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

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A TRIP TO THE O.C. – (Bob Marriotts)…

Stocking up on some additional hooks and other materials that will be appearing …soon

House of all things fly fishing in Fullerton, CA…

Lost in the bead section…to appear in the next project…

GAMAKATSU C-16B Hooks…

STREAMER HOOKS…

STREAMER CONES…

VEEVUS BODY QUILLs…

MICRO POLAR CHENILLE…

VEEVUS 16/0, Lt. Olive Thread / White DATUM GLO-BRITE Floss / UTC Wire, Rust, SM…

BLACK SPARKLE EMERGER YARN / BLACK MARC PETITJEAN CDC…

ICE WING FIBER UV & PEARL MINNOW MIX / BROWN COW ELK…

 

PT/TB

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HOOKed (and beaded) UP – MATERIALS…PT. II …

So, for these larger hooks that were sent to me by Dejon, from TROUT LEGEND, an excursion out behind the Orange Curtain was in order to pick up a few things to put on the metal…

BOB MARRIOTT’S FLY FISHING STORE…

The following are some items I picked up along with some goodies for future ties…one could spend an entire day here just browsing the aisles…I always dig in to the baskets of items that have not been put up – first…

Threads and Holographic Tinsel from Veevus…

Dubbings…

…and more dubbing…

Micro tubing and D-Rib…two of Shane Stalcup’s best fly tying innovations…ever…

Some of Davy’s Standard SLF – in BLUE…

Furry Foam…

More Slotted Tungsten Beads…

More Hooks…

Covert Nymph Hooks…

Whole Speckled Hen Saddle in Burnt Orange from Nature’s Spirit…

Whiting Bronze Badger Saddle…this will be for some smaller Caddis and May Fly patterns I will be tying up for my son , Michael…

 

NEXT: The flies, of course…

 

 

PT/TB   

 

 

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THE FALL RUN…

No not fish…out to my favorite repository of Fly Tying materials behind the Orange Curtain…

To create some patterns, like this one…

PEARLING SCUD Olive…TMC 2457, Daiichi 1120, #12 – #18…

…to be put in the water on the opposite side of Mr. NIKON…AKA Michael Barker…on the Lower Owens River…

These are self explanatory…I think

That would be this place…

Hmmmmm…

PT/TB 

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GOOFIN’ OFF at BOB MARRIOTT’S FLY SHOP…

The tier’s candy store…Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store… to pick up some additional materials to comple the Midge series below and which, will be jumped ahead of this post when they-THE FLIES – are completed…

So what’s new (for me)…???

ALEC JACKSON Chironomid hooks…the crystal ones…

TMC 2499 SP-BLB… Whoa!!!…BLACK…

ARIZONA products I find all kinds of uses for…Yummm…. CHOCOLATE!

Speaks loudly…

TWILIGHT TWINKLER SH MIDGE – Purple/Lavender…the “NEW” – BLACK…

PURPLE STARLING…from White Fox Fur and Feather CO…

Some colors of KRYSTAL FLASH I have not used yet…

This came from The Fishermen’s Spot…well…because I just HAD to stop by there – ( it was on my way home)…and because they carry the good stuff from Nature’s Spirit

GUNMETAL GLIMMER THREAD and TAN/ORANGE COMBO THREAD…both from Cascade Crest…

MICRO FLOSS – Purple and Olive…Cascade Crest…

MOTTLED NYMPH RIB…from TIEWELL…

All of these materials will work their way into some upcoming patterns. It also appears that I MIGHT be doing a Tying Demonstration at Bob Marriott’s sometime after the New Year…stay tuned…now, back to tying

PT/TB  

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DIPTERA II…

Winter…cold, snow, sleet, ice in the guides, lethargic Trout, hands that don’t work , many trips to the truck to warm up …and. these little guys. Fortunately, most of the Midges I tie… will work year round in the tail water fisheries we visit in the Eastern Sierras…These particular ties will be used this Spring on the Lower Owens River near Bishop, CA and the East Walker River in Bridgeport, CA. In this series, I have included some variants of patterns that were created by Pat Dorsey and Steve Parrott, the guys who are BLUE QUILL ANGLERS, in Evergreen, CO…their patterns WORK…

Just like the ARMY, one guy is out of step…

Those red hooks are these and I get them HERE…

Here are the patterns:

Steve’s Midge (Medallion Midge)/ Variant…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, Mustad c49s, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White or Lt. Cahill

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

OVER ABDOMEN: Clear or Tan Micro Tubing

THORAX: Black or Dark Brown Superfine Dubbing

TRIGGER SPOT: Micro Flasahbou – Pearl….for this tie, I used SM. Opal Tinsel

SHELLBACK/ WING PADS: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun – Hareline

This is a Steve Parrott design, the original recipe may be found HERE. I have chosen to use a different hook and tied it in color(s) that match the small cream midges found in the Lower “O” and East Walker. For those waters, I generally go deep with my Midge patterns, in those locations, because that is where the Trout prefer to take up feeding stations…

BROWN HOLOGRAPHIC MIDGE (side view)…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

ABDOMEN: Brown Holographic Flashabou

RIB: Lagartun, x-Fine Copper wire

WINGLETS: Flashabou, Tinsel Flash, Marabou Action, Pearl Orange – charge with sunlight, it “GLOWS”…

THORAX: Iridescent Peacok, Brown, Spirit River

BEAD: Copper Tung. or Brass – Lead or Lead Sub. – Optional

BROWN HOLOGRAPHIC MIDGE (Tilted View) …

There is a little Brown Midge that makes it’s appearance on the Lower Owens River, in the Spring. This fellow was designed to mimic that critter. Standard chocolate wd-40’s and 50’s work well during this emergence…I offer something a bit …well...DIFFERENT. It will probably have some applications on the East Walker…the character below will, report on that…

Michael likes Midges and the East Walker River is loaded with them…

MISTLETOE MIDGE #18-#20, side view…

MISTLETOE MIDGE …tilted view…

HOOK: Daiichi 1153, #18 or Gamakatsu C12-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Chartreuse Midge Flash

ABDOMEN: Chartreuse Holographic Tinse, Wapsi, SM

WINGLETS: Flashabou, Tinsel Flash, Marabou Action, Pearl Chartreuse…as above

BEAD: Silver Tung., sized to hook

I have been using pearl or other colored midge flash shucks on many of my Midge patterns for some time. I believe they are very effective and now, I have started playing around with materials which act as “triggers” in these, and other patterns I tie…try some…

PRE-XMAS POWER DINNER WITH Michael…to kick my FLU to the curb !!!

EVERGREEN KOREAN BBQ…

Michael, in from San Francisco and the sides…

Kimchi Spicy Pork Belly Soup, BBQ Sliced Beef and Purple Rice…YUMMMmmmmmm…

BIOT BLUE KF TUNG MIDGE…side view…

HOOK: TMC 2488 #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Natural Goose Biot

RIB: Blue Krystal Flash or Blue Holographic Tinsel for extra “BLING”…

THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair, Pearl Blue

WINGCASE: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun

BEAD: Black Tung., sized to hook

Tilted view…

This is more of a Midge/Mayfly hybrid than a straight Midge pupa. I have had some interesting experiences with the Browns, in the East Walker River, all year round, with blue incorporated into the fly pattern design. This is another offering for Spring, that was influenced and inspired by a pattern I saw HERE. I see some other variations, tied with Turkey and Goose Biots, using other flash materials for the ribbing, in my future…

PEPT-HO MEDALLION MIDGE…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C12-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

SHUCK: Midge Rainbow Flash, Cascade Crest

ABDOMEN: Pink Holographic Flashabou, 2 strands

RIB: Ultra wire, Red, x-sm

ABDOMEN: Ice Dub, UV Dun

WINGCASE/WING BUDS: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun

A little play on Steve Parrott’s Medallion Midge using the red Gamakatsu hook I am really becoming enamored with…the “Pinky” clobbered some nice Browns and Rainbows for us on the East Walker this past Spring…I believe this variant will see some exciting “hook-ups”…

Tilted view…

The TRADITIONAL day after Christmas Chinese Dinner with FAMILY…this year at a new place : MISSION 261 …“.GUNG HAY FAT CHOY” from PT and Family !!!

$3.00 BRIDGE DIP. HOLO/RED…#16-#18…side view…

Tilted view…BECAUSE, Craig is out of the # 18′s…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #16-#18

THREAD: Gordon Griffith 14/0, Red

ABDOMEN: Red Holographic Mylar Motion – Spirit River

RIB: Lagartun, Silver, x-fine

WING: Coastal Deer Hair, Bleached

BEAD: Silver Tung. or Brass, sized to hook

The “classic” BRF, Craig Matthew’s pattern with a new paint job…this pattern and a whole lot of variations on this theme, consistently take nice Trout…I would not be without them…

TUNG FLASHBACK BLACK BEAUTY…Dorsey/Variant…(the winglets are a secret trigger on the EAST WALKER RIVER)

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18-#24

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

RIB: Lagartun, Copper, x-fine or Silver, x-fine

FLASHBACK:  UTC SM Pearl Tinsel or UTC SM OPal Tinsel

WINGLETS: 2 strands of Grizzly Krystal Flash, Black/White

BEAD: Tun. or Brass with Lead or Lead Sub., Black or Silver

Another Pat Dorsey original that I have taken the liberty of “tweaking”. The winglets, in this coloration combo, have acted as a trigger on this pattern with which, Michael totally outscored his Pop one afternoon and evening on the East Walker…We are talkin’ about some Browns of major proportions !!! I plan on getting EVEN…

CHIRONOFLASH MIDGE PUPA…Parrott/Variant…Side view…

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18-#24

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

OVERABDOMEN: Tan Micro Tubing

TRIGGER/HOT SPOT: Micro Pearl Flashabou

WINGCASE: Medallion Sheeting, Mottled Brown

Tilted view…

This is another Steve Parrott design…simple with a “hot spot”…my variation, is once again for those chocolate/brown Midges that are seen on the Lower Owens River in the Spring…

DISSONANCE MIDGE…Side view…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0 Grey

SHUCK: Midge Flash, Lt. Blue Dun

ABDOMEN: Danville Silver Tinsel, 16/18

RIB: Lagartun, Blue wire, Fine

WINGLETS: 2 strands of Grizzly Krystal Flash, Red/Black

THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair, Lt. Blue

BEAD: Silver Tung., sized to hook

Tilted view…

My experience, with stuff I tie like this…is reflected BELOW…

“HEY DAD, Gimme’ another one of those…!!!”…

KG’s FULLBACK/FOAMBACK MIDGE… Glissmeyer/Variant – Chocolate…“NOW PLAYING IN EUROPE”

HOOK: Mustad c49s, Dai Riki 125, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

SHUCK: Strands of SLF PRISM, Amber

ABDOMEN: Uni-Stretch 1x, Brown, twisted

RIB: Lagartun, Copper, x-fine

THORAX: Hare-Tron Dubbing, Dark Brown

WINGCASE: Electronics packing foam

KG would be Kelly G. Glissmeyer who ties some nifty patterns. This little guy is intended for spring creeks and appeared in the WINTER 2011 Issue of Flyfishing & Tying Journal pg. 29. Kelly tied this pattern in black using flat tying thread for the abdomen and black dubbing for the thorax. My variant is keyed for those Chocolate/Brown Lower “O” midges that will, hopefully, be lookin’ up – this Spring…I like this UNI -Stretch for the segmentation it provides…tied in other colors, it would cover a wide range of Midge hatches…

“THE BURPLE”…a Midgey-Nymphy Thingee…Gamakatsu, C12-B, #20…side view…

For this place, just about this TIME of day…

Tilted view…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C16-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco16/0 Black

UNDER ABDOMEN: Purple Haze Holographic Flash Fibers – Hareline

OVER ABDOMEN: Blue Micro Tubing

THORAX: Arizona Simi-Seal, Purple

LEGS: Fluro Fiber, Grey

BEAD: Killer Caddis, Glass, Blueberry, SM

So the sun is starting to hang low, in the late afternoon, while we are on the East Walker River and Michael turns to me and asks, “What should I put on, Dad?” I reached into my box and handed him THIS (“Deep Purple”) “Try this as your lead” , I said. He wasn’t disappointed…this pattern may be tied with or without legs…it is meant to be used as a surface trailer or fished in the depths, as a trailer, when the sunlight is off the water’s surface…you won’t be disappointed – either…

To those who are new to this tying thing…make it FUN…retain a sense of wonderment and expectation that anything produced will catch a fish…glue this look on ‘yer face – as the experiments begin at the vise:

My Grandson Miles, attempting to levitate his first milk shake at Bob’s Big Boy…

NEXT: Some ties for CFR and a participation/fly box drawing at FFA

PT/TB 

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PLAYIN’ HOOKY -(Metal 2 B Dressed)…

A little trip out beyond the “ORANGE CURTAIN” to pick up some materials to complete the Caddis series I am currently working on… and, I came across some interesting hooks that will be showing up here soon…

Intended for Midges…however, I see other applications…

I like this “slow curve” hook style for Caddis larvae and pupae (especially for double beading)…The TMC 2302 is only sized to # 16…

This hook design intrigues me…let’s see how it holds Mr. TROUT…Gamakatsu makes some of the sharpest hooks that have ever punctured my fingers…
On to completing the Caddis….
PT/TB

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MATERIALIZED…

A little trip out to Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store to pick up some hooks and tying materials…so it won’t look like this before I put up the rest of the Baetis/Bwo , Midges, some Streamers and Stones for perusal…

Owens Valley track…in the snow…dead of winter… (this trip, up the mountain, was a lot quicker than that drive out to and from Orange County)…

Some of the stuff that will go into a bunch of new patterns…Hmmmm…lotta’ purple there…

Better get crackin’, this guy is ALWAYS impatient to Fly Fish…

Michael on a cold day on the Lower Owens River…

The place to be on a brisk Fall day in the Owens Valley…

PT/TB

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