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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THE CAST…
CHARTREUSE THREAD MIDGE
Michael on the Lower Owens River in early January…
GRAY LILAC SHAN
TOP SECRET VARIATION
TIGRE MIDGE
Michael on the Stillwater River, MT near Buffalo Jump…
Corkin’ it…
PLANETTROUT: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying and LIFE
PlanetTrout 
