A true master of the thread does the sawyer pheasant tail

Here is Mr. Davy Mcphail doing the sawyer pheasant tail.  Give them a go, they sink like rocks, but catch fish better than rocks do! Enjoy.

Cream midge

  Some people like tying flies to look at such as Atlantic salmon flies and the likes, but well I like tying flies that are hard to see! I very much enjoy the art of tying small flies, and I do it quite often.   Here just a  simple cream midge i tied recently.   

 Hook- Mustad 94859-#28

Thread- Uni trico thread

Body- tying thread

Hackle- Whiting bronze grade neck hackle cream

Fly tying video lessons for begginers.

I am doing a video series for beginner tiers and this is video number 1. It is a green rock worm. Very simple and easy tie.
 This fly will teach you how start the thread, the pinch and loop technique to attach materials and wrapping materials.
Hook- Curved shank hook sizes 10-16
Thread- Black 8/0 uni
Body- Chartreuse or a bright green yarn
Rib-Black utc brassie
Thorax- Peacock hurl. 

Here is video 2 a simple midge pupa, This fly will teach you the basic dubbing technique and soft loop for attaching materials.
Hook- Dry fly hook or Nymph hook sizes 14-24
Thread- Uni black 8/0
Body- tying thread
Rib- Red utc wire
Thorax- Muskrat dubbing

Here is video 3, the griffiths gnat.  This fly will teach you how to palmer hackle.
Materials- Dry fly hook 10-26
Thread- Uni 8/0 black
Body- peacock hurl
Hackle- Grizzly neck hackle, saddle will work also
Rib- copper wire utc, or silver. xsmall

Lesson in the corner

   Today was a different day the usual in that Josh came to the fly corner for a fly tying session. He has never tied before and it was my honor to give him a tying lesson.  I was very impressed with how well he picked up on the task at hand.  I had him tie first a rock worm, then a fancier rock worm with a rib. Then a ultra fancy rock worm with rib and soft hackle.  We then moved onto Griffiths gnats, and finished up with his request of parachutes. I had him tie a pheasant tail parachute.  Great job Josh!!!!!!!!!

Josh's First fly ever

Second fly

3rd fly

4th fly.

5th fly

6th

7th fly

Dying stripped quills

I made a video on how I dye my stripped herls a nice bwo olive.  Its very simple to do and can be fun to do.

Fly tying videos, The Nicheo, and the Still Born Midge

This post as the title describes holds two fly tying videos. The Nicheo is first up, and if you have been following along with the winter sessions, then you may be interested in seeing this fly. I have been fishing with this version a lot latley for the bwo hatches. It floats great, no floatant required and its durable.

Here is a video of Roger hill's Still Born Midge. I like to twist them up on light wire scud hooks, The red thread I feel makes it work better on some of my local water. The muskrat tail makes the fabled griffiths gnat the still born midge, and I have found that it does infact make the fly more effective.

How to strip peacock hurl with bleach to make quills.

  Here is a video I did on stripping peacock hurls with bleach to make quills.  Its simple and easy to make a lot quills quickley.  Clorox bleach in 1 part and hot tap water in 3 parts will make the bath to strip to hurls. Then a simple rinse in tap water and then a soaking in a bath of hot tap water mix with baking soda for 15 mins. 

   

Winter session 30, attack of the NICHEO!!!!

 Well, I finally got out on a Saturday. This never happens for me in the winter, but my daughter is with her grandmother for the weekend so a flying I went.  I had somethings to do in the morning, so i didnt get out till around noonish. Which was perfect because the baetis where just starting to hatch on my local limestoner.  I still had the odd ball on from last time so I cast it out and was quickly into a wild brown. A quick pick and a release. I put some more drift over some trout but they didnt want the odd ball.    So i swapped out for a nicheo, This nicheo was tied using a stripped and dyed peacock quill. I stripped and dyed a bunch yesterday.  This nicheo was the ticket. The trout really dug it.  It was a nice day and a good hatch today.  With "more then four" I headed on home, before the rain came. 

The olive quill body Nicheo. The thorax is dry in the pic, so the color doesnt match but when its wet, it blends perfect.

The Oddball Quill Gordon, Tutorial and video

 
  The Oddball Quill Gordon was devised by a nameless man, who fishes the lower Cheeseman canyon section of the South Platte River.  The only place I know that this fly is talked about is in Ed Engles book "Tying small flies". Which is one of my favorites.  In the book, Ed tells a story about fishing a bwo hatch, and how, like me the other day, couldn't get a trout to take the go to standards.  He goes on to say how he had saw this man before and how on this day, he was catching trout left and right.  Ed mustered up the courage and asked the gentleman what he was using.  The man handed Ed the oddball quill gordon. in a size 18.  Ed describes how he fished the fly, just like the old gentlemen did, Down and across to the rising trout.  Ed was quickly into fish.  If you dont own tying small flies by Ed Engle, you should. Its a great book.

   If you read my winter session 29 fishing report, I had a situation just like in the book. Except I was the one with the oddball, fishing it down and across. I was getting fish left and right, and I talked to an older gentlemen and I told and showed him the oddball quill gordon.   Funny how things go down sometimes.

 Without a doubt this fly should be in your box, Its a great fly that works on small mayfly hatches. Its a wonderful variation to the famous, and fabled Quill Gordon. I agree with Engle that when this fly is fished down and across, giving it a twitch, drag, dead drift is the ticket. If you watch baetis hatch you will notice that they flop around in attempt to dry there wings for flight.(many mayfly species do this) The trout key in on this action. When the fly goes dead drift to regain its energy, gulp.  (click read more)

The still born midge

 Rodger Hill's still born midge is without a doubt the deadliest midge dry fly I have ever used.  It is a griffiths gnat with the addition of a muskrat underfur tail. I have and do use g-gnats but I truly can say that the muskrat tail does make it more effective.  Some times a shuck'll do ya!  The one to left there is tied on a Daichii 1130. Its a light wire continuous bend hook aka scud hook. I prefer my g-gnats and still borns on a light wire scud or emerger hook. I think the clearer gap helps.  I tie them with a red for the Musconetcong river. There are midges there with big red eyes. The wild browns approve of the red.  Be creative and try all different color heads them. Also twist them up with different color peacock hurl and even hackle. The possibilities are endless.   I like to fish these at sipping trout and my preferred sizes for that are 18-24 and I like a size 14-16 for a searching pattern. 

Hook-Daiichi 1130

Thread- Red uni 8/0

Hackle- Grizzly saddle hackle

Body- Peacock hurl

Rib-x-small silver wire

Shuck- muskrat under fur.

A different dun. and the S.G.M. Festival

My Nicheo dun. This one is a size 18 and will be used on bwo hatches. 
Come on out to the Sparse grey matter tying festival in califon and say hello, I will be tying these flies there.  I will be tying for my T.U. Chapter at the event.(R.V.T.U). If you leave a comment and request a fly you would like me to tie along with the Nicheo.


SGM- Fly Tying Fest 2012
Dette’s Trout Flies and Shannon’s Fly Shop are teaming up
for their 2nd annual Sparse Grey Matter fly tying event in
Califon NJ.
Join us for a day of fly tying and fish talk.Bring your vise and
materials or just stop by to see some of the area’s best tyers,
doors are open to everyone.
The event will be held in the spacious Califon Fire House
ballroom, right across the street from Shannon’s Fly Shop.
Any questions call Shannon’s (908) 832-5736 or email Dan
Ansbach- DAnsbach@gmail.com.
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Date: Sunday, February 26th
Location: Califon Fire Company Inc
41 Main St, Califon NJ, 078303
www.SparseGreyMatter.com
www.DetteFlies.com
www.ShannonsFlyTackle.com

Johnny's Spartan Buzzer, tutorial.

Here is a buzzer I put together. I call it the Spartan buzzer.  I gave it this name because of the colors I used in the creation of the pattern. The fly is new so whether it works is unknown.  But you can bet I will be putting this warrior to the test!.  I will report back in fishing reports on this one. And if you twist some up and take them out, Please comment back on how they worked!  Click the read more for the tutorial.

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

Chapter 12, a series of fly pages

Chapter 12 page 24. Page 24 is the original tie of the chapter 12, it has a chartreuse and black life flex body.


chapter 12 page 30. chartreuse and purple with a black under body. This one tied with a grey under body will make the colors much brighter. Head only had one coat of varnish.


chapter 12, page 31 purple and fluorescent pink with a grey under body.

The Frostbite chironomid tutorial, and season greetings.

Seasons Greetings Everyone!

  The origins of this fly is unknown according to the book Modern Midges. However it is extremely similar to the Brian Chan's Frostbite Midge.  I am sure there is some story there, but what it is, I dont know.  I will say it is an effective pattern for sure. Its a simple tie and can be tied in different colors. Size range from a 14 to as small as you tie them. I like the in size 18-22.

Lets twist one up.

Click the read more link

The NPA midge tutorial and video

 This is the NPA chironomid. The NPA was devised by someone at the North Park Anglers.  Its a simple and effective fly. Can be tied in range of colors and sizes. Black, Olive, Red, White, in sizes 12-20. You can go smaller with them if you wish. I like them in size 18-20.

Lets twist on up

Daiichi-1170

Thread-Red utc 70

Rib-Fine silver wire

Thorax- Peacock hurl

Wing case- White antron

Breathers- White antron
Click the read more for the tutorial and video