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FLY OF THE WEEK Crane Fly As noted in Recent News and Happenings, the Crane fly is not to be overlooked! The spindly, awkward bug is a favorite food of trout. I was fishing late into the evening on the Yellow Breeches recently and the trout were up. I pitches several fly patterns that I thought should work with no positive results. I felt something on my forearm and picked the critter off and looked at it in the fading light. It was the adaptable Crane fly in the egg-laying phase. I tied on a CIA type Crane fly and my evening turned to fly-fishing bliss!! Fish after fish came up to the pattern and I thought, good thing I rolled my shirtsleeves up or I might not have noticed the discreet Crane fly that was the featured food item on the trout's menu that evening.
TYING
INSTRUCTIONS:
The Creek Muddler I tie a limited number of streamer patterns for trout fishing. Years ago I tied about a dozen streamer patterns and at one time or the other I caught a few fish. I prefer streamer fishing in the late winter, early spring seasons. Fish are "eager strikers" at that time and stripping line with a hefty minnow type meal attached is usually received with a line stopping, rod rebelling jolt. Several streams that I fish at this time of year with streamers are the Yellow Breeches, Conewago Creek, Yellow Creek, East Licking Creek and Black Moshannon Creek. The Creek Muddler has been my fly of choice because Brown, Brook and Rainbow trout attack it. My next experiment, in a week or two, will be the Creek Muddler on Lake Erie Tributaries for the mighty Steelheads. Oh, did I mention the Creek Muddler is a simple streamer to tie? Recipe: GENERAL
TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
Bead-Head Pheasant Tail Nymph As noted in Recent News and Happenings, the BHPT nymph works wonders on a multitude of trout streams in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and elsewhere in many other states known for trout destination fishing. There are times when I think this little beauty should be known as the Miracle Nymph!! Recipe: GENERAL
TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
The common names of the flies shown on the plate are as follows from the 12:00 o'clock position clockwise. Wonder Nymph PMD, Caddis Emergers, Foam Post LBWO Emerger, LBWO Goose Biot Nymph, Bead Head Olive Emerger, San Juan Brown and Red Worms, Illegal Nymphs, Pink Sow Bug, Ray Charles (2), Flying Ants, Orange Scud, Ray Charles, Trico, Trico Cluster, Flying Ants, Dirty Scud, Pink B.H. Sow Bug and Trico Spinner. If
you should have questions on how to tie any of the shown flies, stay
tuned for the date that Scott Douglas will appear at the Yellow Breeches
Outfitters to demonstrate his tying skills. He would be happy to tie
any one of the flies shown.
The Royce Bugger Royce Terrell and I were fishing the Yellow Breeches between the Christmas and New Years holidays. Royce had success with a Wooly Bugger that he ties and fishes exclusively for trout in the Yellow Breeches and Steelhead in his Erie area tributaries from Elk Creek to Twenty Mile Creek. A few days after Royce left, a friend of mine who was fishing upstream of Royce asked me who he was because of the large fish Royce caught in the Yellow Breeches. I told my friend, Joe, that Royce was a guide from the Erie area and that he has unlimited confidence in a wooly bugger he ties. Joe asked me to describe the wooly bugger and I did so. I also told Joe that I would post Royce's wooly bugger as the Fly of the Week. And so Joe, here it is. Recipe: GENERAL
TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
Pink Ice Attractor The Recent News and Happenings link details how the Pink Ice Attractor fly can be used successfully while steelhead fishing. However, this fly works equally well on the Yellow Breeches in the winter and probably will work as well on other trout streams. I have not had the opportunity to use the fly during other seasons of the year but will try it in 2008. Recipe:
1) Pinch the barb before securing the hook in the vise jaws. Occasionally, the hook will break when pinching the barb so it is better to have that happen prior to spending time tying the fly. 2) Secure the hook in the vise and attach the thread behind the eye and wind back to the bend of hook. Repeat twice to build a substantial pink colored hook shank. 3) Tie in a section of Pink Micro Ice Chenille at the bend of the hook and wind forward to the eye of the hook. 4) Build a small head and whip or half hitch finish.
Late Season Cricket The crickets observed along the stream in late September and into October are usually large in size. Depending on weather conditions, crickets can be an important offering while fishing not only for trout in our favorite streams but also for steelhead in Lake Erie area tributaries. NOTE: the cricket pictured is a trout's view of the fly. Recipe: GENERAL
TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
Dun Trico Most fly fishers only think of tying and fishing the male and female spinner phase of the Trico hatch. For years, I neglected the dun phase because fishing to the spinner phase yielded moderate returns. The occasional voids during the morning Trico activity was justified with casting practice and the hope that the next cast would result in a hookup. I must admit the voids did improve casting accuracy. During the early season appearance of the Tricos, the duns do not appear to be evident on the water in the morning. That changes in late September and early October with dun activity evident on the water in conjunction with female spinner activity. Thus the resurrection of the hackled dun is now part of my late season Trico fly patterns and I am achieving maximum fishing time effectiveness. Recipe:
1) Pinch the barb before securing the hook in the vise jaws.
Slate Drake The West Branch of the Ausable River and the West Canada Creek, both in New York, recently provided some interesting Slate Drake fishing for Ken Okorn and me. Our wives were occupied with walking, shopping, and good conversation. They displayed a tolerant attitude toward our week of fishing. Ken had tied several parachute Slate Drakes for the trip and, true to form, the repeat generation of Isonychia, often referred to as Slate Drakes, made their September appearance. I have fished to the Slate Drakes that appeared on several of our PA trout streams in late May and early June but had forgotten about the reappearance of the bugs in September. Ken saved the day by having tied extra Slate Drakes for the New York trip. This is another benefit of having an experienced fly fisher friend on fishing trips that require traveling hundreds of miles from home. Some how we always manage to forget to pack all that we need on such trips and having a savvy friend along is very beneficial. This is a good time for Slate Drakes, not only in New York, but also in PA, so tie up a few and look for the size 12 or 14 bugs on your favorite stream from about noon to late evening.Recipe: Hook: Mustad 94831, Sizes 12-14 Thread: Gray, 6/0 Tail: Dark Dun Body: Dark Gray Muskrat Post or Wing: White Antron Hackle: Grizzly, tied parachute style (wound horizontally around base of post or wing). GENERAL TYING INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Pinch the barb before securing the hook in the vise jaws. Secure the hook in the vise and attach the tying thread behind the eye. Lay down a layer of thread and attach the tail.
Purple Pearl Midge Emerger
I
went right out the next day (Saturday) and found the Purple Pearl Flashabou
and hooks I needed to tie those awesome little Midges. I tied two types,
one with a bead with no wings and one without a bead with wings. That
Sunday I was on the water by sunrise, caught two right off the bat.
Funny thing, both fish had dry flies in their mouths. Lucky me! I stopped
midging because there were so many fish rising around me. I saw only
one angler who was catching fish and I was struggling with the dry flies.
So I went back to my trusty midges. I noticed a Palomino about 20 feet
in front of me so I gave it a cast up stream and wound up hooking up
a BIG brown instead, which immediately broke off. My heart was pounding.
I re-rigged, same spot, hooked up with a HUGH rainbow that went air
borne about 2 feet in the air. And when it came down the splash captured
every fisherman's attention on the stream. Broke that one off too. Heart
pounding even harder, re-rigged again. Same spot, only using a single
midge, hooked another brown. This time I landed the 20"+ brown!
Too much excitement in one day for me, so I reeled in my line and went
home. I AM A MIDGE BELIVER. Thanks for showing me the light! Recipe:
Ugly Bugger The first morning of the 2007 Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp held at Allenberry Resort Inn on the Yellow Breeches got off to a good start with a swarm of size 20 winged black ants on the water at first light. The ensuing mornings that week offered fly selection challenges to the students, but none of the mornings were as positive as the last morning on Friday. The previous evening I had tied four Wooly Buggers and, on Friday morning at first light, I gave the Buggers to the first four students that arrived at the stream. The students have approximately one hour and forty-five minutes to fish in the morning before heading to breakfast. Grant caught seven good sized trout and Chris caught a thick nineteen inch brown trout. All too soon the claxon sounded alerting the students it was time for breakfast. As we left the water the buzz was about the Wooly Bugger and it's unusual size and shape. I said it certainly looked ugly compared to other Wooly Buggers. As a result of my comment, we agreed to call it the Ugly Bugger. The camp held graduation exercises early Friday afternoon and the students were reunited with their family members and departed. Several days later I received an email from Grant highlighting the success he had with the Ugly Bugger on streams in his area and asked if I would post the Ugly Bugger as the Fly of the Week on my website. He wanted to tie a supply of Ugly Buggers for future use. Well Grant, here it is, as you requested so tie up a bunch and GOOD LUCK! Recipe: GENERAL TYING INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Pinch the barb of the hook, if it has one, before securing the hook in the vise jaws.
CIA GREEN DRAKE During the Green Drake season this year we were fortunate to be on Yellow Creek two days during the third full week of May and, during the last week of May, to be on Pine Creek at Slate Run for two days. The Green Drake fishing on both waterways was impressive! Penns Creek and a few other streams that offer fine Green Drake hatches were not on the fishing radar screen because of guiding commitments. The
Green Drakes on Yellow Creek and Penns Creek are larger than the Green
Drakes on Pine Creek, so it is necessary to tie patterns according to
the size of the Green Drake a particular stream offers up. Fishing large
size Green Drakes on Pine Creek will leave you frustrated. Remember
the statement I use often when writing updates and other correspondence
..KEEP
A TIGHT LINE and A SHARP MIND! I might also add "a sharp eye"
GENERAL TYING INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Pinch the barb before securing the hook in the vise jaws. Secure the hook in the vise and attach the tying thread behind the eye. Lay down a layer of thread to the curve of the hook.
2) Tie in one each dark dun and ginger hackle tips for the tail. Tie in a four- inch piece of Kevlar thread. Tie in one ginger hackle by the tip. On size 12 and 10 hooks, the barbules should be about 3/8 inch in length. Finally tie in the piece of medium olive polypropylene. Return the tying thread to near the eye of hook and tie in one each large dark dun and ginger hackles. On size 12 or 10 hooks, the barbules should be about 3/4 to 7/8 inches in length.
3) Wrap the polypropylene forward and tie off at the eye. Wind the tying thread to behind the large hackles and then spiral the Kevlar thread forward to form the rib. Tie off the Kevlar thread behind the large hackles. Next spiral the smaller ginger hackle forward and tie off behind the larger hackles.
4) Move the tying thread to behind the hook eye. Spiral the dark dun hackle forward and tie off. Repeat the process with the ginger hackle. The spiraled hackles should form a dense thorax. No need for a wing on this fly and best of all, it will float well! An application of a permanent waterproofing liquid is optional.
5) Now is the time to half hitch and cut the tying thread!
Caddis Wet Fly
Recipe:
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