Saturday, July 31, 2021

One Eyed Worm


 

Black


Maroon


Olive

One Eyed Worm

Hook - Mustad S80-3906, S82-3906B or equivalent, size 10-18
Bead - Red seed bead, brass or tungsten
Thread - Red
Tail - Micro chenille in the colors shown above or other colors
Body - Copper wire

From an internet photo

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Bunyan Bug


Tying a classic old fly pattern.

 

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Hot Vac

 


Hot Vac

Hook - Any curved style hook

Bead - Brass or tungsten

Thread - Hot orange

Ribbing - Gold or copper wire

Body - Pheasant tail fibers

Wing - White uni stretch

Hot spot - Tying thread


Blue Ribbon Flies Website

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Carey Special

 



Carey Special

Hook - S82-3906B, size 8-14

Thread - Black

Tail - Black or brown bear hair

Body - Black or brown bear hair

Hackle - Pheasant rump feather

Originated in the Northwest around 1925 by Dr Day and Col Carey and was originally 

thought to be tied bear hair for the tail and body (as tied above).

Tying Flies with Jack Dennis and Friends

Modern versions are tied with multiple colors of chenille for the body 

and pheasant rump feather for the tail and hackle.

Also known as "Monkey Faced Loiuse"

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Barr Emerger

 


Barr Emerger

Hook - Curved style, size 16-22

Thread - Gray 

Tail - Brown hackle fibers

Abdomen - Olive dubbing

Wing case & legs - Dun hackle fibers

Thorax - Gray dubbing


Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Galloup's Ant Acid


Galloup's Ant Acid

Hook - Dry fly style

Thread - Tan

First Body Segment - Cinnamon dubbing

Underwing - Gold holographic braid

Wing - Deer Hair

Second Body Segment - Brown dubbing

Third Body Segment - Cinnamon dubbing

Legs - Small speckled centipede legs


Monday, July 19, 2021

Bird's Stonefly - Dry

Bird's Stonefly - Dry

Hook - TFS 2302, size 4-8

Thread - Orange

Tail - Moose body hairs

Body - Burnt orange floss

Rib - Brown saddle hackle, trimmed

Wings - Fox squirrel tail or black bucktail

Hackle - Brown saddle hackle

Antennae - Moose body hairs


Saturday, July 17, 2021

Brahma & Orange

 


Brahma & Orange

Hook - Standard wet/nymph style

Thread - Orange

Body - Tying thread 

Hackle - Brahma hen

Bottle Imp

 


Bottle Imp

Hook - Standard wet/nymph style

Thread - Black

Tail - Scarlet quill sections or hackle fibers

Body - Blue gray wool or fur 

Hackle - Black 

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Z Wing Caddis


Z Wing Caddis

Hook - Mustad C068 - size 12-18

Bead - Copper, gold, nickel, black etc

Thread - Black

Shellback - Turkey tail fibers

Rib - Chartreuse thread or ultra wire

Abdomen - Caddis green dubbing

Wings - Zelon, antron, biots etc

Thorax - Peacock herl

Moose Mane Caddis

 


Moose Mane Caddis

(Skunk Hair Caddis Variation)

Hook - 2XL nymph or curved nymph hook

Weight - Lead/lead free wire

Thread - Black

*Body - Black skunk tail hairs, twisted

Ribbing - Copper wire tied in at the head and wrapped rearward and then back over the body

Hackle - Soft black hen, one or two turns

A Charles Brook fly pattern

*I didn't have skunk hair and not about to buy any so I substituted moose mane

Try different colored bucktail for different colored caddis



Thursday, July 8, 2021

Pat's Rubber Legs

 


Pat's Rubber Legs 

Hook - 3xl-4xl nymph style

Thread - Black

Weight - Lead/non lead wire

Tail, legs and antenna - Super Floss, Flex Floss, Life Flex, and Spanflex

Body - Variegated chenille - experiment with other colors 

Notes: Pat's Rubber Legs is also known as Jimmy Legs, Knotty Girls, Restless Stone, The Turd, Cat Turd, Cat Puke and The Pickle. "Pat" has been suggested to be a guide, Pat Bennett, that works out of the Hyde shop in Island Park, Idaho but this may be a ruse. Jimmy Legs is a variation from Idyllwild Flies in which the legs are pre-knotted and tied on a bent hook, such as a Daiichi 1730. Knotty Girls also have knotted legs but they are usually round rubber material. Restless Stone is another name as marketed by Umpqua. Whatever the name, the pattern works quite well and has become a favorite among guides. The pattern is a variation off an older pattern known as the Girdle Bug. This pattern was developed in the 1930's by Frank McGinnis of Anaconda, MT. He developed this pattern while fishing the Big Hole River. Originally, round rubber legs was used but a spandex rubber material such as Super Floss, Flex Floss, Life Flex, and Spanflex has become preferred over round rubber legs. It is much more durable and transparent than rubber leg material and very supple with lifelike movement in the water. Mickey Wooton, a guide out of West Yellowstone, came up with a nice variation of trimming the chenille at the abdomen for a flattened taper and replaced the antennae and tails with Krystal flash and goose biots, respectively. Fish Pat's Rubber Legs in the riffles and runs of fast-moving water. It also makes a great pattern for short line nymphing. The weight of the pattern allows it to quickly sink into deeps slots and pools.


Sunday, July 4, 2021

Bennett’s Halo

 Bennett-s-Halo-1080.jpg


Bennett’s Halo

Hook - Alec Jackson Spey Hooks (Black, Size 3 - 7)
Thread – White for all body work; Orange for the head
Tip - Oval silver tinsel
Tag – Flashabou; Dyed pearl peacock
Tail - Teal flank
Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel
Body - Peacock herl
Hackle - Grizzly
Underwing #1 – Pearl midge krystal flash
Underwing #2 - Holographic gold lite brite
Wing - Gray squirrel tail

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Egg Sucking Teeny

 Egg-Sucking-Teeny-1080.jpg

Egg Sucking Teeny


[BC] Alan Grombacher


Hook Teeny TDE black salmon (or substitute), size 2-8

Thread - Black

Tail - Black pheasant tail

Body - Black pheasant tail

Wing - Black pheasant tail

Throat - Black pheasant tail

Head - Fluorescent orange or fluorescent red thread tied large to give egg effect


Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul Marriner

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Dark Priest


Dark Priest

Steelhead

Hook – Gamakatsu T10-6H

Thread – Purple

Tip – Oval silver tinsel

Tag – Orange uni stretch

Tail – Orange hackle fibers

Ribbing – Oval silver tinsel

Body – Black dubbing, yarn, seals fur etc.

Hackle – Black

Wing – Gray Squirrel

Topping – Black krystal flash

 

Reference – Internet photo


Saturday, June 26, 2021

Deep Roller

 


Deep Roller

Hook – 3xl or 4xl nymph hook, size 12-16

Bead – Small tungsten

Weight - Lead/lead free wire

Thread – Black

Tail – Hungarian partridge

*Body – Twisted orange floss

Wing case – Pheasant or turkey tail fibers

Thorax – Rainbow scud dubbing

Legs – Hungarian partridge

 

*Use different colored floss for the body


Thursday, June 24, 2021

The Patent (La Patente)

 


The Patent (La Patente)

Atlantic Salmon

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H
Thread - Black
Tag - Oval gold tinsel
Tail - Green Highlander floss
Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel
Body - Dark gray wool
Wing - Blue dun calf tail
Hackle - Grizzly hen




Sunday, June 20, 2021

Water Floatman



Water Floatman

Hook - Mustad, R50-94840, size 4 -10

Thread - Black 

Shellback  - Black Chicone's fettuccini foam

Body - Micro crystal chenille

Legs - Brown or olive Super Floss

Reference - Fly Anglers On Line

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Marabou Streamer

 Marabou-Streamer-White-1080.jpg

Marabou Streamer - White

Hook - Mustad R74-9672, Size 4-10
Thread - Black
Tail - Red hackle fibers
Body - Silver tinsel chenille
Throat - Red hackle fibers
Wing - White marabou
Topping - Peacock herls



Marabou Streamer - Black

Hook - Mustad R74-9672, Size 4-10
Thread - Black
Tail - Red hackle fibers
Body - Silver tinsel chenille
Throat - Red hackle fibers
Wing - Black marabou
Topping - Peacock herls

Marabou-Streamer-Brown-1080.jpg

Marabou Streamer - Brown

Hook - Mustad R74-9672, Size 4-10
Thread - Brown
Tail - Red hackle fibers
Body - Silver tinsel chenille
Throat - Red hackle fibers
Wing - Brown marabou
Topping - Peacock herls

Marabou-Streamer-Yellow-1080.jpg

Marabou Streamer - Yellow

Hook - Mustad R74-9672, Size 4-10
Thread - Black
Tail - Red hackle fibers
Body - Silver tinsel chenille
Throat - Red hackle fibers
Wing - Yellow marabou
Topping - Peacock herls

Popular Fly Patterns - Terry Hellekson

Tie using different colors of tinsel chenille and marabou.

Add a bead or cone heads.

Be creative. Experiment.

Fly Photography

 Every photographer has their own proven method of taking fly photographs. 

The following is strictly MY take on fly photography.

I am in no way a professional photographer. Just a hobbyist still learning.

Just some tip and tricks from over the years.

MY CURRENT CAMERA

NIKON COOLPIX S9900


A cell phone can also be used.




CAMERA TIPS

READ THE MANUAL

Somebody took the time to write it for you so why not give it a read. 
It has all of the instructions and settings for your camera.

If you use the macro function, set the camera to the distance in the manual.

It's usually represented by a tulip symbol.

However, you do not have to have the camera lens nearly touching the subject to take good macro photos.

If you don't have macro on your camera, use the manual focus.

Check and set the white balance of your camera to the lighting you intend to use - it's in the manual on how to do it.

Do not use digital zoom.

Turn off the cameras flash.

More megapixel cameras are not necessary to take fly photos.

Depress the shutter 1/2 of the way down to let the camera focus on the subject. Once focused, depress the shutter the rest of the way down to take the photo (this seems to be the problem on most forums I frequent - out of focused photos and the photographer wants critiques).

Use the self-timer if that's the way you want to take the photo (not really necessary)


TRIPODS

Use a tripod to stabilize your camera.
There are many options to choose from as well as price points.






BACKGROUNDS

Use a background color that is pleasing to the eye.
Your filthy and disorganized fly-tying area is NOT pleasing to the eye.
Light blue, black, gray or light green are good choices.
Take a look at the fly photography of Charlie Craven and Hans Weilenmann for examples.
Their photos of flies are excellent.




Background ideas for fly photography

Those 39-cent foam sheet from the hobby or department store will work for backgrounds.

Different color paper from the scrapbooking department.



MY CURRENT BACKGROUND


Typist Paper Holder



I basically use tan, blue and gray colored papers for backgrounds

I prefer to take my photos directly at my tying area.

LIGHTING

Here is my current setup.



I use 2 full spectrum daylight lamps that I purchased from my local Home Depot. 
They are also available on Amazon.

Ott lights offer the same amount of light for double/triple the price.
 
Totally up to you which one to choose.






VIJIM VL100C Pocket LED Video Light



Camera Settings


My setting are as follows

1. Aperture mode

2. No flash

3. Macro mode

4. f6.3 f stop

5. Camera set to 8 megapixels

6. Shutter speed

7. ISO speed picked by the camera


PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE

Photo editing software come in a couple of categories: free and you have to pay for it.
Free is for me. I am not a professional photographer and never wanted to be one.
I use free software that can be downloaded from the internet.
I personally use a free editing software called "PhotoScape X Pro".
It allows me to resize my photos and do editing as well.

Other free software is - Gimp, Photofiltre, Microsoft Paint etc.
There are photo hosting websites that allow you to edit your photos.

If you want to pay for editing software, there is: Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro etc.

I use Postimage photo hosting website to store my photos.

Re-size your photographs. Nobody likes to scroll side to side to see your photograph.

I create a folder on a portable hard drive for every fly pattern I tie. I keep 2 versions of the fly photo: Original size (straight out of the camera) and a resized version @ 1080 pixels wide. I upload the 1080-pixel wide version to my photo hosting website for use on forums/bulletin boards.

Before Editing


After Editing






FINAL THOUGHTS

Find the equipment and setup that works for YOU.
Be as frugal or extravagant as you want.

Be creative! Experiment!