Paul's December 2014 Fly of the Month

Euro Jig Pheasant Tail

Hook:  Jig Hook Size #10-#18.  I use Allen Fly Fishing J100 BL hooks.

Tying thread:   UTC 70 denier Black or brown.

Bead:  Black tungsten bead.

Tail:  Cul de leon feather fibers.

Abdomen:  Pheasant Tail fibers.

Rib:   Copper Ultra-wire ‘brassie’ sized wire.

Hot Spot:  UV Hot Orange or Hot Pink Ice Dub.

Thorax:  Natures Spirit Emergence Dubbing.

This has quickly become one of my “go to” nymphs.  With regard to jig hooks, I’ve never seen anything like them in terms of how fast they get down in the water column.  Most importantly, they catch fish.  I use Allen J100BL jig hooks.  They are black and barbless.  Be aware that the shank on a jig hook runs smaller than a traditional nymph hook.  I tie most of mine on a Size #10 hook.  In reality it results in a Size #12 or #14 nymph.

Begin by placing your black tungsten bead on the hook.  Some tyers use “slotted beads” when tying on a jig hook.  I haven’t had any problem using a traditional bead.  Next begin your thread behind the bead and wind down to the bend in the hook.  Tie in your Cul de leon fibers to create a tail.  The tail should be approximately the length of the hook shank.  Next, tie in your copper wire for a rib.  Now tie in 5-6 pheasant tail fibers by the tips.  Starting at the hook bend wrap the fibers forward just as you would a traditional pheasant tail nymph.  Tie off making sure you have left in enough room for your “hot spot” and thorax.  Next, dub your hot spot.  It should be approximately two (2) wraps around the hook shank.  For the rest of the thorax or collar you are going to use a different tying technique.  Take small clumps of dubbing and tie them in behind the bead.  Stroke the fibers back to create a veil or collar similar to that of a hackled wet fly.  An alternative to this method is to use a dubbing loop and make a couple wraps right behind the bead.  Remember to stoke the fibers back.  Tie off your fly and apply some head cement to the end wraps. 

A gentleman by the name of Hans Stephenson has a great instructional video on how to tie this 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 .  This pattern can also be viewed at www.hffa.net .

Fall Fly Fishing with Friends 2014

As I get older the most important part of fishing isn't catching fish.  It's the sharing of experiences with good friends.  I hope to fish with some of you in the near future.  Paul

Paul's November 2014 Fly of the Month

Small Fry  -  A great "cross over" fly.

Small Fry Salt Water Version

Hook:  Mustad 34077 or similar – size to match forage fish (Pictured is tied on Size 4 hook).

Thread:  Mono, 3/0 thread, flat waxed nylon, or Fly Master Plus, with color to match wing.

Belly(underwing):  White buck tail.

Flash:  A few strands of holographic tinsel and pearl flash. 

Wing:  Sparse layer of pink buck tail topped by a heavier layer of olive buck tail.

Eyes:  3 D adhesive eyes.

Epoxy or Resin:  Cover eyes and half of the body with 5 minute epoxy or “light curing” resin.

Small Fry Salt Water “Jig” Version

Hook:  Mustad 34184 or similar – size to match forage fish (Pictured is tied on Size 1/0 hook).

Thread:  Mono, 3/0 thread, flat waxed nylon, or Fly Master Plus, with color to match wing.

Weight:  Lead (.035 - approximately 10 wraps) on 1/3 of the hook shank closest to the bend before the eye.

Belly(underwing):  White buck tail.

Flash:  A few strands of holographic tinsel and pearl flash. 

Wing:  Sparse layer of pink buck tail topped by a heavier layer of olive buck tail.

Eyes:  3 D adhesive eyes.

Epoxy or Resin:  Cover eyes and half of the body with 5 minute epoxy or “light curing” resin.

Small Fry Fresh Water Streamer

Hook:  Diachi 2220 4x long hook or similar – size to match forage fish (Pictured is tied on Size 6 hook).

Thread:  Mono, 3/0 thread, flat waxed nylon, or Fly Master Plus, with color to match wing.

Belly(underwing):  White buck tail.

Flash:  A few strands of holographic tinsel and pearl flash. 

Wing:  Sparse layer of pink buck tail topped by a heavier layer of olive buck tail.

Eyes:  3 D adhesive eyes.

Epoxy or Resin:  Cover eyes and half of the body with 5 minute epoxy or “light curing” resin.

 

There are 3 different flies here with a basic pattern recipe.  All work great.  I started tying this fly after seeing friends from CT/RI Fly Fishers fishing it in the salt.  Not only is this a great fly to imitate small bait fish, it’s also a great fresh water streamer. I’ve caught some nice trout on it.  I also experimented with it by tying it larger and heavier on a jig hook and did well on that.  In the salt I fish it with slow small twitches, especially when I get close to the end of my retrieve. 

Begin by covering the first 3^rd of the hook shank (near the eye of the hook) with thread. 

Jig Fly - If you’re tying the jig fly remember that you will be tying this pattern on an inverted hook.  The fly is going to ride upside down similar to a clouser minnow. You also must cover the thread with wrapped lead. 

Next, tie in your white buck tail belly.  On the small salt water fly, and the trout streamer, the belly is tied in sparse.  Now it’s time to tie in your wing.  Tie in a few strands of holographic tinsel and pearl flash.  Not much is needed.  Next, tie in a sparse layer of pink buck tail.  On top of that is a heavier clump of olive buck tail.  Form a head with tying thread.  Tie and clip off the thread.  Add your 3 D adhesive eyes.  Coat the eyes and body from the eye of the hook to half way down the hook shank. 

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 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's October 2014 Fly of the Month

Missing Link Caddis

Hook:  Size #15-#17 Tiemco 102Y. 

Tying thread:   Uni-Thread 8/0 in camel.

Abdomen:  Thread.

Rib:   Single strand of pearl Flasabou or Krystal Flash.

Abdomen Coating:  Softex, Flexcement, or Hard As Nails.

Dubbing Ball:  Peacock Ice Dub.
Downwings:  Dun Z-lon.

Upwing:  Elk or coastal deer hair with dark tips.

Hackle:  Blue dun saddle hackle.

This pattern has a few more extra steps and ingredients than most caddis dry flies.  It’s well worth the effort to catch finicky trout.  The first thing you’ll notice about this fly is that it’s tied on a Tiemco 102Y hook.   This is a barbless, black, and odd # sized hook.  It’s easy to find and readily available.  Also, this fly has swept back wings and hackle around the deer hair wing.  The fly floats like a cork.  The swept back wings mimic dead or dying caddis on the water.  Everything about this fly is a little different from the norm.  That’s good when fishing TMA’s.  Trout get more finicky as a hatch goes on.  At times you have to toss something different at them.

Begin by starting your thread 1/3 down the hook shank and cover the hook shank half way into the bend of the hook.  Tie in your strand of Krystal Flash and rib the thread body you’ve created.  Tie and trim off your rib.   At the end of the body dub a little ball of Peacock Ice Dub.  In front of it tie in a sparse wing of dun z-lon.  The wing should flare in two segments sweeping back towards the end of the hook.  Clip the wings so that they are the length of the hook bend.  Tie in your Elk or Coastal Deer hair wing just as you would for most caddis imitations.  Tie in your dun saddle hackle.  Wrap the hackle “parachute style” around the elk/deer hair wing including the butts.  Your wing and butts will become elevated and have a higher profile.  You can now trim the butts of the hair wing.  Be careful not to trim any hackle.  Whip finish the fly and you’re done.

A video of how to tie the Missing Link Caddis can be found 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 .  This pattern can also be viewed at www.hffa.net .

Paul's September 2014 Fly of the Month

Torrey's Bead Head Hares Ear Caddis

Hook:  Tiemco 2487  or Scud hook of choice Size #12-#18. 

Tying thread:   Black or brown.

Bead:  Copper colored tungsten bead.

Abdomen/Body:  70% Hare’s Ear (sheared from mask), mixed with 10% gray squirrel, mixed with 10% Hare’s Ear Antron dubbing, and mixed with 10% assorted Ice Dub/Prism Dub (browns, tan, gray, olive-brown).  I use a coffee grinder to mix all my dubbing together.

Rib:   Copper Ultra-wire ‘brassie’ sized wire.

Weight:  .015 lead wire (approximately 8 wraps).

Collar:  Hare’s ear Prism/Ice Dub.
This fly is from Torrey Collins of Housatonic River Outfitters.  Torrey is one of the best and most knowledgeable nymph fishermen I know.  He is extremely open in sharing what’s happening on the river.  Stop in and see him at HRO or visit HRO on-line at http://dryflies.com/ . 
Begin by placing you bead on the hook.  Immediately behind the bead wrap your lead wire.  Move it right behind the bead to hold it in place.  Form a tapered body with your thread ending with your thread approximately half way down the hook bend.   Tie in your copper wire rib.  Next dub a body leaving a tiny bit of space behind the bead.  Palmer and rib the fly.  Tie off the rib.  Next dub a collar of Hare’s Ear Prism Dub behind the bead.  Apply some cement to the thread and finish your fly with a couple of half hitches.  Finally, and perhaps the most important step in the tying process, brush the collar/fly with Velcro so that a fly is enveloped in a hazy veil. 

Below is Torrey's instructional video on how to tie this 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 Fly of The Month I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .



Fly Fishing the Cape

Sometimes using two flies can be a more productive way of fishing.  It's also a lot of fun when there are schoolies around.  I probably shouldn't have used two flies in this instance.  Catching bigger fish with two flies can be an invitation to breaking your rod.  I had a blast though.  Best part though was fishing with friends.  I've had some wonderful experiences over the years!

Paul's June 2014 Fly of the Month

Improved Clouser Minnow

Hook:  Mustad 34077 or similar – size to match forage fish.

Thread:  Mono, 3/0 thread, flat waxed nylon, or Fly Master Plus, with color to match wing.

Eyes:  Dumbells – red with black eyes or white with black eyes.

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

Wing:  Pearl crystal flash (or flash material of choice) and bucktail – color of choice).

Without a doubt this is one of the most productive flies ever developed.  This is the third time the Clouser Minnow has appeared as a Fly of the Month.  I previously did a traditional tie of the Clouser Minnow.  I also wrote up the “Bendback” Clouser Minnow.    

You may not agree that this is an “improved” Clouser variation.  My friends and I tie it this way and we catch more fish with it.  Why do we catch more fish with it?  When tying the traditional version of this fly, the body or lower wing is tied along the hook shank and protrudes past the bend of the hook.  Ultimately that lower wing is going to foul around the hook bend.  Obviously, the “Improved Clouser” will not.  The more time your fly is fished correctly in the water the more fish you’ll catch.  It will also have added action and sink quickly.

Begin by starting your thread at the eye of the hook.  Wrap down to the bend and tie in your body or diamond braid.  Next affix your dumbbell eyes.  Make sure you leave enough room in front of the eyes to tie in your top wing.  I tie my eyes in by creating two bumps on the top of the hook shank and locating the dumbbell between them.  Wrap on each side of the dumbbell eyes and also figure eight wrap under them.  You may want to apply some glue. I prefer to lock them in with some epoxy.  Next apply some cement or crazy glue to the thread wrapped hook shank and bring your thread to the front of the eyes.  Wrap your braid forward to create the body of the fly.  Then, cross wrap over the eyes and tie off the braid in front of them.  Invert the fly so the eyes are on the bottom of the hook.  Begin your wing by tying in your bucktail wing.  Use colors or color of choice. Next, top the wing with your flash material of choice. Finally create a head with your thread and tie off/whip finish the fly.  Apply epoxy or head cement to the head.  This fly bounces on the bottom and you want to make it as durable as you can. 

Vary your retrieves, dead drift it in currents, it all works! 

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 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .