Some patterns small and big that I have had an interest in preparing for use this Spring – in the usual ( and some unusual ) locations we visit…Hot Creek, the East Walker River, McGee Creek, Rush Creek the West Walker River and the Upper and Lower Owens River are some places that come to mind…
THE “FLASHIES”…
MIDGE OF LIFE…Brown/Pink – Bloch/Variant…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown (abdomen), Black (head)
RIB: Wapsi Ultra Wire, Silver, X-sm
THORAX: Midge Diamond Braid, Hot Pink, 3 turns on #18, 2x on #20
WING: CDC, Tan
Midge Diamond Braid…from HARELINE and some really nifty, flashy material…
MIDGE OF LIFE…Cream – Bloch/Variant…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White (abdomen), Black (head)
RIB: Lagartun, Copper, Extra Fine
THORAX: Midge Diamond Braid, Black, (as above)
WING: CDC Lt. Dun
Both of the above patterns would work well as Midge Emergers along the edges, in the soft water, here on this river, early in the AM when many Midges are coming off…
The East Walker River, Bridgeport, CA…early in the AM…
GREEN/OLIVE/CHARTREUSE -BUFFALO JUMP…TMC 100SP BL or Daiichi 1560 – #12 – #18
HOOK: TMC 100 SP BL, Daiichi 1560 – #12 -#18
THREAD: Wapsi, 70 Denier UTC, Olive
RIB: Small, Olive Metallic, Wapsi
ABDOMEN: Green Pheasant Tail fibers
THORAX: 50% UV Lt. Olive Ice Dub/ 50% Olive SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing
WING CASE/LEGS: Peacock Krystal Flash
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 12
BEAD: Silver Tungsten sized to hook
This is a variant on the original BUFFALO JUMP pattern that I came up with last year that absolutely killed for Michael and I on the East Walker River…as an aside,
every recipe that I put up is committed to this book before I post it…so, I can remember and for Michael, Ally and Miles to have a workbook to utilize…
THE PROCESS…and yes, there are a lot of recipes in that spiral notebook !!!
KR’s SPECIAL (Buffalo Jump/ Variant)…
HOOK: TMC 100 SP BL or Daiichi 1560 – #12 – #18
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown
TAIL: Coq De Leon, Black/White, Light
RIB: UTC, Wine, Small
ABDOMEN: Purple Pheasant Tail fibers
THORAX: 50% Purple Ice Dub/ 50% SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Gray Natural
WING CASE/LEGS: Blue Krystal Flash
HOT SPOT: UTC 70 denier, Purple
BEAD: Rainbow Dazzle Bead, Hareline, sized to hook and stuffed with lead sub.
This is a little something for my friend Keith Roberts who constantly badgers me about my use of the color purple which he admittedly uses… a lot…because it works…
The ORIGINAL BUFFALO JUMP…and yes I am tying more…
Because somebody burns through them with ALL the fish he catches…
RED/ ORANGE PT (BUFFALO JUMP)
HOOK: Daiichi 1560, TMC 3761 , TMC 100 SP BL, #12-#18
THREAD: Uni 8/0 Brown, to secure tail, rib and abdomen
TAIL: Lemon Wooduck
RIB: Wapsi, Copper/Brown wire SM
ABDOMEN: Red Pheasant Tail fibers...then
THREAD: Wapsi 6/0 Fl. Orange
THORAX: Orange Ice Dub 50%., Nat. Squirrel Belly 50%
WING CASE/ LEGS: Rusty Brown Krystal Flash
BEAD: Silver Tungsten, sized to hook
I am particularly influenced by color of the water and stream bottom color when choosing an attractor pattern…given the name of this guy, one might suspect where it would be employed…
OLIVE TUNGSTEN SHEAR NYMPH…
HOOK: TMC 2499 SP BL, #14 – #18
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Olive/Brown
TAIL: Coq DE LEON, Medium
ABDOMEN: Tying thread
RIB: UTC Wire, Metallic Olive, SM
WING CASE: 6 strands of Black Krystal Flash
THORAX: Ice Dub, Lt. UV Olive
HACKLING: Nymph Shear Fibers, Pale Olive – Cascade Crest Tools
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 12
BEAD: Silver Tungsten, sized to hook
Something breathing, sparkly and bright for those East Walker BROWNS…
FRANK’S FLASHY…OLIVE/PEACOCK VARIANT – Frank Drummond…
HOOK: TMC 2457 or Daiici 1120, #12 – #18
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Olive
TAIL: Green Pheasant Tail Fibers, 8-4, dependent on hook size
OVER ABDOMEN (BACK): Green Pheasant Tail Fibers
ABDOMEN: Peacock Krystal Flash
RIB: Wapsi wire, Olive Metallic, SM
THORAX: Peacock Ice Dub
HACKLING: 8-4 Strands Peacock KF, 4-4 Green PT Fibers – dependent on hook size
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 12
BEAD: Black Tungsten, sized to hook
I’ve been wanting to tie some of these bugs up for a while, since first seeing this pattern…I will also be using some other PT colors and Krystal Flash for these fellows…like Brown, Black, Natural, Yellow Purple, Blue and Red. This is a great “FLASHY” pattern !!! Please go HERE (FRANK’S FLASHY) for additional details…
LIL’ B/O FLASHER…
HOOK: TMC 100 SP BL, #18
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown
ABDOMEN: Brown Pheasant Tail Fibers
UNDER RIB: Rusty Brown Krystal Flash
RIB: Wapsi wire, Copper, x-sm
THORAX: SLF Prism, Peacock
HACKLE: Light Brown CDC
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 8
BEAD: Copper Tungsten, 5/64
I like to use CDC for hackling on sub-surface patterns for it’s ability to trap air bubbles. I am NOT a big fan of using it for emergers or dries (I dislike having to change patterns after they have been “SLIMED”)…I prefer using Snowshoe hare for those patterns, but will use CDC on those occasions that find me working a particularly selective Trout…
TRIPLE H PUPA ( Hot, Holo and Hydropsyche )…
HOOK: TMC 2499 SP BL, #14 – #18
THREAD: UTC 70 denier, Brown or Tiemco 16/0, Brown – dependent on hook size
ABDOMEN: Brown Holographic Tinsel
RIB: Wapsi wire, Copper, SM or x-sm – coat with SHAN or Hard as Hull for durability
THORAX: Ice Dub UV Brown
WINGS: Brown CDC, tied on either side, pulled upwards, held vertical to hook shank and clipped
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 5
BEAD: Hareline Dazzle Bead, Metallic PT Brown, stuffed with lead sub., sized to hook
A bright, attractor Caddis Pupa for the Eastern Sierras…
THE PALINISTA MIDGE…last Spring, on the East Walker River, this pattern caught more large Browns and Rainbows than any other patterns in my boxes…that’s why I am tying more in #18 – #20, Daiichi 1130 hook…
PALINISTA – (apologies to EVA)
HOOK: Mustad C49S, Daiichi 1130, TMC 2487 – #18 -#20
THREAD: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0, Red, White
TAIL: 1 Strand Pearl Krystal Flash
ABDOMEN:White Thread
OVERABDOMEN: Hareline Stalcup’s Micro Tubing, Blue
RIB: Wapsi Silver Wire, X-SM
WING: Grizzly Krystal Flash Back and White
THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair Pearl Green or Blue
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite # 3
BEAD: Silver, 5/64 or 1/16
ALLY’S MIDGE…
HOOK: Gamakatsu C12-B, #18 – #20
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White
TAIL: One Strand Pearl Krystal Flash
ABDOMEN: Red Micro Tubing
RIB: Wapsi Ultra Wire, Silver, X-sm
WING: Grizzly Krystal Flash, Black/White
THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair Pearl Green or Blue
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 3
BEAD: Black Tungsten 5/64 or 1/16
The RED version of the Palinisista…named after my daughter Ally, with the red hair…
MADISON MIDGE GIRL – ALLY…
THE BUG FROM EC…TMC 100 SP BL, #14 – #20…( “Follow the yellow brick road…” )…
HOOK: TMC 100 SP BL, #14 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown or Tiemco 16/0, Brown – dependent on hook size
TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark, Brown/Black
UNDER ABDOMEN: Tying thread
OVER ABDOMEN: Brown Micro Tubing
RIB: Wapsi wire, Amber, SM
WING CASE: Hedron Pearl Fire Fly (may be coated with Epoxy or UV Knot Sense)
THORAX: Emerald Green Arizona Diamond Hair
LEGS: Brown Partridge (lower back, on the skin)
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 8
BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook
I love this stuff !!!
EMERALD CITY…from MCALL.COM…home of said BUG…
COPPER LONG WING DIP…
HOOK: TMC 2499 SP BL, #14 – #18
THREAD: Wapsi, Ultra 70 Denier, Black or Brown
ABDOMEN: Copper Krystal Flash
RIB: Wapsi wire, Copper/Brown, SM – coat with SHAN or Hard as Hull for durability
WING: Bleached Coastal Deer Hair, Nature’s Spirit – held vertical to hook shank and clipped – long-ish
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 5
BEAD: Gold or Copper Tungsten, sized to hook
Copper is a slayer on the East Walker River…I used to tie these on TMC 2487 hooks… till some of the larger locals bent them completely out of shape….
HAPPINESS…is just around the bend…habitat of some really large locals…
WHITE BEAD BROWN KF PT…
HOOK: TMC 100 SP BL, #14 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown or Black – to thorax
TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck Fibers
ABDOMEN: Brown Pheasant Tail Fibers
RIB: Wapsi wire, Fl. Yellow, SM or Chartreuse x-sm for # 18 – #20
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black
WING CASE/LEGS: Black Krystal Flash or Black Midge Flash for # 18 – #20
THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Black
BEAD: White Dazzle Bead (Hareline) stuffed with lead sub., sized to hook
As with ALL the above patterns…a comprehensive report of their success will be posted in about five weeks…as I have stated previously, I don’t tie anything that will not take TROUT somewhere or sometime…
Like this…
Reason for my tardiness in posting the recipes YESTERDAY…Hangin’ with my girls…
Ally…
…Nadia and Mr. SAND DAB…at Paradise Cove…
NEXT: REFIT, REFILL, REFURBISH and REPAIR…
PT/TB 
PLANETTROUT: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying and LIFE
Hey this is Travis, I met u on the river w/ my girlfriend last spring. You gave me a hot little bwo pattern (pinky i believe) i killed them on it till i lost it, anyway i
I’m going to the EW river on the 5th and i just bought my 1st gun mossberg 500 12 gauge. I notice you shoot in the desert, my question is do you know of an area on the way to EW from LA that i can pull over and fire off some rounds? I believe you have my email if you don’t want to reply on your site. Also whats your perfect nymphing rod for EW?
Travis,
E Mail sent… and YES, it was the “PINKY” -I like using a 10′, 5wt rod for nymphing on the EW. I have a number of rods from different manufacture’s in that length. Sometimes, if I have the intuition that I just might get into something huge, I will use a 10′, 6wt. with a fighting butt…
Have a BLAST !!!
PT/TB
what manufacture is your favorite in 10 foot 5wt fast or slower action?
Travis,
My all time favorite is a Scott G series 10′, 5wt. that the company made up for me in 1985…I also use a 10′, 5wt. Loomis Streamdance, Scott A3 10′, 6wt. and a 10′ 6wt Z Axis…I am interested in the Hardy Zenith 10′, 5wt to add to this list…but will probably get Michael a new pair of Simms G4 Pros instead…
PT/TB
Travis, I love your patterns. With your permission I will copy some of these nymphs for use in the Spanish Pyrenees
Regards,
Actually Jorge,
It is Tim…Travis is a FF friend I met on the East Walker River last year. Yes, you most certainly have my permission to use any of the patterns desired !!!
PT/TB