Paul's February 2012 Fly of the Month

Royal Trude

I’ve been writing the Fly of the Month for close to 30 years now.  During that time less than a handful of flies have appeared more than once.  Those very few I’ve resubmittedbecause they were so productive and/or they had significant importance to fly fishing here in New England.  Although a western fly, the Royal Trude is my favorite dry fly.   I’ve found it does extremely well during isonichia, alder, and stone fly hatches, even though it’s an attractor fly.   Below is how it first appeared in the HFFA newsletter in the early 90’s.

 Royal Trude or “You don’t always have to match the Hatch.”

Hook:  Size 6 to 16 dry fly hook.  Tying thread:   Black.

Tail:   Golden Pheasant tippets.

Body:  1/3 peacock hurl, 1/3 red floss, 1/3 Peacock hurl.

Wing:  White calf tail.
Hackle:  Brown.

This is perhaps my favorite dry fly.  Years ago when I first started tying flies I tied this pattern because I thought it would be easier to tie on a single caddis style wing, rather than one which I would have to split.  Unfortunately, with my limited fly tying experience, I encountered a different problem.  The most critical element of tying this fly is proportion to fit all the body materials on the hook shank, and making sure that when you tie in the wing you cut the butts as close to the hook eye as possible.  You have to create a smooth and even wrapping base for your hackle.  The wing should extend just slightly beyond the bend of the hook.

The royal trued is a “western” attractor fly.  It really doesn’t imitate a particular may fly or hatch.  I don’t know why fish like it so much.  Perhaps it’s the peacock hurl in the body, maybe the color red, or possibly the “caddis” wing which makes fish go crazy.  I have taken countless fish on it.  I love to fish it in the fast water.  It is extremely visible and floats like a cork if you over dress the hackle a bit.

It can also be fished effectively wet.  Sometimes at the end of my drift I’ll let the fly go under and give it a couple of twitches.  This method has consistently produced fish for me.  As my Cousin Sam once pointed out to me, it is also a pattern that is extremely versatile.  Simply clip the hackle off and it can be fished as a small streamer.  My friend Bill Goeben loves to tie it in large sizes for warm water species in ponds. 

Visually, there isn’t a prettier or more classic dry fly pattern.  I hope you’ll give it a try.  There is an underground cult of us fly fisherman who fish “The Trude”, “stimulators”, humpties” and other western attractors on our eastern streams.  It’s your loss if you “don’t believe”. 

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a pattern of the month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .  This pattern can also be viewed at www.hffa.net .

Paul's January 2012 Fly of the Month

Mickey Finn

Hook:  Diachi 2220 Size #4 to #10 4X long streamer hook or similar (Mustad 9672).    

Thread:  Black. 

Body:  Flat Silver Tinsel.       Ribbing:  Oval Silver Tinsel.

Wing:  Yellow over red, over yellow buck tail.  

Head:   Black thread.

One of the first fly’s that I ever learned to tie was a Mickey Finn.  One of the easiest flies to tie, and boy does it catch trout on the Housatonic.  Yellow has always been a great streamer color on the Hous.  Rainbows love it.

Begin by applying a thread base across the hook shank.   Cover with thread and lacquer.  Tie in the oval silver tinsel at the hook bend.   Bring your thread forward to the eye.  Tie in the flat silver tinsel.  Wrap it back to the hook bend, then reverse directions and bring it back to the eye.  Tie and cut it off.  Leave enough room to add a wing and form a head.  Next, wrap your ribbing forward to the eye, tie and cut it off.  Option:  Sometimes instead of using flat and oval tinsel, I’ll make my body from silver mylar diamond tubbing.  What is important is to create a slender and even body profile.

Now apply your wing.  First, tie in a small amount of yellow buck tail. It should extend just a little beyond the hook bend.  Make 3-4 thread wraps to secure it. Cut the excess Bucktail at an angle to ultimately form a symmetrical head.  Repeat the step with the same amount of red buck tail.  Finally, apply the same amount of yellow buck tail for the top of the wing.  Form a head of black thread.  Tie off and lacquer.  Traditionally this fly has no eyes, but I have painted white eyes with a black center on some of mine.  Many of my streamers I like on the sparse side.  This is one of them. 

Fish it with a “twitch”, slow retrieve, fast retrieve, or a “wet fly” swing.  It’s great in lakes or rivers.  So productive when it came out in the 1930’s, it was once called “The Assassin”.   If you are just learning to tie and fly fish, this is definitely the streamer for you.  Trout, small mouth bass, and large mouth bass will all succumb to this pattern.  If you are a Salt Water fly fisher, this color combination is an old time tradition striper killer. Its still a great salt water fly today. 

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 by e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's December 2011 Fly of the Month

Monomoy Sand Eel 

Hook:  Daiichi #2546 stainless steel salt water size 2

Thread:  Olive 6/0 and Chartreuse 3/0.

Eyes:  3/16” nickel dumbbell with 1/8” adhesive eye.

Body:  Pearl flat diamond braid.

Wing:  Chartreuse bucktail with gold Krystal Flash or Flash-a-bou.

This pattern was submitted by former HFFA President Fred Monahan.  Here’s what Fred says about this fly.  “George Ryan, a Cape Cod guide, introduced me to salt water fishing and this Clouser derivative on a trip to Monomy in 1998 where I caught my first Striper on the Monomy Sand Eel.  The fly is very effective when sand eels are present and, as with most Clouser flys, it also works well in fresh water”.  This pattern is an easy tie and extremely effective.  With only a top wing, it also fouls less than most traditional Clousers and fishes deeper. 

Begin, by attaching the dumbbell to the top of the hook 2/5 of the way back from the eye of the hook with olive 6/0 thread.  Use x wraps, figure 8 wraps, and apply head cement to wraps.  Attach adhesive eyes (I like to apply a coating of  epoxy over them after the fly is completed).  Wrap olive thread back from eyes to ¼ of the way past the bend of the hook.  Tie in body braid at the end of olive thread and wrap thread forward beyond eyes.  Wrap body braid forwards over olive thread, over eyes and tie off in front of eyes,  whip finish and cut off live thread.  Attach buck tail to underside of hook between eyes and eye of hook with chartreuse thread.  Attach a few strands of Krystal Flash or Flash-a-bou on each side of bucktail.  Form head, whip finish and apply head cement or epoxy.

This fly can also be viewed at the Housatonic Fly Fishermen’s Association website at www.hffa.net and        www.tightlinesflyfishing.blogspot.com/.  If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of the Month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

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  .