Paul's November 2011 Fly of the Month

EZ Eyes Hare Emerger

Hook:  Size 12 to 18 Curved shank emerger or scud hook. 

Tying thread:   Black 8/0 or 6/0.

Trailing shuck:  A small bundle of ginger hackle fibers.

Rib:   Pearl Krystal Flash or narrow Flashabou.

Body:  Hares ear dubbing or synthetic substitues.

Wing:  A thin strip of 2 millimeter thick closed cell white foam for larger flies, or short tag of white cylindrical foam for size 18 flies.

Hackle:   Light ginger.

I love emergers and I especially love emergers on a curved shank hook.  The top part of the fly remains visible in the surface film and the “butt” of the fly extends down below the surface film.  This particular pattern can be used to imitate a variety of caddis and mayflies.  Just size it to the insects on the water.  It’s also a great “attractor” or “search” pattern.  The foam wing helps you to keep visual contact with your fly.

Begin by starting your tying thread 1/3 down the hook shank from the eye.  Extend the thread the rest of the way into the hook shank to the deep bend in the hook.  Tie in a bundle (approximately 6-8 fibers) of light ginger to form the shuck.  These fibers should be half the length of the body.  Tie in a strand of Krystal flash to be used for the rib.  Dub a tapered body half way up the length of the hook.  Tie in your ginger hackle immediately next to the dubbed body.  Next, cut a thin strip of closed cell foam needed to form a loop wing.  The foam is tied in on top of the remaining hook shank.  It is then looped and tied in so that it leans forward over the hook eye and resembles a “cripple” style wing.  It is critical that when tying in the foam wing enough space is left between the dubbed body and the wing to wrap your ginger hackle.  Once the wing is in place, wrap the hackle 3-4 times behind it.  Secure the hackle with your thread.  You can now tie off your thread near the eye of the hook. 

This fly can also be viewed at the Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association website at www.hffa.net .  If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of  The month I can be reached at 203 305-3854 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's October 2011 Fly of the Month

CDC Caddis Emerger

Hook:  Daiichi 1120, or TMC 2457, or TMC 2487 #12 to #18 Curved emerger hook.  (I prefer the TMC 2487)
Tying thread: Black, orange, brown, olive, or yellow to match natural.

Tail/trailing shuck:  Tan, yellow or amber z-lon.

Rib:  Copper Wire.

Abdomen: Antron dubbing. Color to match the natural. (Brown, tan, cream, green)

Under Wing:  Dun or amber z-lon.

Over Wing:  Dun or amber CDC.
Antennae: (Optional) Two lemon wood duck fibers.

Thorax:  Peacock hurl.

I love fishing emerger patterns on “curved emerger” hooks.   The fly is visible on the surface and the rear of the fly extends down into the surface film.  The antron dubbing and reflective trilobal fibers make it very translucent.  The z-lon/CDC wing mimics insect movement.  How can trout resist it?  

Begin by wrapping your thread from the hook eye deep into the bend of the hook.  Tie in your z-lon shuck.  Trim it to the length of the hook gap.  Next tie in your copper wire rib.  Dub your antron abdomen approximately ¾ the length of the hook shank.  Make sure you leave enough room to tie in your wing and thorax. Rib it with copper wire.  Tie in your under/over wing.  It should be ½ the length of the hook with the CDC tips at the “edge” of the wing.  Tie in two lemon wood duck fibers for the antennae.  They should sweep back and be slightly longer than the wing.  Tie in a strand or two of Peacock hurl.  Make two or three wraps for the thorax.  Tie off and whip finish fly.  Sometimes I fish this fly by itself, letting it drift and skidder along in the surface film.  Other times I fish it as a trailing fly in tandem with a caddis adult. 

This fly can also be viewed at the Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association website at http://www.hffa.net/ .  If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a pattern of

The month I can be reached at 203 305-3854 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

HFFA September 1, 2011 Meeting

HFFA meeting September 1, 2011 7:00PM, to be held at:

St.Paul’s Episcopal Church
65 North Main Street
Wallingford, CT 06492

HFFA members and interested fly fishers, you won’t want to miss this meeting.  This is a free event to all.   It’s being brought to you by the HFFA E Board with the topic of discussion being “isonichias”.  This is an insect that’s on the Hous and the Farmington for most of the “dry fly” season.   The isonichia dun is one of the largest mayflies on our waters.  Learn how to fish it and tie it.  Fly tyers will be on hand to show and tie dun and nymph immitations.   Also learn “dropper” techniques and rigging.  This is definately a presentation that will improve your fish catching ability! 

Both of these "Iso" patterns can be found in the Fly of the Month section of http://www.hffa.net/  .

Paul's September 2011 Fly of the Month

“Skull Head” Deceiver

Hook:  Tiemco 600SP size #2 to #4/0, or salt water hook of preference.  

Thread:  White flymaster+ or color matching upper wing color.

Tail:  6 White saddle hackle tied in deceiver style.

Body:  Pearl body braid (wrapped over the hook shank after the tail is applied).

Lower wing:  White buck tail -- two bunches of buck tail are tied in on each side, slightly angled down toward the hook point, extending almost to the tips of your saddle hackle.  Topped with pearlescent Flash-a-bou, or Polar Flash, or flash material of choice.

Upper Wing:  Chartreuse, or olive, or pink, or color of choice buck tail.  Topped with pearlescent Flash-a-bou, or Polar Flash, or flash material of choice, then topped with peacock or green flash-a-bou. 
Fish Skull:  To match hook size. 

I caught a lot of fish using this pattern this past spring.   Similar to a clouser minnow, the weighted “head” of the fly gives it a jigging action.  What’s great about the “fish heads” is that they can be applied to the hook so that the fly fishes hook point down or inverted like a clouser. 

The key to tying this fly is to make sure you leave enough room to apply the “fish skull” at the end of the tying process.  Begin by advancing your thread from the hook eye to the bend of the hook.  Next, tie in your 6 saddle hackle on top of the hook shank “deceiver” style.  The feathers should extend anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ times the length of the hook shank. Next, tie in your pearl body braid near the bend of the hook.  Palmer it forward and tie off leaving approximately ¼ of the hook shank to the eye.  I then coat it with ‘tough as nails’ for added durability.  You can also take time to test that your “fish skull” will fit properly over the eye of the hook.  I usually do this a couple times during the tying process. Next tie in two bunches of white buck tail on each side of the hook shank.  They should be a little shorter than the tail, and slightly angled down.  Top the lower wing/tail with pearlescent Flash-a-bou or Polar Flash.  It should extend to the tip of the tail.  Next, tie in your upper wing (chartreuse, olive, or color of choice).  It should also extend to the tip of the tail.  Top with more pearlescent Flash-a-bou.  Finally top it with peacock or dark green Flash-a-bou.  You’re now ready to apply your “fish skull”.  Tie off your thread.  Before applying the “fish skull” to the hook shank, coat the contact area with head cement or adhesive of choice.  Follow the “fish skull” directions.  Depending upon how you affix it to the hook shank,  the fly will either fish with the hook point down, as any traditional fly would, or you can apply it to the hook shank so your fly will fish inverted just as a traditional clouser would.  If you tied the fly properly, the eye of the hook will extend just beyond the fish skull.  Re-apply and make a number of wraps with your thread just before the hook eye, then tie it off again.  Apply head cement.  This is to further ensure that the “fish skull” will stay permanently affixed to the hook.  (I’ve never had one loosen up on me yet, but this is the manufacturer’s recommended tying method.)  I don’t know if this fly out fishes clousers, but they sure work.  Only drawback is they aren’t cheap. 

This fly can also be viewed at the Housatonic Fly Fishermen's Associaton website at http://www.hffa.net/ .  If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a pattern of the month email me at pdinice@frontier.com  .   

Stripers reproducing in the Housatonic?

Hi All, a few nights ago, Internet Fishing star Bear Cochrane, Ralph "pass the canolis" Biase, and Drew Farrell fished the Hous in the Derby/Shelton area.  Some of the fish we landed were very small juveniles.  Some very compelling evidence that stripers are reproducing in the Housatonic River.  Tight Lines.   Paul

Paul's June 2011 Fly of the Month

Paul’s Buck Tail Baitfish

Hook:  Mustad 34007 size 1 and 1/0, or salt water hook of preference, sizes #1 and #1/0.  

Thread:  White flymaster+ or color matching upper wing color.

Tail/lower wing:  White buck tail.  The first and longest bunch of buck tail is tied in on top of the hook shank, then wrapped with body braid.  Two slightly shorted bunches of buck tail are tied in on each side slightly angled down toward the hook point.  Topped with pearlescent Flash-a-bou, or Polar Flash, or flash material of choice.

Body:  Pearl body braid (wrapped over the hook shank after the tail is applied).

Upper Wing:  Chartreuse, olive or "root beer" buck tail.  Topped with a darker Flash-a-bou, Polar Flash, or Flash material of choice.  When I tie this fly in Chartreuse I use a chartreuse colored flash. 
Eyes:  3-D Molded Eyes, covered with epoxy.

There are probably 100’s of variations of this fly out there.  Here’s my version of it.  Perhaps the best way to describe this fly is a “deceiver without the feathers”.  Although it has less movement than a deceiver, it fouls infrequently and seems to be just as productive.  It’s super easy to tie and boy does it catch fish.   Just a great all round’ bait imitation.   Tie it sparsely in “root beer” and you have an excellent sand eel pattern.   Strip it back at various speeds and make sure you “dead drift” it in the current as well.

Begin by advancing your thread from the hook eye to the bend of the hook.  Next, tie in a small bunch of buck tail on top of the hook shank.  It should extend beyond the bend anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ times the length of the hook shank. When I tie it in I lay the buck tail along the top of the hook shank and cover it with thread.  This provides you with a very even base for the rest of the fly.  Next, tie in your pearl body braid near the bend of the hook.  Palmer it forward and tie off just before the eye.  I then coat it with ‘tough as nails’ for added durability.  I also apply head or ‘flex’ cement at numerous stages in the construction of the fly.  Next tie in two bunches of white buck tail on each side of the hook shank.  They should be a little shorter than the tail, and slightly angled down.  Top the lower wing/tail with pearlescent Flash-a-bou or Polar Flash.  It should be tied in near the eye and extend to the tip of the tail.  Next, tie in your upper wing (chartreuse, olive, or root beer).  It should extend from the eye of the hook to the tip of the tail.  Top this with darker Flash-a-bou, Polar Flash, or flash material of choice.  Apply 3-D eyes.  Finally, epoxy the eyes and head of the fly.

This fly can also be viewed at the Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association website at www.hffa.net .  If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a pattern of

The month I can be reached at 203 305-3854 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

Stripers, Housatonic River Mouth 4/25/11

Hi All, Fished the mouth of the Housatonic last night with friends Drew Farrel and Jeff Purcell.  The fish were there and Drew had a very hot hand.  We were later joined by Glen Elia.  A great night to be out there.  Lots of "near the surface" action.   Tight lines.   Paul