UP TO THE SIERRA WITH NADIA and MILES…

I have been somewhat remiss in putting up posts. Life has a way of taking over. I completed a miniPCNL surgery in June, 2022 to remove all remaining kidney stones and fragments. The Doctors tell me it was successful and now it’s question of preventing the formation of new stones – given that my Ostomy is a creator of the same. Got slammed by COVID  early in January, spending four days in the hospital and a visit with Ally to the emergency room a week later for COVID / COPD related breathing problems…Got all my vaccinations and  boosters so I am still above ground and sucking in air… it would not have been so pleasant had I not done that. The anti-vax crowd can take Elmo’s rocket to Mars or just drop dead…Three members of my Senior Georgia Military Academy class are gone due to COVID. One was a best, lifelong friend who refused to get vaccinated and had become a devoted cult member … SMDH

So I have all these pictures to put up and I will start HERE:

Departing Los Angeles for Bridgeport, CA with my oldest daughter Nadia and my Grandson Miles…

The remains of the Homestead, where Hwy. 14 turns into Hwy. 395…burned to the ground in April 2022…a lot of great meals were served there to my family from the 60’s on…

The remains…

Approaching Red Hill above Little Lake…Owens Valley ahead…

…another casualty …the Ranch House in Olancha, CA…

Owens Lake in need of water…

…somewhere down there, on the road to Owens Lake, out in the sand and sagebrush, lies a wedding ring that my Mother tossed after an argument with my Father around 1953…

The Winnedumah Hotel in Independence, CA…a bit of roadside history…

…walked a lot of miles in the sand and alkali dust over there on the right with my Dad, Twin Brother and kids…

Ally likes this BBQ joint in Big Pine, CA…

A family favorite in Bishop, CA...Schat’s Bakery…

Crowley Lake…Mammoth Lakes ahead…

Gotta’ stop here for a few essentials...Troutfitter

Mono Lake, CA where the seagulls breed and brine shrimp live…

Coming down the grade towards Bridgeport, CA…

Virginia Creek Settlement source of most excellent pizza and other good eats…

I have not been here since October 2017 so it’s treat time for the guys… Bridgeport Inn

The only place I will order meat loaf with mashed potatoes…Yummy

The Usual Virgin Bloody Mary…

Miles is so easy to feed …chicken nuggets and fries…

The Old Guy is pleased…

…an early evening trip down to the East Walker River…

..warm, dirty water with lots of algae and biting bugs…

Miles at the pipe…on the East Walker River…

Very little water in Bridgeport Reservoir…

Just a pretty sunset looking up towards Twin Lakes…

Early morning sunrise from the Walker River Lodge…

Heading up to Little Virginia lake for some coffee and bacon with Carolyn Webb…

That guy can’t wait to wet a line…

The catch board…

Time to rent the boat…

…so I let Miles row…

Not bad Miles !!!…First time Miles has fished since 2017…

OK…the Old Guy…

We quit around noon and decided to head up tp Green Creek. I haven’t been up there in quite a few years…

Nice pull in spot…there’s water…a biting bugs …

The fenced meadow…

Wet wader, scaring the Brookies…

We decided to have dinner at the Virginia Creek Settlement… no pizza this time…

I haven’t had this since I was about seven years old…

Taking a look at the menu…

Went with the fettuccine alfredo with chicken…

Burger Boy…

Salad Mom…

So…they raise Trout at the settlement that are planted in Green Creek. Miles go a bag of pellets to feed the guys…

He really enjoyed this…

…a quick run up to Twin Lakes to see what was going on….

...the dude ranch where Miles wants to stay on his next visit…

Last day of fishing…back up to Little Virginia Lake…

Miles can’t wait, so while we eat, he does the fly and bubble from shore…

There he goes…rigging up…

He caught one while waiting for us to finish eating…

…was a bit slower than the previous day…

There…pure joy !!!

All the Trout we caught were released to make someone else have a good day…

WE again quit around noon and drove to Leavitt Meadows for Miles’ and Nadias’ trail ride…

…geared up…

Trail riders…

While those guys went off into the hinterlands, I went down to the West Walker River to peek at the flows…

Very low and warm…

Miles the dog whisperer…

…next on the agenda was a soaking at Travertine Hot Springs…

Miles is an alien…

One more go-round at The Bridgeport Inn…

Garden salad…

Prime rib, Mashed potatoes and real horseradish…

Back to LA…

…but not before a stop at Schat’s in Bishop…

…YIKES !!!

Guys got the goods and some lunch stuff…

Wanted to give Miles one last chance at a Trout, so we stopped at the George’s Creek Sand Trap above Lone Pine…no moving water, algae and muck…

Really disappointing…

When one knows they have left the Owens Valley…Red Hill headed South…

 

These are the soft hackle patterns that I tied for this trip and for Cairo’s trip up to the Sierra…

 

NEXT: Cairo in the Eastern Sierra…

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

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GOING SOFT FOR FALL …Completed

So I got this BOX… and decided to fill it with soft hackle fly patterns for our trip to Montana ( me & Michael).None of these patterns were tied with lead so that they would be legal to use on Yellowstone National Park waters. I finished the box just before going up to the Sierras with my family and with the express purpose of getting my Grandson Miles into his first Trout. He was enamored with this fly box and got me to let him use a couple of flies herein. Good move on his part, one of the below fly patterns just wiped ’em out… 🙂

Sierra Brookie…(8,23.2017)

Hoover Wilderness….

Michael says bring MORE soft hackles… :)…8.23.2017

COMPLETED FALL SOFT HACKLE BOX…

RICHARD WHEATLEY 6″ BLACK BOX…

Somebody was on Willowemoc Creek on July 29 – 30… 🙂

Something to get flies down quick that is not lead (suggested for 4x leaders and larger)…Lead is a big No-No in YNP, in flies or on leaders and tippets…

This batch is just about ready to go into the box…

INTERIOR…

Many of the patterns going inside will be hackled with THIS:

…and THIS, because Fall is a great time to swing soft hackle fly patterns in the waters in and around Yellowstone National Park…Everything in this box will be soft hackle patterns…Starting with this:

MICRO FLOSS IN LIGHT OLIVE SH…

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

ABDOMEN: Micro Floss, Light Olive – Cascade Crest

RIB: Ultra Wire, Olive, x-sm

THORAX: Ice Dub, UV Light Olive

HACKLE: Grizzly Hen Neck, Olive – Wapsi

Just a tiny Olive soft hackle to match tiny Olive bugs in the drift…

Materials MICRO FLOSS IN LIGHT OLIVE SH…

MICRO FLOSS IN LIGHT OLIVE SHs…#16’s…

YELLOW SOFTIE..

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 -#14

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Ice Dub, Fl. Yellow

RIB: Ultra Wire, Brown, SM

THORAX: Hare’s Ear Plus, #2. Dark Hare’s Ear

HACKE: Brown-ish Partridge

I purloined this pattern from Fly Fishing In Yellowstone National Park. It is reported that it works well on the Firehole. I’ll try it next time I go when the wind isn’t blowing sideways and it isn’t snowing…

Materials YELLOW SOFTIE…

YELLOW SOFTIEs…#14’s…

BARKER’S BAETIS – McGee

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Black thread

RIB: Fl. Chartreuse Veevus Body Quill over Ultra Wire Chartreuse, x-sm

HACKLE: Purple Starling

BEAD: Tungsten Nickel, sized to hook or oversized to drop faster

Allen McGee and I are the only people I have seen tie with the Dyed Purple Starling from White Fox Fur & Feather Co. This is his creation and I doubt it has anything to do with the Barker’s found on these posts….

Materials BARKER’S BAETIS…

BARKER’S BAETIS…#18’s…

BWO UV2 TRANSITION FLYMPH – McGee/Variant …

HOOK: Fulling Mill 35050, #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Zelon, Olive Brown

ABDOMEN: Polish Quill, Olive – * Coat with UV Resin

THORAX: UV2 BWO Dubbing

HACKLE: Dun Hen Neck – Metz #2

Small, generic Olive Mayfly imitation good in this size and smaller for Baetis/ BWO hatches

Materials BWO UV2 TRANSITION FLYMPH…

BWO UV2 TRANSITION FLYMPH…#18’s…

GOLD PROSPECTOR-McGee/Variant …

HOOK: TMC 3761, #12 – #16

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Gold – Underabdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax forward

TAIL: Grizzly Marabou, Tan

ABDOMEN: UTC Wire , Hot Yellow SM or Brassie

THORAX: Mink, Natural Tan 42. –Wapsi, combed off hide and chopped

HACKLE #1: Grizzly Marabou Tan, 1 turn

HACKLE #2: Grizzly Hen Neck, Brown – Wapsi

BEAD: Gold Tungsten, sized to hook – * I placed a tiny dubbed wrap of Mink behind the bead

I am on the Firehole River, it is snowing, I am freezing, I tie on one of these and cast it to the far bank quartering downstream. As the fly begins to rise, on it’s swing downstream – BAM!!!…and so it was…

On the Firehole…swinging soft hackles…

Materials GOLD PROSPECTOR…

GOLD PROSPECTORs…#12’s…

SHUCK EMERGER (Nectopsyche albida) McGee/Variant…

HOOK: TMC 102Y, #15

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Straight White Zelon

ABDOMEN: Fine  & Dry Dubbing, Creamy White

UNDERWING: Mallard Flank, Natural

OVERWING: Marc Petitjean Select CDC, White

HACKLE: Grizzly Hen Neck – Wapsi

Tis is an merger imitation of the famous “White Miller Caddis” that one sees in the late Spring and Fall on the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. We didn’t see many of these fellows skittering around over the surface of the water while we were there – it was snowing…

Materials SHUCK EMERGER (Nectopsyche albida)…

SHUCK EMERGERs (Nectopsyche albida)…#15’s…

MADISON DRIFTER…

HOOK:  McGee/Variant – TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD:Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown

TAIL: Strung Marabou23. Brown – Nature’s Spirit

ABDOMEN: Haretron Dubbing, Dark Brown

RIB: Holoshimmer, #6055, Cranberry

THORAX: Ice Dub, Chocolate Brown

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

HACKLE: Hungarian Partridge, dyed Brown

A mid-bead, generic soft hackle. Michael used this as a dropper on a two fly rig while fishing the Madison in YNP, in the snow….

Materials MADISON DRIFTER…

MADISON DRIFTERs…#14’s…

KINGFISHER PEACOCK SH…

HOOK: Alec Jackson Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black

ABDOMEN: Dyed Peacock, Kingfisher Blue – Spirit River (now Hareline)

RIB: Ultra Wire, Gold, SM or Brassie

HACKLE: Partridge

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. My Grandson Miles made me pull one of these out of the soft hackle box on our family trip up to the Eastern Sierras. I can’t even tell ya’ how many Trout we caught on this fly…it was  unbelievable…

Materials KINGFISHER PEACOCK SH…

KINGFISHER PEACOCK SHs…#13’s…

STRUNG RED & PINK SH…

HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #12 – #14

THREAD: UTC 70 denier, Black

TAG: Datum Glo-Brite #3. Red

ABDOMEN: Peacock Herl, strung Red – Wapsi

RIB: Ultra Wire, Fl. Pink, SM

HACKLE: Partridge

Another in the progression of Peacock and Partridge. I particularly like thee TMC 113 BLH hooks. The heavier version of the TMC 103 BL Hook…

Materials STRUNG RED & PINK SH…

STRUNG RED & PINK SHs…#12’s…

UV2 3P’s SH (Purple) …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #18

THREAD: Gordon Griffith 14/0 Sheer, Wine

ABDOMEN: Ringneck Pheasant, Dyed Purple

RIB: Holoshimmer Opalescent Metallic Thread

THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Purple – Spirit River (now Hareline)

HACKLE: Partridge

Something thin and in purple pheasant tail. Another good attractor for lakes and mining water…3 P’s being Pheasant, Peacock & Partridge

Materials UV2 3P’s SH (Purple)…

UV2 3P’s SHs (Purple)…#14’s…

CHARTREUSE TAG P & P SH …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #16

THREAD: UTC 70 denier, Black

TAG: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, #11

ABDOMEN: Strung Peacock Herl

RIB: Ultra Wire, Chartreuse, SM

HACKLE: Partridge

Another variation on the Peacock and Partridge theme using chartreuse floss for a tag. These kinds of soft hackles work very well on Montana Rivers. On some occasions, Tout will key in on the tag color so I tie a lot of them using silver, gold, red, chartreuse, blue, pink and copper wire as well as different colors of floss…just experiment…

Materials CHARTREUSE TAG P & P SH…

CHARTREUSE TAG P & P SHs – fourth aisle from the left – # 14’s…

DMC EMERGING BWO SH…

HOOK: TMC 100 SPBL, #18 – #20

THREAD: Benecchi 12/0, Olive

SHUCK: Gray spooled Antron

ABDOMEN: DMC Embroidery Floss # 640

THORAX: Hareline dubbing, Olive Brown #30.

HACKLE: Metz #3 Hen Neck, Dun

A small, emerging, BWO soft hackle to swing. Grey-is colors are predominate in some areas of the West so it it wise to have some of these in this color when one encounters them…

Materials DMC EMERGING BWO SH…

DMC 640 Floss…

DMC EMERGING BWO SHs…#18’s…

BLEACHED FALL FURNACE SH…

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Yellow

TAIL: Hungarian Partridge, Brown

ABDOMEN: Bleached PT Fibers – Nature’s Spirit

RIB: UTC Wire, SM, Rust

THORAX: UV2 Natural Peacock

HACKLE: Hen Neck, Furnace – Wapsi

A Pheasant Tail attractor, soft hackle. Like to use these in both moving and stillwater…

Materials BLEACHED FALL FURNACE SH…

BLEACHED FALL FURNACE SHs…#14’s…

AMBER TRILOBAL SH …

HOOK: Alec Jackson Covert Nymph Hook, #13 – #15

THREAD: Danville 6/0, Hot Orange

TAG: Working thread

ABDOMEN: Nature’s Spirit Emergence Dubbing, 70. Amber – use a sparse dubbing loop, brush out and trim

HACKLE: Hen Neck, Ginger – Wapsi

An attractor style caddis-y soft hackle which, when done sparsely, allows the tying thread to stand out under the dubbed abdomen…I like this for Fall and Spring Trout fishing…

Materials AMBER TRILOBAL SH…

AMBER TRILOBAL SHs…#13’s…

UV2 DATUM #3 COACHMAN SH …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black

TAILS: Stripped Goose Biots, Brown

ABDOMEN: 2 separate wrapping of peacock herl

MID-SECTION: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, #3 Red

HACKLE: Grizzly Hen Neck, Brown – Wapsi

A simple Coachman type attractor, soft hackle. A time tested format that works just about anywhere Trout dwell…

Materials UV2 DATUM #3 COACHMAN SH…

UV2 DATUM #3 COACHMAN SHs…#12 & #14…

SMOLT N’ STEEL SH …

HOOK: TMC 113 BLH, #12 – #14

THREAD: Abdomen – Gordon Griffiths 14/0 Sheer, Black / Head – Gordon Griffiths 14/0 Sheer, Red

ABDOMEN: Veevus Iridescent Thread,  Smolt Blue

RIB: Ultra Wire, Blue, SM

THORAX: Ice Dub Blue Steelie

HACKLE: Natural Grizzly Hen Neck – Wapsi

Another “off-the-wall” blue attractor, soft hackle fly pattern. I like to employ these guys where I am quite confident that the fish have never seen anything  quite like them before…the results are usually very positive…

 

Materials SMOLT N’ STEEL SH…

SMOLT N’ STEEL SHs…#12’s…

DIVER SH  (B. americanus) …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #16 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

EGG SAC: Nature’s Spirit Emergence Dubbing, 20. Caddis Green

ABDOMEN: Buggy Nymph Dubbing, Brownish/Olive – Metz

WING: Hi-Vis Antron, White

HACKLE: brownish Partridge

This pattern is to match the Fall Grannom which appears her in the West. Major hatches occur in September and October in the Eastern Sierras and in Montana as well. This is the female diving version which may be fished deep and swung…

Materials DIVER SH  (B. americanus)…

DIVER SHs  (B. americanus)…#16’s…

GOLD TAG P & P SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, # 12 – #18

THREAD: Gordon Griffiths 14/0 Sheer, Red

TAG: UTC Gold Wire, Sm or x-sm

ABDOMEN: UV2 Peacock, Natural

RIB: UTC Gold Wire, SM or x-sm

HACKLE: Partridge

A simple Peacock and Partridge Soft Hackle with a gold tag. I have used these around Varney Bridge on the Madison River in September and they have been very effective…

Materials GOLD TAG P & P SOFT HACKLE

GOLD TAG P & P SOFT HACKLEs…#16’s…

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SH …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18, TMC 5262, #12 – #18

THREAD: Ultra 70 Denier, Purple

RIB: Lagartun Silver wire, Fine or X-Fine

ABDOMEN: Purple Iridescent Peacock Herl – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

This is one of the most useful fly patterns I have used for high elevation, stillwater Trout over the last five years. I wanted to have an ample supply for my grandson Miles and Michael to use up in the Sierras…

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES – TMC 5262, # 16’s…

Materials PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES

 

NEXT:  MONTANA/BRIDGEPORT Trip

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

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SOFT HACKLES…STILL WATER…(DONE)

These are some patterns that we use up on high elevation lakes in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. I put together some simple little soft hackle ties that work extraordinarily well for me and my guys. I generally use these  fly patterns in sizes #12 – #18 and vary the retrieve based on what the Trout are liking at any given time…I also used some other patterns that I have wanted to try out on this trip, in a lake. Those will be included in my next post . The largest fish I took, on this trip was 4lbs.(end of post). I won’t go into numbers, but I caught more fish in a day and a half of fishing than I have EVER caught on Little Virginia Lake…

Little Virginia Lake, Bridgeport, CA…

…and they all got tested out this weekend (Aug. 1-3)…

 

BOX…done…

PHEASANT TAIL & PARTRIDGE / PEACOCK HERL & PARTRIDGE…TMC 5262, #12-#18/Daiichi 1560, #12-#18…

Materials PHEASANT TAIL & PARTRIDGE…

PT’s & PARTRIDGE  Soft Hackle – Natural… 

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold or Copper, SM or xsm

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Natural

Hackle: Partridge

These are one of the soft hackle patterns, including the one next to it, that have probably taken more Trout – world wide – than any other soft hackle patterns. I never have enough and #16 was what worked on this trip up to Bridgeport…

Materials PEACOCK HERL & PARTRIDGE…

PEACOCK HERL & PRATRIDGE(s) SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Peacock Herl, 4-2 fibers, twisted around thread for durability

RIB: *Optional. Gold, Copper or Red wire , SM or x-sm

Hackle: Partridge

These are a required soft hackle pattern for anyone’s boxes. They just plain work…EVERYWHERE..#12 was the ticket for this trip to Little Virginia…

Michael and Aimee on Little Virginia Lake…she’s using a PT & Partridge…

ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #16

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Black

RIB: Ultra wire, Hot Orange, SM

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Brown

THORAX: Peacock Herl, Strung Red, 4-2 fibers twisted around working thread for durability

This is another pattern that there was not enough time to use in it’s intended destination – Red Lake…I give this a shot next time…

Materials ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL..

ALLY’S RED LAKE SPECIAL SOFT HACKLE(s)…

PEACOCK RAINBOW SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #16

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0,Black

ABDOMEN: Midge Diamond Braid, Peacock

THORAX: Multihued Rainbow Brass Bead, Sized to hook

HACKLE: Partridge

I put this pattern together with Trumbull Lake, in the AM, specifically in mind…never got over there so the testing on this fly will have to wait…

Materials PEACOCK RAINBOW SOFT HACKLE…

Over the PEACOCK RAINBOWS…

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SH …

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Ultra 70 Denier, Purple

RIB: Lagartun Silver wire, Fine or X-Fine

ABDOMEN: Purple Iridescent Peacock Herl – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

This was the first pattern I tried out starting around 1:00PM on Friday afternoon…Yeah it worked, in #12 –  consistently.. .but I had more flies to test…

Materials PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SH…

PURPLE PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLE(s)…

Ally…early in the morning at RED LAKE…

RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 – #18

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

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Midge Diamond Braid, Rust

THORAX: Orange Iridescent Peacock – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

I took some nice (12″-16″) Rainbows on the fly early in the AM on Saturday morning then, the bite just turned off on these guys. I was using a hand twist retrieve with them…

 

Materials RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE…

RUSTY ORANGE SOFT HACKLE(s)….

HARE’S ICE DUB (Hare’s Ear) DAZZLE BEAD & PARTRIDGE SH …

HOOK: Alec Jackson Phantom Covert Nymph Hook, #11 – #15

THREAD: Tiemco or Veevus 16/0, Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Copper Brown, SM

ABDOMEN: Hare’s Ice Dub, Hare’s Ear

THORAX: Dazzle Bead Metallic Pheasant Tail, sized to hook

Hackle: Partridge

I took a few Rainbows on this pattern. It occurred to me…later,  that for lakes, using Peacock Hare’s Ice Dubbing might make a better choice…Oh well…

Materials HARE’S ICE DUB (Hare’s Ear) DAZZLE BEAD & PARTRIDGE…

A BATCH OF THE ABOVE…

RED PEACOCK & HEN SH…

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Red

RIB: Ultra wire, Metallic Blue, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Peacock. Iridescent Red – Spirit River

HACKLE: Hen Neck, Furnace

I was really looking forward to trying these out after the sun had set behind the mountain and the lake goes calm with a mirror surface. Unfortunately, I had to have the boat back in by 7:00PM and it wasn’t going to happen on this trip..maybe later when it sets sooner…

Not DARK enough…

 

 

 

Materials RED PEACOCK & HEN…

RED PEACOCK & HEN SOFT HACKLES…

Ally… goofing off on Little Virginia Lake…

YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #14 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill

RIB: Ultra wire, Gold, Sm or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Yellow

THORAX: Hi-Lite Glass Bead, Quicksilver, SM or x-sm

Hackle: Bleached Ginger Starling

I used these in the morning, on the second day, fishing over the weed beds on Little Virginia…Oh Boy! I haven’t caught so many Brookies in years, along with a bunch of Rainbows. I was stripping them moderately fast with some added rod twitches…

Materials YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE…

YELLOW PT/QSB/STARLING SOFT HACKLE(s)…

Little Virginia Lake…way up there…

BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE – 

HOOK: Alec Jackson Phantom Covert Nymph Hook, #11 -#17

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

RIB: Ultra wire, Copper Brown, SM

ABDOMEN: Peacock, Iridescent Brown,- Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

These guys took a number of Rainbows, stripped FAST, in 6″ bursts, in the late afternoons of both days…

Materials BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE…

BROWN PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES…

OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE …

HOOK: TMC 5262, #12 -#18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

RIB: Ultra wire, Chartreuse, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Olive Pheasant Tail fibers

HACKLE: Olive Partridge – Hareline

This pattern worked well for me on the trip, fished near and over weed beds and stripped at a moderate speed, on an intermediate line with a 12′ leader and tippet…

Materials OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE…

OLIVE PHEASANT & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLES…

Pop and his rower…on Little Virginia Lake…

BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE …

Add Contact FormHOOK: Daiichi 1560, #12 – #18

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

RIB: Ultra wire, Silver, SM or x-sm

ABDOMEN: Peacock, Iridescent Black – Spirit River

HACKLE: Partridge

An alternative to the standard Peacock and Partridge, fish it in lakes with a hand twist retrieve or stripped. The Trout will let one know the speed at which they prefer the pattern stripped…

Materials BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE…

BLACK PEACOCK & PARTRIDGE SOFT HACKLE(s)…

 

Nah, they don’t work AT ALL…

Ally at Trumbull Lake, with Michael, expressing her opinion on Dad’s Trout…

 This one Ally took home…to eat…

 

NEXT: ME, ALLY & HERO – lakin’ it…

 

PT/TB   

 

 

 

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COW DUNG Variant SH – TUTORIAL…

I first saw this pattern a number of years ago in Southwest Fly Fishing Magazine. It is by Colorado tier Eric Pettine and the fly reminded me of some off-the-wall soft hackle that I had tied up for the water pictured below, quite some time ago…that one, employed partridge for the hackle, a copper bead behind it, light olive thorax, rusty brown abdomen with a copper brown, wire rib. It was the only pattern that consistently took fish when the water in here was raging, from bank to bank. There was no “getting out” in those flows; I was restricted to working the bank on the side of the river I had parked on. That above fly accounted for a lot of Rainbows and one Brown that LDR’d me…it may have been over six lbs.

The Stillwater River, MT. in early July with high run off, making crossing impossible…

THE COW DUNG VARIANT:

HOOK: THC 2488, #12-#16

THREAD: Abdomen, Wapsi Ultra, Olive 70 Denier / In front of bead, Tiemco 16/0, Olive

RIB: Small or X-SM Wapsi wire, Red with pearl midge flash wrapped around wire 14-18 times (my variation)…*coat with SHAN, Flexament or Aquaflex

THORAX: Peacock SLF Prism

BEAD: Black Tung. or Brass, sized to hook, with lead or lead sub. wraps

HACKLE: India Hen Back, Brown or Black

The variations on this simple pattern are limitless…abdomen, wire, KF or Midge Flash, thorax and hackle…pick “what floats thy boat…”

1. Place bead on hook, small opening forward…

2. 4 turns of lead or lead sub. and break off ends or use nail clippers…

3. Attach Ultra thread, wrap and snare wire end (behind bead), wrap towards bend a couple of turns and half hitch…

4. Tie in wire first, then midge flash, wrap back to deep in the bend of the hook…

5. Flatten the Olive Ultra thread by twisting it counter clockwise and bring it forward behind the bead – half hitch. Then, twist the midge flash over the wire clock wise 14-18 times and grasp in rubber tipped hackle pliers. Wrap wire and midge flash over the abdomen counter clock wise (towards tier) 5-6 turns…tie off at thorax point, clip wire and midge flash with nail clippers…

6. Better photo of wire and midge flash prior to wrapping…

7. Coat abdomen with “Hard as Nails”, Flexament or Aquaflex…This is for durability from Trout teeth and a dash of translucence…

8. Let the coating product FULLY DRY…

9. Wet the thread with saliva (yummy) and add a THIN portion of Peacock SLF Prism…half hitch thread and add whip finish, 3-4 turns…push bead against dubbing…

10. Tie in Tiemco 16/0, Olive thread in front of bead then  tie in India Hen Neck feather…I use the whole feather, I do not strip it on one side and I tie it in by the butt where the barbules give better action…make 1 1/2 -2 wraps…

11. Stroke the feathers back after adding a half hitch…wet fingers if it helps – then whip finish holding the feathers to the rear with the left hand (if right handed)…

12. Coat the head with head cement…I like this stuff and push a needle through the eye of the hook while it dries…

COW DUNG VARIANT…tilted view…

COW DUNG VARIANT…side view…

The original Cow Dung was a wet fly pattern developed by Alfred Ronald. It has been around for a VERY long time…longer than “Dino DAD”

DINO DAD on the Stillwater River, Montana…

NEXT: A MIDGE then… Soft Hackle Stones

PT/TB

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SOFT HACKLES…

These are some Soft Hackle patterns I use. I have found that this pattern will consistently take Trout anytime and almost anywhere. In fact, I have seen it stated in print that this is the ONLY pattern that one might fish and the rest of all the other fly patterns can stay in their boxes. I believe that.

My first soft hackle box with some other characters thrown in…

It is possible to fish a Soft Hackle from the bottom of the water column to the top ( with a little dressing on the tippet for an assist). Dead drifted, swung, action imparted – all have worked for me…in rivers, lakes and streams…

BROWN (SILK) SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, #13-#17

THREAD: Persall’s Gossamer , Classic Chesnut, (PGT 032)

RIB: Largutan, x fine Gold

THORAX: Hare’s Ear # 1, (fur from the outer ear)

HACKLE: Partridge, (from the shoulder)

RED (SILK) SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, #13-#17

THREAD: Persall’s Gossamer, Scarlet (PGT 0011A)

THORAX: Hare’s Ear # 4 (upper face, below the ear)

RIB: Largutan, x fine Gold

HACKLE: Partridge ( from the shoulder)

GREEN (SILK) SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, #13-#17

THREAD: Persall’s Highlander Green, (PGT 018)

RIB: Largutan, x fine Gold

THORAX: Hare’s Ear #3, Mink – Mixed, ( HE from the crown)

HACKLE: Partridge (from the shoulder)

OLIVE STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16-#22

THREAD: Gordon Griffith, Sheer 14/0, Olive

RIB: Wapsi, Ultra Wire Xsm Chartreuse

ABDOMEN: UTC 70, Olive

THORAX: Mink

HACKLE: Starling (under side)

COPPER STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, # 13-#17

THREAD: Gordon Griffith, Sheer, 14/0 Black

ABDOMEN: Wapsi Ultra Wire X sm, Copper

THORAX: SLF Prism, Peacock

HACKLE: Starling

RED METALLIC STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, #13-#17

THREAD: Gordon Griffith, Sheer, 14/0 Black

ABDOMEN: Wapsi Ultra Wire, Red Metallic, Xsm

THORAX: Muskrat/Mink mixture

HACKLE: Starling

BLUE WIRE STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16-#22

THREAD: Gordon Griffith,Sheer, 14/0 Tan

ABDOMEN: Danville 6/0, #41 Tan

THORAX: Mink/ Sable mixture

HACKLE: Starling

BLACK/SILVER WIRE STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16-#22

THREAD: Gordon Griffith, Sheer 14/0 Black

ABDOMEN: UTC 70, Black

RIB: Largutan X fine, Silver

THORAX: Ice Dub, Black

HACKLE: Starling

CHARTREUSE WIRE STARLING SOFT HACKLE

HOOK: Alec Jackson, North Country, #13-#17

THREAD: Gordon Griffith Sheer, 14/0 Black

ABDOMEN: Wapsi, Chartreuse ,Xsm Wire

THORAX: Ice Dub, Peacock

HACKLE: Starling

This is one fly pattern where the imagination can run wild. The number of different feathers that may be used for the collar hackle is staggering. I could spend a lifetime and never collect them all…some tiers even use hair…anything that will bounce off the ball of the thorax and add motion…I LOVE ‘EM!!!

PT/TB

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