Saturday, March 27, 2010

Chironomids


Diamond Chironomid

Hook: Your favorite curved hook
Bead: Black
Thread: Black
Breathers: White Zlon or equivalent
Rib: Black spanflex
Body: Silver tinsel
Thorax: Peacock herl



Blackbird

Hook: Your favorite curved hook
Bead: Black
Thread: Black
Body: Black tubing
Thorax: Peacock herl



Redbird

Stan Benton Originator

Hook: Your favorite curved hook
Bead: Black
Thread: Black
Body: Red tubing
Thorax: Peacock herl

Saturday, March 20, 2010

How to make a simple fly box

Here is a simple way to make a fly box for your nymphs and midges.




The items needed to make one.

1/4 inch white closed cell foam (big box craft shop .99 cents)
Combination square/steel ruler (for making nice straight cuts)
Xacto/utility knife
Crazy glue (your favorite brand)
Pencil (for marking the foam)
Box (altiod tin or plastic equivalent. I used a gift card tin box from cabelas $1.99)
Pinking shears. Yes pinking shears!


Measure and layout how many strips of foam will go in your fly box. This is where you use the pinking shears to cut the foam on one side and the utility knife on the other side



After all of the strips have been cut to the length and width required to fit inside the box, use the utility knife to cut the slits in the foam to hold the fly.


After all of the slitting is done, all thats left to do is to glue in each strip to the inside of the box. Space the strips accordingly inside the box.






Once the glue has set, add the flies into the slits in the foam.

Repeat the entire construction process if you want to add the foam strips to the inside of the cover.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Brahma and Gold




Brahma and Gold

Thread: 8/0 Uni Tan
Hackle: Whiting Brahma Hen
Body: 1 Strand of plastic from a supermarket onion bag
Rib: Same as the body but twisted into a cord

Tying note: I tied in the strand of plastic onion bag behind the eye of the hook and wrapped it back in a ribbon to the bend of the hook. I then attached my hackle plier to the plastic strip and twisted that into a cord/rope and wrapped forward as the rib.

Here's the onion bag. I bought the onions at Walmart but look in your favorite grocery store. The bags come in different colors. You will have to untangle the mesh to get some long strands for tying. The idea of using this material is from Hans Weilenmann.