Fender
BARRY CLARKE Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
This is an alternative method to tying the traditional parachute-style pattern. Deer hair replaces the hackle of a normal parachute. Make the post using deer hair as well, which enables the abdomen and thorax of the fly to sit deep in the surface film in a realistic manner while in a fish’s feeding window. The ribbed-moose- mane (quill like body) tying technique I am showing you is fairly old, but I revitalized the method with the help of bug bond UV resin (or any UV glue). We all know that the floating qualities of deer hair are hard to match, but it’s still worth giving this pattern a coat of floatant for extra buoyancy. This quick and simple parachute technique requires only deer hair and UV glue or a substitute adhesive.
PATTERN
HOOK – Mustad C49S, size to match the natural (I used a size #18).
THREAD – Dyneema (gel spun). Lays nice and flat.
ABDOMEN – Moose mane hair coated with bug bond UV resin (any UV glue will do) or a substitute adhesive.
HACKLE– Deer hair (short/fine deer hair best) and bug bond UV glue
THORAX – Two strands of peacock herl
HOW TO TIE
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).
Olive Matuka
BRAD BEFUS Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
Developed in New Zealand, the Matuka has proven itself on American waters as a first-class streamer. Many believe that this fly’s big advantage over conventional streamers is its wing, which is bound all down the body and therefore doesn’t separate from the body when the fly is fished and won’t catch around the hooks bend. Although fishlike and normally tied in fishy colors, Matukas inhabit that gray area between attractors and imitators, leaning one way or the other as needed.
PATTERN
HOOK – Streamer- heavy wire, 3x to 6x long sizes #10 to #2
THREAD – Olive or black 8/0 (70 denier) - 6/0(140 denier) - 3/0(210 denier)
RIB – Fine copper, gold or silver wire or oval gold tinsel
BODY – Olive chenille (or dubbed olive rabbit fur)
WING & TAIL – Four to six dyed olive grizzly hen neck or back hackles or just big rooster saddle hackles
HACKLE – Dyed olive grizzly hen neck or back hackle
HOW TO TIE
NOTE- If the hackle won’t slant back, pull them backward and put a few wraps of thread over the front portion of the hackle till they stay where you want them.
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).
Klod Hopper
PAUL STIMPSON Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
Its hopper season again and grasshoppers and crickets often fall or are blown into the water by summer winds and are taken with enough regularity that trout become eager for their imitations. On hot days, a hopper or cricket dressing fished on a meadow stream or near the shoreline of a big river can cause an instant detonation, even when just a few naturals are around. Hoppers and crickets have approximately the same body build. A dressing style that works for one can be tied in a different color to match the other. The KLOD HOPPER is tied in a tan color not your traditional yellow or olive. The red grizzly legs seem to be the key to this fly’s success. So try this one for yourself on selective fish, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
PATTERN
HOOK – Dry fly, 2x long, size #12 - #6
THREAD – Brown 6/0, Flat waxed nylon
BODY – Tan, closed-cell foam (1/8 inch – 3mm)
OVERBODY – Brown dubbing (I used super fine)
WING – Elk hair or fine white tail deer hair
HACKLE – Brown dry fly saddle
THORAX – Tan, closed –cell foam (1/8 inch -3mm)
LEGS – Red, grizzly legs
HOW TO TIE
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).
THE BLUEGILL IT’S –A-BUG
GARY R. YADEN Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
When you tie this pattern expect to catch a few fish with it - even bass like this fly. There are some unique traits to the Bluegill its –a- bug, starting with the foam eyes on the sides of the fly. The second is that the pattern sits on the water with the butt of the fly sinking under the surface; when retrieved with a slight twitch, the entire body rocks on the surface. But best of all, the bluegill it’s-a-bug is easy to tie and is very durable.
PATTERN
HOOK – Mustad 3906b, sizes 10 to 6 for bluegills, larger for bass.
THREAD – Danville’s size A waxed fly master, black or color to match the body.
OVERBODY – Black 1/8 – inch Closed cell foam.
UNDERBODY – Black small to medium chenille, or color to match the overbody.
LEGS – Four 2- inch strips of black square rubber legs.
HEAD – Yellow 1/8 inch closed cell foam.
HOW TO TIE
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).
Yellow Stimulator
RANDALL KAUFMANN Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
The two largest stonefly species, the salmon fly and golden stone are the most important hatches in the order. Both are predominantly western. Many other groups, including little brown stones, yellow sallies, and olive sallies, are important in the east, the west, and everywhere in between. All stoneflies live only in moving water. It’s important to fish the correct imitation whenever a stonefly species is on the water in good numbers. Trout key in on them and refuse everything else. It’s also important to know that some stonefly dressings, such as Randal Kaufmann’s stimulator, when tied in smaller sizes will also take trout during caddis and grasshopper activity. They make excellent searching dressings.
PATTERN
HOOK – 3x or 4x long, sizes 4-6-8-10-12.
THREAD – 6/0 hot orange.
TAIL – Light elk hair.
RIB – Fine gold wire, counter wound over the body hackle.
BODY HACKLE– Brown, undersize.
BODY – Yellow fur or synthetic dubbing.
WING - Light elk hair.
HACKLE – Grizzly wound over thorax.
THORAX – Amber fur or synthetic dubbing.
HOW TO TIE
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).
ELK-HAIR CADDIS EMERGER
SHANE STALCUP Translated by CARL WUEBBEN
Caddis are the meat and potatoes of most trout diets. This important group of insects is found in just about every river, stream, and pond in which you might cast flies for trout. Caddis have several life stages, all of which can be imitated by artificial flies but we will concentrate on the emerger stage with this one. Emerging caddis larvae leave the Lake Bottom or streambed to swim to the surface, where they become winged adults. The swimming caddis pupae are weak and vulnerable, and they drive trout nuts. It’s best to keep floatant off of the bodies of this fly; for a realistic presentation, you want the body to hang down in the surface. This fly is just the ticket for catching tough – highly pressured trout.
PATTERN
HOOK – Daiichi 1130 or a similar bent – shank nymph hook, sizes #10 - #16
THREAD – 8/0, color to match the body
ABDOMEN – D-rib, color to match the body or clear to allow the color of the thread to show thru.
THORAX – Ice dubbing, color to match the body.
UNDERWING – Ice dubbing, color to match the body.
LEGS – Partridge hackle fiber.
WING – Elk or deer hair.
HOW TO TIE
*** But remember to practice C.P.R. (CATCH – PICTURE – RELEASE).