Paul's January 2022 Fly of the Month

 CDC Micro Bugger

Hook:  Hanak H 400 BL #10. 

Thread:  Semperfli 12/0 waxed in Shell Pink.

Bead:  Tungsten Slotted Light Pink in 4.0 mm.

Tail:  Wooly Bugger Marabou in Shell Pink.  

Body:  Ice Dub Fluorescent Shell Pink.

Hackle:  CDC in Pink.

 

I love flies like this.  You can fish them Euro-nymphing or as a streamer.  There certainly isn’t anything wrong with big articulated streamers, but my preference is to go with smaller streamers on the waters here in CT.  Also, I love the CDC hackle on this pattern.  Don’t be afraid to try different colors with this fly, but pink is extremely productive when fishing this little bugger.

 

To tie this fly begin by placing your bead on the hook and your hook in the vice.  Start your thread behind the bead and make touching wraps back along the hook shank.  Stop at the hook bend and cut off your butt end of the thread.  Now, take your Marabou feather and stroke the fibers forward.  Measure it on the hook shank.  Your tail is going to be a hook shank and ½ in length.  When you tie it in start doing so behind the bead and wrap back to the bend.  This will create an even and uniform base for the rest of the fly.  Trim off the butt end of the Marabou. 

 

Next, prepare a CDC feather for the hackle of the fly.  You will need a somewhat longer CDC feather for this pattern.  Take your hackle pliers and grab the feather by the tip.  Stroke the fibers rearward.  Remove your hackle pliers and tie in the feather by the tip at the bend of the hook.   Now, dub your body with Ice Dub.  Form a uniform body ending behind the bead.  Next, grab your CDC feather butt with your hackle pliers and wrap it forward.  At the same time stroke the CDC fibers back.  Tie it off behind the bead and trim the stem off.  Stroke all the fibers back and create a little thread collar.  Whip finish the fly and you’re done.

Tim Camissa has a great video on how to tie this fly below: 

Tim also has a great website, ‘Trout and Feather’ at

https://www.troutandfeather.com/  .  If you subscribe to his page you’ll have access to a wealth of fly tying videos and fly fishing info.

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at  pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's December 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Tutti Frutti 

 (a.k.a. The Electric Chicken)

 Hook:  Mustad 34077 Size #1 or similar hook. 

Thread:  White flat waxed nylon.  Head is finished with Pink flat waxed nylon.

Eyes:  4.8mm (3/16) Dumbbell (a.k.a. ‘real eyes’).

Tail/Bottom Wing:  Chartreuse Buck Tail.

Belly:  Pearl Bill’s Body Braid or Diamond Braid.

Wing:  White Bucktail, over which are strands of Pearl ‘Lateral Scale’, over which is Pink Bucktail. 

We’ve all fished Clouser Minnows.  They are one of the most effective flies out there.  What really makes or distinguishes this Clouser pattern is the color.  At times this has been a magic fly for me, especially on Cape Cod.  It’s a combination of colors that Stripers can see and are attracted to.  I tie it differently than most with my Chartreuse color on the bottom wing, and the Pink on the top wing.

 

To tie this fly place your hook in the vice after de-barbing it.  You are now going to tie in your dumbbell eyes on top of the hook shank.  Tie them in with figure eight wraps.  Locate your eyes about the length of the ‘dumbbell’ from the hook eye.  Too often I see tyers putting their eyes too close to the hook shank.  They fail to leave enough room to easily put on the fly’s top wing.  I usually apply and cure Solarez ‘Bone Dry’ resin to my wraps.  You are now going to tie in your Chartreuse Tail.  I tie it in right behind the dumbbell eyes and wrap back to the bend of the hook.  By doing this your able to create a smooth body profile along the top of the hook shank hook shank.  The tail should be approximately 1 hook shank length beyond the bend of the hook.   After affixing the tail, you are now going to tie in your Bill’s Body Braid (or Diamond Braid) near the bend of the hook.  Once tied in, advance your thread to the front of the Dumbbell Eyes.  

Palmer (make ‘touching wraps’) with your braid up the hook shank and criss cross it over your dumbbell eyes.  Tie it off and cut off the butt end.  Also whip finish and cut off your white thread.  I usually coat and cure the Bill’s Body Braid with ‘Bone Dry’ for durability.  Now affix your Pink thread to the hook behind the eye.  You are now going to tie in your White Bucktail.  It’s should extend even with the Chartreuse Tail.  Not a lot is needed, maybe 20-30 fibers.  Tie it in just as you would on a traditional clouser.  On top of the White Bucktail you are going to tie in your Pearl Lateral Line flash.  I usually take 4 strands, double it over my thread, and tie it down on top of the White Bucktail.  Trim it to length, slightly longer than the white bucktail.  Next, tie on the top wing of Pink Bucktail.  Approximately the same amount of material as the White Bucktail portion of the wing.  When tying it in, create an even and tapered head.  Whip finish and cut off the tag end of your thread.  Lastly, I apply more ‘Bone Dry’ to the head of the fly. 

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 December 2021 Fly of the Month

 Garner's White Trash

Hook:  Gamakatsu B10S Size #2 Stinger hook. 

Thread:  12/0 White Waxed.

Eyes:   Large dumbbell eyes, color of choice.

Tail:  White Artic Fox Fur over 4-5 Strands of Pearl Krystal Flash doubled around your thread.

Body:  Wide White Rabbit Zonker Strip.

Collar:  Fluorescent Yellow Palmer Chenille medium length, 6-8 wraps.  

Head (Behind eyes):  Behind the eyes tie in 2 clumps of White Artic Fox, 1 on the top & 1 under the hook shank.  Then, do the same with 2 clumps of Senyo Lazer Dub in Silver Minnow Belly.  Stroke and comb all fibers rearward.

Head (In front of the eyes):  In front of the eyes tie in 4 more clumps of Senyo Lazer Dub in Silver Minnow Belly.  2 on top of the hook shank and 2 on the bottom.  Stroke and comb all fibers rearward. 

This fly was developed by Fly Tyer Garner Reid of the Cohutta Fishing Company.  To tie it place your Gamakatsu B10S Size #2 Stinger hook in the vice.  Begin your thread behind the eye an wrap down to the bend of the hook.  Cut off your tag end.  You are not going to tie in your Large Dumbbell Eyes, just as you would with a traditional clouser.  It should be located a Dumbbell Eye length behind the eye of the hook.  Use figure eight wraps to affix it with a drop of your favorite adhesive.  Next you are going to tie in your Pearl Krystal Flash for your tail.  Take 4-5 strands of Krystal Flash, double it around your thread and tie it down on top of your hook shank.  It should extend 2 hook shank lengths behind the bend of the hook.  At the bend, and on top of your Krystal Flash, tie in a clump of Artic Fox Fur.  It should be half the length of your Krystal Flash.  

Next, take your Texas Cut ‘Wide’ Zonker Strip and measure it on the hook shank so that it will extend the length of the Kristal Flash. To do this, I measure it and mark a point where the hook shank will pass through it.  I then take a bodkin and pierce the hide.  Remove your hook from the vice and put your hook point through the hole you created.   At the end of the Zonker I notch it to create a ‘V’ which points rearward.  With your hook back in the vice, bind down the Rabbit Strip with your thread.  Remember that this fly will fish inverted with the dumbbell eyes on the bottom and the hook point on top.  When you tie it down advance your thread halfway up the hook shank, leaving space behind your eyes to tie in your collar head behind the eyes.  Next, tie in your Yellow Palmer Chenille.  Take 6-8 wraps and then tie it off. 

Behind the eyes tie in 2 clumps of White Artic Fox, 1 on the top & 1 under the hook shank.  Then, do the same with 2 clumps of Senyo Lazer Dub in Silver Minnow Belly.  When you bind down the Lazer Dub, tie it in at the midpoint, then sweep rearward the remaining material. Take thread wraps in front of it to secure it (‘hollow tie technique’).  Stroke and comb all fibers rearward.  In front of the eyes tie in 4 more clumps of Senyo Lazer Dub in Silver Minnow Belly.  2 on top of the hook shank and 2 on the bottom.  Use the same technique to tie in the Lazer Dub that you used behind the eyes.  Stroke and comb all fibers rearward.  Tie off the fly at the hook eye and apply your favorite adhesive.

Gink and Gasoline has a great video on how to tie this fly below:  

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 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Spent Early Smoky-Winged Caddis

 

Hook:  Size #18 1X Dry Fly Hook.

Thread:  Black.

Body:  Brown Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing.

Wing:  Western Caddis Grey EP Trigger Point Fibers or similar wing material.

 Hook:  Size #18 1X Dry Fly Hook.

This is a great spent caddis pattern that floats flat in the surface film.  The design mimics how spent caddis lay splayed on the surface with their two (2) sets of wings.  This fly has caught a lot of trout for me. 

 

To tie this fly, begin by debarbing the hook and placing it in your vice.  Tie in your thread leaving an eye length space behind the eye.  Cut the tag end and wrap back on the shank to the hook point.  Now dub a slender noodle of Brown Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing.  Start your body at the hook bend.  Before wrapping the body with ‘touching’ wraps, twist your dubbing noodle in a clockwise direction.  You want to compress it so that when you wrap forward it results in a tapered segmented body.  Your body should end slightly behind the eye of the hook. 

 

Now take a wrap or two back on the fly body.  Your thread should be approximately an ‘eye length and ½’ behind the hook eye.  Next, cut and prepare a sparse amount of wing material.  For a size #18 fly, the length should be approximately 3” long.  Tie it in on the far side of the hook with 1 ½” extending beyond the hook eye.  Once tied in, form a loop beyond the hook eye and anchor the wing material on the other side of the hook.  After making some securing wings, you might want to apply a small drop of super glue on the thread wraps where the wings intersect. Next dub a small noodle to cover the thread wraps that bind down the fibers.  Now pull the front wing loop back and take a few wraps of thread in front of it.  Do a 4-5 wrap whip finish and trim off your thread.  Pull your wing loop back forward into a horizontal position in front of the eye.  You’re now going to trim the wings of the fly.  Take your rear wings and pull them back.  Trim them off so that they extend just beyond the hook bend.  At the front of the fly simply clip off the top part of the loop to create much smaller wings that point forward.   

 

Tightlinevideo has a great instructional video on how to tie this fly below:

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 2021 Fly of the Month

                                          Iso Jig Nymph                                     (A Fly by Steve Yewchuck)

Bead:  1/8” Silver Disco Tungsten Bead.

Hook:  Ahrex CZ Mini Jig Size #10. 

Thread:  UTC 70 Black.

Tail:  Brown Marabou with trimmed tips.

Rib:  Small Black Round Wire.

Abdomen:  Brown marabou spun into a rope and palmered.

Stripe:  Dental Floss (it never stains).  

Wing Case:  Swiss Straw with a drop of UV resin.

Thorax:  Dark Nymph Dub.

Legs:  Pheasant Tail Fibers.

This is one of my favorite patterns for an isonychia nymph.  The jig hook and tungsten bead gets it down on the bottom fast.  That’s where you want your iso nymph to be.  The natural crawls all over the bottom of rivers and streams.  This fly also includes the very recognizable stripe that all iso nymphs have.  This fly was tied/developed by fellow CT fly tyer extraordinaire Steve Yewchuck.  It’s got everything you want in an iso nymph pattern.  When you tie this fly remember that it will fish with the hook inverted. To tie this fly, place your Tungsten Bead on your hook and your hook in the vice.  Start your thread behind the bead and wrap rearward to the bend of the hook.  Trim/cut your tag end.  Tie in 5-6 Brown Marabou Fibers for your tail.  You can leave the butt ends of the Marabou Fibers to use for your Abdomen.  I tie them back with a wrap of thread or two.  Trim the tail with your scissors or finger nails.  It should be approximately the length of the hook gap.  On what will become the ‘underside’ of your nymph, tie in your Black Wire Rib. 

On what will become the ‘top’ side of your nymph, tie in a strand Dental Floss for the body stripe.  Now, twist the butt ends of the Marabou Fibers to create a rope for your abdomen (you can add additional fibers if needed).  Palmer it 2/3rds up the hook shank with ‘touching’ wraps to create your abdomen.  Tie and clip off the butt ends.  Bring your Dental Floss forward for your body stripe.  Tie it down at the end of your abdomen but do not clip off the butt end.  Next, palmer your rib forward to create a segmented body.  Tie and ‘helicopter’ off the butt end of your wire. 

For your abdomen, first place your Dental Floss rearward.  Now tie in your Swiss Straw to be used for your wing case.  Next, dub most of your Thorax with a Dark Nymph Dubbing.  On each side of the nymph, tie in 6-8 Pheasant Tail Fibers for the legs.  Use a little more Dubbing in front of the legs to even out your Abdomen.  Bring your Swiss Straw Wing Case forward and tie it off.  Clip off any excess.  Bring your Dental Floss Stripe forward and tie it off.  Clip off the butt end and whip finish the fly.  Finally add a drop of UV Resin to the Wing Case and use a bodkin to evenly coat it.  Cure it with your UV Light.  Good luck fishing this great iso pattern.

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 October 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Squirrel & Herl Bugger

Hook:  Daiichi 710 Size #8 3X long Streamer Hook.

Bead:  (Optional) Tungsten bead.

Tying Thread:   UTC 140 Denier Black Thread.

Body:  3-4 Strands of Peacock Herl.

Wing:  Olive Pine Squirrel Zonker.

Hackle:  Grizzly Died Olive Bugger Saddle Hackle.

Collar:  (Optional)  Olive Ice Dub.

 

This is yet another streamer type fly tied with ‘Pine Squirrel’.  I love small streamers!  And I love small streamers with Pine Squirrel!  This pattern is simply a cross between two great trout flies, a Wooly Bugger & a Zonker.  It’s just got to be a fish magnet.

 

To begin this fly, place your hook in the vice.  Start your thread an eye length behind the eye.  After making securing wraps and cutting off the butt end of your thread, tie in 3-4 strands of Peacock Herl.  Keep the Peacock Herl on top of the hook shank and wrap back to the bend of the hook.  Next, prepare your Pine Squirrel Zonker.  Measure you Zonker on top of the hook shank.  You’re going to tie it in at the bend with the tail being a hook shank length beyond the bend.  When you tie it in separate the wing hairs on the hide.  Tie in the Zonker at the separation point on the hide with 4-5 strong thread wraps.  Advance your thread in front of the Zonker.  Next, make touching wraps with your Peacock Herl up the hook shank and behind your tying thread.  When you reach your initial tie in point, secure the Peacock with 3-4 turns of your tying thread.  Clip the butt ends of the Peacock.  Now, select a Grizzly Bugger Saddle Hackle and tie it in at your initial tie in point.  Using open spiral wraps, advance your thread to where your Zonker is tied onto the hook shank.  Grab the Saddle Hackle by the tip with your hackle pliers.  Make open spiral wraps (palmer) down to your tying thread.  When you get to the back of the body, secure your hackle with your tying thread.  Then, make open spiral wraps with your tying thread all the way up to the hook eye.  Clip off the tip of your excess Saddle Hackle.  Now, grab your front Saddle Hackle fibers with your fingers and sweep them back.  Make thread wraps in front of them.  Pull your Squirrel Zonker Strip forward, making sure it lays flat on top of the hook shank.  You are going to tie it in behind the hook eye, again separating the wing fibers to expose a nice tie in point on the hide.  After it’s tied down, pull the Zonker Strip back and clip off the excess.  Finally, produce a nice neat head on the fly and apply head cement or UV Resin. 

 

I will also tie this fly with a tungsten bead if I need to get it down deep.  I also give it a collar behind the bead with ice dub.  As with any fly, it’s all up to you.  Experiment and vary the fly to meet your needs

Tightlinevideo has a great video on how to tie this fly below:

 

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 at pdinice@frontier.com . 

Paul's October 2021 Fly of the Month

 September Night Fly

(a pattern by Ken Abrames)

Hook:  Eagle Claw 253 or salt water hook of preference, sizes #1/0 to #3/0.   

Thread:  White flymaster.

Tail:  Long gray bucktail, under two pieces of silver flash, under two white saddles.

Body:  Silver mylar tubing.

Throat:  White bucktail as a ¾ colar, bottom and both sides one hair thick.

Collar:  White marabou, folded or doubled three turns.

Wing:  Long white bucktail under 15 pieces of purple bucktail under two pieces of blue flash under one natural black saddle

When Ken Abrames book “Striper Moon” came out back in 1994, it introduced a number of different and unique fly patterns to a group of fly fishers just discovering the joys of salt water fly fishing.   These flies were very impressionistic and fluid.  They included flies such as the “Razzle Dazzle”, “Eely”, and “Ray’s Fly”.  Back then it seemed everyone was tying and using these patterns in CT and RI.   Although these flies will work anywhere, they represented and brought focus on the CT-RI region. 

According to Ken this fly imitates finger mullet.  Mullet move through RI in the fall.  They are also a predominate bait fish along the shores of Cape Cod in August/September.  It should be tied “in full silhouette” and “about as thick around as a man’s index finger”.   This is just a great fly any time of year.  I always think to myself “Why don’t I use this fly more”.  This year for sure. 

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 .                    

Paul's July 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Gotcha

Hook – Mustad 34007  Size 2         Thread – Pink

Eyes – Chrome or nickel dumb bell eyes (I epoxy or use UV resin on my thread wraps around the eyes for extra strength)

Underbody – Pink thread, topped with pearl body braid.  Pearl body braid is teased out near the bend of the hook.

Over-body – Clear larva lace

Wing -  Blond craft fur topped with approximately 6 strands of rainbow crystal flash. (For larger flies I’ll substitute White Bucktail for the Blond Craft Fur). 

I have been doing the Fly of the Month for over 35 years now. Of all the flies I’ve ever posted this has to be what I would term as one of my “magic flies”.  If you fish the salt in CT you need to have this fly in your box.  I live at the mouth of the Housatonic River, and love fishing for shad, both the American and Hickory species.  Catching these “baby” tarpon like fish is a great thrill on a lighter rod.  Back in 1998 I really focused on fishing a great number of shad flies.   The “Gotcha” out fished all other traditional shad patterns.   It wasn’t even close.   

This fly was originally developed for bonefish, but has been adapted for New England fishing.   An old time friend, Ed Goodwin, introduced me to it.  What really makes this fly extraordinary is that it is also a cross over pattern for stripers.  Stripers will readily hit this fly.  At times they take it for a crab, shrimp, or even a glass minnow.   Friend Ben Marouski ties this fly with a White Bucktail wing and slays stripers with it.  This thing really glows in the water.   This fly is such an amazing producer that I am constantly approached by fellow fishermen who ask what I’m using. 

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 .  

Paul's May 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Jigged Golden Retriever

Hook:  Tiemco TMC Size #8 413J Jig Hook.

Bead:  Gold Tungsten Slotted bead 5/32”.

Tying thread:   Red Danville’s Flat Waxed Nylon.

Weight:  Lead Wire .025.

Tail:  Wooly Bugger Tan Marabou.

Body:  Gold Estaz standard size. 

This fly originates from the Mossy Creek Fly Shop in Harrisonburg, VA.  It’s a variation of a bugger called the Golden Retriever, which is tied on a standard streamer hook.  (It was a featured Fly of the Month many years ago)  I’ve been tying more and more streamers on a jig hooks lately.  The jerking action created by the jig hook makes this fly so much more deadly.  It also helps to prevent snagging bottom.  Some fly guys know that this is one of the ‘secret magic flies’.  It catches fish everywhere and if you fish Grand Lake Stream in ME, this fly is a must in your box.  You can tie these in a variety of colors, but this fly has made it’s name with gold Estaz and a tan Marabou tail.  A great fish catcher that can also be used as an anchor fly that gets your rig deep. 

Normally you can use a thread of your preference for the flies I feature.  In this case I strongly recommend you use Danville’s Flat Waxed Nylon.  

To tie this fly place your tungsten bead on the hook.  With the hook in your vice,   start you Lead Wire on the hook shank at approximately the location above the hook point.  Make wraps up to the bead.  Break off your lead wire.  Next, start your Red Thread behind the Lead wraps to lock it in place.  After you create a thread dam behind the lead, wrap your thread forward covering your lead wraps. 

Make sure all of the lead is covered.  Your ‘underbody’ should be all Red thread.

Advance your thread back to the end of the hook shank.  You’re now going to tie in your Marabou Tail.  It should be 1 to 1 ½ hook shank in length.  When you tie it in your actually filling in the hook shank behind your lead wraps to create an even symmetrical fly body.  Next, tie in your Gold Estaz at your Marabou tie in point.  Make sure the Estaz fibers are facing ‘down’ when you tie it in so that the fibers end up pointing rearward on the hook.  Now, palmer the Estaz forward making even wraps that leave some of your Red Thread underbody exposed.  When you wrap it forward with one hand stroke the fibers rearward with the other hand.  End your wraps behind the bead.  Tie the Estaz off with your thread.  Clip off the butt end.  Whip finish the fly with your thread creating a small red ‘hotspot’ behind the bead.  Apply some head cement. 

Mossy Creek Fly fishing has a great instructional video on how to tie the Jigged Golden Retriever below:

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 at pdinice@frontier.com . 

Paul's May 2021 Fly of the Month

 Corn Fed Caddis

Hook:  TMC Size # 14 1X Dry Fly Hook or hook of choice. 

Thread:  MFC Light Brown 6/0 Thread.

Shuck:  Antron Yarn PMD Shuck/Olive.

Rib:  Tan Tying Thread.

Body/Thorax:  Super Fine Tan Dubbing.

Wing/Hackle:  Natural CDC – 4 feathers. 

Over Wing:  White Para Post Wing Material.

Collar/Head:  Additional dubbing with a dubbing loop of CDC fibers wrapped over it. 

This is a great caddis imitation.  It floats like a cork and the movement of the CDC fibers mimics that of a living insect.  Give it a try and I guarantee it will become one of your favorite patterns. 

I’ve tied all of my Corn Fed Caddis on a Size #14 hook.  There is a lot of material on this hook shank so please be aware that proportion is everything to tie this fly correctly.  Also, creating a dubbing loop of CDC is not an easy matter.  With practice you can master it. 

To tie this fly, begin your thread a couple eye lengths behind the eye.  Wrap down to the bend.  Next, prepare your Antron Shuck material.  Usually, half of strand of material is enough.  Tie it in at the bend of the hook.  Wrap the butt end up the hook shank.  Cut it off and wrap back down to the bend.  Trim the Shuck so that it is ½ the hook shank length beyond the bend.  Bring your thread back up the hook shank.  Create a thread loop and bind it down along the hook shank.  After it is secured, cut the loop so that the tag end extends beyond the bend and shuck.  This is going to be your rib.  

Now dub the body with Super Fine Dubbing. The body should be approximately 2/3 the hook shank length.  Next, counter wrap your rib forward creating a segmented body.  Tie and cut the rib off.  Align the tips of 4 CDC feathers so that they are relatively even.  These feathers will be your wing.  Tie them on the top of the hook shank.  They should extend to the halfway point of the shuck.  Once the wing is securely tied down trim the butts.  ‘Clean them up’ with your tying thread to create an even base.  Next, tie on your Para Post Wing.  For a size #14 fly use approximately ½ to 2/3 strand of material.  The Para Post makes your fly more visible in the water.  Tie a 3” strand in at it’s midpoint, then fold back the material to lay on top of your CDC Wing.  You then want to trim it so that it’s slightly shorter than your CDC Wing.  Again, use your thread to even out the remaining ‘head area’ of your fly.  Then apply a small amount of dubbing for the base of your head.  On the back side of the head, create a ‘dubbing loop’ to make a ‘brush’ of CDC fibers.  You can do this by creating a loop with your thread or by splitting the thread with a bodkin.  Take the fibers of two CDC feathers and insert them into your loop/thread create your dubbing brush.  Once the CDC brush is constructed, palmer it through your ‘head’ to create a buggy head/collar.  Tie it off behind the eye.  Clip off the tag end and whip finish your fly.  

Fly Fish Food has a great instructional video on how to tie this fly below:

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 at pdinice@frontier.com . 

Fly Fishing with Friends Spring 2021

This blog is suppose to be about Fly Fishing, Fly Tying, & Friends.  I haven't posted a lot about fishing with my friends lately.  So this post is dedicated to them. I'm so fortunate to fish with them.  It's what it's all about for me at this stage of my Fly Fishing Journey.  One other thing that I'm thankful for is the Fly Fishing here in Connecticut!  Few realize how lucky we are here.  We can fish for trout, warm water species, and stripers.  All in the same day if we desire. So far, it's been an extremely rewarding Spring!  (all photos taken Spring of 2021)

Mike Shannon

                            Me & Nephew Nick LaRocca

                          Nick LaRocca & Mike Shannon

 Me 

                                     George Pieger

Brian Carvalho

Ted Rzepski

John Bilotta

William Stone with first striper ever.

William Stone & Will Stone.

                          Father & Son Fishing the Hous.

Wayne Gustafson

Ben Marouski

Jeff Purcell

Michael Larrabee

Paul's April 2021 Fly of the Month

 Clueless Caddis Dry Dropper Fly

Hook:  Size # 12 Barbless Dry Fly Hook of choice. 

Thread:  6/0 Olive Thread.

Rib:  Tag End of Thread.

Body:  Tan/Orange Dry Fly Dubbing.

Underwing:  Two Natural CDC Feathers aligned tip to tip.  Over which is synthetic Wing Material such as Antron, Trigger Point, or McFlylon. 

Over Wing:  Deer or Elk Hair.

Finish:  High N Dry Liquid Fly Floatant.  

I don’t know why I don’t fish dry dropper rigs more.  I’m going to make an effort to do it a lot more this coming year.   When I was out to Montana, other fly guys I ran into were all fishing a ‘Hopper & dropper’ set up.  While hoppers do catch fish here in New England, I was looking for a dry fly with enough ‘floatability’ for my dropper, and also one that mimicked flies on my home waters.  Friend Mike Shannon fishes a dry dropper set up a lot.  His lead dry fly is tied with a large amount of CDC and floats like a cork.  It’s what led me to this fly.  Since I’ve been doing the Fly of the Month. I try to pick patterns where materials can be substituted or aren’t that difficult to obtain.  So it’s somewhat unusual that I strongly recommend a specific fly finish.  High N Dry Liquid Floatant does a fantastic job adding to the ‘floatability’ of the fly.  If there is another fly treatment you prefer, then use that. 

To tie this fly begin your thread approximately ¼ hook shank length behind the eye.  You need to leave a long tag end of the thread that will be used as your rib.  Wrap your thread back to the bend of the hook.  You’re now going to dub your body.  You can use a dry fly dubbing of your choice.  At times I’ve used a CDC dubbing or made my body from a CDC dubbing brush.  The choice is yours.  After creating your body that will end at your tie in point, take open wraps with the tag end of the thread.  This will create a segmented body.  After tying and cutting off the tag end of the thread, you are now ready to tie on your Under wing & Over wing.  There’s a lot of material that goes into the wing of the fly which is why leaving space behind the eye is so important.   Begin your Underwing by aligning two CDC feathers at their tips.   Tie them in at the top of the hook shank.  They should be slightly longer than the body of the fly.  Cut off the but ends of the CDC feathers and even things out with additional thread wraps & dubbing. Be careful not to use too much.)  Now tie in your Antron Wing material.  You are going to double the material over your tying thread.  Tie in ½ first, then lay the forward strand back with the first.  Leave it long for now.  We will trim it at the end.  Again, even things out with additional thread wraps & dubbing.  (Be careful not to use too much. There’s a lot going onto the wing.)  Now tie in your Elk or Deer Hair Wing.  The technique is exactly the same as tying any ‘Elk Hair Caddis’.   Tie off and cut your thread.  Then trim the butt ends of your elk or deer hair.  Now, trim your Antron Wing so that it is slightly longer than the other wing materials.  You’re almost done.  A very important component of this fly is to ‘pre-treat’ it with  High N Dry Liquid Fly Floatant or a similar treatment of your choice.  I dip my flies and let them dry overnight.  Your now good to go and use it in your ‘dry dropper rig’. 

Trout Yeah has a great instructional video on how to tie this fly below:

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 at pdinice@frontier.com .  

Paul's April 2021 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Evil Olive Nymph

Hook:  Dai-Riki #125  Size #18 Emerger Hook.

Bead:  Black 5/64” Tungsten Bead.

Tying thread:   Light Olive, UTC 70 Denier Ultra Thread.

Rib:  Ultra Wire Gold Small Size.

Tail:  Dyed Mallard flank fibers dyed wood duck.

Body:  Light Olive touching thread wraps.

Wing Case:  Butts of the Dyed Mallard flank fibers dyed wood duck.

Thorax:  Olive SLF Prism Dubbing.

Legs:  Pearl Krystal Flash.

Finish:  UV Resin on the Wing Case.

This is a great little nymph.  Many consider it a baetis imitation.  Others an attractor fly.  It’s kind of a cross between a Higa SOS nymph and the WD-40.   

Begin by mashing down your barb and placing your tungsten bead on the hook.  Start and affix your thread behind the eye of the hook.  Make touching wraps back to the hook point.  Now tie in your Wire Rib.  To secure the wire, take wraps deep into the bend.  Next, prepare a clump of Mallard fibers for your tail.  When you separate them from the feather, make sure the tips are aligned.  Tie them in at the thread location.  The tail should be approximately a ‘hook gap’ length.   Make thread wraps forward binding down the fibers until your thread is behind the bead.  When you do this keep the fibers on top of the hook shank.  Do not cut off the butt ends of the fibers.  With your thread create a tapered nymph body.  Bring your thread back so that it’s any eye length behind the bead.  Next, take open spiral wraps up the hook shank with your rib to create a segmented body.  When you reach your tying thread, use it to bind down the wire.  ‘Helicopter’ or cut the butt end of the rib. 

Bring your thread down the hook shank so that it hangs at the hook point.  Pull back and bind down the butts of your Mallard fibers.  You are going to use them for your wing case.  Next, dub a slim thorax with your Olive SLF Prism Dubbing.  Leave your thread behind the bead.  For legs you’re going to use two strands of Krystal Flash.  Tie them in at their mid-point behind the bead with figure eight wraps.  Take additional wraps in front of the and coax them back so that they face rearward.  Now, pull the Mallard butts forward to create the wing case.  You should have two legs on each side of the wing case.  Take two or three thread wraps behind the bead to bind down the fibers.  Pull the Krystal flash rearward and trim them even with the back of the hook.  Now, pick the Mallard fibers up and snip them off close to the bead.  Whip finish your fly and cut off your thread.  To enhance the wing case apply some UV Resin on top of it.  Cure it with your light, and your done. 

Tightlinevideo has a great instructional video below:

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 at pdinice@frontier.com .