Paul's January 2023 Fly of the Month

 Duracell Nymph

Hook:  Fulling Mill Jig hook or Jig hook of choice, Size #12. 

Thread:  8/0 Camel or Wood Duck Thread.

Bead:  Silver Nickel Tungsten Bead 3.3 MM or sized to match hook.

Tail:  Coq De Leon Fibers, Dyed Brown.

Rib:  UTC Ultra Small Red Wire.

Body & Thorax:  Ice Dub UV Brown.

Collar:  Brown CDC Fibers spun in a dubbing loop. Finished with 2-3 addition thin wraps of Brown UV Ice Dub behind the bead. 

I’ve had great success fishing with this fly throughout the entire season.  Also, if you fish the TMA’s here in CT, sometimes the trout acquire ‘gold-bead-itis’.  A fly with a copper, silver, rainbow, or alternative color can sometimes make a difference.  This is perhaps my best producing ‘silver’ bead fly.  And boy does it sink with the Ice Dub material.  Although there are not many materials needed for the Duracell, it is not an easy tie.  It’s very difficult to form a slender dubbing noodle with Ice Dub.  The material very hard to tame.  I recommend using some tying wax and you might even want to moisten your fingers.  There are also some special tools(clips) available to help form your CDC Collar dubbing loop.  That should help to make tying this fly easier for you.

 

To tie this fly begin by placing your bead on the hook and hook in the vice.  Start your thread behind the bead, take a few securing wraps, cut off the tag end and wrap down to the bend of the hook.   Next, strip & prepare 5-6 fibers of Coq De Leon fibers to tie in for your tail.  They should be approximately a hook shank in length or shorter depending upon your preference.   After you have secured them, cut off the butt ends, then tie in your Red Wire Rib.  I usually tie it in behind the bead and wrap back down to the bend. 

 

Next, dub a body & thorax of Ice Dub UV Brown.  Dub a tapered body ending just behind the bead, then back off your thread a turn or two.  Now wrap your wire forward to create a segmented body.  Tie it off with your thread and ‘helicopter’ the wire butt end off the hook shank.  Prepare your CDC feather fibers and dubbing loop.  There are commercial tools that can help you do this. I use a household plastic clip to hold the fibers clipped from the feather. I then bring the clip with the fibers to my dubbing loop and spin it.  Now wrap your CDC Dubbing loop around the hook shank 3-4 times, stroking the fibers rearward as you do so.  This should create a nice ‘wet fly’ type collar.  Tie and clip off the remaining loop. Finally, apply a small dubbing noodle of Ice Dub behind the bead.  This will help train your CDC Collar fibers to flow rearward.   Whip finish the fly and you’re done. 

Fly Fish Food has a great video on how to tie the Duracell Jig Nymph below:

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 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Chewy's Minnr

Hook:  Mustad 34007 Size #1/0 hook. 

Thread:  UTC Ultra Thread 1400 Chartreuse.

Eyes:  Chrome or Nickel Dumbbell eyes.

Tail:  Medium Pearl Mylar Tubing.

Body:  Bill’s Body Braid Pearl.

Wing 1:  Arctic Fox Fur White, Off White, or Tan.

Flash:  Pearl Krystal Flash

Wing 2:  Extra Select Craft Fur Chartreuse.

Head:  Deer Hair in Chartreus.

This is a clouser variation that really catches fish.  It was not developed for stripers but it’s a killer fly for them.  I think the reason why it works so well is because of the bouncy of the deer hair in the front of the fly, and the motion of the Arctic fox at the rear.  The originator didn’t use dumbbell eyes and instead uses a tungsten bead.  He did this to minimize the splashing of the fly when it hits the water, especially in shallow locations for warm water species.  This is not a concern when fishing for stripers here in New England.  Therefore, dumbbell eyes are the best was to go with this fly.  I tie this fly in Chartreuse as shown here, and in a Pink variation.

 

Start your thread behind the eye.  Take touching wraps to the bend and back up to the dumbbell ‘tie in point’ behind the eye.  You are going to tie in your eyes ‘1 dumbbell eye length’ away from the hook eye.  I usually make two thread bumps and ‘cradle’ the eyes between them.  Like a traditional clouser you are going to mount them on  the ‘top’ of the hook shank.  X wrap & figure 8 wrap your eyes.  A drop of head cement or UV resin goes a long way to keeping the eyes locked on top of the hook shank.  Now cut a ¾” piece of Medium Pearl Mylar Tubing.  Remove the paracord from the center.  Tie it in off the bend of the hook.  Next, take scissors or a bodkin and ‘tease’ out the tubing fibers.  Now tie in 3-4” of Bill’s Body Braid.  Advance your thread up to the dumbbell eyes.  Wrap the Body Braid forward take an ‘X’ wrap around the eyes.  Tie it off in front of the eyes and cut off the butt end. 

In front of the eyes tie in a clump of Artic Fox Fur for your wing.   Hopefully it will extend between a half & full hook shank length beyond the bend of the hook.  Make sure you split the clump to leave equal portions on each side of the hook shank.  Next, tie in two pieces of Pearl Krystal Flash on each side of the hook shank.  They should extend to the end of your Fox Wing.  You are now going to top the wing with Extra Select Chartreuse Craft Fur.  Tie and bind it on top of your wing.  Next, take a clump of Chartreuse deer hair.  The size of the clump will vary depending upon the size of the hook you use.  You are going to bind it down on top of your Craft Fur.  While holding it in place, take tightening wraps so that the butt ends flair.  If additional Deer Hair is needed you can repeat this process.  Now ‘sweep’ all the Deer Hair fibers rearward and take a few securing wraps in front of them.  Whip finish and tie off the thread.  Finally, trim the Deer Hair to create a tapered head.   Apply some head cement to your thread wraps in front and you’re done.

Umpqua Feather Merchants 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's December 2022 Fly of the Month

Jelly Jig Fly

Hook:  Hanak Jig hook Size #16.

Bead:  3.2 mm Silver Slotted Tungsten bead.

Tying Thread:   UTC 70 Denier Florescent Orange.

Body:  Semperfli Gel Core Body Micro Fritz, Dark Mocha Brown.

Tail:  Spanish Coq De Leon, Pardo.

Veil: Ice Dub UV Brown.

This is a great all round nymph even though it’s composition is different.  Instead of dubbing, thread, quills, or biots; the body is Semperfli Gel Core Body Micro Fritz.  It also has a veil of Ice Dub the reminds me of LaFontaine’s caddis pupa.  IT’S DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE IS FISHING. That’s important when fishing TMA’s.  The Jelly Jig is one of my ‘magic’ flies.  Very effective when there are tan or dark caddis on the water.  It is also an extremely easy fly to tie.  You can ‘knock’ out a lot of them very quickly.

To tie this fly begin by placing your bead on the hook.  Start your thread and take some securing wraps.  Cut off the butt end of your thread.  Bring your thread behind the bead and make some tight wraps to lock it in place.  Next, take 3 Coq De Leon Fibers and tie them at the rear of the hook shank for your tail.  They should be approximately a hook shank in length past the bend.  Now, tie in your Gel Core Body material behind the bead.  Wrap back to the bend, then bring your thread back behind the bead.  Using ‘touching’ wraps, bring your Gel Core Body forward and tie it off behind the bead.  With your thread still behind the bead, take a ‘pinch’ of Brown Ice Dub and tie it down at it’s ‘mid’ point.  After sinching down the dubbing, stroke all the fibers back to create a ‘veil’ around the hook shank.  You can pinch off the longer dubbing fibers if they extend beyond the bend of the hook.  To finish the fly, take a few wraps with your Orange Thread behind the bead to create a small ‘hot spot’.  Whip finish and apply a drop of ‘head cement’ to the thread wraps. 

Fly Fish Food 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's November 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Peacock & Partridge Wet Fly

Hook:  Hanak Wetfly Hook H230BL Size #12, or hook of choice. 

Thread:  Fluorescent Green UTC 70 Ultra Thread.

Tag:  Fluorescent Green Thread.

Rib:  Small Gold or Copper Ultra Wire.

Body:  2-3 Strands of Peacock Herl.

Soft Hackle Collar:  Hungarian Partridge Feather. 

This is a ‘traditional’ pattern that is very effective catching trout.  One comment I always state about ‘wet flies’, they are one of the most effective patterns on the river, yet, very few Fly Shops carry them.  If you’re a tyer, ‘This is a Home Run!’  It’s an easy fly to tie and here’s how I do it.

Begin by placing your hook in the vice.  Start your thread on the hook shank leaving an ‘eye length’ space behind the eye.  Take some securing wraps and then cut off the tag end of the thread.  Make thread wraps a little beyond the bend of the hook to create your ‘tag’.  Next, tie in your Gold or Copper Ultra Wire Rib.  Tie it in along the entire hook shank to create an even base for the rest of your fly.  Whip finish and cut off your Fluorescent Green Thread.

Switch over to Black tying thread for the rest of your fly.  Start the thread at the ‘tie in’ point behind the eye.  Take securing wraps and cut off the tag end.  Next, take 2 or 3 Peacock Herl fibers.  Tie them in about an inch back from the tips and wrap backwards binding them all the way to the bend.  Cut the tips off and begin wrapping the Herl forward towards the eye.  You want to create a uniform body.  Wrap up to the initial tie in point and tie them off.  Cut off the butt ends, then wrap your Wire Rib forward.  Use open spiral wraps to segment the body.  Again, tie it off at the initial tie in point behind the eye.  ‘Helicopter’ off the left over wire. 

Now prepare single Hungarian Partridge Feather for the Collar.  Strip off the ‘fuzzy’ feather base.  While holding the tip of the feather, stroke the rest of the fibers rearward.  You are now going to tie in the feather by the tip.  Once affixed to the hook shank you can cut off the ‘tip end’.  Holding the Feather by the butt end, raise it to a vertical position above the hook shank.  Stroke all the fibers rearward.  Take a couple wraps around the hook shank to create your soft hackle collar.  Now secure it with 2-3 wraps of thread behind the eye.  Cut off the butt end and create a 4-5 wrap whip finish.  Add a drop of ‘head cement’ to the thread wraps and you’re done.

There is a great instructional video by Tightlinevideo below:

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 November 2022 Fly of the Month

 

Gurgler
(A Jack Gartside Fly)

Hook:  Mustad #34011 a.k.a S74SNP in size #2/0.

Thread:  UTC 140 Denier, or Monocord, White.   

Trailing Loop:  Optional to prevent the tail from fowling.

Tail:  Two contrasting colors of Bucktail, at least a hook shank length from the tie in point.  White Bucktail on the bottom, topped with a 2-4 strands of silver or pearl Krystal Flash, topped by 2-4 strands of Pearl Flash-A-Bou, topped by a darker color Bucktail.

Under Body: Closed-Cell Foam.  Foam should be 1/2" – 5/8” wide for most flies.  Use foam at least 1/8” thick.  You can also glue two contrasting foam colors together for this fly.

Rib:   Krystal or Palmer Chenille (Approximately ½” length).       

Shell Back & Lip:   Remaining strip of Closed-cell foam pulled over body and secured just behind eye.  Trim foam leaving an excess of about 1/2” protruding beyond eye.

Many years ago, I posted this fly because it was one of the best surface flies I  used for stripers.  I’m posting it again because if you’re going to fly fish on the salt surface, you need to fish this fly.  This past spring (2022), my friends and I experienced a weekend on Cape Cod where we had exceptional success fishing a Gurgler.  Standing shin to knee deep in water, we landed fish after fish in excess of 30”.  A fishing experience of a ‘life time’.  Those friends included HFFA members Will Stone, Will Stone Jr., Jeff Purcell, Mike Shannon, Joe Marchese, and Sebby Lagana.  Here’s what I wrote about the gurgler years ago.

This is my most successful surface fly for striped bass.  It can also be tied and adapted to fresh water.   I use it on the “Hous” for small mouth (in yellow) and it’s a consistent surface producer.   It moves a lot of water, is easy to tie, and is easy to cast.  I think it works so well for stripers because it is a more realistic imitation of a baitfish on the surface.   I’ve also found that stripers tend not to have the best “eye sight” where surface feeding is concerned.   This fly sits low in the water and moves along smoothly giving bass a better chance to hit it.  Both a fast and medium retrieve work well with this fly.  Also try stopping your retrieve and letting it just sit in the water for a few seconds.   Sometimes that’s just enough to trigger a hit.

To tie this fly, begin by placing your hook in the vice.  Start your thread a little more than halfway down the hook shank from the eye.  If you so desire, you can create a ‘mono-loop’ to prevent the tail from fowling.  Next cut a small bunch of long White Bucktail for the tail.  It should be at least a hook shank in length and tied in at the initial ‘tie in’ point.  Take 4 strands of Silver or Pearl Krystal Flash, double it around your tying thread, then affix it to the top of the tail.  Now do the same with 4 strands of Pearl Flash-A-Bou. All of the ‘flash’ should extend approximately 1/4” beyond the tail.  Now top it with an equal amount of Bucktail.  If you so desire, you can use a contrasting darker color.

You now want to prepare your foam strip.  It should be approximately ½” wide.  If you have access to a paper cutter, it’s an excellent tool to make uniform strips.  Foam from hobby or craft stores can work great for this.  Tapper one end of the strip about a hook shanks length.  This will make it easier to tie onto the hook shank.  Apply a small drop of Zap-a-Gap or cement of choice to the front part of your thread wraps.  Secure your foam to the shank with spiral wraps but do not wrap beyond the ‘tie in’ point of the tail.  Next, secure the rib of Krystal or Palmer Chenille at the rear of your body.  Bring your thread up to the forward part of the underbody.  Make a couple of half hitches at this point but do not cut your thread.  Wrap the Chenille forward and tie it off leaving space behind the eye.  Cut off your butt end.  Fold your Foam Strip over and take 4-5 tight wraps with your tying thread.  Now pull the front flap back and make additional tight wraps to prop it up.  Snip the foam off leaving about a ½” lip.  Some tiers like to put an additional small ‘support’ foam strip on the top of the shellback and lip to provide additional support. I’ll leave that up to you if you want to do that.  Finally, return your thread under the lip of the fly, whip finish and apply some head cement.  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 pdinice@frontier.com .  

Paul's October 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Backflop Jig Streamer

Hook:  Hanak 400 Black Jig Hook Size #8. 

Bead:  Tungsten 3.8 Silver mm Bead.

Lead Wire:  .025 Lead Wire.

Tail:  Black Pine Squirrel Zonker Strip.

Body:  Black Pine Squirrel Zonker Strip & Hareline Medium UV Polar Cheniele.

Hackle:  Hen Saddle.

Collar:  Hareline Ice Dubbing UV Black.

This fly was developed by Devin Olsen of the Tactical Fly Fisher.  The past few years I've loved tying small streamers with Pine Squirrel.  The Pine Squirrel makes it possible to tie up smaller patterns.  I've caught a lot of fish on them.  What I also like about these small streamers is that they are on a jig hook, sink deep, and can be fished using Euro-nymphing techniques.  No need to change my leader and they can be fished in tandem with a nymph.  It's also an easy fly to tie.

To tie this fly begin by placing the bead on your hook.  Next, make 8-10 wraps of your lead wire and pin it tightly behind your bead.  You may apply some super glue before or after you apply the wire.  Start your thread at the bend of the hook.  Butt it up against your wire.  Then wrap down your wire to the bead and back to the bend of the hook.  You are now going to prepare your Pine Squirrel Tail.  To do this wet the fibers of the Pine Squirrel.  This will make it easier to manage and work with the tail.  Your tail should be approximately 3-4 times the length of the hook shank.  The Butt (front) end of the Pine Squirrel should also be long enough to create a wrapped body. Stroke half the Pine Squirrel Fibers forward and the rest rearward at create and expose a ‘tie in’ point.  Affix it to the hook shank using multiple thread wraps.  You also want to take some wraps around the Pine Squirrel similar to the technique of creating a parachute post. This will help the tail from fouling.  Once you complete this step, pull the butt end of the Pine Squirrel strip back along the tail. 

 

At the tie in point, you are going to affix your UV Polar Chenille.  Now bring your thread up behind the bead.  Lift the Pine Squirrel and Chenille above the hook shank and stroke the fibers rearward.  Wrap both together toward the bead, still stroking the fibers back as you do this.  Tie it off behind the bead, leaving a little space for your Hackle & Ice Dub collar.  Trim the butt end.  Tie in your Black Hen Saddle and take 2-3 turns of the Hackle.  Tie it off and cut off the butt end.  Dub a noddle of Black UV Ice Dub.  Make 2-3 turns behind the bead.  Whip finish and apply your cement or adhesive of choice.

The Tactical Fly Fisherman 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's October 2022 Fly of the Month

                                       Soft Shoe Wetflies

Iso Soft Shoe Wetfly

Hook:  Wet Fly Hook of Choice Size #12 & #14. 

Thread:  Brown or Wood Duck

Tail:  3-4 Pheasant Tail Fibers and 1 strand of Krystal Flash.

Rib:  Gold or Copper Wire.

Wing:  Dun Snow Shoe Rabbit Foot Fibers.

Body:  Brown, or Dark Brown, or Iso Dubbing. I use a mix of Rabbit, Squirrel, Brown Peacock & Brown Ice Dubbing.

Soft Hackle/Collar:  Pheasant Rump Feather. Partridge can also be used.

 

Sulphur Soft Shoe Wetfly

 

Hook:  Wet Fly Hook of Choice Size #14 & #16. 

Thread:  Fluorescent Orange Thread.

Tail:  3-4 Pheasant Tail Fibers.

Rib:  Gold or Orange Wire.

Wing:  Natural Snow Shoe Rabbit Foot Fibers.

Body:  Sulphur Yellow/Orange Dry Fly Dubbing.

Soft Hackle/Collar:  Partridge or Dun Hen Feather.

 

The Soft Shoe Wetfly was created by Jerry Shillcock of Paradise Fly Tying. What’s great about this pattern is that it can readily be modified to represent almost any hatch that’s out there.  Here is the ‘Iso’ version of the Soft Shoe. I don’t know why it works but it does.  The biology of the isonychia insect is that it crawls out of the river before hatching. So why the wet fly? Trout may see this fly as a dying dun or spinner. Or maybe it’s just a tasty meal they can’t resist.  I’ve also supplied the recipe that I use for a ‘Sulphur’ Soft Shoe Wet fly. I initially thought that the rabbit fibers would prevent any of these variations from sinking.  That’s not really a problem especially when fishing it in tandem with another wetfly.  When fishing the sulphur version, I will sometimes grease it and fishing in the surface film.

 

To tie this fly, begin by placing your hook in the vice and starting your thread.  Cut the tag end off and wrap down to the bend in the hook. Next, tie in 3-4 Pheasant Tail Fibers for the tail. The tail should be a little more than a hook gap in length.  For the ‘Iso’ version also tie in 1 strand of Krystal Flash the same length as the tail.  Now tie in your wire rib on the ‘far side’ of the hook shank. Create a slim dubbing noodle and with touching wraps create a slightly tapered body. Make sure you leave enough room behind the eye to tie in your wing and soft hackle collar. Next, wrap the Wire Rib forward to create a segmented body. Tie and cut off the tag end.  You are now going to tie in a clump of Snow Shoe Rabbit Foot Fibers.  Make sure the clump you cut from the foot is long enough for the wing. It should extend to the end of the body. The preparation of the wing is probably the most difficult part of this fly.  After cutting the clump discard any straggly long hairs and after measuring it against the body, trim the butt end for your tie in point. Hold it firmly in your fingers and tie it down on top of the hook shank. Bind it down and create a smooth base to tie in and wrap your hackle. Prepare your hackle feather by stroking the fibers back towards the rear butt. Tie it in behind the eye by the forward tip. Once it’s tied in, make 2-3 wraps around the hook shank.  Stroke the fibers back towards the rear of the fly as you’re doing this.  Once your collar is created tie the feather off and cut off the butt end. Whip finish and cover your wraps with ‘head cement’.

2GuysFlyFishing 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's September 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 SBS Saltwater Baitfish

Hook:  FTD Big Game MS 100 hook Size 3/0 (or Short Shank Stinger Salt Water Hook of Choice). 

Thread:  UTC 70D White.

Tail:  White Bucktail topped with strands of pearlescent flash, topped with a single white saddle hackle.

½ Wing:  Chartreuse bucktail tied over a ‘bump’ of White Senyo Lazer Dub and extending halfway down the tail.

Belly:  White Bucktail tied in ‘reverse style’ then swept back under the hook shank. 

Body:  White Senyo Lazer Dub with Red Senyo Lazer Dub before the head of the fly.

Wing:  Chartreuse Bucktail tied in ‘reverse’ style then swept back on top of the hook.  Topped with a few more strands of Pearlescent Flash and a Chartreuse Grizzly Saddle Hackle.

Eyes:  3 D molded eyes.

Finish:  Epoxy, or UV Resin.

 

This fly is really a modified ‘flat wing’ type pattern originally designed for ‘sea trout’ (a.k.a. weakfish).  I’ve never caught a weakfish on it but boy is it a ‘striper catcher’.  It calls for some alternative tying techniques like ‘reverse’ tying of bucktail.  One of the great things about fly tying is that you can always substitute and/or experiment by using different materials.  One thing I would not change on this fly is the Chartreuse Grizzly Saddle Hackle.  If you’re a New England Salt Water Fly Fisher and Tyer, I strongly recommend purchasing a Chartreuse Grizzly Neck.  At times the barred hackle just seems to trigger striper bites.

 

To tie this fly, begin by de-barbing the hook, placing it in your vice, and laying a base of thread along the hook shank.  Next, tie in a sparse amount (no more than 20 strands) of White Bucktail for your tail.  It should extend approximately 2 times the hook shank length behind the bend.  On top of your Bucktail, tie in a couple strands of Pearlescent Flash.  I usually take a couple of strands, double it over my thread, and lash it down above the Bucktail.  Trim it to the length of the Bucktail.  Next, select and prepare a thin White Saddle Hackle to top your tail.   When you tie it down it should extend the complete length of the tail. 

 

Once your tail is competed you are going to dub a ‘bump’ of White Senyo Lazer Dub at the tie in point of your tail.  In front of the dubbed bump you are going to tie in a ‘1/2’ wing of Chartreuse Bucktail.  Keep it sparse using 15 to 20 fibers.  It should extend 2/3rds the length of your rear white tail.  You should have approximately 1/3^rd of the hook shank left.  You are now going to ‘reverse’ tie in a top wing of Chartreuse Bucktail.  Once completed, rotate your vice or fly and ‘reverse’ tie in a belly of White Bucktail.  Before pushing your bucktail back to create your wing and belly, use your thread to create an even base behind the eye and along the last 1/3 or the hook shank.  Once completed, dub half of it with White Senyo Lazer Dub, and the other half with Red Senyo Lazer Dub.  Next, with a pen tube or tool, sweep back your wing & belly along the hook shank.  Use your fingers to continually stroke and align your wing and belly.  When it’s trained back and in a position you like, use thread wraps to bind them down.  Next, top your Chartreuse Wing with a couple more strands of Pearlescent Flash.  They should extend along the entire length of the top wing.  Next, prepare a thin Chartreuse Grizzly Saddle Hackle to be placed over your top wing.  It should extend along the entire length of the fly.  Once in position, lash it down.  Finally, whip finish your fly. Affix your 3D molded eyes to the fly.  Cover the eyes and the head of the fly with UV resin or Epoxy. 

 

Below is a great video on how to tie this fly by CastbyJohn Fly Tying.

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 September 2022 Fly of the Month

Peacock Ice Dub Nymph

Hook:  Jig Hook of Choice Size #14 &16. 

Bead:  1/8” Tungsten Rainbow Bead.

Lead Wire:  4-5 wraps of .015 or .025 Lead Wire.

Tail:  3-4 Pheasant Tail Fibers.

Body:  Peacock Ice Dubbing.

Ribbing:  Small Copper Wire.

Hot Spot:  Red Thread.

 I love flies that are easy & simple to tie and that result in catching a lot of fish.  This is one of them.  It’s a very easy tie.   The toughest part of it is the dubbing.  It’s a little tricky to work with but with a little patience you won’t have a difficult time.  I tie and fish most of these flies in a Size #16 and fish them deep.  They sink like a cinder block on your leader.

Begin by placing your bead on the hook and hook in the vice. Make 4-5 wraps of your Lead Wire around the hook shank.  Break off the tag ends and slide it tight against the bead.  Begin your thread on the hook shank.  Build a thread dam behind the lead to permanently affix it against the bead.  Create a tapered body with your thread.  Prepare 3 Pheasant Tail Fibers to be used for your tail.  Tie them in at the bend of the tail.  They should be approximately a hook shank length beyond the bend.  Once secured, tie in a strand of Fine Copper Wire for your rib.  My tie in point for the Wire starts behind the bead.  I then wrap back to where my Pheasant Tail Fibers are tied in. 

Next, dub a tight noodle of Peacock Ice Dub.  The Ice Dubbing is not ease dub.  Use some tying wax and wet your fingers to control it better.  Using touching wraps create a tapered body, ending your thread behind the bead.  Counter wrap your Wire Ribbing to create a segmented body.  It should also end behind the bead.  Tie it off with your thread.  ‘Helicopter’ off the tag end.  Build a small red ‘hot spot’ with your thread behind the bead.  Tie it off, whip finish and you’re done. 

White Dog Out Doors 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's June 2022 Fly of the Month

Craft Fur Sand Eel 

Hook:  Mustad 34007 Size #2 hook (or Size #1 Short Shank Salt Water Hook). 

Thread:  Uni-Thread White.

Belly:  White Craft Fur.

Wing:  Chartreuse Craft Fur (I recommend also tying it in olive).

Flash/Lateral Line:  2 Strands of Pearl Flash-a-bou over which is 2 Strands of Silver Flash-a-bou. 

Body:  Small Pearl Mylar Tubing.

Eyes:  3 D eyes or molded eyes.

Body Finish:  Epoxy, or UV Resin, or 2 coats of Finger Nail Polish.

 

This fly has landed me a lot of fish, especially when fished in tandem with a heavier anchor fly.  It’s also evolved somewhat.  Years ago, the quality of Craft Fur was poor to fair.  Today there are many ‘Extra Select’ craft fur materials on the market.  It’s far superior to what was previously available.  This is a fly you ‘must’ have when you fish the salt in New England.  I tie them in Chartreuses & White and Olive & White.  I also tie it in Tan & White with Root beer flash – It makes a great Albi Fly!

 

To tie this fly start your thread a little behind the eye.  Take 6-8 wraps back toward the bend and cut off the tag end.  Next, clip a 1” square of White Craft Fur from the backing.  Pull out all the ‘underfur’ and trim the butt end off square.  Place the butt ends on top of the hook shank above your tying thread.  Take a few tight wraps, then push the Craft Fur down with your finger nail to make sure it surrounds the hook shank.  Take some more wraps to lock the Fur in place. 

 

You are now going to repeat this procedure by clipping a 1” square of Chartreuse Craft Fur from the backing.  Pull out the ‘underfur’.   Measure it against the White Craft Fur Belly.  You want it to be the same length.  Cut the butt ends to length and tie it on top of the White Belly.  Take tight wraps to bind down the White Belly and Chartreuse Wing.  Even out your tie in points, then make a 3 or 4 turn ‘whip finish’. 

 

To add some flash to the fly, use 2 strands of Pearl Flash-a-bou.  Find the mid-point of the strands and bind them down at your tying thread.  Take wraps to secure it so that you have 2 strands on each side of the fly.  They should be the length of your fly.  Now take 2 strands of Silver Flash-a-bou and repeat the process. 

 

 Now cut a little more than an inch of mylar tubing for your body.  Some mylar tubing comes with a corded material in the center.  Remove it.  Slip the tubing over the hook shank.  It will begin to fray a little bit at the rear of the fly.  This is perfectly fine.  Take your tying thread while pulling back on the tubing with your finger to expose the hook shank behind the eye.  Secure your thread to the hook shank.  Snip off the tag.  Squeeze and bring the tubing forward a little bit and capture it with your tying thread.  Secure it to the hook shank.  Make secure wraps to make sure all the mylar strands are pinned down.  Make a 4 or 5 turn ‘whip’ finish then snip off your tying thread.

 

You are now going to affix your eyes.  Apply a drop of Zap-a-gap gel (or favorite adhesive) to each side of the hook shank right behind your thread wraps.  Apply the eyes.  You are now going to apply your body finish of choice.  You can use a variety of finishes.  UV resin, Epoxy, or a couple of applications of nail polish.  I’m a little bit old school and use Epoxy for my finish.

 

Postfly 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 pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's May 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Sweet Meat Caddis

Bead:  Slotted Tungsten Gold Bead, 3mm for Size #14.

Hook:  Hanak 450 BL in Size #14 & #16. 

Thread:  Brown 6/0 Danville.

Abdomen:  Small Golden Olive UTC Wire.

Collar:  UV Brown Ice Dub.  

Wing:  Natural Dun CDC

Antenna:  Natural Mallard Flank Fibers.

Head:  Peacock Ice Dub.

 

This fly was developed by Boulder Colorado native Garrison Doctor.  He is also famous for designing ‘Rep Your Water’ hats and Tees.  What I love about the SMC Caddis is it gets down fast with it’s wire body & tungsten bead.  Because it’s tied on a hook, more times than not, trout are safely hooked in the upper lip.  Different than other caddis pupa patterns, it’s a great attractor pattern on the Housatonic & Farmington Rivers.

 

To tie this fly, place your bead on the hook, then place the hook in your vice.  Start the thread behind the bead and create a thread dam behind it.  Make a nice even thread base along the hook shank.  It’s important to have a smooth underbody when you have a wire overbody.  Next tie in your UTC Wire, starting behind the bead and wrapping back to the hook bend.  Now build a tapered body with your thread.  Leave your thread approximately and eye gap length behind the bead.  Using tight touching wraps, carefully wrap your wire forward.  Tie the wire off with a few turns and ‘helecopter’ the butt end of the wire off.

 

You are now going to dub a slight collar of UV Brown Ice Dub.  A small pinch is all you’ll need.  2-3 Wraps around the hook shank is all you will need.  Next, using 2 Natural Dun CDC feathers, align the tips of both.  Clip the tips at the center stem of the feathers.  Now, stroke the fibers forward, clumping and bundling them with your fingers.  Next, tie them in at the underside of the hook creating a ‘beard like’ wing.  It should extend about the length of the hook shank.  Trim off the butt ends of the CDC.  On the sides of the hook, tie in 4-6 Mallard Fibers to be used as the Antennae of the Fly.  You want 2 clumps, one on each side, that are a hook shank in length. 

 

You are now going to finish the collar of the fly.  Dub a collar of Peacock Ice Dub behind the bead.  You are going to brush this dubbing out after you apply it, so make sure there is enough on your collar to do that.  3-4 Wraps around the hook shank should do it.  Whip finish and tie your thread off behind the bead.  With a piece of Velcro, dubbing brush, sweep that dubbing back towards the rear of the fly.  You want to give it a ‘buggy’ look and create a veil around the fly.  Some of the dubbing may come off the fly when you do this.  Don’t worry as long as you have initially applied enough dubbing.  Good luck and tight lines.

 

FlyFishermanMagazine 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, email me at pdinice@frontier.com .