Drunella flavilienea…completed !

Many moons ago, I was fishing up in Bridgeport, CA when I met an older woman, at the Bridgeport Inn, from Reno, NV that owned property on a small creek that ran off the Eastern Side of the Sierras between Bridgeport and Walker, CA. She invited me to meet her at a locked U.S. Forrest Service gate to gain access to that location, the next morning. I spent the entire day up there and caught Brookies, Browns and Rainbows galore. I stomach sampled a couple of the fish I caught and Drunella flavilienea or Flav  nymphs were in that sampling. That was the first time I became aware of their presence in the Eastern Sierras other than in the Truckee River which runs East out of Lake Tahoe into Reno, NV and beyond. These guys had a distinct grey-ish cast to their otherwise olive color…I’ll get into that later..

Flavs or Lesser Green Drakes, are composed of two species, Drunella flavilinea and Drunella coloradensis. One needs a microscope and entomology degree to distinguish between the two. They are crawlers and they also are ( Hafele & Hughes) the third most important Mayfly hatch, behind the Baetis complex and PMD’s, on moving Western waters.They can be found almost anywhere in the mountainous West. In California, their distribution is widespread and they are probably present in a lot more locations than have been documented. In Montana, they have been found HERE. They may be found hatching from Mid-June through Mid-October from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains. On most waters the Flav hatch begins when water temperatures creep up towards a steady 55°…I always carry one of these:

 

Stream Thermometer…

On Hafele & Hughes’ Hatch Importance Ranking Table,  Flavs are ranked in this order of avaiability:

1.Duns & Emergers

2. Nymphs

3. Spinners

I carry all of them…

A FLAV BOX…288 flies…

SPOT N’ SPARKLE SPINNER (Flav) …

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #12 – #16

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Brown – Abdomen / Veevus 14/0, Rust – Thorax forward

TAIL: Coq De Leon fibers, Dun – Set with Zap-A-Gap

ABDOMEN: Rusty Quill Body – Set with Zap-A-Gap

THORAX: Micro Fine Dubbing, Rusty Spinner

SPOT: Razor Foam, Opaque Pink

WING: Polypro Yarn, White

OVER WING: Micro Flash, Light Blue Dun, Pearl – 6 strands

Something that these tired old eyes can see as darkness approaches in not so slick water…see spinner pattern below for additional comment…

 

Materials SPOT N’ SPARKLE SPINNER – FLAV…

CDC RUSTY SPINNER FLAV – René Harrop/Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #12 – #16

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

TAIL: Split fibbetts, Dun – set with Zap-A-Gap

ABDOMEN: Red Quill Goose Biot – set with Zap-A-Gap

THORAX: Micro Fine Dubbing, Rusty Spinner

SPENT WINGS: Posted, then split, CDC White (2 feathers) – topped with Z-Lon, Kinky Light Dun

Most Flav spinner falls will appear on smooth water…at twilight…take a flashlight (Surefire) with you to find the way back…

 

Materials CDC RUSTY SPINNER – FLAV…* The thorax dubbing is Micro Fine Rusty Spinner (not pictured)…

FLAV SPINNERs – CDC RUSTY, #12 & SPOT N’ SPARKLE , #14…

BURST WC CRIPPLE/EMERGER FLAV…

HOOK: TMC 102Y, #11 – #15

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

SHUCK: Three Ostrich Hel ends, Olive

ABDOMEN: Chartreuse Micro Tubing

BURST WING: Z-Lon, Light Kinky Dun

THORAX: Senyo’s Laser Dub, Olive

WINGCASE: Medallion Sheeting, Brown – * Optional, coat with UV Resin

LEGS: Dyed Olive Partridge, V-notched

This is an experimental pattern that I will put in Michael’s hands, to try out on the Truckee River, when he is up there the first week in August…report to follow in this space…

Materials BURST WC CRIPPLE/EMERGER FLAV… BURST WC CRIPPLE/EMERGER FLAVs…

Something new, Telstrike indicators, to try out… UNUSUAL USUAL FLAV EMERGER – Howard Cole…

HOOK: Daiichi 1190, #12 – #16, TMC 100BL, #12 -#16

THREAD:Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Olive Dun – Thorax forward

TAIL/SHUCK: Lemon Woodduck over Amber Z-Lon

ABDOMEN: Pale Olive Turkey Biot, fringed

THORAX: Fly-Rite Natural Dubbing, Olive

WING: Snowshoe Rabbit, Medium Dun

HACKLE: Grizzly Olive

A Howard Cole design that may be v-notched  or trimmed flat across the bottom, to ride lower in the surface film. I always have a set of scissors in my vest to do additional tinkering with patterns that I carry…

Don’t leave home without them…

Materials UNUSUAL USUAL FLAV EMERGER… UNUSUAL USUAL FLAV EMERGERs… POSTED SPENTWING FLAV EMERGER (Snowshoe Hare’s Foot) -Schollmeyer/Variant

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive Dun

SHUCK: Snowshoe Rabbit, Brown

RIB: 1-2 Strands Persall’s Marabou Silk Floss

BODY: Micro Fine Dub, BWO, Olive

WING: Snowshoe Hare, Light Dun – posted, then split and pulled down to create a fan wing

This is a simple Jim Schollmeyer dun pattern for Flavs. He uses a lot of Snowshoe Hare patterns that are fairly easy to tie and they work. The best Snowshoe Hare that I have found comes from the White Fox Fur & Feather Co. One may call them direct to get their excellent products. Schollmeyer cuts the fur off the foot, cleans it, then splits the bunch, takes the two portions and aligns them and rolls then between his fingers. The fur is then tied in, on a horizontal plane on top of the hook shank. Figure eight wrap, then pull the wing up and take wraps of thread around the base of the fur to post it. Trim the top to the approximate length of the hook shank and tug each portion downward to fan the wing. There is no bump of hair behind the wing to worry about…nice !

Materials POSTED SPENTWING FLAV EMERGER (Snowshoe Hare’s Foot) … Top view showing split, posting and fan of snowshoe hare wing… POSTED SPENTWING FLAV EMERGERs… ID SH FLAV …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560. #12 – #16 or, when they finally become generally available, TMC 113BLH, #12 – #16

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

TAIL: Natural Partridge fibers, Brown

RIB: UTC Flat Gold Tinsel, SM or UTC Hot Yellow Wire, #14- #16

ABDOMEN: Ice Dub, UV Light Olive

THORAX: Ice Dub, Olive

HACKLE: Partridge Natural, Brown feather

BEAD: Killer Caddis, Chartreuse, behind hackle

A generic Soft Hackle that may be fished dead drift or swung, with weight on the leader or on a greased line in the surface film. Try it as a dropper behind a larger Flav Dry pattern…

Materials ID SH FLAV… ID SH FLAVs… Yep…there are Flavs, up this high, in the Eastern Sierras – PHOTO MONO COUNTY TOURISM… BOOTY’S FLAV EMERGER – B. Allen/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1110 #12 – #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Dyed Deer Hair, Olive –*optional, over Brown/Olive Sparkle Emerger Yarn

RIB: 1-2 Strands Persall’s Marabou Silk Floss

ABDOMEN: Nature’s Spirit .6 Pale Olive Dubbing

OVER THORAX: Razor Foam Translucent Olive

WING: Puglisi Trigger Point Int’l fibers, BWO

HACKLE: Dun Saddle

This is a Boots Allen pattern that floats like a cork with the inclusion of Razor Foam in the thorax section. He ties a number of May Fly patterns using this technique, but ya’ got to do some serious looking to find them…

Materials BOOTY’S FLAV EMERGER… BOOTY’S FLAV EMERGERS… CAPTIVE DUN Flav – Harrop/Variant …

HOOK: TMC 100BL, #12 – #16

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Yellow/Olive – Under abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Olive -Thorax forward

TAIL/SHUCK: Lemon Woodduck over Olive/Brown Sparkle Emerger Yarn

ABDOMEN: Turkey Biot, Caddis Green

THORAX: Micro Fine Dubbing, BWO, Olive

WING/LEGS: Looped Premium CDC, Medium Dun – excess pulled back, tied down then clipped for legs. Use plenty of CDC feathers (4-6)

A Rene’ Harrop pattern that was developed to match Flavs captive in the surface film. His CDC, from the TroutHunter Shop, is some of the best available here in the U.S. He uses a lot of CDC in his patterns. If one is having problems using CDC because of slime, try this trick...

Materials CAPTIVE DUN Flav… CAPTIVE DUNs Flav… FLAV CRIPPLE TP/UV2 -Matthews/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Z-Lon, kinky, Tan-ish/Brown

ABDOMEN: UV2 Fine & Dry, BWO

RIB: Cascade Crest Glimmer thread, Red

THORAX: Snowshoe Rabbit foot dubbing, 4. Olive – Nature’s Spirit 70% / UV2 Fine & Dry BWO 30%

WING: Puglisi Trigger Point Int’l fibers, Black

HACHLE: Dun Saddle

This is a variation of a Craig Matthew’s pattern with a red rib and black wing. A black wing will stand out and be more visible in “greasy” sunlight or when there is cloud cover and rain. Emergers & Cripples are probably the two most effective patterns for fishing over a Flav hatch…

Materials FLAV CRIPPLE TP/UV2… FLAV CRIPPLEs TP/UV2…

COMPARADUN FLAV – Jacklin/Haugh Variant …

HOOK: TMC 100BL, TMC 900BL, Daiichi 1110 #12- #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Stiff Dun fibers

RIB: 1-2 strands of DMC Embroidery Floss, Yellow

ABDOMEN: Fly-Rite, #.3 Dark Olive

WING: Comparadun Deer

HACKLE: Dun Saddle – trim across bottom

This is a pattern designed and used by Yellowstone Fly Shop owner, Bob Jacklin by way of tier Byron Haugh. It is an excellent imitation of the Flavs that appear on waters in the YNP area. These May Flies hatch bright green and immediately, their bodies and wings start to darken, once exposed to air.

Materials COMPARA DUN FLAV… COMPARA DUN FLAVs…  BAT WING FLAV -Petersen/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #12 – #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Natural Hen Neck Feather fibers

UNDER ABDOMEN: Cascade Crest Micro Floss, Olive

ABDOMEN: Nature’s Spirit Goose Biot, 6. Pale Olive

WING: Fluff at the base of a Dun Hen neck feather

THORAX: Nature’s Spirit Snowshoe Hare Dubbing, 4. Olive

BEAD: Killer Caddis, Lt. Olive, SM

Tracy Petersen’s Bat Wing is one of the best emerger patterns I have ever put in the water. I fish these from the bottom to the top of the water column, with weight or as a dropper. I believe that many  times, Trout take this pattern as an merger that has drowned. In any case, I don’t do a series of a particular may fly without including it…

Materials BAT WING FLAV… BAT WING FLAVs… WING of BAT WING… KORN’S TNT GREEN DRAKE NYMPH (Flav version) – Doug Korn/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #14

THREAD:Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Mottled Oak Turkey Quill fibers

RIB: UTC wire, Hot Yellow, SM

ABDOMEN: 50/50 Mix – DW’s SLF Dubbing, Scud Shrimp Olive / Nature’s Spirit Emergence Dubbing 4. Olive

HACKLE: Natural Pheasant Tail “Philo Feather”, from base of the clump

BEAD: Killer Caddis, Light Olive, SM

Doug Korn knows his Greed Drakes…this is a scaled down version of his Drunella grandis nymph (the big guy) to match the smaller Flav. I would toss this pattern into the drift and swing it into the shallows just about anywhere. That “Philo Fearther”(aftershaft feather) is one of the most underutilized feathers on a Pheasant…see Jack Gartside…

Materials KORN’S TNT GREEN DRAKE NYMPH (Flav version)… KORN’S TNT GREEN DRAKE NYMPHs (Flav version)… ST HARE’S ICE NYMPH- (Flav) – Schollmeyer-Leeson/Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0,Olive – Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Brown – Thorax forward

WEIGHT: .010 Lead

TAIL: Fox Squirrel Tail

ABDOMEN: 75/15/10 Mix – Hare’s Ice Dub – 1. Peacock, 2. Olive Brown, 3. Hare’s Ear

RIB: UTC Flat God Tinsel or UTC Hot Yellow SM wire on #16

THORAX: Hare’s Ice Dub, Brown

LEGS: Natural Partridge – Brown

WINGCASE: McFlyLon, Black

This may be fished either deep or higher in the water column, just prior to emergence. Twist-ons for deep nymphing and grease the leader and dab some Frog’s Fanny on it, for just below the surface… or use it as a dropper off a larger Flav Dry pattern. Flavs move towards less boisterous water when hatching (and McFlyLon floats fairly well)… This is one of Schollmeyer and Leeson’s standard nymph pattern’s I added some zip to…

Materials ST HARE’S ICE NYMPH- (Flav)… ST HARE’S ICE NYMPHs- (Flavs)… Michael looking around, on a high elevation river on the North side of YNP, for Df or it’s cousin Dc… CW’s FOAM GREEN DRAKE EMERGER (FLAV) – Williams/Variant …

HOOK: TMC 2488, #10 – #12…

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive – Abdomen  /Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown – Thorax forward

SHUCK: Z-Lon, Olive Brown

ABDOMEN: Premo Goose Biot, BWO

RIB: Ice Thread, Yellow

THORAX: 50/50 Mix- Uv2 Fine & Dry, BWO / Nature’s Spirit Emergence Dubbing .3 BWO

WING: Marc Petitjean CDC, #.1 Blue Dun

HACKLE: Furnace

WINGCASE: Razor Foam, Translucent Black – tie in foam and split at rear with an X-acto knife, tie in wing, dub thorax, hackle over thorax, trim hackle at the top ,pull split foam over the thorax, catching CDC in between and tie down…

This is an interesting design from Chris Williams, who is a tier and Elementary School teacher from Boise, ID. He’s one of those guys that one has to look around for. His patterns have impressed a lot of folks in ID, WY and MT waters…do a search !

Materials CW’s FOAM GREEN DRAKE EMERGER (FLAV)… CW’s FOAM GREEN DRAKE EMERGERs (FLAVs)… UV2 TRIGGER POINT HAIRWING DUN (Flav) – Harrop/Variant…

HOOK:TMC 103BL, #11- #15

THREAD:Veevus 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Dyed Grizzly Blue Dun fibers

ABDOMEN: UV2 Fine & Dry, BWO

UNDERWING: Puglisi Trigger Point Int’l. fibers, BWO

WING: Dun dyed Yearling Elk

HACKLE: Dyed Grizzly Blue Dun

This is Harrop’s classic pattern, which may be used as a template for any number of May Fly Emergers. Flavs,when emerging, will generally migrate to softer flows they are not great swimmers and will pulse up and down in the water column before popping just under the surface film or in it…

Materials UV2 TRIGGER POINT HAIRWING DUN (Flav)…  UV2 TRIGGER POINT HAIRWING DUNS (Flav)… SNOWSHOE EMERGER – FLAV – Schollmeyer & Leeson/Variant – TMC 206 BL, #12 – #14…

Materials SNOWSHOE EMERGER – (Flav)… SNOWSHOE EMERGERS – (Flavs)…

HOOK: TMC 206BL, #12  #14

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive Dun

SHUCK: Amber Z-Lon

RIB: Datum Glo-Brite #189, Fl.Hot Yellow

ABDOMEN: 75/25 Mix Fly-Rite #3 Dark Olive / Nature’s Spirit .3 BWO Emergence Dub

THORAX: Spirit River UV2 Natural Peacock Eye, (3-4), Twisted on thread

WING: Snowshoe Rabbit, Light Dun

Fish Flav Emergers the same as one would fish a PMD or BWO Emerger. Light tackle, 4x-6x tippet, reach cast and downstream wiggle. In typical freestone headwaters with benches, makes short casts, keep the line off the water and don’t let this fly drag. Hold the rod tip high, as in high stick nymphing…it’s fast and furious fishing…the water below is typical and fortunately there isn’t a lot over overhanging vegetation…when something large comes off the bottom and whacks this guy, it will be worth it…

Yep…those guys are in here…PHOTO – Mono County Tourism CHUCKY SURFACE SH (Flav) …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #16

THREAD:Veevus 16/0, Olive Dun -Abdome / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: 4-8 Wood chuck fibers

RIB: Micro Tubing, Red

ABDOMEN: 75/25 Mix – Stalcup’s Micro Fine BWO, Gray/Olive / Ligas #48 E. Nymph

THORAX: Spirit River UV2 Peacock Eye, Brown

HACKLE: Partridge, Natural- Brown

Materials CHUCKY SURFACE SH (Flav)… CHUCKY SURFACE SOFT HACKLES (Flav)…

This soft hackle patter is meant to be fished just under the surface film, either dead drift or swung. Grease thy line so it hangs high in the water column or use it as a dropper behind a larger dry Flav. There are times when a red ribbed Flav pattern will out perform the more traditional yellow ribbed pattern…don’t ask me… why?

Michael & Aimee at 32,000′ over Virginia Lakes in the Eastern Sierras, while on their way to San Francisco from N.Y.C. – yesterday, 4.30.2015. They waved at the Flavs for me… THUMPER NYMPH (Flav) …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Brown, Thorax forward

WEIGHT: .010 Lead Wire

TAIL: Spikey fur fibers from a Natural Hare’s Mask – (The fur located between the eyes)

ABDOMEN/THORAX/COLLAR: 75/15/10 Mix – Buggy Nymph, Olive – Natural Dark Hare’s Ear #.2 – Buggy Nymph, Lava Brown

GILLS: Ostrich Herl, Natural Gray – one strand each side, pulled forward

RIB: Gudebrod 10/0 Clear Thread or 5x Mono

UNDER WINGCASE: Razor Foam, Translucent Dun

LEGS: Partridge, Natural Brown, V-Notched

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten, Brown, sized to hook

THUMPER NYMPH (Flav)…TOP… THUMPER NYMPH (Flav)…BOTTOM…

Materials THUMPER NYMPH (Flav)… THUMPER NYMPHS (Flavs)…

Keep in mind that Flavs are crawler nymphs. Their availability is moderate. Fish these guys most often on a dead drift, “in glides and slicks between the brief riffles and drops of high gradient streams” (Hafele & Hughes). Keep them inches off the bottom across the breadth of the water column…

The THUMPERS, getting their sugar fixes… MOLYBDENITE NYMPH (Flav)…

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12- #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

WEIGHT: .010 Lead

TAIL: Spikey fibers from a Natural Hare’s Mask – (The fur located between the eyes)

ABDOMEN: 4-6 Select Marabou fibers, twisted together – half each, Shad Gray and Light Olive

RIB: Micro tubing, Olive

THORAX: 75%/25% Mix – SLF Spikey Squirrel, Olive and Natural Muskrat

WINGCASE: Scud Back 1/8″, Black

LEGS: Partridge, Natural Brown

Materials MOLYBDENITE NYMPH (Flav)… MOLYBDENITE NYMPHS…

These are the Flavs I came across on Molybdenite Creek, in Mono County, many years ago. The gray-ish cast comes from the granite rock that characterizes the stream bottoms on the majority of freestones waters flowing off the Eastern Slope of the Sierras. I have also seen this with other members of the Drunella family and in particular, the  Green Drakes that hatch on the Frying Pan River in CO – they have a pink-ish cast. Shane Stalcup designed a specific pattern for this hatch…Try to be observant and match the color and size of the Flavs that might be present in a particular location. Collecting samples and photographing them, on the spot, will greatly enhance one’s knowledge and tying…

Next…a few Sierra, high elevation lake patterns, for MOO…

PT/TB

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