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 .