Throat: A small bunch of pink bucktail, the same length as the tail. 

Wing: Of four very small separated bunches of hair, extending slightly beyond the tail.  A very small bunch of white bucktail over which is a very small bunch of pink bucktail, slightly blended.  Over this is a very small bunch of bright green bucktail, topped with a very small bunch of natural badger hair

Cheeks: Jungle Cock

Reference - Samuel R Slaymaker II in Streamer Fly Tying & Fishing -  Joseph D Bates

Soft Hackles

Partridge & Peacock

Partridge & Green

Partridge & Orange

March Brown Spider

Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle

POP Fly

La Visa

Partridge & Quill

Brassie Soft Hackle

GT Triple Double

GT Triple Double

Hook - Dry fly

Thread - Black

Hackle - Grizzly - Brown - Grizzly

Body - Dubbing

Magic Midge

Magic Midge

Hook - Curves style

Thread - Black

Body - Black thread

Legs - Black z-lon, crystal flash etc

Thorax - Dubbing

Wing - White biot

Mike Tucker Stonefly - Pteronarcys Californica

Recipe

Pteronarcys Californica

Hook - Mustad 9672; Size 4 (or the size of stone flies in your area)

Thread - White flat waxed nylon for building the body: 

8/0, 10/0 or 12/0 tan thread for tying the rest of the fly

Tails, antenna and legs - 12 or 20 pound fly line backing colored with a brown marker

Under body - Thread and seamstress or map pins to help build a flat taper to the under body

Over body - Clear liquid lace, larva lace, v-rib, body glass etc

Wingpad - 1/4 inch wide tyvek paper colored with a brown marker

Thorax - Orange dubbing

Marker - Brown and orange for this fly but other colors can be used to suit 

the stone flies in your area. A salmon colored marker can be used for the underside.

Markers can be whatever brand you like to use.

Cut 2 pieces from the fly line backing for the tails. Leave these uncolored for now. 

They will be colored with a brown marker in a later tying step.

Cut 6 pieces from the fly line backing for the legs and color with brown marker.

Take a 1/4 wide piece of tyvek paper and fold it in half lengthwise. 

Trim the end in an approximate 45 degree angle to form a vee notch as shown. 

Prepare 2 strips of tyvek paper for the wing pads and 1 strip for the pronotum as shown above.

The lighter and bodkin will be used later to bend the legs.

Tying Procedure

Tie on thread and wrap to the bend. Wrap a bump of thread to help separate the tails.

Tie in the tails and the v-rib and begin to build a tapered body. I'm using v-rib for this fly but if you choose a liquid or larva lace, you may fill the tubing with oil, water etc.

Attach a dressmakers or map pin to the side of the body to determine its length. 

The point of the pin should be at the forward end of the thread bump.

The pin should be cut to length from the forward end of the thread bump to the forward end of the tapered body.

Cut both pins to the same length and tie on to the body. Ensure the pins are tied on parallel to the hook shank. The purpose of the pins is to create a horizontal taper to the under body.

Wrap the tying thread to fully cover the pins.

Color the underside of the body with the lighter marker (for this fly - orange)

Color the top side og the under body, thread bump and tails with the darker marker 

(for this fly - brown)

Wrap the v-rib forward to create the over body shell. 

Trim off excess material and the flat waxed nylon thread.

Tie on 8/0, 10/0 or 12/0 tan thread for tying the rest of the fly.

Tie on one of the previously prepared tyvek hind wing pad and fly line backing legs. 

Trim off all excess materials.

Dub the back end of the thorax with a dubbing of your choice. (for this fly - orange)

Tie on the second set of legs. Trim off excess materials.

Tie on the other previously prepared tyvek hind wing pad. Trim off all excess material.

Tie on a 1/4 inch wide strip of tyvek paper over the body of the fly. 

Dub the front end of the thorax with a dubbing of your choice. (for this fly - orange) 

Tie on the third set of legs. Trim all excess materials.

Tie on the fly line backing antenna and then pull the strip of tyvek paper forward to create the pronotum. Trim off all excess materials and build a neat tapered head.

The following steps require caution.

Using the lighter, heat up the bodkin (not to cherry red) and while hot, gently press the bodkin against one of the legs to bend the leg approximately 90 degrees. This will melt the fly line fibers of the fly line backing in contact with the heated bodkin just enough to keep it bent. Repeat on the other side.

CAUTION: A too hot bodkin will cut right through the fly line leg like butter!

Repeat the process with the remaining legs.

CAUTION: A too hot bodkin will cut right through the fly line leg like butter!

After all of the legs have been bent to shape, trim the ends as shown above.

Trim the tails and antenna.

This is the top side of the fly.

This is the bottom side of the fly.

Other Colors

Other Hooks

Daiichi 1730

Partridge Draper Flat Bodied Nymph 

This hook can also be used. 

These hooks are no longer made but are still available in limited quantities.

Tying note: This is the way I learned to tie this fly while attending a tying class with Mike Tucker way back in the 1980's.

Obviously there may be easier ways of tying this fly with other materials. 

That's up to each individual tyer.