ALLY & NICK in the Philippines…

So Ally and Nick traveled to the Philippines to visit his cousins in Manila. What follows are photos Ally gave me of their trip there, in going and coming back from The People’s Republic of China. I am filling in some Blog gaps here because I am in the process of having long overdue cataract surgery on both of my eyes and will not be tying or fishing again until the procedure is finished and after having completed a move to Pullman, WA.

Manilla then on to Punta Fuego for some water activities…

Arriving at Punta Fuego…

Some water for a jet ski…

Nick & Ally at 60mph.   

A view with smoke in the background…On their return trip from China, Ally and Nick went to Coron Island and Kayangan Lake to do some exploring  and snorkeling.. .I will let the photos speak…

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Next: Ally & Nick in the People’s Republic of China

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

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Attractors and Anchors…getting down – COMPLETED

So these will be some larger sized Attractor and Anchor fly patterns for Michael. Ally, Nick and I to use this year. Most will be in the #10 – #14 range, designed to sink rapidly through the water column. It appears that me and some of the crew will be exploring some new waters this year – more on that as time passes….  🙂

Completed ANCHOR AND ATTRACTOR BOX…

This is a lake in which Michael says there are very large Rainbow Trout. It is at 10,000′ outside of the Mexican City of Oaxaca where he recently spent ten days with his wife. He didn’t take his fly rod…doh !!! Enlarged, the white dots in the photo are hailstones…

MIYUKI NYMPH – Gasparin / Variant …

HOOK: Hanak C 200 BL Hook, #10

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Brown – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Brown –  under bead, coated with Super Glue

TAIL: Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Amber, SM

ABDOMEN: Natural Pheasant Tail

THORAX: Hare’E Ice Dub Harder’s Bloody Black

BEAD: Hump-Bak glass bead, smoke – Spirit River  – Actually,  Miyuki mini-gouttes beads 3.4mm Spirit River no longer toys these beads.

LEGS: Natural Brown-is partridge

So this pattern was in the Fall Issue 2017 of Fly Tier Magazine. These two guys got together and tied up a bunch of these flies…

THIS is the SBS for tying the fly pattern. FYI the Miyuki beads also come in a 2.8mm size for smaller hooks. At some point, I will get around to tying some flies with the Tungsten Drop (Insta Jig) Beads from Hareline which were originally developed by Biodoz, in Europe, as the Off Bead…

Materials MIYUKI NYMPH…

MIYUKI NYMPH(s)…#10’s …

MINK TAIL #47 DOUBLE DUB JIG …

HOOK: Hanak H 470 BL (JIG WAVE) Hook, #12 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or Lead Sub.

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Brown – Thorax forward

TAIL: Mink Fur (Spikey Suff off the hide)

ABDOMEN: Danville 6/0, Tobacco Brown Thread

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Silver, x-sm

REAR DUBBING: UV Ice Dubbing, Hot Orange

FRONT DUBBING: AZ Simi Seal, #20 Canadian Brown – * Bore brush and clip both dubbings together

BEAD: Slotted Silver Tungsten Bead, sized to hook

One could tie these patterns in any combination of colors, keeping the Hot Spot UV Hot Orange dubbing in the aft position. I am going to try some other variations on this guy once I get situated in a new location with Ally…

Materials MINK TAIL #47 DOUBLE DUB JIG…

MINK TAIL #47 DOUBLE DUB JIG(s)… #14’s …

YELLOW DNA HS BIOT BUG – Sanchez/Variant…

HOOK: Hanak C 400 BL, #10 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / UTC 70 Denier, Brown – Thorax forward

TAILS/SIDES: Goose Biots, Brown

OVER ABDOMEN: 8-10 strand fiber / 1 strand flash – DNA Holofusion, Yellow – * Coat with Hard As hull before tying on and ribbing biots

RIB: UTC Ultra wire,  Fl. Hot Orange, SM

THORAX: Hare’E Ice Dub, Brown

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, #5 Fl. Fire Orange

BEAD: Faceted Slotted Tungsten Bead, Copper or Gold, sized to hook

This is an older Scott Sanchez pattern done on a jig hook. The original pattern called for an abdomen of fibrous material that could only be ordered from Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop in Livingston, MT. I have seen it tied with a Felxi – Floss abdomen and a Hare’s Ear Abdomen. I like DNA Holofusion for these types of fiber abdomens and I always coat it with Hard As Hull – the stuff that comes in the blue bottle …

Materials YELLOW DNA HS BIOT BUG…

YELLOW DNA HS BIOT BUG(s)… #12’s…

LT. OLIVE HS BUG –  Parrott/ Variant…

HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #12 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Lt. Olive – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck Fibers

HOT TAG: Datum Glo-Brite, #5 Fl. Fire Orange

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier, Lt. Olive Thread

OVER ABDOMEN: Clear Micro Tubing

THORAX: Hare’E Ice Dub, Olive Brown

BEAD: Gold Tungsten, sized to hook

This is a Steve Parrot pattern that was originally tied on a jig hook from Colorado Guide Flies. As mentioned below , Steve works out of  The Blue Quill Anglers Fly Shop in CO. I thought of changing it up a bit for use up here:

Somewhere up North…Photo U.S. Forrest Service…

Materials LT. OLIVE HS BUG…

LT. OLIVE HS BUG(s)… #12’s …

PURPLE HOLO SQUIRREL JIG …

HOOK: Hanak H470BL “Jig Wave”, #12 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Purple- Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Red – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Purple Thread

RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer Opalescent Thread #145-8040 – *Coat with Hard As Hull

HACKLE: Grizzly Hen Neck, Brown

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Brown

HOT SPOT: Veevus 16/0, Red thread

BEAD: Hanak Diamond Silver  Slotted Bead, sized to hook

A jig attractor pattern in Purple. On all my jig patterns, I push wraps of small lead wire up into the slot of the bead, wrap with thread and lock it inlace  with some type of Super Glue.On most of my attractor patterns, I will use Hard As Hull to cover KF, Holoshimmer, and other flat materials like Flashabou that I use for ribbing. This is for durability. I have seen way too many patterns put together by tiers who use UV resin slathered all over a pattern. While that may be effective for Perdigon nymphs, generally speaking, it does not enhance the effectiveness of most nymph patterns – rendering them static and lifeless…

Materials PURPLE HOLO SQUIRREL JIG…

PURPLE HOLO SQUIRREL JIG(s)… #12’s …

FLATBRAID TUNGSTEN OLIVE NYMPH – Pennington/Variant…

HOOK:  Hanak H 290 BL, #12 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier Olive Brown – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Black Speckled

RIBBING: 1 strand UTC Chartreuse, SM / 1strand UTC Red, X-sm

WING CASE: Mini Flat Fly Braid, Pearl – * Coat with UV Resin

BEAD: Tungsten, Black, sized to hook

Chad Pennington was one of the first tiers I have seen that used flat braid for the wing case on a nymph pattern. It comes in a wide variety of colors. I would most frequently use Pearl and Black. His creations may be viewed at cp’s fly fishing and fly tying

Materials FLATBRAID TUNGSTEN OLIVE NYMPH…

FLATBRAID TUNGSTEN OLIVE NYMPH(s) … #14’s …

Pleasant Sunday on the Madison River, below $3.00 Bridge…

FLEXI FLOSS N’ UV2 PEACOCK NYMPH …

HOOK: Hanak H 280 BL Hook, #10 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Flexi-Floss, LT. Olive – over UTC Fl. White thread

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Black, SM or x-sm depending on hook size

THORAX: UV2 Natural Peacock Eye

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Metallic Purple, sized to hook

Slimy bodied attractor nymph using a Flexi-Floss body. Using Fl. White thread beneath enhances the tone of the Flexi-Floss colors. It is an underused material for fly patterns.

Materials FLEXI FLOSS N’ UV2 PEACOCK NYMPH…

FLEXI FLOSS N’ UV2 PEACOCK NYMPH(s) … #14’s …

The BOX…finished (unless I get a bigger box tomorrow  🙂 )…

I got a bigger box…

“HUGGY BOY” ATTRACTOR NYMPH …

HOOK: Hanak C 200 BL, #12 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 denier Fl. Chartreuse – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0 Black – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Light Speckled

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier, FL. Chartreuse thread

RIB: Purple Haze Holographic Flash Fiber – * Coat abdomen with Hard As Hull for durability

THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock, Hot Pink

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Jet Black, iced to hook

Every once in awhile, I like to tie an outrageous attractor pattern that one would never see in a fly shop bin. That also means that trout have also never seen them.Chartreuse, Purple and Pink are killers ! One would have had to have grown up in SoCal in the 50’s to know who “Huggy Boy ” was. I’ll  just say that he was inspirational for two generations of kids that listened to his late night  broadcasts out of Dolphin’s of Hollywood record store…

Materials “HUGGY BOY” ATTRACTOR NYMPH…

“HUGGY BOY” ATTRACTOR NYMPH(s)…# 14’s …

SILVER WC TUNG GOLDEN OLIVE NYMPH…

HOOK: TMC 113BLH, #12-#16

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck

ABDOMEN: Veevus Body Quill, Olive

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Silver, SM

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Rusty Brown

WING CASE: 8-10 strands Fire Fly, Silver

BEAD: Nickel (silver) Tungsten, sized to hook

A generic, Olive May Fly nymph…thin and meant to get down fast. This TMC hook is the heavier version of the TMC 103 BL. I use them a lot…

Materials SILVER WC TUNG GOLDEN OLIVE NYMPH…

SILVER WC TUNG GOLDEN OLIVE NYMPH(s)… #14’s …

HI SQUIRREL & CDC BUG…

HOOK: TMC 403BLJ, #10 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 LED or Lead Sub.

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive

TAG/RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer Metallic Thread – Lime Green #145-6032

ABDOMEN: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Olive – * brush out ( bore brush) and taper cut

THORAX: Hare’E Ice Dub, Black

HACKLE: Trouthunter CDC, Medium Dun

BEAD: Slotted Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

This is a heavy jig, Caddis attractor, pupa pattern – buggy in it’s construction and with CDC to hold air bubbles. A touch of Frog’s Fanny to the CDC on this fly enhances the air bubble effect…If I use a pattern off the bend of these barbless hooks, I tie it with a Uni Knot. I have never had a trailer slip off using that knot…

Materials HI SQUIRREL & CDC BUG…

HI SQUIRREL & CDC BUG(s) …#12’s …

OLIVE CBx2 NYMPH…

HOOK:  TMC 113 BLH, #12 -#14

WIGHT: .010 -.015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Olive – Abdomen  /   Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Working Danville thread

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Fl. Yellow

THORAX: AZ Simi Seal, #19 Canadian Brown – picked out

WING CASE: Thin Skin, Black

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, #5, Fl. Fire Orange

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

An Olive Attractor Nymph, simply tied and meant to get down in the water column rapidly. I really like these TMC 113BLH hooks !

Materials OLIVE CBx2 NYMPH…

OLIVE CBx2 NYMPH(s)… #12’s …

PT & SIMI SEAL NYMPH – Vasies/Variant…

HOOK: Hanak C 300 BL Hook, #12 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 -.015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 denier, Black

HOT SPOT TAG: Datum Glo-Brite #11, Fl. Chartreuse

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail Fibers, Red

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Brassie or SM Red – depending on hook size

THORAX: AZ Simi Seal, Black/Red – in dubbing loop, brushed out and clipped as a collar

BEAD: Gold Tungsten, sized to hook

Lucian Vasies owns Troutline and has a great blog with a ton of great ties and information. This bug is a wonderful attractor…

Materials PT & SIMI SEAL NYMPH…

PT & SIMI SEAL NYMPH(s) … #12’s …

UV2 KINGFISHER BLUE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES …

HOOK: Alec Jackson’s Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15

WEIGHT: Optional – .010 -.015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black

ABDOMEN: UV2 Kingfisher Blue Dyed Peacock, 3-4 herls

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Gold, Brassie or Sm – depending on size of hook

HACKLE: Hungarian Partridge, Grey/ Black

This was the most successful soft hackle pattern we used last year – particularly in Eastern Sierra high elevation lakes. My grandson Miles now swears by them…

Miles with the guys at the end of a very successful day on Little Virginia Lake in the Eastern Sierra …

Materials UV2 KINGFISHER BLUE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES…

UV2 KINGFISHER BLUE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE Soft Hackles – Alec Jackson’s Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15…a couple of TMC 2302’s in #12 are snuck in with this group…

They work real good…

UV2 HOT PINK PEACOCK AND BROWN PARTRIDGE SH…

HOOK:  Alec Jackson’s Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15

WEIGHT: Optional – .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown

ABDOMEN: UV2 Dyed Peacock Eye, Hot Pink, 3-4 herls

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Silver, Brassie or SM  – depending on hook size

HACKLE: Hungarian Partridge, Dyed Brown

So this is a pattern for high elevation lakes – primarily. Over the past several years, I have used Purple and the above Kingfisher Blue dyed peacock from Spirit River (Hareline). This is one I have not tried yet. The others have been wildly successful… Maybe this too ???

Materials UV2 HOT PINK PEACOCK AND BROWN PARTRIDGE SH…

UV2 HOT PINK PEACOCK AND BROWN PARTRIDGE SH(s)…# 11’s …

BROWN & CHOCOLATE NYMPH …

HOOK: TMC 113BLH, #12 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Turkey Biot, Brown

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Amber, SM

WING CASE/ LEGS: Krystal Flash, Black – 6-8 strands – pulled over, tied back

THORAX: 70% Hare’E Ice Dub, Brown / 30% Ice Dub, Chocolate Brown

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, #5, Fl. Fire Orange

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Matte Black, sized to hook

Another in a series of easy-to-tie anchor/attractor nymphs to get to the bottom of the water column quickly – in a muted tone. I will generally tie a midge larva or hatch imitating nymph off the stern of these types of patterns… I will be needing to tie more patterns with these matte black beads for clearer water like this (below), that I will be much nearer to later this year…👍

Photo – ICL

Materials BROWN & CHOCOLATE NYMPH…

BROWN & CHOCOLATE NYMPHS… #14’s…

DNA GRIZZLY AND GREY SOFT HACKLE…

HOOK: Hanak H 280 BL, #10 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: DNA Holofusion, Grey 10-15 fibers including one flash fiber

RIB: Holoshimmer, Black – * Coat with Hard AS Hull for durability

THORAX: Ice Dub, UV Dun

HACKLE: Grizzly Hen Neck, Natural

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Jet Black, sized to hook

A muted, soft hackle attractor pattern which may be used alone or as an anchor fly. Michael and I had a lot of success wit these types of flies on our trip up to Montana in September 2017…

Materials DNA GRIZZLY AND GREY SOFT HACKLE…

DNA GRIZZLY AND GREY SOFT HACKLE(s)…#14’s…

A good place to try the above soft hackles…above $3.00 Bridge on the Madison River…

BLING NYMPH – Parrott / Variant…

HOOK: Hanak C 500 BL Hook, #12 – #14

WEIGHT: .010 – .015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

THREAD: Under Abdomen – UTC 70 Denier, Cream / Thorax Forward – Tiemco 16/0, Brown

TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck

ABDOMEN: Micro Tubing, Pheasant Tail

BLING SPOT: Flashabou, Micro Opal, 1/100″

WING CASE: Stalcup’s Flash Back, Black

THORAX: Hare’ E Ice Dub, Harder’s Bloody Black

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, #3, Red

BEAD: BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Red, sized to hook

This is a variation of Steve Parrot’s “Bling Nymph'”. He tie out of Blue Quill Angler in CO and the pattern may be found in this book… Many of his patterns may also be found in this  great book…

Materials BLING NYMPH…

BLING NYMPH(s) … #14’s …

MINI MOO’S YELLOW PEARL CRUNCHER SH …

HOOK: Hanak C200BL, #10 – #14

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Brown

WEIGHT: .010 -.015 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

TAIL: Hungarian Partridge, Olive

ABDOMEN: Dyed Yellow Pearl Flashabou #6971 over Danville working thread – * Coat with Hard As Hull

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Fl. Chartreuse, SM

THORAX: Micro UV Polar Chenille, Olive Brown

HACKLE: Hungarian Partridge, Olive

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, #5, Fl. Fire Orange

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

A “Cruncher” style beaded soft hackle pattern that will work well in still and moving water. Cruncher patterns are one of my go-to patterns for general searching. They can be tied as attractors or more hatch specific, as one chooses…

Materials MINI MOO’S YELLOW PEARL CRUNCHER SH…

MINI MOO’S YELLOW PEARL CRUNCHER SH(s)…#10’s …

CRUNCHER WATER – Between the lakes on the Madison River…

 

 

 

PT/TB

MIXED BOX OF SMALL – Spring 2018…COMPLETED

Some smaller patterns for use up in the Eastern Sierras in May when I can get Ally, Hero and Nick rolling towards Bridgeport, CA and the flows increase in the East Walker River. Hopefully, we will experience some snow in the mountains before then. Right now it isn’t looking real good… ( 3.3.2018…it’s coming down BIG TIME in the Eastern Sierra   and looking like the will be more… 3.14.2018

Completed BOX OF SMALL…

UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE …

HOOK: Hanak H130BL, #18 – #20

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier, Black thread

RIB: UTC Ultra Wire, Gunmetal Blue, x-sm

THORAX: UV2 Kingfisher Blue Dyed Peacock

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Metallic Blue, sized to hook

Before I went up to the High Sierra with my entire family, in August of this past year, I tied up a bunch of soft hackle flies using this UV2 Kingfisher Blue Dyed Peacock. It was a fish catching machine in the high elevation lakes then and again above Bishop in early November. This is a little attractor pattern for moving water using the Peacock Herl in the thorax. Try it with a black or Nickel Bead too !!!

Materials UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE…

UV2 BLACK & BLUE MIDGE(s)…# 18’s…

JOLLY KONE in Bridgeport, CA…

Bridgeport, CA in the early Spring…

YELLOWCAKE MIDGE …

HOOK: Firehole Stick 316, #18

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Dk. Brown – Thorax forward

SHUCK: 3 short strands, Fire Orange, Pearl Midge Flash

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier thread, Brown

RIB: UTC Wire, Hot Yellow, SM

WINGS: 2 strands Krystal Flash, Hot Yellow

THORAX: Larva Lace Salmo Supreme – Rainbow

GLASS BEAD: Hi Lite Glass, Quicksilver, x-sm

One of the first glass bead Midges I have tied in quite awhile. This one is a flashy little critter for attraction and water that is tinted. I have a bunch of Larva Lace dubbing that needs to be used…

 

Materials YELLOWCAKE MIDGE

YELLOWCAKE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

Midge water on the East Walker River…

CREAM MERCURY MIDGE – Dorsey Variant…

HOOK:  Daiichi 1130, #18 – #22

TREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Cream

RIB: UTC  Wire, Copper, x-sm

GLASS BEAD: Killer Caddis, Diamond Bead, Midge

It’s been awhile since I have tied any glass bead midges. Pat Dorsey’s Mercury Midge is an excellent pattern for the East Walker River, in the Spring…Right in here:

Michael with yet another Brown caught on a Midge on the EWR…

Materials CREAM MERCURY MIDGE…

CREAM MERCURY MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH …

HOOK: Firehole Stick 419, #18 – #20

THREAD: Nano Silk 12/0, Olive – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: Nano Silk 12/0, Olive

RIB: UTC Wire, Hot Yellow, SM

WING: Oral-B Dental Floss – teased out

THORAX: Zelon Dubbing from BRF, Brachycentrus Olive

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Jet Black, sized to hook

Just another simple little Olive Nymph on a wide gape hook. Rumor has it that Oral-B Dental Floss moves exceptionally well underwater… 🙂

Materials O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH…

O-B SIMPLY GREEN NYMPH(s)…#18’s…

HALF PINT MIDGE – Blue Ribbon Flies / Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Black

SHUCK: 6 strands Pearl Midge Flash, cut short

ABDOMEN: Working thread

RIB: UTC Wire, Gold, x-sm

THORAX: BRF Zelon Dubbing, Midge Black

WING(S): 3 strands each side, Pearl Midge Flash

BEAD: Tungsten, Gold, 5/64″

A Blue Ribbon Flies pattern tied here by Alan Freed. I use a lot of BRF patterns because they are simple and work REALLY well. I did this one with a gold bead and gold wire…Copper would also work as an alternative…

Materials HALF PINT MIDGE…

HALF PINT MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE …

HOOK:  Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Underabdomen / Tiemco Charcoal Gray – Thorax forward

OVERABDOMEN: Flashabou Dyed Pearl Pink #6965, 2 strands

RIB: UTC Wire, Red, x-sm – * coat with Hard As Hull

THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock Eye, Hot Pink

BEAD: Tungsten Nickel, sized to hook

I have found that Pink can be a very useful color to use in the Spring up on the East Walker River. This is toned down a bit from another Pink pattern I use up there and a some what midge-like instead of mayfly-like – “PINKY” – I also choose NOT to slather a lot of my small midge patterns with UV Resin which, I believe, is detrimental to the segmentation effect of wire ribbing on fly patterns and extensively overused…

Materials PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE…

PINKLY – UV2 & BOU MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA – Frechette/ Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #18 – #22

THREAD: Veevus 12/0, Tan

RIB: Veevus Body Quill, Black, lightly twisted – * coat with Hard As Hull for durability

This is a Norm Frechette Midge pattern one may visit his vast collection of tie on his Blog, Flytying: New & Old. I like using Midge patterns with dramatic , accentuated ribbing.- particularly when the water is off-color in the Spring…

Materials TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA…

TAN VBQ MIDGE LARVA…#18’s…

RAMBO NYMPH – Fulling Mill / Variant …

HOOK:  TMC 113BLH #16- #20

THREAD: UTC Light Olive – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Light Speckled

RIB: UTC Wire, Amber, SM

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Olive

BEAD: Plmmeting Tungsten, Metallic Olive, sized to hook

This in a generic, all-purpose Nymph based on a Nymph pattern developed by Fulling Mill in the U.K. Their version listed on their own hook in a size #14…

Materials RAMBO NYMPH…

RAMBO NYMPH(s)…#16’s…

BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY (Brown/Black)… 

HOOK: Firehole Stick 637, #18

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Dk. Brown – Thorax forward… * neither are pictured

RIB: Micro Tubing, Black

WING: Krystal Flash, Medium Brown, 2-3 strands

THORAX: BRF Zelon dubbing, Midge Black

A simple threadbare Midge pattern on a wide gape hook. These kinds of Midge patterns work well on the East Walker River,near Bridgeport, CA…

East Walker River in the Spring…

Materials BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY (Brown/Black)…

BIG GULP Z-KRYSTAL SERENDIPITY(s)… #18’s…

SALSA VERDE MIDGE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20

THREAD: Danville 6/0, #4 Pale Yellow – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

RIB: Micro Tubing, Pheasant Tail

WING: Krystal Flash, UV Pearl, 3 strands

THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock, Brown

I have become enamored with using micro tubing as a rib material over the past year. Both Michael and I had a lot of success up on the Madison this past Fall using a couple of simple midge patterns that incorporated it. It also worked well for me when I fished the East Walker River in September and I have a feeling that it will work in the next few weeks down below 5 Bridge on the Lower Owens River where it did not burn…

Lower Owens River below 5 Bridges…

Materials SALSA VERDE MIDGE

SALSA VERDE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

GREEN MACHINE MIDGE – Keefover / Variant…

HOOK:  Firehole Stick 633, #18

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Chartreuse – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Chartreuse Thread

RIB: UTC Ultra wire, Black, x-sm

THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Lt. Olive

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, 5/64″, Metallic Green

Another pattern from “Colorado Guide Flies”, not to be confused with Vince Wilcox’s “Little Green Machine”. This pattern was designed by John Keefover who guides for Blue Quill Angler in CO. He ties it on a TMC 101 Hook…

Materials GREEN MACHINE MIDGE…

GREEN MACHINE MIDGE(s)…#18’s…

UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG – Parrott / Variant …

HOOK:  TMC 2499SPB-BL, # 18 – or TMC 2488, #18 – #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0 Charcoal Grey

ABDOMEN: Flashabou, Purple, 2 strands – Deep Pearl Purple #6966

RIB: Lagartun, Silver, x-fine * coat with Hard As Hull

WING BUD: Razor Foam, Opaque White, 1.0mm

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry, Adams Grey

A variation on a Steve Parrott Midge pattern which can be found  in this book. I use a similar pattern with a yellow foam wing on the East Walker River, in Olive, in the Spring. The foam tied above the thorax area causes the fly to bob and weave in the water column – subsurface…

Materials UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG…

UV2 PURPLE BOU BUG(s)…#18’s…

 

 

PT/TB

 

BACK TO TYING… COMPLETED

Well…after a four month break of not tying any fly patterns, I finally set up my vice and started making some wraps around a hook shank. This time out is the longest I have gone since 2004 and not tying flies. Many of the patterns below were very successful on my trip to Montana with my son Michael and needed to be replenished. Time to get back in the groove:

DEEP ANGLER’S IMAGE FLY BOX …Done…!!!

Hanak Hook heaven at Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store…2.17.2018…

Econo – Masu Beads and Jig Hooks…

Not Econo Hanak Hooks…

TMC Hooks and Plummeting Tungsten Beads, Matte Black…

UV2 Collared Crystal Serendipity – Peacock…Matthews / Variant…

HOOK: Firehole Stick 316, #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0 White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: Krystal Flash, Peacock – 2 strands wrapped flat

RIB: UTC Wire, Copper, x-sm

WING: Bleached Premium Yearling Elk Hair or Bleached Coastal Deer Hair

COLLAR: UV2 Dyed Peacock, Black

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, 5/64″

So…I tie a lot of these type of attractor midge patterns using various colors of Krystal Flash and UV2 Peacock. They work particularly well on the East Walker River from Springtime through the Fall…

Materials UV2 Collared Crystal Serendipity – Peacock

UV2 Collared Crystal Serendipities – Peacock…#18’s…

ANGLER’S IMAGE DEEP 6 COMPARTMENT FLY BOX...with some small stuff that will appear below…

OPAL Z-APPLE TWIST SERENDIPITY…Matthews / Variant…

HOOK: Firehole Stick 633, #16 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: 1 Strand Apple Caddis Zelon (BRF), 1 strand Black KF, 1 Strand Mirage Opal Accent – twisted and wrapped on the hook shank

WING: White Zelon, Kinky

This is a variant on Craig Matthew’s Guide Serendipity that I have been using for years when the Mother’ Day hatch ( Brachycentrus – Caddis ) begins on the Lower Owens River, in the Spring. In case one has not heard, the Lower Owens River , from Pleasant Valley Reservoir to just about Highway 6 near Laws, CA…burned extensively Feb. 18 – Feb. 19, 2018. It looked like this today (Feb. 19 ):

 

Early Sunday afternoon & Evening…

 Late Sunday, February 18…

Monday morning, February 19… 

Mid – Day Monday, Feb. 19… I will be going elsewhere in a couple of weeks with Ally & Nick…

Materials OPAL Z-APPLE TWIST SERENDIPITY…

I like to use these hackle pliers when twisting Zelon, Antron and Sparkle Emerger Yarn with Krystal Flash…they work well..

OPAL Z-APPLE TWIST SERENDIPITY(s)…#18…

SHUCKA KAHN… Emerging Midge,CREAM-ISH/TAN…Variant/Paul Freeman…

HOOK:Daiichi 1110, #18 -#24 – (Paul uses Daiichi 1100)

THREAD: Wapsi Ultra 70 denier, Cream – (Paul uses Gudebrod size A rod wrapping thread) – Good luck with that at the moment…

SHUCK: Amber Sparkle Emerger Yarn  or Amber Zelon – (Paul uses copper brown Antron)

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

LOOPED WING: White Sparkle Organza

RIB: Wapsi wire, Copper, x-sm – (Paul uses twisted white thread)…* NOW coat with SHAN or Loon UV Knotsense _ (Paul does not coat)

HEAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill…pull wing over and tie off at head when the coating dries…

This was a surprise pattern that just killed at $3.00 Bridge on a very cold and snowy morning in mid – September…

Materials SHUCKA KAHN… Emerging Midge

SHUCKA KAHN… Emerging Midges…#18’s…

SHOP VAC (Thread Version)…

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #2o

THREAD: Danville #47, Tobacco Brown 6/0 – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0 Black – Thorax forward

RIB: UTC gold wire, x-sm

WING: White Standard Zelon

BEAD: Gold Tungsten, sized to hook

This is the thread version of the Shop Vac. It has bee working for me and my guys just about everywhere since 2000. I always have a bunch of these in my boxes…

Materials SHOP VAC (Thread Version )…

SHOP VAC(s), #18 & #20…

UV BLUE WISP SH MIDGE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1110 – #18 – #22

THREAD: Under abdomen – Tiemco 16/0, White / Thorax forward – Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Krystal Flash UV Blue

RIB: Lagartun, x-fine, Silver Wire – * Coat with HAH or SHAN

THORAX: Hare’s Ear Ice Dub, Harder’s Bloody Black

HACKLE: Starling feather, Blue (dyed) – White Fox Fur & Feather Co. or HERE

This was Michael’s favorite Montana Midge pattern …so, I tied more of them up for him…

Materials UV BLUE WISP SH MIDGE…

UV BLUE WISP SH MIDGE (s)…

UV2 RC MIDGE – Freeman / Variant…

HOOK:  Daiichi 1130, #18 – #24

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under Abdomen – Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: Gold Micro Floss, Cascade Crest

THORAX: Iridescent Peacok Eyes, Black

This Midge pattern just smashed for me on the East Walker River in late September. I will be tying up a number of variants on this great little bug in my next post…

Materials UV2 RC MIDGE…

UV2 RC MIDGES, #18’s…

 

NEXT: More BUGS fo the Eastern Sierra…

 

PT/TB

The “BOOK” ARRIVED !!!

So this came today…

“I am one of 245 fly fishers from throughout North America who have provided pro bono energies and original writings and images for America’s Favorite Flies: a 656-page, 1,700-image, 7 ½-pound amazing book that will be released on January, 2018. The 245 of us include notables such as President Jimmy Carter, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, and writer Tom McGuane; fly fishing icons such as Dave Whitlock, Lefty Kreh, and Joan Wulff; and diverse others such as former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, writer/artist James Prosek, and GWAR lead singer Michael Bishop…

None of us – including the authors and editors and designers – is getting paid, and that allows for 100% of the book’s profits to go to two organizations that help make waters and fisheries healthier: the James River Association and the Native Fish Society.

Read about the book and order your copies at www.americasfavoriteflies.com. The book is a great gift for anyone, fly fisher or not…”

The BOOK …

The PAGE…

The Poster…

 

It is an honor to have been a part of this project !

 

 

PT/TB

BRIDGEPORT / EAST WALKER RIVER …last leg of MONTANA trip…

I arrived in Bridgeport, CA around 6:30PM from West Yellowstone, MT on Tuesday September 26 and checked into my usual haunt, the Walker River Lodge…

Walker River Lodge in Bridgeport, CA…

After unpacking, I walked over to the Bridgeport Inn for a bite to eat and the best Virgin Bloody Mary in the Eastern Sierras…

On Wednesday morning, September 26th., I drove up to visit with my friend Carolyn Webb, who, along with her husband John, operates the Virginia Lakes Resort…

It had snowed up there while I was in Montana and some remnants remained in the parking lot…Carolyn fixed me a great bacon breakfast and I reviewed a lot of the photos Michael and I had taken on our Montana trip with her…

As I made my way back down the mountain, I stopped to take some photos of the foliage that was just beginning to change with the colder weather…

This is a view looking East towards Nevada…

After a stop at the Walker River Lodge to get wadered-up, I headed on down to the meadow section of the East Walker River to finally fly fish in some warmer temps and wear a T-Shirt… the couple that had parked next to me were kind enough to take this photo … 🙂

This is the meadow section of the East Walker River just below Bridgeport Reservoir…

Because of the drought here in California, the East Walker River has not sustained any heavy fishing pressure in the last five years. Subsequently, there has been an explosion of stream side vegetation growth over that period of time…which is great. The problem is the effect that the drought has had on the quality of fishing on this river. To put it mildly, it has suffered…particularly in it’s once legendary population of large Brown Trout…

There was once a small island in the middle of this run that disappeared after 1988 when the reservoir and river were de-watered. The die-off of Trout and other creatures in the biomass, affected the quality of fishing on the river for the following twelve years or so…the island disappeared after the silting was removed from the river in this stretch… Here & Here 

Back in the 1970’s, this meadow was like a giant sponge. Walking on it, a swishing sound could be heard…

The water was a bit off color, but the heavy flows through the Spring and Summer removed the weeds and moss that made fishing in here a disaster the previous year (2016)…

This is a few hundred years upstream and closer to the dam…I caught two Trout this afternoon, both were small Rainbows on Midge patterns. The couple that parked next to me got nada…

On Thursday morning, I decided to try the water closer to the dam and parked here. I was the first vehicle in that spot at about 8AM…

I used some caddis patterns from this box first…

…and decided to give the Winston BIIIX Super 10, 5wt. a work out…

I played around in here for awhile…Supposedly, the flows were running at 195cfs.

Uni no…watching this blow out of the pipe at the toilet bowl and checking the gauge confirmed something was way off…

So I moved down river to one of my favorite spots….

Tied one of these on as a dropper…

This pattern…

Over the next couple of days, I worked this general area over from bank to bank, using Midges for the most part. This anchor pattern produced a couple of nice fish too…

I also hooked a couple of larger Trout that I LDR’d and never saw once they got below me here…

Strangely, for the first time, I dredged a number of these guys off the bottom fishing in a couple of different sections. Time to tie some of these up in a couple of sizes for use next year. These were about 6″ long…

Snagged a couple in here…

I also used a lot of various deer hair wing Serendipities that proved productive…

I really didn’t need to trip over a concealed fire ring in the underbrush and fall flat on my face…

The colors in the fading sunlight were spectacular…

Ate a bunch of great meals…

In some great places…Virginia Creek Settlement…

Fast food Gourmet…The Jolly Kone…

Got to see a great sunset from the porch at the Bridgeport Inn…

A few memories with these guys…I had a discussion with the guys at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport about the ratio of Rainbows to Browns that I was eating ing the MM section of the East Walker River. They were of the opinion that a good number of Rainbow Trout were blown out of Bridgeport Reservoir during the heavy releases during the Spring and Summer. I would have to agree …some of those fish were really grotesque and distorted…

 

…and back down the grade into Bishop towards LA…

NEXT: … back to tying…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Days in Montana…Back to Bridgeport…

All good things gotta’ come to an end. Ten days of great times and unexpected weather…Saved the best for last…

Entering the parking lot at $3.00 Bridge with a hint of sun for the day…

First ones to arrive !!!

This rough water is loaded with nice Trout…

So are these areas around boulder…

A Rainbow first…

Michael found some small (#22) Baetis is the drift…

…while working this spot…

But it was this Blue Wisp Midge pattern that got him into fish…again…

A Brown for Michael…

Then it was the “old guy’s ” turn…

The “SHOP VAC ” version on the left, in size #20…worked it’s magic…

Michael holds the Brown for a close up…

It started to cloud up, get windy and a lot colder so I left Michael to wander around and take some parting shots…

A view down river with the foliage starting to change…

A wide picture of the Madison below Michael…

One last photo of $3.00 Bridge until the next time…

After breaking down our rods, we decided to take a ride up the road to visit Blue Ribbon Flies one last time…this is Hegben Lake on the way there…

This is now the only place…

…that I can find these Sports Tools Nippers. They are my favorite for hook eye cleaning and wind knots…I picked up several because it is the only place that has them in stock – anywhere…

Then we headed back to West Fork Cabins where Michael…

…whipped up a delicious steak dinner and packed up his gear to fly out of Bozeman the next morning…

Monday morning, September 25, we stopped in at the Ennis Pharmacy for a final breakfast…

…and the visited the Tackle Shop one last time…I first came to this shop in 1975 when it was the only fly shop in Ennis and the fly on top of the store was 10X larger…

Like this…

So we stopped at a couple of places in Bozeman before Michael boarded his flight to go back to NYC. I didn’t document that because I get really sad after spending a week or so with my kids and then they have to leave. I did take this picture of coming down the hill into Ennis on the way back from the airport…

Last Virgin Bloody Mary in Montana at the Driftwaters Resort just up the road from where we stayed…

I got up at 3:00 AM on Tuesday September 26 and headed back to Bridgeport, CA in the Eastern Sierras to spend a couple of days fishing in warmer weather and sunshine…

It took a bit longer than the time on the above map because of road repairs and flagmen in Nevada…I saw a lot of this…

Further along, but still in Nevada…

On the other side of this grade is the East Walker River and the cut off road to Rosaschi Ranch…

Finally. at about 5;30 PM this came into view…Bridgeport Reservoir…

 

Next: A few days on the East Walker River…

 

 

PT/TB