Paul's March 2019 Fly of the Month

Spring's Wiggler

(and variations)

Hook:  TMC 200R #4 to #10 hook. 

Tying thread:   6/0  brown thread. 

Weight:  (Optional)  Non-lead wire.  You want to use wire at a small enough gauge so as not to impact the profile of the fly.

Eyes:  (Optional) Small black beadchain.

Bead:  (Optional)  Color & size of choice.

Tail/shell back:  Squirrel tail in color of choice.  (I also substitute it with peacock herl.)

Body:  Yellow Chenille, antron yarn, dubbing.  (You can make this fly any color you desire.)

Hackle:  Brown saddle hackle.

This is an extremely versatile fly.  It can represent a number of different insects, such as stone flies, hellgrammites, and other large nymphs.  The fly just looks buggy!  It was originally developed as a Steelhead fly in Michigan by a man named Ron Spring.  Also known as the ‘Pan Fish Wiggler’ and 'Michigan Wiggler’, this fly can be used to catch a variety of fish, including steelhead, trout, small mouth bass, and pan fish.  It can imitate whatever you want it to be and is a fairly easy tie.  Tie it from very big sizes to size #10.  My preferred material for the body is yellow chenille, but I have used antron yarn and dubbing.

To tie this fly begin your thread behind the eye of the hook and wrap down to the bend.  Your going to tie in your squirrel tail hairs for a tail.  They should extend about a hook gap length beyond the bend of the hook.  (I also use peacock herl especially when tying stonefly or smaller flies.) Do not cut off the tag end of the squirrel.  This will become your shell back later.  Next, tie in your hackle.  Now tie in your chenille or yarn for the body.  (You can also dub a body of your preferred material.)  End the body behind the eye and tie/cut off your material.  Next, wrap/palmer your hackle forwards and tie it off behind the eye.  Cut off the tag end.  Now bring your squirrel tail forward to create your shell back.  Make sure you hold your shell back down firmly and tie it off.  It has a tendency to loosen up and pull away from the fly body.  It’s important to firmly hold it down as you tie it off.  Cut off the tag end of your squirrel shell back.  Whip finish it off and apply head cement to your wraps.  I also apply some UV resin on the shell back for extra durability.  

No matter what size wiggler you tied, or materials you used, you have a very buggy and productive nymph.  Last year the small mouth fishing on the Housatonic was killer.  Big nymphs seemed to be the most productive way to catch them.  This was a fly that was very productive for me. 

There is a nice video by ‘Panfish on the Fly’ on how to tie one of the variations of this pattern 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 February 2019 Fly of the Month

Red Dart

Hook:  Size #14 Jig Hook of choice.

Tying thread:   6/0 red thread.

Bead:  Gold slotted 7/64” tungsten bead.

Weight:  .02 lead free wire.

Tail:  Red Saddle Hackle.

Rib:  Pearl colored sulky silver tinsel.

Body:  3 strands of peacock herl or peacock ice dubbing.

Collar/hackle:  Brown hackle feather 1 size smaller than the fly (size #16).

Secondary collar:  2-3 wraps of pink ice dubbing.

Hotspot:  red tying thread.

This fly was developed by Mr. Lance Egan.  Like most nymphs tied on a jig hook, it sinks fast and gets down deep.  Many anglers love to use this fly when fishing ‘high water’. 

Begin by placing your bead on the hook and place it in your vice.  Behind the bead, take 7-8 wraps of your wire, break off the ends and push it up against the bead.  You may want to further lock everything into place with some super glue or adhesive of choice.  Next, affix your thread to the hook shank and make covering wraps along the hook shank.  Leave your thread at the bend of the hook.  Next, tie in your tail fibers of red saddle hackle.  The length of the tail should be approximately the length of the hook shank.  Now tie in your pearl tinsel rib.  Next, tie in 3 strands of peacock herl.  Wrap the herl forward leaving enough room for your collars & hot spot.  Tie & cut off your excess peacock.  Now, counter wrap the peacock body with your pearl tinsel.  Tie & cut your tinsel off.  Select a brown saddle hackle 1 size smaller than the hook size (size #16).  Tie the hackle in front of the peacock.  Take two full turns of the hackle around the hook.  Preen the hackle fibers rearward as you go.  Tie & cut the excess hackle off.  Next dub a small amount of pink ice dub for your secondary collar.  2-3 wraps of a thin dubbing noodle is all that is needed.  Now take some forward wraps with your thread to create a red ‘hot spot’ adjacent to the bead.  Tie & cut off your thread.  Apply some cement to the hot spot wraps for durability. 

Tim Flagler and tightlinevideo have 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 January 2019 Fly of the Month

Reece's Masked Bandit

Hook:  Size #4 Gamakatsu Octopus hook.

Tying thread:   6/0 to match color of squirrel. 

Flash:  Hairline Gold Ripple Ice Fiber.

Tail/Wing:  Pine Squirrel Zonker (Olive, Black, Orange & Natural).

Collar:  Pine Squirrel Zonker.

Head:  4mm Flymen Fish Mask, 4mm Living Eyes.

In the age of big and gaudy articulated streamers, this pattern is an alternative to try and represent smaller forage fish in rivers & streams.  It was developed by Mr. Bob Reece of Wyoming.  He believes that this pattern is very effective because of its tapered head and large eyes.  These are predominant features of shiners, chubs, & dace.  I love fishing small streamers.  This is one of my go to patterns that I’ve found to be very productive.  You can tie it in a variety of colors.  Olive is my preferred color. 

Begin by laying a base of thread from the hook eye to where it hangs evenly with the hook point.  Add a few drops of adhesive and tie in a clump of Gold Ripple Ice Fiber.  After is it is tied in, cut it to approximately 2 hook shank lengths.  Cut it on a 45 degree diagonal from right to left.  Next, tie in your squirrel zonker strip.  It should be approximately 2 ½ times the length of the hook shank.  It is tied in only by the tip of the strip.  Next, tie in a second strip of squirrel zonker to be used as a collar.  Before you tie it in, clip the tip at a 45 degree angle.  That will provide you with an easier tie in point and make wrapping your collar easier.  Add a few more drops of adhesive and wrap your zonker forward to create your collar.  One or two wraps is all that is needed.  Tie off your zonker collar, whip finish, and clip off your thread.  You are now ready to place your fish mask and eyes onto the fly.  The fly designer recommends gluing and affixing the eyes on the mask prior to putting it on the hook shank.  I use Fusion glue to cement the eyes in place, then use a little light activated resin on them, with a final coat of ‘Tough as Nails’ for added durability.  Add some adhesive on the hook shank behind the eye prior to gluing in the mask.  When you place the mask on the hook shank, leave room in front of it for additional thread wraps to ensure it is held in place.  After you build up wraps in front of the mask, clip and whip finish it off.  Apply additional adhesive to the wraps. 

Bob Reece has an excellent 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 December 2018 Fly of the Month

The Baymen Universal

Hook:  Eagle Claw 254 SS or Eagle Claw L253 (Size #4 to #2/0 hook.)

Tying thread:   Danville Flat Waxed Nylon, color of choice. 

Wing:  6-8 strands of Peacock Herl over Olive Bucktail over Pearl Krystal Flash over Pink Bucktail.

Belly:  White Bucktail.

Throat/Gill:  Red Bucktail.

Eyes:  3D Living Eyes sized to fly (I like to oversize my eyes).

Finish:  5 Minute Epoxy or UV Resin.

This is an extremely versatile salt water fly.  I’ve tied it on size #4 to #2/0 hook sizes.  What’s important about this fly are the various colors in the pattern recipe.  The pink & olive color combo is a striper magnet.  The fly also includes a flash lateral line, 3 D eyes, and a red ‘throat/gill plate’, all triggers that make this a very productive fly.  A few years ago I was on the Cape and the fish were feeding on very small bait fish.  I had tied up a bunch of Universals on a size #4 hook (I also coated the body along the hook shank with epoxy) and landed fish after fish when others failed to.  This is a very easy and fast tie once you get rollin’.  No feathers to pair or mess with.  One additional comment about tying this fly, sparse is better. 

Begin by laying a base of thread from the hook eye to the bend.  Bring your thread back up to the eye.  Tie in a sparse clump of pink buck tail behind the hook eye.  It should extend beyond the bend at least 2 times the length of the hook shank.  Next, in the same location. tie in a generous amount of Pearl Krystal Flash just slightly longer than the pink buck tail.  For very small flies I’ve substituted silver holographic tinsel for Krystal Flash.  Next, top the flash with a clump of Olive Buck Tail just slightly longer than the rest of the wing.  Now, top it with 6-8 strands of Peacock Herl longer than the length of the entire wing.  Your wing is complete.  Don’t forget to increase the durability of your fly by applying some head cement (or adhesive of choice) as you tie it. 

If you have a rotary vice your going to rotate your fly to tie in your belly.  On the opposite side of the hook where you tied in your wing, your going to tie in a clump of White Buck Tail for the belly.  It should extend to the approximate length of your wing.  Remember not to over dress the fly.  You’re now going to tie in your ‘throat/gill plate’ comprised of Red Buck Tail.  It’s tied in just under the belly and extends approximately a hook shank length under the belly.  Finally, it’s time to tie in your 3 D living eyes.  Some like to use goop or zap-a-gap to affix them.  I prefer to stick them on and then epoxy over them for additional durability.  As always, feel free to experiment with this fly.  Try different flash materials or even colors.  One thing you want to do is tie it in variety of sizes.

Dave Bitters of Baymen Charters has an excellent 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 November 2018 Fly of the Month

Carey Special

Hook:  3X long Nymph hook. (Size #6 to #10 hook.)

Tying thread:   Black 6/0 or 140-denier thread. 

Weight (Optional):  6-8 wraps of lead free wire or a brass or tungsten bead.

Collar:  Gold Utra Wire, small  (Or use color of choice.)

Tail:  Speckld Golden Olive Coq de Leon fibers or Pheasant rump feather fibers.

Body:  Brown-olive rabbit-fur dubbing. (or peacock herl or chenille).

Thorax:  Brown-olive SLF dubbing.

Hackle:  Speckled Golden Olive Coq de Leon Feather or Pheasant rump feather fibers.

Head:  Tying Thread.

Kudos to my fly fishing friend Mike Lombardo for reminding me about this fly.  I had tied it many years ago but alas, it’s a forgotten fly in one of my boxes.  So glad he reintroduced it to me again.  This pattern was originally developed in the Canadian West.  It was created by a gentleman by the name of Dr. Loyd A. Day of British Columbia back in 1925.  It’s an old & traditional fly that works both in still water & rivers.  Although it can represent a variety of fish foods, it’s best known as a damselfly & dragon fly imitation.  Numerous material substitutions can be made to tie this pattern.  I’ve offered some of these alternatives in the recipe above.  When tied in bright colors it’s a much used steelhead fly.

Begin by starting your thread behind the eye of the hook.  (If you so desire you can add weight to the hook or slide a brass or tungsten bead behind the eye.)  Wrap it to the bend of the hook.  At the bend of the hook tie in approximately 6-12 Coq de Leon fibers (or use pheasant flank fibers) for your tail.  The length of the tail should equal the length of the hook shank.  Next, tie in your gold ultra wire rib.  You’re now going to dub your body of Brown-Olive rabbit-fur dubbing.  Leave enough room behind the eye for your Thorax and hackle.  Bring and wrap your rib forward to create an even segmented body.   Tie & clip off the wire.  Next, dub your Thorax with Brown-olive SLF dubbing.  Next, select a Coq de Leon feather (or pheasant flank feather) for your hackle.  The fibers of the feather should be at least a hook shank in length.  Strip the bottom of the feather stem before tying it in.  Sweep the fibers of the feather back and make two (2) wraps of the feather.  Tie and cut the excess feather off.  Create a finished bulbous head on the fly.  Cut your thread and apply head cement. 

As previously stated you can make numerous material substitutions with this pattern.  A much used version has a body made of peacock herl (see picture above).  Another alternative is to create the body by wrapping chenille.  The variations & colors are endless.

Tight line has an excellent 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 October 2018 Fly of the Month

Wood Duck Heron Fly

a.k.a. the Wood Duck & Orange

Hook:  2X to 3X long Nymph/Streamer hook. (The size of your wood duck will dictate your hook size.  I usually tie mine on a Size #6 or #8 hook.)

Tying thread:   6/0 or 8/0 thread.  Color of choice.  (I usually tie mine with UTC wood duck or fluorescent orange thread.)

Wing:  Natural Lemon Wood Duck or dyed imitation.

Collar:  Light Dun Hen neck or saddle hackle.  (Or use color of choice.)

This streamer is a regional favorite of New Hampshire.  It was originally developed by Mr. Nick Lambou of Manchester, New Hampshire.  Only 4 materials are needed to tie it, hook, thread, wood duck, & hen hackle.  A simple tie that really produces.  When tied with an Orange collar it’s known as the Wood Duck & Orange, a particularly effective fly for steelhead & land locked salmon, as well as trout.  In the streamer age of ‘Bigger is better’ & ‘Articulated is best’, I’ll take this smaller traditional pattern any day!

To tie this fly, begin by wrapping your thread behind the eye to approximately the half way point of your hook shaft.  Make sure the wraps are even.  That will help when your wood duck and collar are wrapped.  Next select a wood duck feather.  It should be long enough to extend about ½ hook shank length beyond the bend.  Your going to stroke the fibers of the feather back and tie it in at the middle of the hook shank by the tip.  Preen the fibers back so that both sides are married and pointing back to the bend of the hook.  With a set of hackle pliers palmer/wind the feather forward, stroking back the fibers with your free hand as you go.  Bring the feather forward and tie it off, but make sure you leave room behind the eye for your collar. Next select a dun hen feather to use for your collar.  Just as you did with the wood duck, stroke the fibers back and tie it in by the tip.  Preen the fibers back so that both sides are married and pointing back to the bend of the hook.  With a set of hackle pliers palmer/wind the feather forward, stroking back the fibers with your free hand as you go.  You want to form a nice collar.  It should take 4-5 wraps.  Now, tie off and clip the feather.  Next, form a neat head with your thread behind the eye.  Apply some head cement & your ready to fish your creation.

Below is an excellent video on how to tie this fly from Stone River Outfitters:

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 September 2018 Fly of the Month

Cruncher Hot Spot Pheasant Tail 

Hook:  Nymph hook; or curved nymph hook of choice size #12 to #18.

Bead:  (Optional) Gold bead or bead of choice to match the size of hook. 

Tying thread:   Black 8/0 thread.

Tail:  Dyed Black Pheasant tail fibers.

Rib:  Copper - small wire.  I like to use red wire.

Abdomen:  Wrapped Pheasant tail fibers.

Thorax/neck:  Red Holographic Tinsel.

Hackle/legs:  Dyed Black Partridge or Dyed Black Hen Hackle.

This is yet another variation of a pheasant tail nymph.  The advances in fly tying materials in recent years is truly remarkable.  You can easily purchase Pheasant Tail Feathers dyed in a variety of colors.  Although this pattern is effective all year long, it is deadly when if it is fished during the ‘early black stone hatch’ in late winter and early spring.  You can tie this fly on a curved nymph hook, with or without a bead, and with Partridge or Hen for the hackle.

To tie this fly, begin by wrapping the shank of the hook with your thread.  (I have also tied this pattern with a bead and more as a deep water nymph.)  Tie in three (3) Pheasant tail fibers for the tail.  They should be roughly a hook shank gap in length.   Tie in your small copper wire rib.  Next, depending on the size of the fly, tie in 2-4 more pheasant tail fibers by the tip.  Wrap them forward approximately 2/3rds down the hook shank to form the abdomen.  Tie and clip the excess off.  Counter rib your fly with the wire.  Tie and clip it off.  Next, for your hot spot, tie in your Holographic Red Tinsel.  You are going to wrap the tinsel to create a ‘hot spot’ on your fly.  To increase durability, you may want to dab a drop of head cement to the hook shank prior to wrapping it.  Give the tinsel 3 turns around the hook shank, then tie and clip it off.  Between the ‘hot spot’ and the hook eye (or bead) there should be enough room to tie in and wrap your hackle.   If I want a traditional wet fly profile I use Partridge.  For smaller or nymph type variations I use Hen Hackle.  After tying in your hackle of choice, take 2-3 wraps around the hook shank, stroking the feather fibers back while your wrapping.  Tie and clip the hackle off.  Whip finish your fly and apply some head cement.

There is an excellent video on how to tie this fly which was posted By Mak 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 .