New HOOKS, New BEADS, NEW BUGS…(COMPLETED)

I will be tying up a series of Jig Patterns and some other patterns on the hooks that were sent to me by my fly tying friend, Jacob Adamerovich. They are available at his shop, the Competitive Angler in Latrobe,PA. Some of these will be used in the Eastern Sierras and a few will travel back to NYC for Michael to use this Summer…

The Bug Line…done…

Some of the above would work well in here…now where would that be ?

BRUSHED LASER & D-RIB CADDIS …

HOOK: Hanak 390 BL, #12 – #16

WEIGHT: .010 lead 0r .015 Lead Sub. – 4-6turns

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive

TAG: 2 strands flash, 8-10 strands fiber – DNA Holo Fusion, White – cut short

RIB: Chartreuse D-Rib, Small, 6-7 wraps

ABDOMEN: (In a dubbing Loop) Senyo’s Lase Dub, Light Olive – wrap between ribbing and brush rearward with velcro on a popsicle stick or a bore brush…trim excess with curved scissors

WINGLETS: Flex Floss, Brown

THORAX: 2 Iridescent Peacock Herl Fibers (Spirit River), twisted into a rope, then 3-4 turns

HACKLE: Partridge Feather, Olive

HOT SPOT: Veevus, 8/0, Fl. Orange Thread

BEAD: Black Tungsten, sized to hook

This is just a simple soft hackle Caddis pattern with a subdued rib and shaggy appearance. The DNA tag adds a bit of flash and the hot spot provides a trigger. Fish this pattern directly above your position then let it swing in the current below. Michael nails a lot of nice Browns (below) using this technique…

Michael likes my Caddis patterns…

 

Materials BRUSHED LASER & D-RIB CADDIS…

BRUSHED LASER & D-RIB CADDIS…

DUN MINK & UV2 – Williams/Variant …

HOOK: Hanak 450 BL, #12 – #16

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Gray/Brown

WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Medium Speckled

RIB: Sulky Opalescent Thread

ABDOMEN: Dun Mink underfur, Nature’s Spirit, use a dubbing rake

THORAX: 70/30 Mix SLF Spikey Squirrel, Gray – UV2 Dark Enhancer

BEAD: Silver Tungsten slotted, sized to hook or oversize x1

This is a variation of Loren William’s LW’s Stud. I like tying with mink fur because this material has the unique ability to trap air bubbles. It comes in a wide range of dyed colors…I also use the longer fibers, cut off the skin, for tailing and hackle…

Materials DUN MINK & UV2

DUN MINK & UV2 JIGS…

Shades of MINK work well here…on the East Walker River…

SULPHUR EMERGER – Grobert/Variant…

HOOK: Hanak 390 BL Hook, #14 – #16

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

SHUCK: Brown Z-Lon fibers

ABDOMEN: Yellow tying thread

RIB: “Touch dubbed” to Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown thread, #37, Seal Brown Hareline Fur Dubbin

WING: Snowshoe Hare, Tan

THORAX: Micro Fine Dry Fly Dub, Sulphur Yellow

Another pattern that will be going back East to Michael for his use. I used some other materials than the way Matt Robert ties it HERE….later…

Materials SULPHUR EMERGER… SULPHUR EMERGER(s)… RYCHO Z-WING (Olive) – Mercer/Variant …

HOOK: Hanak 390 BL Hook, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive

ABDOMEN: 70/30 Mix, Antron Dubbing, Olive – UV2 Caddis Nymph, Olive

RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer, Black

CARAPACE/BACK: Mottled Olive Thin Skin

WINGS: Ginger Z-Lon – split from 1 strand

THORAX: Iridescent Peacock, Black (Spirit River) – 2 fibers, twisted into a rope – 3-4 turns

A variation on Mike Mercer’s Z Wing Caddis for the Rhyacophila hatch that occurs in the Eastern Sierras March – August. It may also be tied in Tan.That would be the Emerging Pupal stage of this guy…

Free living Caddis…East Walker River, Bridgeport, CA…

Materials RYCHO Z-WING CADDIS… RYCHO Z-WING CADDIS…

The Hooks and Beads…

F.Y.I. – The Daiichi 1167, #14 & Hanak H 390 BL – side by side…Hans explains the real KLINKHAMER…HERE…

B. CADDIS (JIG) – Bloom/Variant …

HOOK: Hanak 450 BL Hook, #10 – #16

THREAD: Under Abdomen, Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Ultra Wire, Fl. Chartreuse, Brassie or Small – depending on hook size –  * Coat with UV Resin

HACKLE: MP Select CDC feather fibers in a dubbing loop

HOT SPOT: Veevus 8/0, Fl. Chartreuse

BEAD: Slotted Faceted Tungsten Bead, Black, sized to hook or over sized x1

A number of years ago, I walked into this fly shop at Four Corner’s, outside of Bozeman, MT and found this simple little Caddis attractor that used chartreuse wire, CDC and a tungsten bead. That shop is now history but it had more flies in any one place than I have ever seen – before or since. So… I picked up a couple of those little guys that were designed by Dave Bloom. One of the results may be seen below…they may also be tied with copper wire, tan CDC and a copper bead…

The original worked like a charm…in here…Madison River, MT…

Materials B. CADDIS… B. CADDIS(s)… HURRICANE BUG (JIG…

HOOK: Hanak 450 BL Hook, #10 – #16

THREAD: Lagartun 74 Denier, Rust – Abdomen / Tiemco 10/0, Dk. Brown, to secure thorax

WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .)15 Lead Sub.

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Lagartun Thread

RIB: Sulky Opalescent Thread – * coat with UV Resin

THORAX: Micro UV Chenille, Hot Orange

BEAD: Slotted Tungsten Copper – sized to hook or oversized x1

A flashy, easy to tie attractor that drops like a rock. I’ll do an Olive version later…that guy below liked Flashy Orange…

One of my test subjects on the East Walker River…

Materials HURRICANE BUG… HURRICANE BUG(s)…

Next: Wobble Bugs

PT/TB

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ALLY on the STILLWATER…

Ally made her first trip to Montana in August, 1998. Her Brother Michael was supposed to go as well, however unforeseen CIRCUMSTANCES prevented that from happening…A friend of mine, whose Father was a retired Superior Court Judge in Billings, MT offered us an opportunity to visit his Ranch. It had been a premier “DUDE” Ranch back in the 30’s and 40’s…I had never been in this part of Montana…

Ally stands at the entrance to Island Lake Ranch…yes, this Ranch had a lake with an island in the middle of it, as well as, 5 ponds filled with TROUT and a pristine stream running through the property…

Coming down the road to the Main Lodge which was used as the living facility for the owner and our dining facility on a daily basis…

This is the LODGE. In front of it is a TROUT pond that was stocked on a regular schedule for the grandkids…worms, crickets and small spinners were on the Menu…

This is “THE BUNKHOUSE” that Ally and I stayed in for 3 1/2 weeks…hated it…

This is the view that Ally and I had…EVERY MORNING…when we woke up from the back porch…

This is what greeted us from the front porch…those are the stables for the horses down below…

The interior of the main LODGE with steps leading up to the dining area…

These two boys, with Ally, are the son’s of my friend Diane whose Dad owned this joint…each of them tried to outdo the other for Ally’s attention…it had already started…

My friend Diane’s cabin clear on the other side of the ranch…long walk for those boys…heh,heh…

Ally and her suitors hanging out in the game section of the LODGE…

A view looking East towards Nye, MT and the Stillwater River…

Another cabin on the ranch…

One more of the small cabins with a pond in front of it where I took some nice Trout on midges…

Ally, at nine, geared up and ready to Fly Fish at MORAINE on the STILLWATER…Hmmmm, where have I seen that VEST before…?

Access sites on the Stillwater River, MT…

Ally’s first Trout on the Stillwater…she ate it…

“Hey Dad, I think you need to use a #20, Yellow Humpy in here on 6x tippet…”

” I ‘ll just wait while you rig up…”

Ally at Buffalo Jump on the Stillwater, note the “My Fish is BIGGER than DAD’s Fish T Shirt…

Ally’s reaction after a 12″ Brookie jumped on a wooly bugger hanging off a bubble and fly combo… dead in the water…

Ally with the “ATTACK BROOKIE” at the Lake with the Island…she ate this one too…

Looking downstream on the Stillwater towards the Bridge at Buffalo Jump…

Ally and PT in the backyard at Montana Hanna’s…gettin’ ready for some PRIMO STEAK….

Ally, swingin’ at sunset…Montana Hanna’s…

Ally, on the side of the road to Red Lodge, MT we had just had a great lunch at The Grizzly Bar and Grill which is down below in Roscoe, MT and were on our way to this place:

The MONTANA CANDY EMPORIUM in Red Lodge ,MT…We make pilgrimages (many) every time we visit Montana…yum, yum….

Grizzly Bar and Grill. Roscoe, MT…MMMmmmm…good eats !!!

Where the hay for the horses comes from…

On our way out, heading to Missoula…We’ll be back …(And, we were)…

PT/TB

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MICHAEL AND PT – gone FLY FISHIN’…

The first time I introduced my son to Fly Fishing was on Father’s Day weekend in June, 1987. Jean and I went to Bridgeport, CA to try our luck at Virginia Lakes, the East Walker River and Green Creek. Michael was four at the time and was required to put on an overly large orange life jacket to go out in a boat on the waters of Little Virginia Lake. He looked like the “stay puffed” marshmallow man… Michael has a video of this excursion, that Jean put together, which I will post herein when he brings it to me and shows his computer illiterate Father how to do it…There is a portion of the clip in which I bring a dry, # 18, beetle caught Trout to the boat, lift it up and swing it back – boinking the tot directly in the kisser..what an intro to FF!!!

This is PT, Michael and “PINKY” at the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, near Independence, CA on Oak Creek, in 1985. I weaned the “Moo” on trips to this location so he could see the life cycle of hatchery raised Trout. He always got a nickel to buy the little brown pellets to feed to the brood stock in the pond behind us. That is where Michael saw his first “rising” big fish…

Michael -AKA: “MOO”, scoping out the Brook Trout in a holding pen…

I believe that to get kids interested in Fly Fishing, they must first have the experience of feeling the tug of a Trout on the end of their line. This is Michael on a trip to lone Pine, CA with PT and my Father at the Symms Creek Sandtrap. This a great location to introfish with kids – swivel, bubble, 5x tippet , #20 treble hook and POWERBAIT… the fish are stockers…My Dad would chide Michael by saying, “You puttin’ bubble gum on that hook again?“…

An “older”Michael works a Seal Bugger with a “bubble” set-up at the Lone Pine Creek sand trap…

My first Tout was caught on a Bamboo pole with an Eagle Claw hook in a pond at the Sportsman’s Lodge on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, CA using bread dough…

It did not look like this back in the early 1950’s…but it was really close – I could ride my bike down the hill to get there…

Here is a photo my Dad took of me with a Trout at the old pond at the Sportsman’s Lodge in Studio City, CA …1951

Later, in June 1987, Jean, Michael and I spent a long camping weekend up at Monache Meadows, on the South Fork of the Kern River. Michael went out with me and learned how to drift a cripple Caddis behind boulders to entice the Golden/Rainbow hybrids up and out of their lairs…

Michael, crashed out after a nice long hike up along the South Fork of the Kern River..

Within a year, Michael had learned how to tie a Uni Knot and set up his rig for Fly Fishing. His next trip up to Monache resulted in his first Golden – unassisted…

“MOO” with his first Golden Trout…

Working the water on the South Fork of the Kern…with a Winston 7 1/2′ Fiberglass Rod and Hardy Reel..

Michael learned how to “read” water by walking directly down the middle of Lone Pine Creek, below Mt. Whitney with a fly rod, six inches of 5x tippet, #20 treble hook and, salmon eggs or red worms. Here he is instructing his sister Ally on the method…

When we were not fishing, we pursued another favorite pastime – looking for arrowheads in the blistering heat of the Qwens Valley…

Michael sucking on a Villa Rica, GA product standing at “Charlie’s Butte” in the Owens Valley…

Michael soon learned the fine art of nymphing, swinging wet flies, dry fly tactics and bugger and streamer draggin’. Here, he works a wet along the bank of the East Walker River in Bridgeport, CA using a 10′, 5wt, Scott “G” Series and a RAM Caddis…

Ally, of course, was not to be left out. While Michael fished with a fly and bubble on Trumbull Lake, Ally went to the bubble and POWERBAIT technique which netted her this nice Rainbow stocker which she allowed her brother to hold…

Through the years, Michael has become quite accomplished at FF…here is a series of his experiences on some wonderful rivers, creeks and lakes throughout the West…

Michael at Hot Creek,CA…

Michael with his “Alpers” Trout at Little Virginia Lake, Bridgeport, CA…

Michael and Ally overlooking the Madison River Valley after a “FINE” meal at the Continental Divide in Ennis, MT…

Michael and Ally getting ready to wet a line at North Lake, Bishop, CA in the snow…

Cookie munchers at the Palisades, along the Madison River on a very cold and windy day…

Michael and Ally after a day of FF on the Boulder River, MT….

Michael on the Boulder River, MT…

Michael, freaking Ally out with a gift on the Stillwater River, MT…

Rigging a Wooly Bugger, Owens River, below Five Bridges…

Michael, working an # 18 H & L Variant on the Stillwater River, MT during a PMD hatch…

 

H & L Variant ( Hammer Creek Fly Fishing )

In the Madison River, below Varney Bridge, Cameron, MT…

With a nice Brown, imitating Brad Pitt, above $3.00 Bridge, Madison River, MT…

A feisty Brown on The Madison…

“Which Fly should I use, Dad”,,,Wild Trout Section, Owens River…

Stillwater River, MT…a fish to hand…

“One last cast, Dad?”…Zipping a Seal Bugger with a Fly and Bubble, Lone Pine Creek Sand Trap…

DR’S SEAL BUGGER:

Creme Brule at the Continental Divide in Ennis, MT…

Michael’s “other” favorite pastime, Absarokee, MT…

In the “Honey Hole”, Madison River, MT…

Fishing up through a run on the Lower Owens River, Bishop, CA…

Michael on the West Walker River, above Bridgeport, CA…

PT makes a pit stop on the Owens River, below Five Bridges…

Angelo and Michael on the Lower Owens River…

That Place…

Hot Creek, as an adult…

A freezing day on the Upper Owens River…

On the East Walker River…shmutz on the Fly…

Michael and Ally on the Madison River…

Goose Lake, looking for the Obsidian thingees that are pointy…

Chest high in the Wild Trout Section, Owens River…

The GIFT I got….

“Children may fail to listen to what you say, they will NEVER fail to watch what you do “…

PT/TB

 

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ALLY and PT, GONE (FLY) FISHIN’…

From the time Ally was a very little girl, she went (FLY) fishing with her Dad. Here are just a few of the places we have been….

Ally at 5 , East Walker River, Bridgeport, CA..4th of July, 1994…

Ally’s first BIG fish, Trumbull Lake, 1995 (Yeah-POWER BAIT) …

How to clean Trout, Lone Pine, Sandtrap, 1993…Ally, Michael and PT…

Ally, Lake Sabrina, Bishop, CA, 1995…

Ally and Michael. Lower Twin Lake, Bridgeport, CA 1993 …

Ally on the Stillwater River, MT near Buffalo Jump, 1998…

Ally with attack “Brookie”, Nye, Montana, Private Lake, August, 1998… ( a lot more will be coming about this trip)… *RIGHT HERE* 7.6.10

Ally, on her “custom” lounge rock, Boulder River, Montana, July, 2001…

Ally in the channels section of The Madison River, MT…Summer, 2001…

Ally, Doggin’ Michael, Madison River, 2001

Ally on another “custom” seat, Madison River, MT above Ennis, Summer 2001…

Ally – just another rock in the water, Stillwater River, Montana, Summer, 2001…

Ally, on one of those “Smoky Montana Days”, Stillwater River, MT near Buffalo Jump, Summer, 2001….

Ally, hangin’ in the saloon at Montana Hanna’s, Nye, Montana, Summer, 2001…

Ally, in front of Jack Dennis’ Fly Shop, Jackson Hole, WY (The “Drive From Hell Day”), Summer, 2001…

Ally, almost ready for fishing, Sportsman’s Inn, Ennis, MT, 2001…

Ally, Rockin’, Madison River,MT, above $3.00 Bridge, Summer, 2001…

Ally, at the Sandtrap, Shepherds Creek, Lone Pine, CA, 2000…

Ally – standing in a Spring Seep, $3.00 Bridge, Madison River, MT, 2001, Summer…

Ally, ready for dinner at Montana Hanna’s, Lena’s Cabins, Absarokee, MT, Summer, 2001…

Ally, In Bear Trap Canyon, Madison River, below Ennis Lake, 2001…

Ally on The Stillwater, 2001…

Ally, preparing to kick Dad’s butt in pool, Montana Hanna’s, Nye, MT, Summer, 2001…

Ally – holding head while Michael Fly Fishes, Madison River, Summer, 2004…

Ally, waiting for the rain, Stillwater River, MT, 2001….

Ally, on the road, between Absarokee, and Red Lodge, MT, Summer, 2004…

Ally and Michael at The Continental Divide in Ennis,MT -Eating ” their favorite” (CREAM BRULEE)…Summer, 2004…

Yes…the food is the best in Montana…

Ally, Owens River, Wild Trout Section, 2000…

Ally, in the back yard at Montana Hanna’s, at sunset, Nye, MT …Summer 2004…

Ally, stirring up the bugs, Madison River, 2001…

Ally, I PODing it , Boulder River, MT…Summer, 2004…

Ally and Michael getting ready to feast, Pollard Hotel, Red Lodge, MT…Summer, 2004,,,

A nice Brown Trout from The Owens River, 2002…

One of my favorite pictures of Ally, Madison River just above $3.00 Bridge, 2001…(click to enlarge)

THIS is $3.00 Bridge… Summer 2004…

One of the “other” pastimes that Ally is really good at…

Sunset on The Madison, $3.00 Bridge, 2001…

More to come…

PT/TB

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Here they be….

Owens Serendipity

Hook: TMC 5262, #12-18

Thread: Gordon Griffithh’s 14/0, Benichi 12/0, Uni 8/0 – Black

Abdomen: 1/3 hank Brown Zelon, 1/3 hank Olive (DK) Zelon 1 strand Peacock Krystal Flash, 1 strand Rusty Brown Krystal Flash (twist together, wrap forward).

Wing: White Zelon

I was goofing around one day with some old, unused Mustad hooks and came up with this. Like most of the patterns that I design, it works best when I fish it with confidence! I first tried this pattern on the Lower Owens early one Spring morning. I caught a lot of fish and broke many hooks – hence, the TMC 5262 became my standard. Dark water, undercut banks…go for it!

BH Wired Weasel

Hook: TCC 5262, # 12-18

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0, Uni 8/0 – Black

Abdomen: xsm, sm, brassie chartruse wire, 2 coats Dave’s flexament or Aquaflex

Thorax: Peacock herl or Peacock Ice Dub

Wing/Legs: Olive Dyed Partridge (oversized)

Bead: Gold tung

I wanted a simple, heavy tie for a lead attractor. One cold and rainy day at Lena’s Cabins, I started messing with this guy. Put brown goose biots in for a tail. Didn’t need ’em. It fishes great on the Madison, fished dead drift or on the swing. Michael and I hammered a bunch of nice Browns with it in late July during an Epeorus hatch ( go figure) above $3.00 Bridge. I gave one to Craig Matthews, he told me, ” I caught a fish on it!”

Drowned (Flying) Ant

Hook: TMC 2487, Diiachi 1130, # 14-18

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 – Black

Abdomen: 3-4 Peacock herls twisted on thread

Thorax: Olive bead, sm

Wing/Legs: Mottled natural Partridge

Bead: Black nickel or tung

I tied some of these up in 2000 and did not run into any Fly Ants until August 2001 on the Madison, when they started flying into my face and mouth. I knotted one of these to my tippet and dead drifted it through “The Spot”. Smashing!!! I’ve also used it on Little Virginia Lake when summer heat updrafts the ants up and out of Virginia Lake Canyon and kerplunks them onto the water’s surface. The Alpers Bow I am holding in one of the photos herein pounced on one of these as I stripped it just under the surface.

Wired Krystal Serendipity

Hook: TMC 2487, Diiachi 1130 # 16-20

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Brown

Abdomen: Rusty brown Krystal Flash, 3-4 strands, flat or twisted.

Rib: xsm Gold or Copper wire

Wing: Natural or bleached Costal Deer Hair

Bead: Gold or Copper, metal or tung

The Krystal Serendipity is a standard Yellowstone pattern tied with pearl Krystal Flash over black or olive thread. I tweaked it a bit for the East Walker River. I like the effect of rusty brown. Peacock also works well. I use this pattern as a dropper 1/4 ing downstream below riffles and through deep pools. Look for the flash of Mr. Trout and set the hook with a slight lift and strip strike….

Guide Serendipity

Hook: TMC 5262, # 14-18

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Black

Abdomen: Chartruse Zelon. 1/3 hank, twisted over hook

Wing: White Zelon

A REALLY GOOD PATTERN. Simple to tie, effective and particularly useful when Brachycentrus Caddis are about. I also tie this pattern with 6/0 chartruse thread for the abdomen and rib it with xsm blue wire ( 7 turns). It sometimes out fishes the original on the Owens in the Spring and slams in size # 18 in the Fall.

Rainbow Warrior

Hook: TMC 2457, TMC 2487, Diiachi 1120, 1130 #18-22

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Black, Red or Green

Tail: 3 pheasant tail fibers

Abdomen: Black, Red or Green thread ( may be covered with pearl Krystal Flash)

Wingcase: Pearlescent Tinsel or Firefly

Thorax: Wapsi Rainbow, sow scud dubbing

Bead: xsm clear, mercury, silver tung or Black tung

Lance Egan’s winning pattern. A go to for me when small midges and mayflies are on or in the water. Banged ’em at “The Spot” between 6-7:30am on the Madison. Good pattern for The Lower Owens, Hot Creek, East Walker and the East Fork of the Carson River.

TBT (that black thingee’ on ‘yer waders) Please, go here first:

Hook: TMC 2457, Diiachi 1120, # 18-20

Thread: Uni 8/0 or Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Black

Abdomen: Black xsm and Red xsm UTC wire , twisted, wrapped over thread base( xsm copper works too!)

Overwing/ bubble: White Zelon

Wings: Black Zelon, kinky, clipped at angle from top

THORAX: Black Ice Dubbing

Bead: Gold, 5/64, 1/16

One June evening, several years ago, I was leaving the East Walker River before sunset for an early dinner. I had fished since sun up. I was tired and hungry. This fellow, just downstream from me , had been talking and trading flies with me most of the afternoon. I called him over as I got out of the water and gave him one of these in size # 18. ” Fish it”, I said , “when the shadows cover the river at dusk”. Early the next morning at 5:30AM, when Angelo ( DOGPAL ) and I arrived at the river in the meadow section, he was waiting for me. This is what he told me. He had tied on this fly just before dark, dead drifted it through a deep run about three feet out from the bank. He thought he had snagged the hook when a huge Brown made a screeching run downstream. It almost spooled him. He raced after the fish, furiously taking up line. Just as he approached the spot where the fish lay deep and sulking, it turned and blew past him, racing upstream. Again, he gave chase. He got a brief glimpse of the fish as it surfaced, then dove into a tangle of submerged stream side branches. He finally snapped his 5x tippet trying to pull it out of it’s lair. He told me that it was the biggest fish that he had EVER hooked on the East Walker. I gave him six more…

My Take – (on JB’s Graphic Caddis)

Hook: TMC 2457, Diiachi 1120, # 14-18

Thread: White Uni 8/0 for body or Uni 8/0 tan, olive or grey.

Tag: Gold holo tinsel

Overbody: micro tubing clear, tan, olive or gray

Thorax: Gray , Black or Tan Ostrich Herl

Wing: Mottled Partridge Natural, dyed brown or olive

John Barr and his buddy Charlie Craven tie this fly on TMC 2488 hooks. Whichever hook is chosen, it is important to build a pronounced hump at the hook bend before wrapping the gold holo tinsel tag. Charlies’ Flybox has a great tutorial on this guy. I have noticed that most commercial ties do not use the appropriate thread or micro tubing colors to match Sierra Caddis hatches. Solution, tie ‘yer own. Fish dead drift with weight and let the fly swing in the current. Anticipate a hit and be prepared to use a “slip strike”….

For me, the TMC 2457 delivers a better profile that the 2x shorter TMC 2488 – they are however wonderful for micro Caddis and I use them for that purpose. Try spanking some Trout with these. When the Caddis are coming off the East Walker or Lower Owens, they do just that!

Pearl Core Caddis Pupae

Hook: TMC 2457, Diiachi 1120, # 14-16

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Black, Brown

Abdomen: Midge Pearl Core Braid, Olive, Tan, Black or Grey

Wing: Mottled partridge, Natural, Dyed brown or olive

Thorax: Black, brown or olive Ostrich Herl

Bead: Gold

Another compliment to Canadian designer, Jeremy Davies an innovative tier who had a similar pattern up on his web page several years ago ( no longer available ). I wanted to try it. Experiences on the East Walker River and Lower Owens have proved its’ worth. I also use black or brown kinky Zelon for wings – pulled up and cut at an angle.

Shop Vac

Hook: TMC 2457,2487 or Diiachi 1120, 1130 # 16-20

Thread: Danville # 47, 6/0

Wire: Gold, xsm

Wing: Strand of White Zelon, clipped

Thread at head: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Black

Bead: Tung or Metal, Gold

The original- fish vaccum. I also tweak this simple pattern with 3 strands of midge pearl flash under the wing and I tie it using UTC 70 Olive for the body. Faux Shop Vac here.

Puff May Krystal Emerger

Hook: Diiachi 1130, # 18-22

Thread: Gordon Griffith’s 14/0 Grey

Tail: Light Dun Zelon under 3 grey wood duck fibers

Abdomen: Peacock Herl

Rib: Peacock Krystal Flash

Wing: CDC Puff Dun

Thorax: Arizona Peacock pheasant tail

Another emerger I use during BWO hatches on the Lower “O”. Flashy change up for really overcast days…

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