Redesigning the Willow stone

   The willow stone, well, Its not quite mastered yet. Some versions have been quite effective, but I don't just design for effectiveness. I want the fly to be durable as well. I don't want to have change flies because it is coming apart. So after putting the most recent version to test, I decided it needed a redesigning. Mainly the wing, but I also am playing around with different materials for the stripe.  The version below I like a lot. I will be putting it to the test this week.

A bwo soft hackle for picky fish tutorial and video

  This is a fly I have been using for some time on bwo hatches. It works wonders on picky or pressured trout.  Just quarter down at the trout with it, and get be ready for the strike.  It has been my go to fly for me for years during bwo time on some of the Pa limestone streams such as the Saucon. This fly teamed with a bead wing is just deadly. Its almost unfair.

 Its a quick tie and it certainly isnt anything fancy, but like I said, it cleans up.

The duckfly

This is a duckfly. Its a midge pattern. This one is size twelve.
Materials
Hook- daiichi 1550 #12
Thread- M.F.C. Black 8/0
Rib- Mirage tinsel small
Abdomen- Black pheasant tail
Wing buds- Orange biots
Thorax- Dark Brown seals fur blended with polar pearl lite brite
Breathers- white floss. 

The bead wing midge emerger

This is the midge I was using in winter session 7. Its extremely effective. I was using one with an olive body.
I use flattened mono to secure the bead. Its really simple and easy to do. The bead will not come off. They are effective when nymphed as trailers, but really shine as droppers on dry dropper rigs for midging trout. Here is the video on how to tie it.

More Buzzers

Size 20

Been tying buzzers a lot lately. Figured why not go smaller. I enjoy seeing how small i can tie a fly pattern. So far size 26 is the smallest I have tried. 

Size 20

Size 26

Buzz, Buzz, BUZZERS!!!!

Well I have been playing around tying buzzers since my friends success with one the other day. I have tied them in the past, but as I tied them, I began to enjoy tying them more and more. Here is some of them I tied so far. They are all size 16s

A bead back emerger. recipe and video

This is a little emerger i have used in the past on some bwo and various other hatches with great success.  The fly is a simple tie and well, you can vary the colors all ya want, but this color combo has done me well. The bead on top simulates....well, I dont know, but the fish hammer it, so who cares.

Materials

Bead-11/0 mercury bead.

Thread-Olive brown 8/0

Hook-Daiichi 1550- size to match

Tail- Partridge tail fibers

Abdomen- Turkey tail fibers

Rib- olive hends body quill #35

Thorax- U.V. High Test dub

Heres the video, Enjoy

Winter session 9

  Number 9, Number 9, Number 9,  Well got out today to fish before the rains come. We chose a new stretch of stream on a fairly familiar freestone stream.  We started fishing around 930 am and the night cold was still about.  The fishing was slow up to 11am, when some clouds started rolling in and the air warmed.   The fish where very ravenous once the water warmed up to 42F.  Midges where hatching as well as E.B.S.  The fish where on the rise occasionally but my friend and I know the better fish dont rise for E.B.S.. They pick off the nymphs as they make there way to banks or in stream obstructions that are sticking out.

  My friend Josh was fishing a black bow tie buzzer that I gave him from some fly swap i was in. It worked like magic today, beating out the oldie he had in lead.  My fish all came on the U.V. high test hares ear with a black wing case.  It was enjoyable couple of hours for sure as we did catch way "more than four"  Caught a couple of really nice size wild browns, a wild brook, and we even came across a painted turtle.

Winter session 8

  Well, got out today with my friend. The fishing was slow in the morning and didnt pick up until late afternoon.  The B.B. sucks!!! The fishing was actually great late in the afternoon with many browns to hand.   Plenty of E.B.S hatching and mating again today. 
  The golden oldie was the top producer followed by the U.V. high test hares ear.  The peeking caddis accounted for a couple trout as well did the bead wing midge. This is the same midge I used in winter session 7. I will have a video and post on it very soon. I figured out a way to keep the bead on it and its bomb proof.

Rubber Diamond Ducky with tutorial.

Rubber legs are everywhere I look. There on pretty much any fly you can name. A friend of mine fishes rubber legged flies often, and I do see there effectiveness. So I figured I would put together some rubber legged nymphs together. I wanted a rubber legged trailer fly and so the Rubber Diamond Ducky was born

 Click read more for the tutorial