So Michael was here over the Holidays, bugging me for more flies to use this year on the rivers he fishes outside of N.Y.C. These will be some fly patterns that BOTH of us can use this coming Spring. Looks like there might be a bunch of water in the Eastern Sierras this year and I would like to try these on the East Walker River and the Owens River as well. There will be eighteen patterns in all, several will be tied in two different sizes, to accommodate our needs…When Michael comes out in the next few weeks (April) he will be taking some of these to tryout on the rivers he fishes in NY, MA, and CT…

Michael & friend…

…on The Housatonic River, yesterday (3.13.2016)…

EAST N’ WEST ATTRACTOR BOX…finished…

Brownie on the East Walker River…

BLUE RAM CADDIS – Ross A. Merigold/Variant…
HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #10-#14
THRAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under Abdomen
RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer Silver Metallic Opalescent #8040
ABDOMEN: Super Floss, Blue, Larva Lace… (They have excellent stuff) – * Coat Abdomen with Hard As Hull
HACKLE: Hen Nec, White
HEAD: Gordon Griffith 14/0 Sheer, Red – two coats of Hard As Hull
I started using a R.A.M. Caddis a very long time ago, in Olive and in Purple. It was designed by the same person who came up with the Serendipity pattern, on the Madison River – Ross A. Merigold. One of the largest Rainbow Trout I have ever caught in a river was on a #14 Purple RAM Caddis, on the East Walker River in 1980. I keep a bunch of them in one of my Caddis boxes…they are that good

Materials BLUE RAM CADDIS…

BLUE RAM CADDIS #12 & #14…

MOO… in attractor mode, at sunset, on the East Walker River…

S CADDIS PUPA (Brown)…
HOOK: Umpqua (Hanak) C300BL #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown
RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer, #6055, Cranberry
ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail Brown
WINGLETS: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Olive Brown
THORAX: Hare’s Ear Ice Dub, Brown
HACKLE: Hen Neck Furnace
BEAD: Tungsten, Copper, sized to hook
An attractor Caddis Pupa with a thinner body, in a large size, flash and movement built in…yep

Materials S CADDIS PUPA (Brown)…

S CADDIS PUPAe (Brown)…

A place where BLUE works…The East Walker River…

BLUE HERESY JIG…
HOOK: Umpqua (Hanak), C400BL, #12 – #16
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black
TAIL: Black Pheasant Tail
ABDOMEN: Sulky Holoshimmer Metallic Royal Blue #8052 – * Coat with Hard As Hull
WINGCASE: 4-5 Strands Holographic Mylar Motion, 1/32″, Black
THORAX: Wapsi Rainbow Sow Scud Dubbing (the real deal)
BEAD: Slotted Tungsten, Silver, sized to hook
A parallel universe Rainbow Warrior with the wing case on top of the hook…which is heretical…

Yeah…right…

Materials BLUE HERESY JIG…

BLUE HERESY JIG(s)…

SPOOKY TOOTH …
HOOK: Umpqua (Hanak) C550BL, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown
TAIL: Ancient Claret Hackle Fibers (like the name, from the 70’s)
RIB: UTC Wire Hot Yellow
ABDOMEN: Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers
THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Dark Brown
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite Floss Fl. Red
BEAD: Tungsten, Copper, sized to hook
Another simple PT attractor with a Hot Spot and tail color that no one but me uses…on a PT nymph…

Materials SPOOKY TOOTH…

SPOOKY TOOTH(s)…

LASER WING SHIMMER NYMPH…
HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: UTC Fl. White – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled
RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer # 6045, Multi Dark
ABDOMEN: Sulky Holoshimmer #7043 (Rainbow Prism Purple) – *Coat with Hard As Hull
WING: Sanyo’s Laser Dub White – tie in fibers lengthwise and cut at an angle
THORAX: Hare’s Ice Dub, Black
BEAD: Tungsten, Black, sized to hook
This is the kind of pattern I like to toss into fast water that drops into deep holes along the edges of the East Walker River. It’s the one some of the big guys have never seen before and there are times that it is exactly what they want…

Materials LASER WING SHIMMER NYMPH…

LASER WING SHIMMER NYMPH(s)…

BAT WING NYMPH- Peterson/Variant – Olive/ Fire Fly…
HOOK: TMC 100SPBL, #12 – #16
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub. – 6-8 wraps at thorax, tied down with thread and Zap-A-Gaped
THREAD: Veevus 8/0, Olive
TAIL: Olive Ozark Turkey Quill Fibers
RIB: #1 – UTC Chartreuse Wire, sm / #2 Sulky Holoshimmer #145, Opal/Pearlescent
ABDOMEN: Olive Ozark Turkey Quill Fibers
WING: Fluffy base Grizzly Hen Neck, tied in convex side up and pulled over thorax
WINGCASE: Pearl Fire Fly, 6-8 strands…UV resin, be careful not to get it in the wing
THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Olive
A generic Olive May Fly nymph meant to be bounded along the bottom. If I were going to tie it as an Emerger, I would use a Daiichi 1130 hook, Olive pheasant tail – tail, Olive Biot body and a Diamond bead in front of the Thorax. The wing case would be omitted…

Materials BAT WING NYMPH – Olive/ Fire Fly…

BAT WING NYMPH(s) – Olive/ Fire Fly…

RUSTY THE BUG …
HOOK: Partridge Czech Nymph Fine Hook, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47, Rusty Brown
TAIL: Brown Partridge
RIBBING: #1 – Sulky Holoshimmer, #8014 Red Metallic / #2 Gutxrmann Red #247
ABDOMEN: Hare’s Ice Dubbing, Rusty Orange
WINGCASE: Razor Foam, Opaque Red, 1mm.
LEGS: Brown Partridge
THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Rusty Brown
This is one of those patterns that my son Michael will look at and ask me, “What’s that?”…I will tell him to attach it to the end of his 4x tippet and he will proceed to catch the largest Trout of the day…always happens…

Materials RUSTY THE BUG…

RUSTY THE BUG(s)…

Upper Owens River…2.14.2016…

A cold campsite tonight, on Hot Creek (2.13.16)…

HERO at Culver’s Sporting Goods, in Bishop, CA this AM ( 2.13.16 ) – picking up some Seaguar 5x and 6X tippet material & some Twist-ons…

ICE WINGED OLIVE QUILL EMERGER – Stephenson/Variant…
HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #16 – #18
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward
TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled
RIB: Black Nylon or Ice Thread
ABDOMEN: 2 strands of Veevus Body Quill, Olive – * Coat with Hard As Hull
WING: Ice Dub, UV Gray – tie in the fibers lengthwise and cut at an angle
BEAD: Tungsten, Copper, one size under
I tie many patterns like this with a white dubbing wing. Other materials I use are Zelon, CDC, Antron, Organza and Fluro Fiber all in the color white, which I believe, is a most excellent trigger on these kinds of flies…

Materials ICE WINGED OLIVE QUILL EMERGER…

ICE WINGED OLIVE QUILL EMERGER(s)…

…a little over half-way there…

DNA BUBBLE SHEATH CADDIS PUPA (Tan) Hydropsyche…
HOOK: TMC 226BL, #14 – #16
WEIGHT: 6-8 wraps of .010 Lead at the Thorax. Secure with thread and Zap-A-Gap
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown – Thorax forward
SHEATH: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Tan
ABDOMEN #1: DNA Holofusion, White – 8strands fiber, 1 strand flash
ABDOMEN #2: Tan Micro Tubing
THORAX: UV2 Peacock Eye, Brown
WINGLETS: Hungarian Partridge, Brown, V-notched
A simple bubble sheath Caddis Pupa for the Hydropsyche hatch tied on the new TMC 226 BL Hook. I like the translucent effect of the micro tubing over the white DNA Holofusion…

Materials DNA BUBBLE SHEATH CADDIS PUPA (Tan)…

DNA BUBBLE SHEATH CADDIS PUPAE (Tan)…

Hydropsyche water on the Farmington River…

UV2 BIOT BUFFALO JUMP – PlanetTrout/Variant…
HOOK: TMC 113BLH, #8 – #12
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black
TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck fibers
RIB: UTC Wire Copper Brown
ABDOMEN: UV2 Turkey Biot – * Coat thread with Zap-A-Gap before wrapping biot, for durability
THORAX: Orange Ice Dub 50%., Nat. Squirrel Belly 50%
HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, Fl. Fire Orange
WING CASE: 6-8 strands Brown Krystal Flash, pulled over and divided
BEAD: Tungsten, Nickel, sized to hook
In have been using this pattern for about five years. It is particularly effective in the Eastern Sierras in the Spring. The original Buffalo Jump was ties on a TMC 100SPBL hook. This version uses a biot for the body and is tied on the new TMC 113 BLH Hook…

They might work…Jason Bordash Watercolor…

Materials UV2 BIOT BUFFALO JUMP…

UV2 BIOT BUFFALO JUMP(s)…

WINGED NYMPH (Black) Vasies/Variant…
HOOK: Umpqua (Hanak) C400BL, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black
TAIL: CDC #.35 Wood Duck, Nature’s Spirit
ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Black
RIB: Gutxrmann W251, Copper
WING: Marc Petitjean CDC Cream – 2 tips, opposed
THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel, Rusty Brown
BEAD: Faceted Slotted Tungsten Bead, Black, sized hook
Another Lucian Vasies inspired attractor jig. His site has a lot of interesting patterns, information and tying tips…

Materials WINGED NYMPH (Black)…

WINGED NYMPHs (Black)…

REUNION CADDIS PUPA (Attractor)…
HOOK: Umpqua JB01, #10- #14
WEIGHT: >010 Lead or >015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0 CH Gray, – Thorax forward
SHUCK: Midge Flash, Silver
ABDOMEN: Dyed Pearl Purple Flashabou – * Coat with Dave’s Flexament
OVER ABDOMEN: Swiss Straw, Dun
RIB: Gutxrmann Metallic Effect Thread W331, Black – * Coat with Dave’s Flexament for durability
REAR THORAX: Ice Dub UV Lavender
HACKE: Marc Petitjean CDC, White
COLLAR: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Gray
BEAD: Tungsten, Nickel, sized to hook
This attractor is tied on the Barr’s Pupa Emerger Hook from Umpqua. It is meant to be a heavy anchor fly in a two fly rig…

Materials REUNION CADDIS PUPA…

REUNION CADDIS PUPAE (Attractors)…

SPARKLE QUILL MACHINE – Wilcox/LGM Variant…
HOOK: TMC 113 BLH #10 – #14
WEIGHT: (Optional) .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAIL: Pheasant Tail, Olive
ABDOMEN: Veevus Body Quill, Olive
RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer, Metallic Lime Green #6032 – * Coat with Hard As Hull
WINGCASE: Krystal Flash, Black, 8-12 strands – * Coat with UV Resin
WINGLETS/GILLS: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, White
THORAX: Ice Dub, Peacock
BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten Bead, Metallic Olive, 1 size under
A variation on Vince Wilcox’s LGM. I have been using a bunch of Vince’s LGM’s, in the Eastern Sierras, for the past ten years. It is just a fish catching machine and I tie them in a bunch of different sizes and colors. The original is HERE…

Materials SPARKLE QUILL MACHINE…

SPARKLE QUILL MACHINE(s)….
Michael and I might be tossing some of the above in these two places…in the not too distant future…

East Walker River…

Willowemoc Creek…

So Ally says, after I treated her at the Deli, ” We need to go to Jo-ann’s Dad!” …And so, we did…

SULKY HOLOSHIMMER…

GÜTERMANN DEKOR THREAD…

DMC EMBROIDERY FLOSS…
Some materials that will be appearing in the patterns I am now working on…

ALLY’S PEARL YELLOW PERIL SH…
HOOK: TMC 113BLH, #10 – #12
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax Forward
TAIL: Woodchuck Fibers
ABDOMEN: Cascade Crest Micro Floss, Yellow
OVER ABDOMEN #1: Dyed Pearl Flashabou #6971, Yellow – * Coat with Dave’s Flexament
OVER ABDOMEN #2: Swiss Straw, Amber
RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer Cranberry #6055 – * Coat with Dave’s Flexament a second time
REAR THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel, Rusty Brown or Dark Brown
HACKLE: Hen, Yellow
COLLAR: Ice Dub, Peacock
BEAD: Tungsten, Gold, sized to hook
Another attractor pattern that appears to be a long, involved process…see SWISS N’ FLASH JIG – below…

Materials ALLY’S PEARL YELLOW PERIL SH…

ALLY’S PEARL YELLOW PERIL(s) Soft Hackles…

MOTHER’S DAY MUNCH (Caddis Pupa, Brachycentrus)…
HOOK: TMC 226 BL, #14 – #18
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward
ABDOMEN: Datum Glo-Brite Floss Fl. Chartreuse
RIB: UTC Wire, Gunmetal Blue, x-sm
WING: Marc Petitjean CDC, #5 White – * Two tips tied in opposed
THORAX: UV2 Dyed Peacock Eye, Black
This is one of my favorite patterns for the Spring Mother’s Day hatch on the Lower Owens River. The hook is the new, heavier version of the TMC 206BL When using floss, I always tie a base of white three beneath the the material – an old tip from those guys who tie with a ton of it when I got started…

Materials MOTHER’S DAY MUNCH (Caddis Pupa, Brachycentrus)…

MOTHER’S DAY MUNCHies…

Where the Mother’s Day Caddis gets hot and heavy around mid-March, on the Lower Owens River…

SEALED DEAL CADDIS PUPA (Olive) …
HOOK: Umpqua JB01, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Veevus 8/0, Chartreuse – Under Abdomen / Veevus 16/0, Brown – Thorax forward
ABDOMEN: Jay Fair Seal Dubbing, Medium Olive – * In a loop, brushed back wit a bore brush and cut with curved scissors
RIBBING: Veevus Iridescent Thread – Silver / Sulky Holoshimmer Opalescent 8040
WINGLETS: Sili LegsNymph, Fl. Chartreuse Barred
THORAX: Hare’s Ice Dubbing, Brown
HACKLE: Marc Petitjean CDC, #14 Dirty Yellow
BEAD: Tungsten, Nickel, sized to hook
A fuzzy, hot spotted Caddis Pupa Attractor. Jay Fair Seal Sub. has a lot of other uses than just for Bugger patterns…play with it

Materials SEALED DEAL CADDIS PUPA…

SEALED DEAL CADDIS PUPAE…

SWISS N’ FLASH JIG, (Olive) …
HOOK: Hanak 403 BLJ, #10 – #14
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: Danville 6/0 Brown
TAIL: Lemon Wood Duck
ABDOMEN: 2 strands Olive Dyed Pearl Flashabou 6969 – * Coat with Dave’s Flexament
OVER ABDOMEN: Thin strip Olive Swiss Straw
RIBBING: 1 strand Sulky Holoshimmer, Black 8051 / UTC Wire Hot Orange, SM – * Coat Abdomen again with Dave’s Flexament
THORAX: Micro Polar Chenille, UV Olive Brown
BEAD: Faceted Slotted Tungsten Bead, sized to hook
Tying this pattern, using two coats of Dave’s Flexament, may seem like a laborious process. Trust me, it pays off when these are plunked in the water. The coatings secure the materials to the hook shank and provide a subtle effect to the material beneath the Swiss Straw. The second coat may also use a thin coat of UV resin.

Materials SWISS N’ FLASH JIG (Olive)…

SWISS N’ FLASH JIG(s) …

QUILLER NYMPH – Stephenson/Variant…
HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #12 – #16
WEIGHT: .010 Lead or .015 Lead Sub.
THREAD: UTC Fl. White, 70 Denier – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAG: UTC Fl. Fire Orange, 70 Denier – * Coat with Hard As Hull
TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled
ABDOMEN: Veevus Body Quill ( 2 strands) Lt. Olive * Coat with Hard As Hull for durability
REAR THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Hot Orange
FRONT THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing, Brown
BEAD: Black Tungsten, sized to hook
This is a variation on a Hans Stephenson Jig pattern using the new TMC 113 BLH Hook. Slender and meant to drop like a rock. I prefer using white thread under the body quill to bring out the true color of the material. I will be using more of this product; coating, in some cases, with UV resin…

Materials QUILLER NYMPH…

QUILLER NYMPHS, #12 & #16…
Next: Some Caddis patterns by Gary La Fontaine that are updated…a bit
PT/TB
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