Fall 2009 Volume 2, No. 1 Practical & Artistic

27 Tying the Morris Invader or Opportunity Boatman In the Great Lakes region Gobies are on the menu and By Skip Morris should be in your fly box. By Greg Senyo & Patrick Robinson 27 Ritt’s Fighting Crayfish By Al Ritt

Triggers, Tiers and 27 The Esoxulator Emergence is a dynamic process in the life cycle By Steven C. Wascher stage of aquatic insects and requires equally dynamic imitations to fool wary trout. 27 Freehand Tying By Russ Forney By Al & Gretchen Beatty

27 Tying the Morris Tying The Dr Rockbottom Boatman Durable and deadly baitfish imitation with By Skip Morris several IFGA world records under it’s belt By Dr Rockwell Hammond 27 Tying the Morris Boatman A Fascination with Flies By Skip Morris The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. By Bob White Color, Spots and Stripes Advanced techniques for enhancing your deer hair bugs By Wayne Samson Modern intruders for west coast chrome A Life-like fly the steelhead want to kill. By Aaron Goodis

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine  Are you “PC?” No! No! We’re not talking about politically more than a year before he could make the investment in a correct! We’re talking about the method you use to attach better-quality vise, an old Thompson. He used this situation your vise to your tying table. Do you use a pedestal (P) or in the demonstration to talk with his audience about “mak- a C-clamp (C)? Quite frankly we use both depending on ing do with what you have” no matter what the situation the situation. If any of you have spent any time as a dem- may be. He survived the demonstration none the worse for onstration fly tier you already know that the tables in many his angst but always had a c-clamp AND a pedestal in his convention centers were not manufactured with a fly tying travel tying kit from that day forward. vise in mind, at least not one with a c-clamp as its anchor- Dealing with unexpected problems is something every ing mechanism. demonstration tier often must deal with. Another time Al Many years ago, Al learned about this problem the hard learned to tie standing up because the proper chairs to fit way. He showed up to demonstrate at a show and found the taller tables weren’t delivered until the show was well there was no way he could attach his vise to the table and into its first day. No, we’re not going to talk about sitting he didn’t have a pedestal base. He corrected the problem and standing at shows as our next topic. Instead we are when he got home that day however, at that time he was now refocusing you to our real topic, tying without the aid under-the-gun so to speak and ended up doing his dem- of a vise. onstration freehand – without a vise. Think about it for a minute. Like us, you’ve had to deal with He didn’t want the audience to see him in-a-panic so he unexpected problems when tying or . For example, chose an easy-to-tie as his first fly. He was when was the last time you had to make emergency, stream- only part way into the pattern when he was struck by the side repairs to a fly that was coming apart? Or used your realization that he really did have a lot of freehand skills nippers to trim a dry fly into an emerger because that is learned over the years; they had just grown a bit rusty over what the fish seemed to be keying on? These are examples time due a lack of use. of freehand fly tying, simple though they may be; they were There was a time as a young boy when his first “kit” vise completed under adverse (but important) conditions dictated had broken (fallen apart). He tied streamers commercially for by the demands of the moment.  Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 So just for arguments sake, let’s turn to a more controlled environment, our fly tying areas. Do any of you take the fly out of the vise to apply head cement? (Figure 1) We certainly do. Why? It is much easier to tip the head of the fly up slightly to keep the glue from clogging the hook eye. There isn’t a vise made that will allow us to place the hook in as many varied positions as our hands and fingers can accommodate. Let’s tie a simple Wooly Bugger and show you what we mean. “A Woolly Bugger! Are you kidding?” is probably running through your mind right now but bear with us. Our purpose here is NOT to show you how to tie one of the simplest flies in our bag of tricks, rather we will use it to illustrate several maneuvers you can use so you can abandon your vise and go freehand with your tying. Also, keep a close eye on us because we plan on slipping a few good tying tips into this article that will work equally well with or without a vise. Let’s start by pinching down the hook barb, slipping on We like to position the hook in our left hand with the point a bead then placing non-lead wire on the shank. And no, up to more easily see what we are doing to the barb. Set our first step is NOT putting the hook in the vise like most the pliers aside and slip a bead on the hook. Bring a roll of of our tying step-by-step illustrations advise. First we have non-lead wire into your “tying circumference.” Notice we a minor housekeeping item to help clarify these instruc- didn’t call it your “tying area” but instead used a different tions. They are written for a right-handed tier. Just switch word, “circumference.” Freehand tying eliminates the need them around to fit your needs, however, you will soon see for a tying table and in fact we like to sit in an easy chair there is much less delineation between right and left when and tie with a small, short-sided box in our laps to keep you move into freehand tying; in fact, try to do as many our materials in captivity. functions as possible with your left (non-tying) hand. You’ll be surprised how it helps the process and how quickly it becomes a habit. Also be sure to read each sentence in the step-by-step instructions very carefully. This type of tying instruction does not bode well for the tier who tends to look at the pictures in an article without reviewing the text in detail. Wooly Bugger Materials

Hook: Size 2 to 10, streamer style, pinched barb Bead head: Color and bead of choice (optional) Weight: Non-lead wire, wrapped, glued Thread: Color to match the body Grasp the loose end of the wire as it feeds off the spool Tail: Marabou (color of choice) in your right hand and place the tip of the lead between the Rib: Tying thread (or optional wire) left thumb and forefinger. Body: Chenille (color of choice) Hackle: Palmered feather over the body (color of choice)

Tying Note: You will notice there are only a few steps to complete this fly but multiple illustrations shown to complete each step. Remember, our purpose is to show you freehand maneuvers so you can take those learned here and use them on more complicated patterns. Now lean back in your easy chair with a hook in your hand and let’s tie a fly. Step 1: Pick up a hook and use a pair of pliers to pinch down the barb.

Grasp the hook AND the wire tip with the left hand and Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine  take as many wraps of wire as you want on the shank but be sure to leave room to tie off the fly behind the bead head.

Once there is enough wire on the shank trim off the excess.

Step 2: Lay the thread across the hook shank in front of the wire wraps, hold the thread in place with a left finger/ thumb pinch and anchor it there with several turns around the shank. Tighten both ends of the wire around the shank, apply a coat of head cement and place the hook in a rotating dryer to cure.

Crisscross wrap several times over the wire turns, then wind the thread to the back end of the shank (we like to use our left hand for this part of the step) and then forward to the start of the wire application. Place a half-hitch and leave the thread there in preparation for the next step.

 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Step 4: Pick up the hook with the left hand allowing the bobbin to temporarily swing in the breeze. Place the hook between the left thumb and second finger then grasp the marabou feather with the right hand and use a couple of the fingers from the left hand to stroke the fibers back in preparation to measure the tail. Which two fingers on the left hand you use is up to you.

Some tiers may want to lay the hook down to complete this part of the step; however, we suggest you learn how to do it with the hook in your hand. Measure the tail to the length you prefer on your buggers and tie it to the hook directly behind the lead-wrap application using several turns of thread.

Let’s lay the bobbin and hook down for now while we prepare our materials for the rest of the fly. Step 3: With the hook temporarily out of our hands it’s a good time to assemble the materials we’ll need to complete the fly. Select a six-inch segment of body chenille and set it aside for a moment to use in a future step. Pluck a hackle feather from the pelt (saddle or cape), remove the fuzzy material from the base of the stem and store it temporarily with the body materials. Secure a marabou feather and strip the short, fuzzy fibers from the base of the stem then store it with the other materials.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine  Notice we moved the hook back to the pinch between Did you use your left or right hand to place the half-hitch? the thumb and forefinger because we have more strength in OK, we know it’s easier doing it “the way you’ve always those fingers but some tiers will prefer to leave it between done it” but try doing it left-handed this time just for the fun the thumb and second finger and that’s just fine. Switch of it. Wrap the thread to the front of the hook and place a the hook to the right hand (holding it by the front end) and half hitch if you think it is necessary. now use the left to wrap the thread to the end of the shank Step 5: We’ve introduced you to tying right AND left- and back forward to the wire application. handed; we’ve even told you which finger on each hand to use to accomplish a task. We believe you are starting to get the idea so from this point forward we’ll stop telling you which fingers to use unless we are introducing a new technique; just find the fingers on your hands that work best for you; everyone’s strength and physical abilities are different. You’ll be surprised how quickly the “finger that should do the job” will “step up to the plate” so to speak. Our next task is to attach the body materials and besides doing it freehand, we’re going to suggest putting them on at the front of the hook rather than at the back. Why? Materials applied from that position will eventually produce a much more durable fly. Pick up the chenille and feather, arrange them so the chenille is on top of the feather and positioned in the right hand.

The marabou will have a tendency to twist on the hook so be certain to push it back on top so it doesn’t end up under the shank; you may want to do that after every turn of thread. DO NOT succumb to your desire to go back to using your left hand to hold the marabou/hook and plac- ing the thread wraps with your right hand while holding the bobbin like you normally would if you were using a vise. We are starting you down the path toward learning to use your left hand for something other than holding materials in place. This is an important step to master so spend time getting comfortable with it. Place a half-hitch then trim off the waste part of the marabou.

Pick up the hook/bobbin and position the body materials at the front of the hook behind the bead. Hold the materials AND the hook in the pinch of the left hand.

 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Now take several turns of thread (using the right hand on Let’s place a half-hitch so our partially completed fly the bobbin) to anchor the materials in place. doesn’t come apart.

Which hand are you going to use? We’re using our left. If you find it easier to attach the materials one at a time Also, have you noticed that the weight of the bobbin is all then please do so. Switch the hook to the right hand and you need to tighten the half-hitch? OK, we bet all of you hold it by the front of the shank while binding the materials are probably getting cramps in your fingers by now so let’s to the hook using the left. take a short break and get a snack or beverage. Step 6: It’s time to put our treat down and get back to work! Place the hook in the left hand and grasp the chenille AND the thread with the right. We like to hold the thread/ material in the pinch of the fingers and cradle the bobbin in the palm of the hand.

Yes, you could have continued binding the materials to the hook using the right hand but we want you to develop your left-hand skills. Trim off the waste materials, wrap to the end of the shank and back forward to the bead.

In so doing the thread is twisted around the chenille as each turn of the two is placed on the hook. The chenille is Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine  a really durable material so this maneuver isn’t as important hackle to the back of the hook and anchor it there with as it would be should the body material be something fragile several turns of thread; we’ll trim off the excess part of the like peacock herl. Wrap the chenille/thread to the back of feather in the last step. the hook then tie it off and trim away the waste end.

Palmer the thread forward over the body to form the rib; each turn binds the hackle to the hook because the feather/thread wraps crisscross over each other. It’s also a good idea to “wiggle” your thread hand while advancing it forward to keep from mashing down the hackle fibers.

Wind three turns of hackle around the hook directly behind the bead and STOP.

Step 7: Use a whip-finish tool to tie off the thread directly behind the bead head then trim the thread from the hook; if you know how to do a whip-finish by hand, give it a try.

Notice how we used the second finger of our left hand to keep the hackle from unwinding. Using one of your fin- gers (from either hand depending on the situation) to keep materials from loosing their position on the hook is one of the most important maneuvers you will learn in today’s lesson. It’s a critical function of freehand tying and a very useful one when using a vise as well. Now let’s palmer the 10 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 A drop of head cement will keep the whip-finish from Congratulations! You just tied your first freehand fly! That coming apart. Did you have trouble “capturing the thread” wasn’t so bad was it? We really enjoyed showing you the with the whip-finish tool? We thought you might; the little ropes but have to admit it’s been a long time since we finger of the left hand is really handy in keeping the thread did much freehand tying. Yes our freehand skills were a from “getting away from the tool” while mounting it to the bit rusty but quickly returned after tying a couple of flies. thread so you can apply the whip-finish. Don’t give up on this tying style after your first fly; if you push yourself to tie a dozen you’ll be surprise how easy the process becomes. On the other hand, we are in the business of selling vises, maybe we shouldn’t give you too much encouragement. Just kidding! One last thing before we close, that rusty orange colored tail on the bugger we shared with you wasn’t an accident. It is the second best color we’ve ever used for our per- sonal fishing with black being the most productive. It is particularly attractive to freshwater fish species that live in an environment populated by crayfish. We just thought you might like the tip.

Take care & Tight Lines – Al & Gretchen Beatty Boise, Idaho

Step 8: Trim off the waste end of the hackle at the back of the hook then place a drop of head cement to complete the fly.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 11 12 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Patrick Robinson Photo

Days on the water their eligible suitors lining up for the opportunity to fertilize are always special. their prize. I am always fascinated by spawning steelhead. Especially the days I love watching a hen building a redd or a buck staking forever intertwined in his claim. As I watched this day though, my mind slipped your memories and fly away to the game of swinging streamers for aggressive line. You know the kind? fish. I quickly decided where the most aggressive fish may They are the ones that be and how I could target them while leaving the spawners at a moment’s notice to their business. can be brought to the Having an intimate knowledge of the river, I quickly tar- big screen of your mind geted a seam on the edge of a nice slot. This would be the in colors only rivaled by perfect place for dropback hens or pre-spawn hogs to lay the latest HDTV. in wait. With my streamer box in hand, I perused the blaz- I have one of those ing pastels and strikingly beautiful speys in my box. For memories, as do most. As I recall, I’m standing on a familiar some reason on this day, my eye was captured not by the stretch of river. It’s mid-spring and the red hues of budding big and bright but by the drab grays and olives. I sorted trees are starting to give way to the leaves bursting from through the olives and came to a large sculpin pattern that within. Wildflowers of every shape and size are springing I had tied just days before. It was a sexy kind of fly and was forth from the forest floor and the smell of spring rains is sure to be the ticket…at least to my mind’s eye. I quickly on the breeze. tied the sculpin on a short yet stout leader and positioned I have been on this stretch of Steelhead Alley before, myself to swing. but this day is different. As I stand by the side of the river, I grabbed the fly, prepped it with the care of a mother the song of a cardinal rings through the woods. If I listen sending her child off to school, and then sent it on its mis- carefully, I can hear the thrashing of distant fish vying for sion. With a beautiful two hand rod and a big fly on the end positions on the redds. The seasons are changing, the of my line, I executed a double spey and began the swing. water looks great, and there are fish throughout…it’s almost It was a little up stream from where I wanted to be, but in utopia, and fortunately for me, I am on the water. a couple of casts it would be on the money. On that special day, I had been fishing the usual nymphing The swing continued and another double spey was laid techniques that I had cut my teeth on in years past. The out on target. This time it was going to hit the drop right day had already been successful and for that I was grateful. on the money. The swing ensued, and it seemed as if time However, there was a hunger deep within that needed to be slowed as my mind raced. Am I standing in the optimum satiated. It was the hunger for a fish on the swing. position? Is my leader long enough? Did I tie a good knot? As I approached the stretch of spawning gravel where I Are there fish in that hole? I was back in the moment. had heard the activity of fish earlier, I noticed the hens and Almost there, just a few feet away….closer…closer…and Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 13 then the sculpin hit the mark. Why the sculpin on Lake Erie duce at a rapid pace and achieve sizes With all the speed and power of a Tributaries? Well, sculpin patterns can up to 13 inches. locomotive, a fish came out of the imitate a host of different baitfish spe- The Lake Erie steelhead is an oppor- dark and knocked that fly into next cies in our streams, like creek chubs, tunistic feeder, and they have taken season. The fish turned toward the baby sucker, mad toms, darters, and advantage of this new baitfish bloom. lake and my reel began to sing the the most recently the round goby. Alley steelhead are healthy and flour- song of sweet surrender as line peeled The round goby, an invasive species ishing on the diversity of food sources off with hesitation. As my rod doubled, from overseas, was released through Erie offers, and they are putting on a beautifully stout hen erupted out of ballast water from ocean freighters some serious weight and providing the water and then charged again. As illegally into the Great Lakes several some of the largest steelhead I have she wheeled toward me, she tested years ago. Many thought this new spe- seen in the 20 plus years I have fished my ability to stay on top of the game, cies would wipe out the world class these waters. and I passed. Within moments, I was walleye and small mouth bass The round goby has also moved holding my prize of the day. She was a Lake Erie is known for. Gobies are out of the lake and into the lower beautifully fresh hen thirty-two inches masters of raiding fish beds and love rivers. I have seen gobies attack- that was about to pop from the pay- to feast on fish eggs and juvenile fish. ing steelhead beds in small schools load of eggs she carried. during the spring on With my hunger now satis- lower river sections of fied, I turned her head into the several different tribu- current, said a few kind words taries. The splashing, and off she went to fight anoth- er day. As I looked toward the end of my line now dangling in the water, I saw the glimmer of the large sculpin fly. It may have been my imagination, but I think I saw a smile on the face of that fly. The use of sculpins in the Great Lakes region is not new, but recently has exploded in popularity on Lake Erie and her tributaries. Fly anglers on Steelhead Alley tend to use small flies that imitate eggs, nymphs, or very small min- nows. These patterns typically Even though the invasion of the round goby into the run in sizes #16 to #12 for eggs Great Lakes from Europe is bad news overall, wise fly and nymphs and size #10 and anglers can capitalize on the situation. The goby is strik- #8 for small streamers, and the ingly similar to a sculpin in size, appearance, and behav- thought of using anything larger ior and many are preying on them. It’s a form seems ridiculous or even crazy of positive frequency dependent selection; basically, the to some . more abundant a prey item becomes in the environment Large fly patterns on the alley the more the predators form a search image and key on have been playfully called mag- them. azine flies and picture flies, or Michael Durkalec, M.S., claims made that they would Aquatic Biologist scare fish before they would Cleveland Metroparks catch one. This attitude has provided a small percentage of anglers with opportunities at some of the largest steelhead Lake Gobies also prefer the same bottom Erie streams have to offer. Every year structure and areas of the lake that more and more fly fishermen are rec- our popular game fish frequent and ognizing the need for new and larger use to spawn. patterns. The Lake Erie water shed has Instead of creating havoc with our seen such an increase in angler pres- sport fishery the round gobies read- sure, that our steelhead has become ily fed on the zebra mussels, another accustomed and too well educated invasive species that has been filtering on standard fly selections. Anglers the Lake Erie watershed, and the goby are being forced to reeducate and has helped to somewhat stabilize the change tactics or they are ending up zebra mussel’s massive population. unsuccessful and left scratching their The round goby in its new food-rich heads at the end of the day. environment has been able to repro- 14 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 slashing, and all out carnage a large pod of sparring buck the best. By adding a 6mm or 8mm plastic egg colored bead steelhead will cause on these invaders is mesmerizing, and to the front of the tube before you finish tying the by matching the attack with a large sculpin pattern can be is also extremely effective. a jaw dropping experience. To throw these big flies the use of 10.5 foot to 11.5 foot I prefer to tie my sculpin and goby imitations on tubes switch rods are becoming the weapons of choice on Lake rather than to the hook shank. This gives me the option Erie. This is due to the varying degree of sizes, depths, and of hook sizes and weight of the fly. The tube fly also gives structures on all Steelhead Alley tributaries. The Switch you the ability to keep the pattern in relatively good shape, rod allows you to carry one rod and reel combo with extra because after the fly has been taken and the fish is firmly spools equipped with standard weight forward fly lines hooked, the fly simply slides up the leader during the fight for indicator dead drifting, a Skagit line for swinging and prolonging the life of the pattern. The ability to change to a throwing big flies, and running lines with heavy sink lines sharp new hook without ruining or discarding the fly is cost for miles of Lake Erie’s surf. efficient and time saving for the angler as well. The next time you visit Steelhead Alley I hope you will Color selections for Lake Erie that I have found to be very take advantage of the entirely different tactics and productive are purple, blue, black, and brown combinations scenarios that are available, and that take place on these to match the goby. To match the creek chubs, large dace waters. If you come prepared and are willing to step out and baby suckers use brown, yellow, black and olive. For of the box and experience the best the alley has to offer, I various minnow baitfish the colors gray and blue with a red feel you will leave with a new found respect for this fishery gills either applied with permanent marker or material work and the itch to fish here for years to come.

Patrick Robinson Photo

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 15 the junction point of the two tubes and secure. Apply a Senyo’s Olive drop of Zap-A-Gap for durability. Sculpin Tube

Tube: Large Eumer red; small Eumer clear Thread: Olive 6/0 Tail: Marabou olive Body: Polar Chenille olive, marabou olive, gadwall duck Head: Senyo’s Laser Dub – tan, olive

Cut a 1.5 inch piece of Large Eumer plastic tubing (red) and a piece of 1.5 inch Eumer small plastic 1 tubing (clear). Melt one end of the small tubing with Attach another olive marabou plume, making sure a lighter to form a mushroom on the end of the it covers completely around tube and evenly around tubing and slide small tubing into large tubing about ½ 4 chenille body. Tie in one gadwall feather and palm- inch. Attach olive 6/0 thread at the junction point a wrap er two wraps over the marabou to form the collar. toward the rear of tube. Apply a drop of Zap-A-Gap to the thread at the junction of the two tubes.

Take a small clump of Senyo’s tan Laser Dub (Orvis and Hare Line product) and place material around 5 the tubing, so that it covers 360 degrees around Attach one olive marabou feather so that the mar- tube. You then secure the material by wrapping abou plume covers completely around tube. your thread in the center of the clump. Then fold the 2 Secondly tie in 3 strands of copper Flash-A-Bou remaining material over itself. over the marabou tail.

Repeat step #5 with Senyo’s olive Laser Dub. Comb At the base of the tail tie in a four inch long piece 6 out entire head firmly with a dubbing brush, which 3 of olive Polar Chenille and palmer the material to with also blend the layers and colors. Create a small 16 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 thread head and apply a drop of Zap-A-Gap. Cut off your tying thread and slide on a large copper Eumer monster cone head. Press cone head firmly against Sculpin head (you should not be able to see your thread base).

Remove fly from your tube vise and with a lighter melt remaining small tubing to form a mushroom 7 even and tight to the cone head. Preferred hook for this pattern is a Diiachi X510 #8.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 17 18 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2008 the bottom, burrowing in sand or mud, hiding in weedy areas or in rocks or gravel. Many patterns don’t address the need to be snag resistant as crawfish flies need to be fished in these areas to be most effective. To achieve a snag resistant fly without affecting its fish hooking capabilities, Ritt’s Fighting Crawfish incorporates a hook-up design as opposed to a weed guard. By attaching lead eyes on top of the shank, the fly will turn over and ride point up like a . In addition the weight puts the fly at the bottom, where real crawfish live. To further protect the hook point, I tie the fly on a Montana Fly Company 7073 bent shank hook. The bent shank angles the hook point up away from the bottom. Many popular crawfish flies have legs and claws made of soft materials that don’t retain the proper

In all likelihood, the debate began soon after the creation of the second fly. It’s human nature to make lists, and we rank everything from influential world leaders to sports bloopers. What makes rankings debatable, and interesting, is that we all have our own criteria and opinions. Fly fishermen are no exceptions. We all rate our own favorite flies in a multitude of categories; favorite attractors, dry flies, streamers, etc. One very valuable list would be most versatile flies. What would it take for a fly to make your list of most versatile? Many common choices come to mind for me: the , Hare’s Ear, and Woolly Bugger for example. Each of these flies is commonly thought of as a trout fly, but in actuality one characteristic that makes each versatile is they are effective for many species. They are also consistent produc- ers around the world and throughout the seasons if there is open water to present a fly. These are certainly valuable characteristics of a versatile fly. How useful would a fly be if it imitated a food source available around the world, year round, and relished by many species of fish? The prey item I’m thinking of is the crawfish. This prolific crus- tacean has long been recog- nized as a favorite food of bass, catfish, and other fish, but how many fly fishers regularly utilize a crawfish pattern? The crawfish is known to be an excellent fly for large browns, but have you considered a crawfish for rain- bows, cutthroat, brookies, or lake trout? What about warm or cool water species such as walleye, carp, bluegill, crappie, , perch, and bullhead? A fly that effectively imitated this food source would certainly be very versatile! One such fly is Ritt’s Fighting Crawfish. While there are good crawfish imitations available, most have certain shortfalls. For starters, a great crawfish pattern needs to be snag resistant. Crawfish live on Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 19 silhouette in the water, while others call for overly stiff mate- claws riding up and apart in this attitude while paused or rials that may cause the fly to twist when cast or retrieved. crawled along the bottom, the fly is not only snag resistant, The Ritt’s Fighting Crawfish employs foam claws, rubber but it maintains a very natural position in the water. When arms and legs. The rubber arms allow the claws to come alarmed, crawfish don’t lie flat on the bottom as many pat- together during a swimming retrieve, and flair back out terns intended to imitate them do. They either swim tail first when the retrieve is slowed or stopped. The buoyant foam with claws folded together for a more streamlined profile, or claws at the back of the fly, coupled with the lead eyes at they take a defensive posture with the tail down and claws the front palmered hackle, and the bent hook shank result up and spread apart ready for action. in the head-up/tail-down posture of the finished fly. With the This is exactly how the Ritt’s Fighting Crawfish behaves

Preparing The Claws Prepare the claws (I do this in batches ahead of time) by cutting appropriate size squares of foam. Thread a section of round rubber through a needle and using the needle pull the doubled length of rubber arm through the foam from edge to edge. Cut the round rubber loop to release the needle. Add a small drop of super glue to the short ends of the rubber right at the base of the foam; gently pull the rubber back toward the foam to draw the glue inside. Don’t pull the rubber ends all the way into the foam. After the glue has dried trim the glued ends of the rubber short and trim the sides of the foam to form a rough triangle. If a two-tone claw is desired, color it at this time with a permanent marker.

20 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 when fished. I can customize the fly for various water types. Except in I fish this fly in both still and moving water, anywhere the deepest water, I use a floating line because it is easier crayfish are found (which is almost everywhere.) I fish the to mend, control and easier to pick up off the water to fly more slowly early and late in the season, when the water recast. By varying the size and color of the components of is cooler the metabolism of both the natural crawfish and this fly, you can imitate the multitude of crawfish species the fish that eat them slows down. If the fish aren’t react- found around the world, even some species of shrimp. ing to this slow crawling retrieve, I mix in short swimming By varying the size of the weighted eyes, the fly can be bursts and/or pauses. When the water is warmer, I swim tied effectively for a multitude of water depths and current the fly more actively, usually with 4 to 8 inch strips. I still speeds. How many flies can cover this variety of fishing mix in pauses and crawling retrieves. Crawfish are excellent situations and be effective on so many species of fish? swimmers; I’ve accidentally confirmed it’s almost impos- Below are the basic recipe and some of my favorite color sible to fish this fly too fast. Often when I sight fish with combinations, but in any color this fly definitely makes my this fly, I spot fish that require repositioning my fly. While most versatile fly list! retrieving the fly as quickly as I can to re-cast, I frequently have had an unseen fish chase down the fly. These violent, unexpected takes often result in a “donated” fly, but are exciting nonetheless. So let the reaction of the fish be your guide, and keep mixing things up until you find out what draws a response. The one constant I maintain while fishing this fly is keeping it near or on the bottom. By varying the size of the lead eyes,

If you have a rotating vise, the following steps may be easier with the fly turned hook point up. Tie in 2 the carapace along the bottom of the hook, make sure the carapace is tied in even with the antennae Tying Ritt’s Fighting tie in point. Add a small ball of dubbing over the tie in point and tie in the eyes on either side of the dubbing Crayfish ball.

Hook: Montana Fly Company 7073 (adjust to Tie in one claw on each side of the fly. Tie in the fit your local food yarn and form the underbody from the lead dumb- item size) 3 bells to the round rubber eyes. Figure 8 the yarn Thread: Match size and color scheme to fly around each arm to help keep them spread. The Weight: Plain lead dumbbell eyes figure 8’s, along with a tie in point behind the hook point, Antennae: Krystal Flash help keep the claws from fouling on the hook point. Dub Eyes: Black round rubber a figure 8 around the base of the arms. Claws: Foam claws mounted on round rubber arms Tie in the rib in front of the arms with the long end Carapace: Thin Skin extended over the front of the hook. Bend the wire Underbody: Yarn in color to match scheme of fly 4 back so it extends past the back of the hook and Body: Dubbing wrap back over the wire toward the arms. Doubling the Legs: Hackle palmered through body and wire over will help lock it in when tied over the soft under- dubbing brushed out body. Tie in the hackle and dub the body. Figure 8 the Rib: Wire dumbbells to cover up that tie in point.

Palmer the hackle forward and tie it off between the hook eye and the dumbbells. Pull the carapace 5 over the bottom of the hook (back of the fly) and Pinch the barb and mount the hook in your vise tie off between the hook eye and the dumbbells. with the forward portion of hook shank horizontal. Reverse wrap the wire and tie off. Form a neat head and 1 Start the thread behind the eye of the fly mount the whip finish. Trim the hackle off the end of the bottom of lead barbells on top of the hook shank, leave enough the fly. Using a nylon dubbing brush to avoid cutting room to tie off the carapace, the rib, and form a head. the thread and hackle stem, brush out the dubbing to Re-mount the hook with the rear portion of the hook form a shaggy, flowing fly body that mixes with the pal- shank horizontal, wrap the thread to a point approxi- mered hackle. mately 1/3 around the bend of the hook and attach the antennae.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 21 22 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 23 24 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 I could recognize Keith Rose-Innes’ South African accent without seeing him. In the predawn, I disem- barked off the Beachcraft 1900 after my halfway-around-the-world flight from Seattle. With the help of the runway lights, the only lights on Assumption, I finally made out his silhouette in the darkness. After a big hug, we grabbed our gear and hiked a half mile to the beach to the waiting inflatable to take us to the mother ship. The mother ship, the Indian Ocean Explorer, a retrofitted 114-foot icebreaker from the 50s or there- abouts, was anchored a few hundred yards offshore. As we loaded our gear into the skiff we could make out the absolutely luminous white sand and gin clear water of Assumption Island. What a welcome with the beckoning lights of the Explorer shining across the small bay! As we boarded we caught sight of several giant trevallys (GTs), Caranx ignobilis, in the 25 to 35 lb range circling the boat. Spurred on by this and pent up anticipation, we unpacked our gear in record time and started casting. There was no time for jet lag recovery when there were fish. It didn’t matter what we were casting off the stern of the Explorer, they were so eager to climb on the fly that we could select the fish we wanted to hook. Our group of anglers was comprised of three Americans, four South Africans, and four Belgians. As with any expedition where you throw a bunch of anglers together for the first time, it is your hope you have a congenial group. Of course, the presence of a copious amount of fish helps, but nonetheless this was a bunch of great guys passionate in their sport. Keith then informed all of us to get our gear ready so we could give Assumption a whack for a few hours to refresh our casting skills and fine tune our equipment before our ultimate destination of Cosmoledo. It had been almost five years since I’d seen Keith Rose-Innes and that was at Clipperton Atoll in the eastern South Pacific fishing for bluefin trevally. A lot has changed for him since then. After five years of guiding, with stints on the Ponoi for Atlantic , Mongolia for taimen, the Zambezi in Zambia for tiger- fish, and South Africa for yellowfish, Keith now guides in the Seychelles. With colleagues, Arno Matthee and Gerhard Laubscher, he formed the guide service, “Flycastaway,” in order to provide high quality to his clients. His company’s mission is to be tied to the client and not necessarily the location, because angling access, as well as quality of fishing conditions of areas can change. He is constantly exploring new localities off the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean side of Africa. Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 25 At daybreak the shores of Assumption were abso- punctuated with large coral heads in the deeper portions lutely exquisite, with the clean, solid, and bright white sand of the channels that feed the lagoon. Eelgrass lines the interspaced with coral heads providing suitable cover and sides of the turquoise channels, while the rest is covered channels for inshore fish. The small surf, water close to with beautiful white sand and smaller patches of eelgrass. 90 degrees, and the firm footing made fishing Assumption The channels are the highways for the GTs entering the Island a super treat. I landed a few unfamiliar reef fish, lagoon. Teasing one up out of the channels and over the bluefin and GTs. Since I’m way too focused on Trevally at eelgrass on the flats creates good action. this time of my life I’m unable to identify the myriad of color- Fishing with Pauly, again on a waist-deep flat and paral- ful reef fish. The size of the fish didn’t matter; the scenery leling an eelgrass channel for a half mile, was the highlight of was simply exquisite. We had such good action that the the trip. Nothing in my life compared to the ideal conditions fishing session seemed over in no time, as Keith wanted and numbers of large fish that would aggressively pursue us to get some lunch and some rest, otherwise the jet lag an actively fished fly with such gusto. Pauly would cast his would take its toll. I slept for twelve hours, already happy six-inch rectangular teaser deep out into the channel and and content with what transpired on Assumption, while the Explorer made its way to Cosmoledo. Cosmoledo is an unoccupied coral atoll with a navi- gable lagoon approximately 14 miles across. The narrow ring of land surrounding the lagoon is broken up by many channels, resulting in a ring of islets of coral, short scrub, and bird colonies. The first day at Cosmoledo was a learning experience. After a small breakfast we gathered our 12-weight rods with floating or sink tip lines and headed for shore to fish the incoming tide. Retraining my eyes to spot fish took a while, and the overcast conditions on this day made it even a little more difficult. The flats seemed endless when look- ing toward the lagoon, with eelgrass patches and channels of firm white sand seen as far as the horizon. Nirvana. We would fish following the incoming tide towards the interior lagoon. We landed a few GTs and bluefins and noticed how much the tide had risen. What began as fishing at a nice slow pace became quite hurried. In just an hour we were over waist deep and getting deeper as the skiff came and picked us up. I learned that, given its proximity to the equator, the tidal surge at Cosmoledo should not be ignored. It can range up to 12 feet, with a strong current to boot. The next location, on terra firma, was with Pauly, a tremendous young guide from South Africa. Terra firma was a small coral islet with a 40-foot channel cutting though the middle, with a depth of about eight feet. The water would rush through the channel and careen off a submerged undercut coral head 20 feet inside, just like a boulder in a Pacific Northwest river holding a steelhead behind it. Excited, I took my 8-weight with a ghost tip and 6-lb. class tippet and cast to the far side of the cut. As my Dr. Rockbottom fly swung around over the coral head I gave a couple of short strips and a nice GT came out from underneath the coral, breaking the surface and pouncing on the fly like a cat. You live for these types of aggressive takes. Five hundred yards of backing later determined the GT’s battle- field. Line connections, coral, barbless hook, stout hook,… everything raced through my mind. The 19-pound male GT was weighed, photographed, released, and etched into my memory bank. The post catch Sey Beers on the Explorer hopefully would not cause too much damage on this por- tion of my memory bank. The upper deck provides the perfect setting for an ice cold Sey Beer while drinking in the vibrant sunset. Topping this off is the outdoor shower. There is nothing like fishing hard all day and rinsing off with a drenching fresh water shower. In the evening it was a pleasure to retire to our cabins each with private head. The Cosmoledo lagoon is a surreal experience. It is a huge expanse of water with a maximum depth of 40 feet, 26 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 entice the GTs out of the channel across the eelgrass and and knowledgeable guide who posesses great intuition onto the flats. The fish would be highly visible and very and angling information. He also shared his extensive aggressive with three or four pursuing your fly every time. knowledge of the environment and history of Cosmoledo, After landing close to a dozen 30- to 40-lb. fish we headed which enhanced our time together. As we set out in the off to lunch knowing this was the finest fishing that we ever morning Arno said, “I guess I better take you to Arno’s have had and perhaps ever will have. Island to catch some Buses today.” Now, I had guessed While in the skiff and heading for the Explorer, Keith Arno and Keith had something big planned for us, so I enticed me with “tomorrow we have to land some ‘Buses.’” carried my 12-weight, with heavy leader, 130-lb. test, a It dawned on me that Keith was saving the best for last, recommendation from Keith. First time for this set-up, but because with each day’s fishing, the fish got larger. A very I guess I won’t lose too many flies. First, Arno took us to good tactic to keep you awake at night and get you pumped fish several lagoon flats before and after lunch. I caught the next morning. eight or so GTs in the 30-lb. class and was pretty beat by Arno, Keith’s partner in Flycastaway, is an experienced fish and sun. I was quite content at this point as I jumped into the skiff in the late afternoon and really looked forward to a Sey Beer. But, “Oh No,” Arno said, now it was time to go to his island and get some “Buses.” After a 20-minute skiff ride we reached Arno’s island Basically it is a 100-yard “T” islet three feet above sea level, with the leg of the “T” extending for 100 yards toward the lagoon. I moved out to the left side of the T by myself and spotted a couple of 40-pounders. I landed a nice fish and connected with a couple of other nice GTs, until a seven-foot Tiger shark came up and snatched a hooked fish three feet away from me while I was standing in two feet of water. So much for 130-lb. test and my fly. I felt now I should move over to the other end of the island with Arno, who was helping Jim and Ian. There the GTs were basking in the surf like school salmon on their spawning beds. Probably 50 fish in the 100 cm. plus class category were lying within 25 yards of us. Any fish over 100cm is considered a “Bus” to the guides of Flycastaway. All these fish were in casting distance, but when

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 27 Arno would tease them in, all hell would break loose when experiment for fly preference was really put to the test due five or six 50-lb.-plus fish would battle to grab the teaser. to the numerous GTs at Cosmoledo. Ian, by the way, is a All of this in three to four feet of water. It reminded me of greenhorn to fly fishing, but he managed to consistently 50 kids in a park wading pool on a hot summer afternoon, land GTs of 20 to 60 lbs. all day long when using the Dr. splashing at the same time. I landed a couple of very nice Rockbottom. GTs and a small bluefin and decided to head back to the Don’t hesitate to tie the Dr. Rockbottom in different skiff and call it a day. I’d had enough. sizes. I’ll have size 6 for Bones up to size 8/0 for tuna and Jim was already back at the waiting skiff, which was GTs. For color, brown seems to be the go-to color, but I near where I started and finished with my Tiger friend. I had have them in chartreuse, tan, blue, and olive green. Use to take another look at the flats as the tide was creeping your imagination! The key is in using the largest weighted up and in. I spotted two nice GTs in two feet of water just eyes you can in accordance with hook size. And by varying 25 feet away. Jim, who was sitting comfortably in the boat the speed of your line stripping you’ll get significant changes said, “They’re good size; you might as well give it a whack, in the fly’s action. It is a great all-around fly that avid salt- since Ian and Arno were going to be a while because of line water anglers should try on any saltwater fish…Seriously, replacement.” One back cast and I laid the line two feet it is my GO-TO Fly!!! in front of the two fish. No sooner had the fly hit the water then a third fish surfaced in between the two, exposing its upper body and dorsal ever so briefly, and pouncing solidly down on the fly. Because of the low sun it was hard to get a Tying The visual on size, but Jim hollered, “Doc, I think you’re going to be a while.” An hour later the “Bus,” a specimen over four Dr. Rockbottom feet long and three feet in girth was at hand. Shortly after the obligatory handshakes and release of this magnificent Hook: Owner 4/0 Aki Hook Saltwater Special fish a well deserved beer was now in my grasp. Model #5370-141 Trevallies are terrific saltwater fly quarry that are avail- Wing: Fiery Brown Bucktail and Hareline able close to shore, as well as on the flats. While they don’t Imitation Polar Bear jump, they provide very powerful and energetic runs testing Flash: Flashabou Holographic Gold Tinsel the soundness of your rod, reel, and line. Aggressive to say Flash or Gold Mirage the least, with usually more than one chasing your fly when Head: Hareline Gold Flat Diamond Braid or stripping it, or even trying to remove the visible fly from an UTC Gold Holographic Flat Tinsel already-hooked friend. The angler is rewarded with a fish Eyes: Brass dumbbell eyes (medium/large that becomes fairly docile when brought to hand, making 7/32”) with Epoxy Eyes (Abalone, Red, for excellent photographs. What else could an angler ask or Holographic) for besides another trip to Cosmoledo? Thread: Uni 6/0 white or monocord After fishing in Cabo San Lucas several times over the Epoxy: 5 min Devcon over entire head and rotat past 20 years I found the effectiveness of poppers and ed. unweighted flies would diminish after landing a few fish. I probably could put a deep sink line on, but who wants to deal with that when the frenzied fish are circling the boat and Firmly tie the dumbbell eyes on top of hook 4mm could flee at any moment while they change line? Since I from the hook eye. prefer a tarpon sink tip line, because it is much easier for me 1 to cast, I developed a fast sinking fly, the Dr Rockbottom, to get down quickly to the fish zone, with the added ben- Tie in 3” of Hareline imitation polar bear on top of efit of having great fishing action when being stripped. I hook. designed this fly primarily for trevally, Caranx, sp., since it 2 is my favorite saltwater species. Honestly, it worked great, and I now use it almost exclusively for a wide variety of Rotate the hook and tie in , just in front of dumbbell inshore and offshore saltwater species. My fishing friend eyes, and in ascending length starting at 3in to4in Tim Pilcher, and his wife Caroline, will not go out on the 3 Imitation Polar Bear, Gold holographic tinsel, and salt without it, and have several IGFA world records using Fiery brown bucktail on top. the Dr. Rockbottom. In February 2006 at the Seychelles, I was stand- Tie in Flat Diamond braid in figure eight fashion ing to the right of Arno, one of the owners and guides for around the dumbbell eyes covering previously tied Flycastaway (a guiding company out of South Africa), and 4 in wing materials and tie off. my friend Ian was to his left. Arno would heave his “teflon block” teaser 200 yards and tease the giant trevallys (GTs), Caranx, ignobilis, of Cosmoledo atoll right up to our feet. Stick on epoxy eyes corresponding to the size of Both Ian and I would cast at the same time at the speed- dumbbell ing fish while Arno would pull in the teaser. Nine out of 5 ten times the GTs would pounce like a cat, and hammer the Dr. Rockbottom over other unweighted streamers on Cover eyes and entire head (not the eyelet) in a fast retrieve. It didn’t matter which angler had the Dr. epoxy and put the fly on a mechanical rotator to Rockbottom. The fly would get down into the fishes’ strike 6 ensure a smooth head. zone quicker and intercept the fast advancing fish. Our 28 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 1 2

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Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 29 A “boatman fall,” a swarm of water boatmen or back the underside suggests the insects’ pale-green and surpris- swimmers plopping onto a lake in spring or autumn, is usu- ingly chromelike bellies. The teal feather makes the most ally a chance blessing. The fat little insects splat down like natural swimmer/water boatman back of any material I’ve raindrops; the trout rip through the lake’s surface in pursuit. tried, and I tried many. Overall, this is a really practical and Your anxious fingers fumble through fly boxes, searching convincing imitation. for a suitable imitation. If you don’t have such an imitation... The problem with this pattern could have been that the well, the boatman fall may not be such a blessing after all. teal is somewhat fragile, bound at both ends and exposed But if you do--jackpot! in the center as it is. Actually, the whole fly is unstable--until Water boatmen and back swimmers are very much alike, it’s coated with clear epoxy glue. But the epoxy eliminates and distinctive. Their bodies are teardrops, slightly flattened. the fragility problem to the extreme by making this fly as Their swimming legs are long, jointed paddles. Their backs hard and durable as the spacer in a reel seat. are mottled and their undersides flash with a silvery bubble Of course, you’re going to have to make the fly move like a of air. You’ll need a fly with these characteristics if you’re boatman or back swimmer. The best way to accomplish this going to take full advantage of the action created by a is to first understand how these insects behave. When one boatman fall. Certainly there are lots of good dressings for of them hits the water, it may be stunned. But in a moment imitating water boatmen and back swimmers, but please its darting madly under water with powerful strokes of its consider my Morris Boatman. Here’s why. long oar-legs, or possibly scrambling across the water’s The Morris Boatman has a heavy black metal bead for surface on its shorter legs or flying back up into the air to a head, which makes the fly sink immediately and stay escape the jaws of a trout. All these quick manuevers make down so that you can fish it with a full-floating line without the insects damnably tough to catch. that line dragging the fly up to the surface--a floating line Some fly fishers actually throw dry flies at boatman- and allows you to pick the fly up at any time and put it quickly back swimmer-eating trout. This works--occasionally it may out where a trout shows. That bead head looks natural too, even be the most effective approach. Another technique is rounded and dark like the real head of a back swimmer or to cast an unweighted (or even buoyant) fly on a fast-sink- boatman. The legs are appropriately thick, yet lively, and ing line, so the fly will follow the line down and then back kick with each tug of the line. The Flashabou showing on up, which is how back swimmers and boatmen swim dur- 30 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 ing a fall. But I seem to do best with the trout in your lakes are really big). a sunken fly on a floating line, just If I tie the fly a little short on this hook, teasing the fly back inches below the the bend sweeps well down and back water’s surface. It’s pandemonium for for plenty of bite. With any hook, make the trout out there, with insects plop- an effort to keep the body of the fly up ping down, running, diving, surfac- away from the hook’s point; it can help ing, flying--so there are lots of ways to push the under-body firmly upwards a fly that looks like a boatman or back with your thumb before continuing swimmer can fit into the action, and to tie the fly. Remember to keep the darting along under water is a per- under-body gradual in its taper--if fectly plausible and very effective one. its sides suddenly drop off near its I toss my Morris Boatman out amid tail-end, you’ll have trouble keeping the trout, and then retrieve it in short, the smooth Flashabou from slipping quick strips. But I’m always ready to backwards. Never wrap the Flashabou let go in an instant--the fish slam the over or behind the thread-nub at the fly so hard that even 3X tippet may hook’s bend, or the Flashabou will snap on a tight line. slip backwards there too. If the two By now, after hearing all about how strands of Flashabou want to spread similar these insects are, the germ apart, try twisting them lightly, or of a question must have formed in smear just a little dubbing wax up your mind: How are they different? them, or both. Make sure the under- Their main difference is their diet: back body comes up firmly against the rear swimmers eat meat (other insects) of the bead, so that everything doesn’t and water boatmen are mainly veg- slip down into a crevice you left. Once etarians, sucking the nourishing juice the under-body is completed, check from water plants and filtering through to see that the bead is centered--not silt for minute edible things. Typically, leaning off to one side or up or down- vegetarians are more abundant than -and if it isn’t centered, force it into meat eaters, since there’s usually a lot position. And although you want the more greenery to eat than anything epoxy coating to be thick enough else. And so it is with the water boat- to smooth everything out, don’t get men and back swimmers--the former carried away--too much epoxy will heavily outnumber the latter. Another lose the flattened body-shape you difference: back swimmers really do created, and perhaps partially block swim on their backs, upside down. the hook’s gape (study the photos Both insects breathe from a bub- for guidance). I always use low-odor ble of air they clutch and continually epoxy glue, which isn’t as easy to find replace; this air-breathing generally as it was a decade or two ago--but I restricts them to only a few feet of make sure to use good ventillation and depth at most...except during a boat- to follow the safety precautions on the man fall when they drop into a lake label, as you should. One epoxy with over all depths. I rarely fish my Morris minimal vapors that should be easy Boatman unless there’s a boatman to find is Devcon 2-Ton Clear Epoxy. fall (though I once fished it without Conventional rubber-strand makes a fall to catch four- and five-pound fine legs of sufficient durability, but rainbows). But I’m told that in lakes Super Floss and Flexi-Floss are just with high populations of boatmen, as good and probably more durable back swimmers, or both, an imitation than rubber-strand--the problem with fished around the edges can be good these alternate materials is that they all season long. aren’t round, so you may have to bind If you’re used to tying Gold Ribbed them against the sides of the body- Hare’s Ears and Woolly Buggers, you’ll foundation in two sections rather than have a whole new experience tying on top in one (though that’s no big the Morris Boatman--it’s not nearly deal). Whatever legs you add and so easy as these elemental patterns. however you add them, the epoxy will But it’s not all that difficult either, espe- hold everything stubbornly together, cially if you keep these strategies in and the trout will almost surely take mind. Start with a hook that has a the fly. straight eye (a turned-down eye tends to make the fly ride upside down) and plenty of gape--my current favorite is the Daiichi 1260 with its straight eye and lazily curving shank (though you may want a hook with heavier wire if Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 31 bead. Bind the feather-tip back to the front of the thread ball. Do not bind the teal back atop or beyond the thread- Tying The ball.

Morris Boatman You can strip some of the fibers from the butt of the teal feather and bind these atop the teal-feather tip, if you Heavy or standard wire, standard Hook: want to make the back denser. length or short (or longer, with a slow-curve shank), straight eye, sizes 16 to 12. Bind two lengths of Flashabou atop the under-body, Head: Black metal bead, 3/32-inch for back to the thread-nub. size-16, 1/8-inch for size-14 6 and -12. Thread: Olive or green 8/0. Bind a short section of fairly fine rubber-strand atop Under-Body: Green or olive wool yarn or Vernille the center of the under-body with crisscrossed or Ultra Chenille (you can substitute 7 thread-turns. Bind the ends of the strand to angle almost any strands that will build back. the sides fo the body outward). Back: Teal feather. With the thread hanging at the rear of the bead, Body: Light green (or pearl) Flashabou or draw the ends of the rubber-strand forward and Krystal Flash. 8 bind them lightly with a few thread turns--this is Legs: Fine dark-green, dark-olive, brown just to keep them out of your way. Wind the or black rubber-strand (medium- Flashabou up the under-body to the legs. size is too stubby). Dyed goose biots are a good substitute. Hold the Flashabou stationary as you unwind the thread-turns to release the strands. Wind the 9 Flashabou forward under the base of the legs, and With the bead on the hook (small end of the bead’s then back behind them again. Continue wrapping hole forward), start your thread behind the bead. the Flashabou forward to the bead. Bind the Flashabou 1 Bind a short section of yarn or Vernille from the against the rear of the bead, and then trim off the ends bead back along the near side of the hook. The of the Flashabou. front of the section should push firmly up against the bead. Draw the teal fibers forward over the top of the body and bind the fibers with a few light thread- Trim off the tag end of the yarn or Vernille. The yarn or 10 turns against the rear of the bead. Stroke the Vernille should end no further than the end of the shank, ends of the fibers to even the tension on them. Really or even slightly short of it (on this Daiichi 1260, with its secure the fibers with tight turns of thread as a narrow curving shank, that means no further back than directly band. Trim off the ends of the fibers closely. (Cover the over the point). cutt ends of the fibers with thread-turns if you like.) Whip finish and cut the thread. Bind and trim a second section along the far side of the shank. Make sure both sections are bound Mix some low-odor epoxy glue. With a toothpick, 2 tightly to the shank. work a line of epoxy around the collar of thread 11 holding the teal, right up against rear of the bead. Bind a shorter section of yarn or Vernille outside Then tease the epoxy back over the body. Add each of the first sections. Trim the ends. These more epoxy as needed. Coat the nub of thread at the 3 second sections should create a gradual taper to rear of the body also. Use just enough epoxy to make the under-body--do make this taper gradual, not a the body glassy, but no more. level body nearly to the bend ending in a sharp angle down to the shank. Put the fly in a turning device, or stick it into a board and continually flip the board over, until (On smaller hooks, just one section along each side may 12 the epoxy is firm. When the epoxy is fully set, be right; on the largest hooks you may need a third pair trim the rubber-strand legs to about equal the of very short sections outside the first two pairs, to fill distance from the rear of the body to the front of the out the body--it all depends on the particular hook design bead. and thickness of yarn or Vernille you’re using.)

Bind the rear of the yarn or Vernille sections neat- ly, and then build a nub-end, or ball, of thread 4 against their ends.

Snip off the tip half of a teal feather, where the stem isn’t so thick. Save the butt half for tying other kinds 5 of flies. Bind the feather-tip atop the shank. The cut butt of the feather should lie barely short of the 32 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 1 2

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Three Morris Boatmen showing different angles

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Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 35 36 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 “HELL, BUCK, it jumped, it jumped!” I can hear my buddy The idea is that once a steelhead enters freshwater they are yelling through the fog. “Hell Buck! I can barley make him likely to stop feeding to reserve energy for their upstream out.” I instantly know why he is shouting. We are in paradise, migration. Having said that, steelhead are known to be very Northern British Columbia, and we are standing waist deep opportunistic and aggressive. We believe and have found in one of the many beautiful rivers this area has to offer. My that by imitating an obvious food item, such as squid, then buddy is hooked up to one of the biggest, baddest steelhead swinging the fly away from the fish, will usually cause a quick around. Rivers, such as the Skeena, Bulkly and Kispiox to reaction strike. Here on the west coast, British Columbia, name only a few, offer fly fisherman in pursuit of steelhead we team this concept up with big fly rods even bigger rivers a picturesque setting to practice their craft. and of course large, extra-strong steelhead.

Although steelhead fishing success is primarily determined The Fly: Shape and Material by the proper presentation technique and seldom directly related to fly choice, I have found that flies tied in a certain When imitating squid, fish or leeches with a fly, a nice size and with a specific profile have proven to consistently sleek, long, teardrop shape is what we are trying to achieve. out-fish the rest. Over the past dozen years or so, I have Now, it’s not wrong if this sounds sexy, in some twisted been fortunate enough to spend many days fishing some way, it should! The fly needs to look good, thin with just of the best steelhead systems throughout British Columbia. enough body mass to create a nice profile in the water I along with many other fly fishermen have found that big, when swimming. If it looks good to you as the tier than it cool-looking flies work great for the “Big Freshies,” a steel- probably is. There are many different materials that one can head fresh to the river and full of saltwater energy. The use to create this profile, long marabou and ostrich herl steelhead deserves the utmost respect, and therefore we are common and easy to obtain. Rhea feathers combined should show that with our flies. I find that one of the best with polar bear can make for a stunning tear drop shape. ways to express myself is through tying a beautiful steelhead Although more expensive and harder to find, materials fly. Here I have provided two recipes that I have found to be such as blue-ear pheasant and - Oh No I said it! - Heron a great starting point. I encourage any one with an interest can make a fly absolutely pop! The trick is to keep the fly to give these or your own creation a try. sparse and long, using long thin feathers, thinly dubbed bodies, and only putting bulk where it needs to be seems Fly Designs to make the difference between a poor fly and one that swims great and attracts all kinds of fish. Lots of different The Intruder fly design was originally developed by a small materials can be used leaving plenty of room for new and group off well known fly anglers, who shared the belief that creative ideas. fresh, aggressive sea-run fish would respond well to a large buggy fly. The fly would share characteristics with squid, Here are two approaches to tying these flies, the first is shrimp, baitfish and even small eels, all of which are prey a more “fishable” version, in other words, a faster cheaper to the Steelhead when out at sea. In order to achieve this, tie, while the second is a much more detailed approach the fly would have to be tide very large, at least three to six with many more steps and cooler materials. Both are very inches long. The materials used would have to have lots effective flies, the second taking a little longer to tie but of inherent movement and breathability, not clump up but allowing for more creativity. The flies that I have shown you move freely, swim like a fish and have tentacles like a squid. here are only a few variations, there are so many effective styles and colors when it comes to steelhead flies that we are only limited by our imagination.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 37 Braid up 1/4 of the shank.

The British Time to build a prawn face using prawn mono eyes and feelers. Small burnt mono eyes are tied in on Columbia Fire 3 both sides of the shank fallowed by a pair of barred clear pearl rubber legs, one per side. Now tie in a wing Orange Prawn using three pieces of orange Krinkle Flash.

Hook: Partridge 3/0 N Build a collar around the eyes by palmering three Trailing hook: Gamakatsu finesse wide gap 1 turns of florescent orange saddle hackle. Now dub Trailer Connection material: 50 lb Berkley Fire Line 4 a body forward with hot orange seal fur. Make sure Florescent fire orange polar bear Tail: to pick out the seal fur a little. Butt: Florescent orange Diamond Braid Prawn Face: Small mono eyes, barred pearl clear rubber legs, Krinkle Flash Wrap three turns of select fire orange marabou, tie Collar: Orange saddle hackle 5 in the tip first after stripping one side. Body: Fire orange seal fur Front collar: Orange mallard, orange ostrich, orange Amherst Build a collar by wrapping two turns of orange Wing (prawn back): Golden pheasant skin dyed hot mallard, then start placing pieces of orange ostrich orange 6 around shank until you have seated six single piec- es.

I will use a Partridge 3/0 N hook as the shank, the trailing hook will be a Gamakatsu finesse wide gap Same as above with Amherst tail in bright 1 1. They will be attached together with 50 lb. Berkley orange. Fire line. Attach the trailing hook to the shank by 7 tying in the Fire Line with 6/0 red thread, be sure to set a good base of thread and double back on the line, this Wrap three more turns of orange mallard, this will way you can avoid gluing. help to cover up any mess around the head, now 8 make a prawn back by tying in two Golden pheas- Tie in a tail using fire orange polar bear and then ant skin feathers dyed hot orange. Whip finish and you wrap up a butt section of pearl orange Diamond are done. Cut off the hook from the shank with a pair of 2 cutting pliers.

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Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 39 I use a Partridge 3/0 N for the main shank, The Moppet Gamakatsu finesse wide gap for the trailer and 50 1 lb Berkley Fire Line to attach them. Attach the Intruder trailer hook to the main shank, be sure to double back when tying it down, this way there is no need to Hook: Partridge 3/0 N glue. Trailer: Gamakatsu finesse wide gap 1 Trailer Connection material: 50 lb Berkley Fire Line Tie in a sparse tail of purple polar bear, and then Tail: Purple polar bear wrap a butt section of blue holographic flat tin- 2 sel. Butt: Large, blue holographic flat tinsel Body: Black UV Polar Chenille Collar: Guinea large dot, blue and clumps of Wrap forward with black UV Polar Chenille to form black ostrich 3 a body and collar with three turns of a blue large Wing: Purple holographic Flashabou and blue dot guinea hen feather. Krinkle Flash Eyes: Silver small eyes and blue seal fur Tie in clumps of black ostrich on the top and bot- tom of shank and then tie in the wing of purple 4 holographic Flashabou and blue Krinkle Flash. Tie in a set of small silver weighted eyes to coun- ter balance all of the ostrich, and wrap three turns 5 of blue seal fur behind to tidy things up then whip finish. Cut the hook off of the shank with sharp cutting pliers.

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5 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 41 Sanborn of Waterville just to name There are a lot of people tying these During the early part of the Twentieth a few, were also instrumental in the flies today but I get the feeling that Century in Maine, the featherwing streamer movement. These are a few there aren’t many who actually fish streamer was developed and fished of the men and women who started them. I’m not sure if this is because by a dedicated few, mostly in a small, the featherwing craze, and I’m one of they don’t feel they’ll fish well on the relatively unknown area of Western the countless who fell victim to the species they fish for, but if there’s Maine called the Rangeley Lakes featherwing bug at an early age. one thing the featherwing does well, Region. Herb Welch and Carrie For the first thirty to fifty years of it’s fish. Do you think that during the Stevens pioneered the movement the twentieth century the Rangeley 1920’s people in the deep woods of and both designed, tested and fished Lakes Region, Moosehead Lake Maine would have wasted their time hundreds of patterns with much suc- Region, Penobscot River Valley and tying up some concoction that didn’t cess at such famed locations as the the Kennebec River Valley were known actually catch fish? And add to that Kennebago River, Rangeley River, as some the world’s finest trout and the amount of people in Maine that Megalloway River, The Richardson’s, salmon , calling the adven- guided sports from around the world Mooselookmeguntic and of course the turous angler from locations around using primarily featherwing streamers Upper Dam Pool. These names are the world. The journey was long, hard and made Maine a place of big fish synonymous with Maine, fly fishing, and usually well worth it. It was the legend. Could a fly that didn’t produce big trout and salmon, and of course, thing that legends are made of, and fish produce the lore that is associated featherwing streamers. Around the featherwings were at the heart of with featherwings, Maine and large state, other Maine tiers like Chief those legends. In time these fisheries fish? I think not. These flies, albeit Needahbeh (a.k.a. Chief Roland declined, so did interest in feather- sometimes overly dressed, gaudy and Nelson) in the Moosehead Lake wings. Today, due to the internet and ridiculous looking, catch fish well and Region, Bert Quimby from the South the ability to spread knowledge we do it while looking good. That’s a fact Windham area, William R. Edson of now enjoy something of a featherwing that’s been proven time and time again Portland Maine and Dr. J. Hubert Renaissance. during the last century here in Maine 42 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 where sea run smelts congregate during the winter months. Osmerus Mordax, also known as rainbow smelts or just plain smelts if you’re from Maine, range in color from light pink to purple, blue to green, light blue dun to charcoal gray. Usually one or more of these colors makes up their back, along with a silver and white side and belly. Color and material combinations are limit- less when tying smelt patterns because smelt color varies greatly. If you’re new to tying or fishing featherwings, try using well know patterns that have endured the test of time like Carrie Stevens Gray Ghost, Dr. J. Hubert Sanborn’s 9-3 or the Supervisor, originated by Joseph S. Stickney. Three totally different smelt patterns, but all work well. A New England Tradition is “ice out” . Right after the ice “goes out” in the spring, trolling is just about the only and New England. type of fishing us Mainers do to start the season. Trolling First and foremost, the featherwing imitates baitfish most is a very popular type of fishing early in the year (our gen- of the time. In some way or another, even the most ridiculous eral fishing season runs from April to September) and is a looking array of materials lashed to a hook in the style of great way to get into big fish early. Smelt patterns along a featherwing streamer imitates a baitfish. Depending on with light and dark patterns are the flies of choice for most water clarity, the sun, the moon and the bait in any given of us. There are a lot of people who are specialists when water, a featherwing imitates another fish. The other times it it comes to trolling, but any fly rod from a 5 weight up can could imitate anything from a leech to a frog, a mouse to a be used. I usually use a 6 or 7 weight and a straight piece newt, a prawn to an egg sack. It all depends on where you’re fishing, how you’re fishing and the color you’re fishing. When choosing the right pattern you have to remember a few things like: First, fish are cannibalistic. They eat their own when given the chance so fishing a small blue and olive colored streamer through brook trout waters will always get you some action. Likewise, using olive/green in bass and pike waters works well and so does using orange in waters. Whether you fish for trout, salmon, bass or pike, using flies that represent the fingerlings and parr of those species is never a bad idea. Color is also another factor that you’ll need to figure out. Some fish like certain colors and others don’t. Using a flashy chartreuse fly on bass is always a good idea, but trying that same fly in brook trout waters might only spook the fish. Pink is a favorite of sea run salmon, but togue (lake trout) may not give it a look. Figuring out what colors your fish like and dislike is a huge advantage in fishing with such colorful flies. The time of year you’re fishing is also another important factor in choosing what fly to tie on. What I fish in the spring, summer, fall and winter can and does vary greatly. In the winter and spring we have smelt runs, and large ones at that in some areas. Inlets and outlets of lakes and ponds are where smelts congregate to spawn and lay their eggs unless you’re fishing large tidal rivers Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 43 of 10 pound mono for my leader in the 6-12 foot range. Big flies in the #1 to #4 size on 8X long hooks are the flies of Tying a Vig’s choice for some; others prefer tandems in the 3 to 5 inch long range. Green Highlander In the summer fishing with featherwings can be difficult. The fish key in on nymphs and dries a lot more in our riv- Variation 3 ers, but you will catch bigger fish on streamers if you’re willing to make an effort. I usually go with light or dark Thread: UNI 8/0 White colors depending on the day. There are two theories here: Hook: 8X long 2 streamer hook Light colors on sunny days, dark colors on overcast days Tag: Large silver/gold Mylar tinsel and vice versa. I’m not sure which is correct because I’ve Golden pheasant crest Tail: used both methods and done well all four ways. Start out Butt: Ostrich herl fishing a bright fly and keep switching until you find what’s Body: Rear half-UNI 600 1X yellow; front half UNI 600 1X Highlander green working. Rib: Rear half UNI-French oval small; If your river has forage fish, use imitations of those min- front half UNI-French oval large nows as well. Dace, sculpin, perch and chubs are a few Belly: 6-8 peacock swords then yellow of our forage fish but that will vary greatly from not only bucktail. bodies of water, but states as well. Knowing what your Throat: Yellow schlappen or similar substi local waters hold for minnows is very important in knowing tute what to fill your fly boxes with. Also, leeches, mice, frogs Underwing: 2 bleached and dyed yellow pea and salamanders are a few creatures that are often over- cock swords then 2 bleached and looked as potential flies but do become meals. Using flies dyed highlander green peacock that imitate possible meals usually yield great results, and swords sometimes even surprisingly large fish that wouldn’t have Wing: 4 Cree hackles been caught on traditional patterns. Topping: Golden pheasant crest Autumn in New England is all about bright, obnoxious Shoulder: Golden pheasant tippet looking patterns and this is when even a lot of die-hard dry Cheek: Jungle cock fly fisherman will tie on a streamer of some sort. Orange Head: Yellow lacquer is probably the most popular pattern during the fall and for good reason; IT WORKS! Orange, gold, copper, brown and yellow are all colors you’ll find in, on, and in combina- tion with, fall streamers. Fish are looking to fill up before the spawn and subsequent winter months so they feed aggressively. Many techniques in the fall will catch fish from vehemently stripping to a completely dead drift, bounc- ing it off bottom. It all depends on the fish’s mood. Again, location and weather will dictate your fishing patterns and just remember: when using featherwings you can be far more versatile in your than with any other patterns. Whether its fresh or salt water, featherwings will produce so give them a try. Step 1: Tying the Tag, Tail and Butt

I start the thread slightly ahead of the point of the hook and make about 15 wraps towards the bend where I add in the tinsel.

44 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 When selecting the crest to use as a tail, I choose 1-3 feathers, depending on how full I want it, that are a third to a quarter the length of the hook. When tying in the golden pheasant crest tail keep the spine of the feather flat on the top of the thread base so it doesn’t twist. Make sure to trap a few barbules as this will make it more secure. I wrap towards the back while trapping barbules, keeping the thread flat. Once you’ve wrapped to the tag, stop and prepare a section of ostrich herl.

Let the tag end overlap your thread base entirely, capture the tinsel with one wrap and head down its tag securing it to the base. When using Mylar, tie the color you want show- ing facing the hook and then work your thread forward to the original tie in point. I see a lot of people struggle with pulling the correct color forward when using Mylar and this technique makes it quite easy. I always tie it on the side I’m working so I can see it. This makes it easier and faster.

Now pull the tinsel forward slightly and up at the same time which makes it fold over and show the correct color. I make about 4 wraps forward and tie it off, keeping your When tying in the ostrich I make sure the center strip of thread there. the herl is on the down side and this will make the butt sec- tion barbules much nicer when the butt is wrapped. Make your wraps flat and tight while advancing them forward to where you want the tie off point, which is how wide the butt will be. I now cut the remaining golden pheasant off square to the hook at the point where I want my butt to stop which will make a nice, flat transition from butt to body. Before wrapping the butt, I place a dab of super glue on the thread base so the herl has something to stick to. This will make the butt section stand up to the fish and without some glue; the butt will fray on the first hit. Now advance the herl forward in the same manner as you did the tag. See how the center of the herl flattens and stays forward? This makes a much cleaner tie and straighter butt and it also gives a good surface for the herl to adhere to. Tie off with a few wraps, cut off the remaining herl and prepare your tinsel rib.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 45 Wrap the green thread back to the yellow and butt it up Step 2: Tying the Body against the yellow without covering it, keeping your wraps tight and flat, and then advance back to the front. Add I add in my small oval tinsel on the back of the hook now, your thread back in over the floss, cut away the floss and leaving a small tag facing forward to tie over for a more half hitch the thread. secure connection. Move your thread towards the middle of the shank while keeping your wraps tight. I make a few half hitches and cut the thread away. Start in your yellow floss and work towards the butt and when you get there, wrap tightly up to the butt section without pushing the herl over and head forward.

Wrap your front rib and tie it off with a few tight wraps making sure not to crowd the eye.

When you get back to your starting point add your thread back in, tying over the floss a few times and cut away the floss. Make a few half hitches and wrap the rib forward and tie off. At the same point, add in your medium oval tinsel for the front rib. Keep the wraps tight together and advance your thread forward. Once I get within a quarter of an inch from the eye I stop and tie in the green floss, half hitch my thread and cut it away. Step 3: Tying the Belly & Throat

Now I rotate my fly over so I can work on the bottom. Having a true rotary vise helps when tying complicated flies like featherwings.

Tie in 6-8 peacock swords so their tips are just beyond the hook bend using 5 or so wraps to secure them and cut off the butts. That is the length I like to use on my big streamers, but smaller hooks will have longer bellies and 46 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 wings.

Now you can add the throat which is made of yellow schlappen and approximately the same length as the tail, cutting off the butts at the same angle and tying them down Now cut a small clump of yellow bucktail for the belly. like you did the bucktail. Remember, I use a drop of super You can stack your hair or cut it natural like I do and remove glue after every material as to add extra strength to my the stragglers. When cutting it off the tail, I pull the hairs flies. out together as to keep the tips aligned.

Step 5: Tying the Underwing, Wing and Once cut off the skin, Ill take out the really long hairs by Topping the tips and the really short hairs by pinching the middle of the pack and lightly stroking them out of the base. Tie Once that’s done, rotate the fly back over to wing it. I tie them in with their tips at the same length as the peacock in my 2 yellow peacock swords first, then my green ones and use a few tight wraps. I finish by clipping the bucktail on top of that making their tips ending in the curve of the at a slight angle to help form the head and using a few extra tail. Next, I tie the wing. wraps to secure the butts.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 47 This is what causes a LOT of trouble for people. There 15 tight wraps. are many different techniques for tying in the hackle but I’m going to show you mine, which I always thought was the “standard” way, but really there is no standard way, just the way you choose. You can tie in just the stems, catch some barbules in the thread, leave all the barbules on the underside of the wing or clip off a small few near the head to get the wing more flat. Whatever method you choose, you should try some others too. You may find you like one better than another so experiment.

I prefer Ewing Deceiver Patches for my hackle. Over the years I have tried countless brands/farms and styles and it’s the only one I use constantly. I absolutely hate saddle hackle as I find it too flimsy and the barbules are either too webby or not webby enough for my liking. Again, try different types before settling on one and even then trying new ones won’t hurt. Remember, materials make the fly. With poor materials even the best tiers cannot construct a decent fly. Here is when I start to form the head for the top of the fly Purchasing inferior materials will only slow you down and by cutting the hackle stems into a “V”. This helps shape will also cause your flies to come apart much faster when the head and reduce bulk. fishing. I’ve seen people lose wings while casting alone!

This is the method I use 99% of the time for setting the feather-wing.

Select matching hackles, whether they are all straight or you have 2 matching pairs of curved ones. If using curved hackles, I prefer them to curve down when tied on as they look more natural that way. You’ll make the wing in 2, 2 part sides, and by doing so place 2 hackles back to front to form one side and repeat for the other, matching their tips. When you’re ready to tie them in you’ll place each side back to back, matching their tips. Once I have my 4 hackles selected and in their 2 parts, I place my front side up to the hook to get the approximate length I want, which At this point I also tie in my golden pheasant crest for the is with the tips slightly longer than the belly, and strip the topping and use a crest whose tip will reach over the wing base of its barbules where it will be tied in. I like to capture tip ever so slightly. You can shape the crest in many different just a few barbules when tying on my hackles as again, I ways but I prefer to use a bodkin and my thumb and lightly feel it makes it sturdier. stroke the feather over the bodkin if need be since fishing it will straighten it out anyway. Remember, there is no need to be too picky if you’re using decent materials since this is a fishing fly that will be cast and hopefully catch fish. It will become twisted and mangled no matter what so don’t stress over a slight twist in your crest.

By pinching the entire wing in one hand and holding the bobbin in the other, I make a couple of “loose” wraps over the hackles to get the rough idea of where they’ll sit and if they want to twist on me. Once I’ve decided everything is a go, I make a few very tight wraps and check the wing position again. If it needs adjusting it can be twisted or pulled a little. Once it’s in place I secure with another 10- 48 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Step 6: Tying the Shoulder, cheek and head

Depending on the pattern, the shoulder with be differ- ent sizes. On this pattern, I like a smaller shoulder as to not cover the throat. Select 2 matching golden pheasant tippet feathers and again, hold one up to the fly to get the approximate size. I strip its base and measure the other. Once I have the exact size I want, I select my jungle cock cheeks.

The head should be the correct shape by now, but it might need some building and filling. I like a nice size/shape head on my flies. When I see a tiny head on a fly it means only one thing: It’s coming apart.

Build the head to the desired size and cement. I like to put a drop of super glue on and spread it around and let it soak in.

When selecting JC nails for fishing flies, you can use the worst of the worst. I like to glue my JC to my shoulders before tying either onto the fly as that makes them last longer so using split nails is easy because you can fix them while applying them. Casting a fly once only to find the most expensive feathers came off it in the wind isn’t fun, so here is what I do.

Take your pre-measured and stripped shoulders and lay them out. Select your nails and place them next to the shoulders to judge the length. Once again, strip the base. When everything is right, I open my gloss coat lacquer with Then I apply the yellow lacquer and let it dry. Voila, bodkin lid and quickly stroke the back of the nail across you have a finished, ready to fish, Vig’s Green Highlander the bodkin in the lacquer where it is not too thick, like near Variation #3 that should work well on your salmon, bass, the top of the bodkin. Now quickly and lightly stroke the pickerel, and pike. jungle cock together with your fingers and once it looks good, give it another run across some fresh lacquer and place it onto the shoulder.

Duane P Vigue is a professional who specializes in featherwing streamers. You can learn more about Duane Repeat for the other side and once dry, tie the shoulders and his flies at his website, vigsbigflys.com on capturing a few barbules. Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 49 As the light slowly fades, a lone Mayfly appears on the surface of a large Canadian lake, signal- ing the beginning of annual event that has taken place for millennia. The emergence of aquatic macroinvertebrates from their immature nymph or larval phase to the airborne adult stage marks the midpoint in a life cycle filled with astonishing transitions and delicate beauty, only fully revealed through careful observation. As a cornerstone of generations of fly fishing traditions, these insects have inspired countless fly patterns which cover almost every aspect of their amazing life cycle. Canadian photographer and fly fisher Will Milne takes us on a photographic journey exploring this cycle, and providing a window into the delicate beauty of these insects which every fly tier hopes to capture in his imitations.

Fly Tying is a highly subjective and personal pursuit, which ranges from the impressionistic to remarkably realistic. Tiers have sought ways to imitate the characteristics of the natural which triggers a feeding response or prey recognition in their target fish species. Despite the fact that the catalog of fly patterns currently available is a vast and highly productive one, fly tying is an ever-evolving art. There is always room for new and innovative techniques in all areas of tying. Perhaps there is no better teacher on the subject of fly fishing related macroinvertebrates than the insects themselves. Attentive observation and close examination of the naturals has, after all, been the source for many of the patterns that have proven themselves through the constant critique of time. Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 51 The strong robust front legs and tusks of a burrowing Mayfly - Ephemera simulans - have evolved to allow it to dig through and move the fine sand and gravel of its preferred habitat into which it constructs a U-shaped tunnel from which it emerges to feed.

A Heptaniidae nymph rests during the teneral stage which can last for several hours for both Mayflies and Stoneflies.

The story begins with a perilous and remarkable journey from egg to mature pre-emergent nymph or pupal larvae. Out of the primary fly fishing related macroinvertebrates Caddis, Stoneflies and Mayflies, the Caddis is the only subject which goes through a full metamorphosis from immature to pupa to adult. Both Mayflies and Stoneflies have what are considered to be incomplete metamorphic cycles going straight from nymph to adult. Stoneflies and Mayflies both have hardened exoskeletons comprised of chitin which acts as a thin protective layer. Their growth cycle is achieved by intermittently shedding this exoskeleton and resting temporarily in what is termed the teneral stage until the exoskeleton of the now pale white to cream colored nymph re-hardens and once again takes on the char- acteristic coloration of the species. Evolving in remarkably varied types of habitat, different species have developed many interesting adaptations to ensure they perpetuate the yearly cycle of renewal. Life for a Mayfly or Stonefly nymph is a perilous one. Nearly all species shred, browse or capture their inanimate food sources in an environment where they are themselves a preferential or occasional prey. These predators include fish and other macroinvertebrates, which are also commonly imitated by fly tyers, including some predatory Stoneflies as well as Dragonfly nymphs and many other familiar species.

52 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 As a defense against predation many spe- cies have developed intricate patterning and subtle variations in color that allow them to blend into their environment.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 53 A Mayfly hatch is an intricate affair. The nymph’s exoskeleton splits longitudi- nally for a final time much in the same way as it had during instar growth. This time, however, what emerges is the sub-imago or sexually immature winged adult or Dun. Requiring neither food or moisture, these duns fly to nearby vegetative or man-made structure to await a further transformation. Considered unique to Mayflies, they undergo a second emergence as the winged adult stage to finally become the sexually mature imago or Spinner. Mating takes place in airborne swarms over water or adjacent open areas. The author has watched birds in flocks of hundreds attack these often huge mating swarms in a feeding frenzy of circling, swooping runs through the clouds of insects. Males, having fulfilled their roles, fall spent to again become part of the food chain. Females await the ripening of the eggs sacs they carry. After deposition of the eggs into water, most often fall as spent Spinners.

Hatches can reach staggering densities. Mayflies are attracted to light. Many man-made structures adjacent to emergence sites can provide the observant angler with clues to these events.

A female sub-imago or Dun awaits the final transformation on its jour- ney.

The intensified color and clear or hyaline wings of the mature adult or Imago. 54 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Spent Mayflies drift on the current often forming great mats of potential foodstuff for many species of fish and amphibians.

A sexually mature Imago emerges from within the sub-Imago exoskeleton.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 55 Stoneflies differ from Mayflies in that they crawl from the water and emerge as fully mature adults after the nymphal exoskeleton dries and splits longitudinally. Abandoned nymph shucks can be found a surprising distance from the water, and up to 10-15 feet on tree trunks or man made structures such as bridges or restraining walls where the adults gather to mate. Many male Stonefly species have a drum like structure near the tails which they use to attract females, and mating most often takes place bank-side. The females deposit their egg sacs in the water often with a clumsy flurry of wings slapping the surface of the water.

A male Stonefly before beginning the search for a mate.

Layers of Stonefly shucks on a bank-side emergence site reveal that Stoneflies emerge in waves over a period of several days.

56 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 A pair of Stoneflies mating. Often multiple males will com- pete for a single female.

The nymphal exoskeleton splits to reveal the adult ready to emerge.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 57 A pupa rests below the water surface. Note the distinctive morphological charac- teristics of the stage.

Using a silk-like material, a Net Building Caddis in its funnel shaped shelter. Caddis distinguish themselves from Stoneflies and Mayflies in some interesting ways. While there are free roaming Caddis the majority construct shelters, either fixed or portable during the larva stage. Caddis also undergo a pupa stage at which time they remain inactive as they develop into an intermediate stage in preparation for emergence as fully mature adults. Once formed, pupa emergence takes place at or near the surface of the water. The pupa inflates a membranous surrounding sac and using its longest leg pair as a set of oars rows its way upwards through the water column. While superficially resembling Stonefllies, Caddis adults can be generally distinguished by the rough or fuzzy surface of their wings that are usually twice as long as their tail-less body. These wings are held in a tent-like fashion when at rest. Mating takes place in swarms above the water. The process of egg laying varies by species for some it is achieved by surface deposition for others the adult females dives through the water column to deposit their eggs on the stream or lake bed substrate.

The body and wing proportions of an adult Caddis are revealed in the glow of a soft back light.

58 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Tent-like wing positioning and and rough- ened wing texture of a typical Caddis adult.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 59 Fly tiers invariably pose that question when first introduced The term trigger is bantered about with considerable fre- to emerger patterns; scruffy bodies, curved hooks, and quency in the fly fishing literature and is used to describe a jumbled appendages are bewildering to the uninitiated. The variety of actions and events in different settings. To the fly apprehension is understandable; emergence is a dynamic fisher, trigger implies a response - trout responding to a fly. process in the life cycle stage of aquatic insects and requires Anglers attempt to recreate the conditions and character- equally dynamic imitations to fool wary trout. Emergers are istics they believe trigger a predatory response, a strike to neither nymphs nor duns, rather they are a transient state the fly. To entomologists, triggers are the physiologic factors between the two stages. Capturing transient states on a and environmental conditions that stimulate changes in is a formidable challenge. insects, inducing distinct behaviors such as feeding, drift- My search for a satisfying explanation to the “why” of ing, emergence, and mating. To fly tiers, triggers are visual emerger fly design became an adventure. Entomology cues in a pattern, intended to resemble selected anatomic textbooks, fly tying books, scientific literature, interviews, characteristics of real flies. field work, an aquarium, and thousands of flies later, I still It is difficult to know what trout perceive when looking have plenty of questions about emergers and fly design. at emerging insects, which makes imitating visual triggers However, a few themes became clear and now exert their all the more difficult. Interpreting patterns of visual imag- influence on my tying, fishing, and teaching. These principles ery in trout is subject to considerable bias; our tendency are not novel, but have renewed application in the world of to describe sensory information in terms of human visual emerging insects. processing may not be applicable to fish. Trout are highly 60 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 evolved to a specific environmental niche and possess buoyancy of newly hatched flies as water pushes against sensory adaptations fine-tuned to a watery world. So where the abdomen, attempting to expel the object from its midst. does the tier focus when emulating emerging flies? Certainly The dimpling of the water around the fly’s body distorts the there have been many successful patterns crafted over light passing through the surface film, making a signature the years that consistently fool or footprint of the fly on the trout. What do these patterns water. The low-in-the-water present in terms of visual cues position of artificial emerg- and, more importantly, what “The angler’s fly has to be where the fish are look- ers imitates the natural’s can natural emergers teach ing, where their food is found. Sometimes it is on the footprint. us about fly design? bottom, bouncing off rocks, other times it is floating Emergence is an animat- One of the most promi- high on the water. And sometimes the insects are in- ed process and successful nent visual cues of emerging between, both in and out of the water, straddling the patterns will convey a sense insects is their position in the surface film. When that’s the case, you better make of animation. Light, color, water. For surface emergers sure your fly is doing the same thing.” and contrast are important there is a transient moment Tim Wade, fly tier and outfitter, North Fork Anglers, design elements when imi- when the upper portion of Cody, WY tating motion. It is widely the body, legs, and unfurling accepted that trout have wings sit in the surface film. color vision, but the role of The residual nymph case or contrast and the interplay shuck is still attached and of light between a fly, back- trails beneath or behind the emergent insect. The accom- light, and water may be more important than a singular reli- panying fly patterns show how elk hair, cul-de-canard (CDC), ance on pattern color. Even though color is a central feature and stiff hackle are used to orient the hook in the water, of fly patterns, the circumstances that predispose color as fostering the illusion of an emerger suspended in the sur- the dominant factor in eliciting a strike are not well defined. face film. The curved and canted hook extends beneath the Heavily fished waters develop very discerning trout and these suspended fly, displaying the lower body and shuck. Other fish seem more selective of color (as well as size, silhouette, floatation techniques – parachute or paraloop hackling, poly and presentation) than their less-pestered kin. The biggest yarn, foam, or a ball of synthetic dubbing – are practical obstacle for understanding the role of color in fly patterns alternatives for positioning emergers in the water. The key is our limited knowledge of how trout perceive color or if is to make a fly that resides both in the surface film as well they share the same visible spectrum as humans. as dangling beneath it. Research has shown rainbow trout possess visual sen- The tying sequence for a loop wing emerger shows CDC sory capability into the ultraviolet (UV) range and, further, and Antron yarn used together to provide just enough floata- that UV sensitivity and polarization vision may be linked in tion to hold the uppermost portion of the fly in the surface fish. These physiologic properties likely enhance a trout’s film. The dubbed abdomen and trailing shuck are tied on ability to perceive contrast between prey and background a curved hook and ride beneath the drifting fly. Splaying light. Ultraviolet sensitivity appears to vary with growth and the loop wing over the upper body increases the surface development in trout, waning as fish age. The adaptive area of the wing, enhanc- advantages of UV and polar- ing floatation and visibility ization vision may contribute to in the water. directional orientation, naviga- A slender, segmented sil- “The barred lines on grizzly hackle add a sense of tion, foraging, mate selection, houette is generally associ- motion to a pattern; alternating dark and light areas and other facets of submerged ated with adult flies, a pro- show contrast and animation. Hare’s ear, natural hare’s life. Clearly, trout have a visual gressive transition from the ear, is another high contrast material that’s good for capacity that human anglers flattened, bulky shape of a tying emergers; a mix of alternating dark and light do not possess and do not nymph. Silhouette is partic- shades, differing textures in the fur, coarse guard fully understand. The role of ularly important when por- hairs, and it carries air bubbles beneath the surface. UV signature to fly design is traying an insect advancing Contrast is important when tying emergers, adding a highly speculative, prime mate- toward final emergence; a little chaos and a sense of movement is an excellent rial for fly shop squabbles for slender, segmented abdo- way to represent a struggling insect. Emergence is years to come. men assumes increased not a graceful transition.” Contrast in a fly pattern emphasis when imitating Tom Rosenbauer, author and fly tier, The Orvis helps it appear alive, embody- a dun ready to escape from Company, Sunderland, VT ing a sense of movement. the surface. Anglers should Contrast, in this sense, refers note not every insect is at to differences in light intensity exactly the same stage of reflected by adjoining materi- development at the same time. A batch of flies staggered als. Scientists hypothesize that when materials lying close along the nymph-to-dun spectrum may do more to improve to one another reflect differing amounts of light intensity, a day’s outing than dozens of identical imitations. the contrasting intensities can fool the eye, producing a The surface tension of the water provides a foothold for confusing spatial effect. When the observer attempts to emergent flies and the trailing nymph shuck serves as a bring order to the visual information, the outcome may be platform against which an insect can push to gain lever- interpreted as motion. Most theories on vision, light patterns, age. A slight dimpling around the fly’s body suggests the and contrast are based on human vision and their application abdomen is hydrophobic. This quality may contribute to the to trout is not a precise fit. What is known is that contrasting Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 61 luminance and intensity are creative tying tools. punctuates the interface with the scruffy, drab color of the The accompanying tying steps for a caddis emerger hare’s ear dubbing forming the lower body. An elk hair wing, illustrate the influence of contrasting texture and light pat- tied cripple-style over the hook eye, provides both surface terns in a fly. The body of the fly is made with two different position as well as enough flotation to keep the bead-laden types of dubbing; the lower portion is dubbed with coarse fly in the film. hare’s ear, followed by a Some materials actually finer textured and flashy Ice move in the water and add Dub material. The Ice Dub is realistic animation to a pat- brushed back over the hare’s “Presentation is critical, especially on hard-fished tern. Soft CDC fibers, mara- ear to increase the interplay water. Yes, fly patterns must be appropriate for the bou, ostrich herl, webby hen between the two dubbings. prevailing hatches, the season, and the water condi- hackle, and some synthetic The adjacent and partially tions. But above all else, the fly must be presented in fibers pulsate and flow in overlapping materials exhibit a way that fish recognize as food. The imitation must moving water. The delicate a distinct contrast in texture look, and act, like the real thing.” CDC fibers have the added and reflectivity. Topped with Jack Dennis, author, fly tier, and outfitter, Jack benefit of trapping air bub- a hair wing, the fly sits low in Dennis Sports, Jackson, WY bles, adding a subdued flash the surface film and portrays and increased flotation with the down-wing style charac- a minimum of material. teristic of emergent caddis. I encourage fly tying stu- The two-tone emerger is a dents to think in terms of dependable pattern for summer caddis hatches and the subtle exaggerations, a design concept that emphasizes hair wing rides high without flinching. selected characteristics of trout food and prominently dis- Visual contrast is enhanced by altering the properties of plays these signals in a fly pattern. Among the visual features adjacent materials. Dubbing materials, a reflective rib, or relevant to emerging patterns are position, posture, size, suspending a fly beneath a wing all contribute to the effect. silhouette, contrast, and movement. An additional element, Consider a fly drifting in the surface film, backlit by sky light, subjective as it may be, is buggy luster: the unruly, life-like with a parachute-style hackle. The hackle barbs contrast in qualities of a fly that impart a bit of mojo (shimmer, light, shape, orientation, texture, position in the surface film, and magic, aura, you name it). A gold-ribbed hare’s ear, a flash- imprint a signature on the water. Topping an emerger pattern back pheasant tail, peacock herl and red floss on a Royal with a tuff of hackle using a paraloop (or hackle stacker) Wulff, or silver-lined glass beads on midge patterns, are technique has a similar effect. A low-riding, descending examples of buggy luster. It is the trout-candy, “Hey, look body posture, crowned by an explosion of hackle creates at me!” signature found on successful flies. Conspicuous a convincing illusion of an emerger struggling to free itself flash in combination with subdued natural colors is not so from the surface film. As the fly rocks in the current, differ- much a contradiction as it is an acknowledgment that trout ent hackle barbs come into contact with the water, lifting perceive objects in a manner, and an environment, anglers and shifting the visual footprint of the fly on the water. The do not understand. visual impact of the fly is similar to the motion of flailing Emergence imparts a temporarily distorted and clumsy legs and unfurling wings of an emerging insect. appearance to even the most elegant of insects. In the midst In addition to the illusion of movement portrayed by varied of their chaotic struggle to exit a nymphal case, emerging texture, adornments such as beads and flash further con- insects are visible, vulnerable, and available to hungry trout. tribute to the life-like qualities of fly patterns. For example, a Tying and fishing emergers can satisfy the “something differ- trailing shuck not only suggests the remnants of a nymphal ent” strategy necessary for hard-fished waters, expanding an case, but adds visual contrast and motion to an emerger angler’s opportunity for success across a wider portion of a pattern. Trailing shucks tied with Antron or Z-lon are par- hatch. Fly fishing is a game of deception and illusion, creative ticularly effective; these synthetic fibers are reflective and fly tying is the sleight-of-hand that sells the magic. add a translucent light quality to the fly. Some patterns incorporate synthetic fibers or strands of metallic flash into the wing for increasing light intensity. Glass beads give flies a distinctive appearance. Beads are available in a remarkable spectrum of colors, sizes, translu- cency, and with reflective or mirrored linings. Glass beads on emerger patterns have evolved as a routine practice on many western waters. Nymphs develop a gas bubble beneath their exoskeleton, a process thought to aid buoy- ancy and to help split the nymphal case as a prelude to emergence. A small glass bead may represent the trapped gasses beneath the nymphal case, or present the silhouette of an expanded shuck. Regardless of the anatomic inten- tion, trout appear to associate the translucent qualities of a glass bead with lunch. The bead belly emerger shown in the accompanying photographs includes a silver-lined glass bead mid-thorax. The bead adds a distinct reflective element to the fly and

62 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Tying a Loop Wing Emerger Hook: Curved scud/emerger hook, sizes 14-20 Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 flat waxed nylon, black Shuck: Antron fibers, light gray Body: Goose biot, natural or light olive- gray color Thorax: Light gray synthetic dubbing Legs: Barred wood duck feather fibers Wing: Medium dun CDC overlaying light gray Antron fibers, looped over the upper body

Now you can wrap the biot forward in slightly over- lapping turns to form the abdomen. Secure the biot Note: The CDC/Antron loop wing establishes the fly’s 3 at the midpoint of the hook shank and trim away position in the surface film while the curved hook shank excess material. drops the abdomen and trailing shuck below the surface. There are many variations of the loop wing design; it is an easy fly to tie and fishes well on most trout water. If the loop wing design appeals to you, take a look at Shane Stalcup’s innovative patterns in Mayflies: Top to Bottom.

Start the tying thread at the mid-point of the curved hook shank and anchor a small bundle of Antron 1 fibers at the tail of the body area. Snug the Antron fibers along the length of the body area and return the thread to the tie-in point. It is fine if extra Antron extends beyond the end of the hook, you can trim the shuck to length once the fly is finished.

The loop wing is formed from two layers of mate- rial. The first layer is a CDC feather tied by the tip 4 at the mid-point of the hook shank. Then add a small bundle of Antron fibers on top of the CDC for the second layer and allow both materials to extend toward the bend of the hook.

Add a goose biot at the tail end of the body and spiral the tying thread back toward the eye of the 2 hook. Counterspin the thread bobbin occasionally to flatten the thread and keep the underbody wraps smooth.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 63 Gather the CDC/Antron fibers together and pull Build the thorax with synthetic dubbing, leaving them forward to form a loop over the thorax; bind about two eye lengths of space behind the hook 6 the materials tightly just behind the hook eye. Trim 5 eye. Add a few wood duck feather fibers to the the excess CDC/Antron closely to the shank and bottom of the shank, just behind the hook eye. cover the cut ends with a couple wraps of dubbing. Build a small thread head and whip finish immediately behind the hook eye. Finish the fly by trimming the trailing shuck to the length of the abdomen.

64 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Form a dubbing loop with the tying thread and Tying a Caddis advance the tying thread forward toward the hook 3 eye. Now fill the dubbing loop with Ice Dub and Emerger twist the loop seven or eight times to capture the Ice Dub. The second portion of the body is formed by wrap- Hook: Tiemco 2487, sizes 12-18 ping the dubbing loop forward to cover about half of the Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 flat waxed total body length. The Ice Dub should have an unkempt nylon, black Body 1: Hare’s ear dubbing, course with and scraggly look. guard hairs Body 2: Ice Dub, tan Wing: Light or medium elk hair, tied down-wing

Note: This scruffy caddis pattern illustrates the use of natural and synthetic materials to enhance contrast. Exploiting the differences in texture, color, and reflectiv- ity of dubbing creates a very buggy look – perfect for the frantic pace of a caddis hatch. Jim Schollmeyer and Ted Leeson present 41 down-wing style patterns in Tying Emergers; enough to keep you busy all winter.

Start the tying thread on the hook and build a smooth thread underbody covering two thirds of 1 the tying area.

Bind the dubbing loop to the hook shank with tying thread and trim away any remaining loop. You can 4 now anchor the tying thread with a half-hitch or whip knot and let the bobbin hang down out of your way. Brush the Ice Dub back over the hare’s ear dubbing to overlap the two materials and shape the body. A child- size toothbrush with half the bristle length cut away is a great tool for this job.

Dub the rearmost third of the body with hare’s ear 2 dubbing.

Clean and stack a small bundle of elk hair. Tie the hair down-wing style and anchor the bundle firmly 5 to the hook shank with the tips of the hair extend- ing to the end of the hook bend.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 65 the hook eye. Whip finish and cut off the tying thread. You can pluck out errant dubbing strands and guard hairs, but put the scissors down – the fly’s trademark is it’s rough, buggy appearance.

Trim away the excess hair and secure the cut ends securely with tying thread. Add a couple of turns 6 of hare’s ear dubbing over the cut end of the wing and then build a thread head immediately behind

66 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Tying a Bead Belly Dub a tight abdomen behind the glass bead, cov- ering the back half of the tying area. You can now Emerger 3 secure the tying thread with a couple of half-hitch- es or a whip finish. Hook: Standard dry fly hook, straight shank, sizes 12-20 Tying Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 flat waxed nylon, black Body: Hare’s ear dubbing with guard hairs Bead: Silver-lined glass bead, sized for hook Hackle: Grizzly Wing: Light or medium colored elk hair, tied cripple style extending over the hook eye

Note: This variation of Bob Quigley’s cripple pattern adds translucent light in the form of a glass bead. The wing is tied full to support the extra mass of the bead; add another turn or two of hackle and lightly dress the wing with floatant for rough water.

Slide a glass bead on to the hook and then mount the hook in the vise. Now push the bead forward Cut off the thread bobbin, slide the bead back 1 toward the eye of the hook and start the tying thread against the dubbed lower body, and restart the behind the bead. 4 tying thread ahead of the bead. Add a couple of wraps of dubbing to fix the bead in place and then tie in a grizzly hackle about two eye lengths behind the hook eye.

Mount a small bundle of Antron fibers to the hook shank with the tips extending beyond the bend of 2 the hook. A little extra length is fine as you can trim the trailing shuck once the fly is finished.

Clean and stack a clump of elk hair. You can then mount the hair to the hook shank, tips extending 5 forward over the hook eye the length of the fly body. Bind the hair firmly to the hook and wrap the tying thread forward under the elk hair to a position behind the eye.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 67 Bring the last hackle wrap forward and bind the feather around the hook shank just behind the hook eye. Finish the fly with a thread head and a secure whip knot, and trim the trailing shuck the length of the body.

Now you can trim the ends of the elk hair and then add two or three wraps of hackle around the hair 6 and hook shank at the tie-in point of the hair wing.

68 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Over a decade an a half ago, I was at virtual crossroads in my fly fishing career. Having a young family, a dwin- the occasional big popper. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the dling supply of time, and the nearest “good” trout stream information I had gathered. Nonetheless, I took to the vise was an hour from my home; I soon came to the realization and tied an assortment of Dahlberg Mega Divers and black that a change was in store. As the months passed I found rabbit strip flies. Also, I concocted variations that I thought myself pondering my angling options, and then realized the would both perform well in the water and catch musky. challenge was right before my eyes. My home waters of The musky proved to be the proverbial fish of a thousand Chautauqua Lake happen to be a premier musky destina- casts, but I did not give up. I spent countless hours casting tion for anglers throughout the Northeast. All this time, the and searching, changing flies and changing tactics, but only answer had been but 500 yards from my front door. managed the occasional follow. My spirits weren’t dashed, I had a great deal to learn about musky fishing, but the but while the gears in my reel were not turning, the analytical question which puzzled me the most was what fly pat- gears in my mind were. I constantly thought that the edge I terns should I use for musky on highly pressured waters? needed would come from a fly design. After all, these fish I contacted guides, read books, bought and watched as had seen a lot of presentations by hardware throwers so I many videos as were available at the time. Generally speak- needed an edge. ing, the answers to my question were always the same; Inspiration came in the form of Bob Popovic’s “Shady Dahlberg Divers, big rabbit strip flies, salt water flies, and Lady,” a squid pattern. This pattern is tied on monofilament Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 69 stretched between two vises to form the tail. This technique enabled the rear portion of the fly to swing freely in a very life- like fashion, therefore mimicking more closely the movement of forage fish. The method was great, but not perfect. It was time-consuming to tie, and did not allow for a stinger hook. I found a tube fly to be the per- fect solution. By using a loop of nylon coated wire and tying the tailing materials to a tube, I could tie the fly far more quickly and position a stinger hook. By using the modular approach to tying this pattern, I controlled a number of vari- ables. Nearly every aspect of this fly can be adjusted, allow- ing me to tie it in a near-infinite variety of sizes and shapes. One of the final adjustments that I made to the Esoxulator was to add a weight at approximately the 1/3 point of the main hook shank. The weight comes in the form of a “conehead” which is generally tied in the front of a fly to give it a jigging or darting motion. My intent was to tie the cone/jiggyhead in on top of the shank, being strapped down by the wire that holds the tubes and stinger hook. By tying in the weight in this fashion, it gives the fly a unique “listing” motion upon rest, resembling prey that is dying and easily overcome. Lastly, instead of tying the col- lar and winging material in a straight back fashion, I started to fold the material over so that the head of the fly was in a conical formation. In doing so, this creates more resistance when the fly tracks through the water column. This in turn gives off more vibration and the added bonus is that it enhances the tail movement of the fly without the angler having to manually impart more action to the fly. In closing, the modular approach to tying flies is only limited by one’s imagination. I have experimented with a variety of other patterns to include Clouser style minnow, deceivers, and other saltwater flies. Simply put, by using this approach one can alter both the length and appearance of a single fly by adding on a tailing or body component. One only needs to tie standard patterns on a slightly larger than normal hook so as to allow for the modular options.

70 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Trim the wires and make several thread wraps over Tying The them, whip finish, give the thread wraps a generous 6 application of super glue and allow to dry com- Esoxulator pletely. Main Hook: 5/0 Owner spinnerbait hook, Model # 5320-154, or Gamakatsu SP-3L3H Tie in a generous amount of Mike Martinek’s Jr’s Stinger Hook: Owner 5111-121 sizes 2/0 - 4/0 or Electric Sashimi material (pearl or the desired color 7 for the belly) half way between the conehead and Gamakatsu octopus 02415 sizes 2/0 - 5/0 the bend of the hook shank. Apply a drop of Fly Tailing Wire: Mason NyloStrand 45lb .028 Tite cement. diameter Thread: Wapsi UTC 210 denier, Danville Directly on top of the belly mass of Electric Sashimi, 210 denier flat waxed nylon tie in an equal amount of a contrasting color of Weight: Medium or large coneheads 8 Electric Sashimi. After both masses have been tied Glue: Super Glue (gluing wire onto hook in, secure with two half hitches and apply a gener- shank), Fly Rite for all tying ous amount of Fly Rite cement. applications, Zap-a-Gap for eyes to fly body, Bond 527 or silicone Fold back the top and bottom masses of Electric for the head and throat of fly Sashimi Flash and secure with 8 - 10 thread wraps 9 in front of the mass. Half hitch and apply a gener- Main Body ous amount of Fly Rite cement. Take your dubbing needle and then comb out the material on both the top Rear: Contrasting colors of Mike and bottom. Martinek, Jr.’s Electric Sashimi Flash material underside - pearl, After advancing the thread passed the conehead, back - bronze or peacock. cut a ½ inch wide piece of white “Strung Fuzzy Throat & Wing: Strung fuzzy fiber in contrasting 10 colors, to include white for the Fiber”. Fold the material in half and cut the mate- throat and olive for the back/wing. rial at the half way point. Tie the Strung Fuzzy Fiber in Flank: Strung Fuzzy fiber approximately 3/8ths of an inch behind the eye of the Crest: Peacock Angel hair, folded back hook with 2/3 of the material extending forward. and cemented Eyes: 7.5 mm - 15 mm depending on fly Repeat step 10, however utilize a darker (olive) size. tone of “Strung Fuzzy Fiber.” Ensure that the 11 tips align at the front end of the fly. Cut a 1/4 inch wide section of “Strung Fuzzy Fiber” and fold it in half. Cut the material at the Begin by starting a jam knot with a 210 Denier 12 half way point. Tie in on the flanks, both left and thread behind the eye of the hook. With closed right side so that each section parallels the hook 1 spirals, wrap the hook shank, three times (down, shank. Ensure that the tips of the material align at the up, and down) so as to give the hook shank a solid front of the fly. foundation of thread. Wrap the entire thread mass so that the thread wraps are within 1/8 of an inch on the 5/0 hook. Tie in a 10 inch section of 45 lb wire at the rear 13 Whip finish twice and give the thread wraps a 2 of the hook (directly above the point of the barb). generous application of cement. Leave 3 inches of the wire which is crimped and folded in half extend off the rear of the hook. Tie in the Manually fold the “Strung Fuzzy Fiber” back wire so that both strands are parallel and on top of the over the hook shank. Generally speaking, the hook shank. Wrap in tight spirals to the ½ point of the 14 material will lay in place by itself. hook shank. Build a small head between the “Strung Fuzzy Insert a conehead through both pieces of wire, then Fiber” and the eye of the hook. wrap the thread in tight, closed spirals to the eye 15 3 of the hook. Select a generous mass of “Angel Hair,” gener- Return the thread wraps in close spirals to the rear ally a 6” - 8” long bunch of material will suffice. of the hook. 16 Allow 1/3 of the material to extend behind the 4 eye of the hook and the remaining 2/3 of the material to Once at the rear of the hook, extend the wires extend forward. upward so that they may be trimmed. 5 Fold the Angel Hair back over the main part of 17 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 71 the fly and secure with several thread wraps. Give the fly a generous coating of Bond 527 glue or silicone. Coat over the eyes as this will Tie in both sets of 3D eyes. Tie both strands of 21 ensure that the eyes stay intact for a longer mono on top of the hook. Ensure that the eyes period of time. 18 are positioned at a 45 degree angle to the hook shank, and that they are approximately ½ inch Tube Fly Components behind the eye of the hook. Affix a ½ inch section of 1/8 inch diameter, plas- tic tube fly material in the vise. Tie in 140 denier Trim mono stems and apply the head with a 22 white tying thread with a jam knot. generous application of super glue. 19 Tie in a mass of Big Fly Fiber to the top of the tube and secure with several half hitches. Take fly from vise and trim the flanks and belly 23 so that it takes on a “baitfish” like form. Place 20 fly back in vise and apply a drop of Zap-a-Gap- Rotate the tube in the vise so that the bottom a-Goo to the back sides of the eyes and then section of the tube is facing upward. Tie in an simultaneously press both eyes together into the “Strung 24 equal amount of Big Fly Fiber. Once the Big Fly Fuzzy Fiber.” Fiber is secure, wrap a head with the 140 denier red thread. Apply a generous amount of cement.

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Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 75 76 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 As fly tiers and fly fishermen, we all want to tie the newest fish catching patterns. Most tiers want to try the newest materials and see how they might be utilized more effectively. Many tiers and fishermen have wondered how certain flies “came into existence” or “What were they thinking when they came up with this?” A few, like me, have an interest in local or regional patterns and how they developed. As a fly tier and collector, I have tried to seek out flies in different parts of the country and in Europe, specifically asking shop owners and guides to point out patterns in their bins and boxes that originated locally and are known fish catchers. With the advent of numerous magazines, partially or completely, devoted to fly tying, there is a growing body of information on the origin and development of fly patterns. There are also books, video tapes, DVDs and websites which chronicle this information. There are volumes of books written about flies originating in Europe, New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Catskills, the Upper Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Canada. Recently there are numerous works written about salt water flies, both for inshore and offshore use. The one area of the United States that is under rep- resented in the recording of fly patterns and their development is the Southeastern United States, particularly the Southern Appalachian and Smoky Mountain areas of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. There are several reasons for this lack of written record. First, the geographic FISH BAMBOO isolation has always been formidable. From some of the “hollers,” in the 19th and early 20th century it might have taken 2-3 weeks to travel to a major city such as Ashville, North Carolina or Knoxville, Tennessee. There was little exposure to the printed word in these people’s lives and little reason to contribute to the written record. Second, many of the local inhabitants fished for subsistence, and much less for sport, as was more common in the North. In light of this fact, few would want to enlighten anyone else regarding the successful flies of the region, unless to enlighten family members in order to supplement the dinner table. Finally, I imagine F that the rate of illiteracy was very high. These folk simply had no way of leaving a written record, even if they wanted to. They had an oral/aural tradition in which the ar written word was not important. In researching for this article, one book that was mentioned as a reference over N and over is Hunting and Fishing in the Great Smokies by Jim Gasque. Published in 1948 by Knopf, it deals little with patterns and more with fishing locations and orth experiences, with one chapter dedicated to Mark Cathey, perhaps the greatest fly fisherman ever to come from those parts. But that is the subject of another bit of research. Other resources which the tying historian should consider are Southeastern Flies by L.J. DeCuir, Fly-fishing Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains by Don Kirk, R and The Fly Fisherman’s Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by odsmiths.com H. Lea Lawrence. Perhaps one of the best resources for a pattern listing is Roger Lowe’s Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains. This work is perhaps the most extensive listing of fly patterns effective in the Smoky Mountains. Listed are patterns of local origin as well as patterns from across the country, which have proven effective in the area. Roger is a native of Western North Carolina and was taught to fish and tie flies by his father and grandfather. The Lowes have known some of the originators of many of these flies, or at least the descendents and sur- vivors of the known originators. In many cases, however, it seems that the Smoky Mountain Flies are more often attributed to the streams on which they originated than to particular individuals.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 77 Dry Flies

Grey Hackle Yellow: Although the originator cannot be documented, this is one of the prettiest dry flies to come Thunder Head: This fly was popularized by Fred Hall of from the Smoky Mountains. Version One has a tail of red Bryson City, North Carolina. It has been compared to the hackle fibers and a body of yellow floss. Version Two has Adams, attributed to Leonard Halladay. According to DeCuir, no tail and a body of yellow dubbing. Roger Lowe’s experi- Fred Hall never saw an Adams or met Leonard Halladay ence is that this fly is more productive fished as a wet fly. before developing the Thunder Head. One might assume According to Roger, it is especially effective on Straight that these are similar flies developed in parallel. Tying the Fork, Deep Creek and Cataloochee Creek. Thunder Head with muskrat fur is a variation, as the original was tied with North American Possum fur. Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly Hook 12-18 Thread: Black or pale yellow Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly Hook 10-18 Tail: Red hackle fibers Thread: Black Rib: Fine, flat gold tinsel Wing: White calf tail, upright and divided Body: Yellow floss Tail: Deer body hair Hackle: Grizzly Body: Muskrat or opossum underfur Hackle: Dark brown

Jim Charley: The origin of this fly is unknown. However, it is believed to have been developed in Western North Carolina. It is a yellow mayfly imitation that originated on Ramsey: A variation of the Brown Hackle Peacock (a wet the Pigeon River. It is characterized by its barred ginger fly) is attributed to the Ramsey family, one of the earliest rod hackle tip wings. building, guiding and fly fishing families in Western North Carolina. This fly is effective year round. Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly Hook 12-18 Thread: Yellow Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly Hook 10-18 Wing: Barred ginger hackle tips Thread: Black Tail: Barred ginger hackle fibers Tag: Fine, flat gold tinsel Body: Golden yellow dubbing Tail: Golden pheasant tippet Hackle: Barred ginger Body: Peacock herl Hackle: Brown 78 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Rattler: According to Roger Lowe, the Rattler is an old Tellico Nymph: This is one of the best known flies to come pattern originating on the Oconaluftee River. The notable from the Southern Appalachians. The originator of the fly characteristic of this fly is the body composed of dry fly is unknown. The fly is named for the Tellico River in East hackle. Because of the heavy hackling, it is a fly that will Tennessee. There are several variations including one with float very well. an orange body, probably representing a crayfish.

Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly Hook 12-18 Hook: Daiichi 1550 Standard Wet Fly Hook 8-14 Thread: Black Thread: Black Wing: White calf tail Weight: Lead wire (optional) Tail: Golden pheasant Tail: Brown hackle fibers or golden pheasant Underbody: Black thread tippet Body: Brown and grizzly hackle Wingcase: Turkey tail fibers Rib: Peacock herl Body: Yellow dubbing, floss or chenille Hackle: Brown

Adams Variant: Roger Lowe has attributed this fly to Fred Hall. According to Fred’s widow Allene, it is the only fly that Fred actually invented. It is an Appalachian classic: beautiful, functional, and “yallar.” Coffey’s Stone Creeper: Roger Lowe notes that Frank Coffey designed many flies in his lifetime. However, he Hook: Daiichi 1180 Standard Dry Fly asserts that the Stone Creeper “is his greatest.” Although Hook 12-18 latex is derived from the sap of the rubber tree, some might Thread: Black justifiably consider this one of the earliest “synthetic mate- Wing: Grizzly hackle tips rial” flies. Tail: Deer body hair Rear Hackle: Grizzly, one size smaller than hook size Hook: Daiichi 1710 2XL Standard Nymph Center Hackle: Yellow ostrich herl Hook 6-12 Front Hackle: Grizzly and brown Thread: Black Weight: Lead wire (optional) Nymphs Body & Thorax: Brown latex Tail: Grey goose biots Feelers & Wing Buds: Grey goose biots Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 79 Attach thread behind eye and wind back to the base of the barb point in open turns. Strip off fibers 1 from the leading edge of a dyed yellow dove pri- mary flight feather and bind down as a tail.

Cottontop Nymph (George’s Nymph): This nymph is Eddie George’s adaptation of the original Cottontop Nymph. Both of these flies are characterized by a tuft of white fiber tied over the thorax or neck of the fly. Some commentators believe the white may act as an indicator if the fly is fished Tie in the leading edge of a dyed yellow dove pri- damp (floating in the film). The fly was developed for the mary flight feather that has been split or stripped Little River. 2 from the quill. Soaking the feather for several hours will make it more pliant and wrap more easily. Hook: Daiichi 1710 2XL Standard Nymph Hook 6-12 Thread: Black Tail: Brown hackle tied on a downward angle Shellback: Turkey tail fibers Body: Peacock herl Wingcase: White goose fibers Hackle: Brown

Yallarhammer Wet Fly: Of all the flies of the Southern Appalachians and Smoky Mountains, this is the fly of leg- end. This fly is distinguished by the palmer which creates the body. The Yellow Shafted Flicker is a common wood- pecker in the Eastern United States. Locally it is known as a Yellow Hammer or, in the common vernacular, it is pronounced “Yallarhammer.” There is a yellow shading of the under wings and both the male and female birds have a red diamond pattern on the nape of the neck. Tie in 5-6 strands of peacock herl near their tips at the tie down point of the tail. 3 Tying The Yallarhammer Wet Fly

Hook: Daiichi 1710 2XL Standard Nymph Hook 8-12 Thread: Black Tail: Fibers from long side of yellow-dyed dove flight feather Body: Peacock herl Hackle: Short side of yellow-dyed dove flight feather, palmered up the body

80 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 4 Twist the herl into a “rope” using hackle pliers. 7 Tie off quill and whip finish.

Wrap the herl “rope” forward to the head. 5 Tying The Yallarhammer Dry Fly

Hook: Daiichi 1280 2XL Dry Fly Hook 10-16 Thread: Black Tail: Ginger hackle fibers Wing: Lemon woodduck flank fibers- divided Body: Yellow dubbing overwrapped with the short side of yellow-dyed dove flight feather- clipped to size Hackle: Ginger

Wrap the split quill forward in open turn to the front The leading edge on the primary wing flight feathers of the body. (the biot strip) is the material used to produce this fly. The 6 rachis of the feather is split longwise and the pith removed. It is best to soak the feather in water several hours before attempting to wrap it. As most all “songbirds”, the Yellow Shafted Flicker is protected. It is illegal to kill the bird or sell the feathers. Apparently, it is not illegal to possess the feathers. There are very good substitutes for the Yellow Shafted Flicker feathers such as grouse, dove, or quail dyed yellow or olive yellow. Grizzly hackle dyed yellow is also suitable. One of the notable common characteristics of many of these flies is the presence of the color yellow (yallar) in them. These waters have yellow stone flies and mayflies. Many flies will be successful in these waters, but if the fisherman is just “prospecting” for fish when there is no particular hatch, consider using a fly with “yallar” in it. Even better, try one of these patterns which have along history of catching fish. In summary, every region of this country has its own local patterns, developed by tiers and fishermen who may never write about their patterns. They are patterns which have proven to catch fish in myriad situations. Seek out these Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 81 patterns for your own use. Record how they are tied and the circumstances related to their success. If possible, try and determine who the originator is. Once these patterns have been identified, drop me an email (Flytyer-1@comcast. net) so that I might share in your find and perhaps get one of your local flies for my collection. And in all things tying: Tight threads and bright heads! This article would not have been possible without the expert assistance of Mr. Bruce Harang of Vancouver, Washington and Mr. Roger Lowe, Lowe Guide Service, Waynesville, N.C., 828-452-0039.

Attach thread behind eye and wrap back to the base of the barb. Tie in the ginger hackle fiber with 1 a length equal to the hook shank.

Form the body with sparse application of dubbing to the thread and wrap the body to the base of the 4 wings.

Wrap the thread forward to the point that the lemon woodduck wings will be attached. Tie the wood- 2 duck fibers in, split and divide and make sure they are upright.

Wrap the “yallarhammer” quill forward in open 5 turns, stopping before the wings.

Create a smooth underbody with the thread and wrap back to the beginning of the tail fibers. Attach 3 the leading edge of a yellow dyed dove primary flight feather that has been split or stripped from the quill. Soaking the feather for several hours will make Trim the quill tips evenly so that they are slightly it more pliant and wrap more easily. 6 shorter that the hook gape. 82 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 9 Clip the waste end of the hackle and whip finish.

Secure a dry fly quality ginger hackle behind the 7 wings.

Wrap the hackle forward with turns behind and in 8 front of the woodduck wings.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 83 Let’s face it; a lot of our fly tying is not done to impress The process of working with the hair is the same for each the fish. From realistic flies that amaze one and all to full of the following steps and I suggest that you start with a dress salmon classics, flies are tied as much as art to hook bare hook to make practicing these steps as easy as pos- people as they are to catch fish. I argue the same can be sible. To start, you need to cut the hair off the hide at the said sometimes for deer hair bass bugs. Do the spots, skin line. Clean the hair with a comb to discard the short stripes and fancy colors guarantee more fish? Probably not, pieces and the underfur that is in the hair. If you don’t get but they sure do look cool in a fly box and even better in a rid of the underfur the hair generally will not spin or stack picture holding a bass with one of these fancy flies hanging correctly. Once you have a standard clump of clean, combed out of the ole bucket-mouth. Don’t be fooled either, these hair, you are ready to practice. are not meant for just bass. Fancy deer hair bugs take all types of fish. Spinning The goal of this writing is not to provide a step-by-step of “how to tie a bass bug”. Rather, my goal is to show Spinning is perhaps the most common method of attach- you a couple of techniques so that you can put the finish- ing deer hair to a hook. It distributes the hair evenly around ing touches on your bass bugs……….you know……..the the hook shank. If a single color of hair is used during the curb feelers and fuzzy dice if-you-will. There are plenty of process a uniform color bug will result. But, if multiple colors mainstream articles today that outline the basics probably of hair are used a multi-colored bug will result. Spinning hair better than I could and many of them cover hair, threads with multiple colors will most likely cause a stripe or vertical and tools specifically used for deer hair bass bugs in great bands of color in a bug. Adding stripes or vertical bands of detail. But there aren’t many articles that seem to dive color to a bug is one of the easiest techniques to learn. down deep enough to explain how to put vertical or lateral Step 1: Once the hair has been cleaned even up the butts stripes in your bug, spots or blended color schemes. That’s and cut off the tips. Holding the hair in your material hand my goal. lay the hair at a 45° angle to the hook shank just in front of 84 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 the previous clump of hair that you have attached. Position the hair so that when you take a turn of thread, the turn of thread falls in the middle of this clump.

Step 3: Holding the hair firmly with your material hand, start to draw down or tighten the thread. When the hair begins to flare gradually release the hair, letting the clump not only flare but rotate around the hook evenly. Step 2: Take three relatively loose turns of thread around the hair, making sure not to catch any hair from the previ- ous clump.

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 85 wards which will pack the spun hair and compress it mak- ing a very dense, solid, tight bug. I also like to apply a few drops of head cement (I prefer Fly-Tite Cement by the makers of Fly-Rite)

Typically I will wrap the thread one turn to make sure the hair “spins” completely around the hook shank and anchors the hair. After the hair is rotated, take another turn through the hair. Support the hair and draw down tight. Make sure to keep this pressure on the thread so that the hair does not loosen. Many tiers will release the thread pressure which will lead to a bug losing its density. Stacking Step 4: With your material hand, pull back all of the hair in the front. Shorten your working thread, and slide it through Stacking, which is probably not as common as spinning the hair onto the bare shank. Take two turns of thread and is my preferred way of building a bug. Even if I am con- place a couple of half hitches to lock everything down. I structing a bug of the same color, I still prefer to stack the prefer to build a small ball of thread in front of this spun hair instead of spinning the hair. I have found that stacking clump of hair. Use your hair packer (I prefer Chris Helm’s the hair allows me to put more hair on the hook making for Brassie packer) to push or bull doze this thread ball back-

86 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 87 Step 6: Support the hair with your thumb in the middle the clump to produce spots on the fly. You can add many of the clump and your middle finger on the bottom of the different colors to get many dramatic looks. Pay attention hook shank. Apply pressure to the thread, flaring the hair to the fact that you need to produce a balanced fly, so be on top of the hook shank. At this point, if you have decided aware to keep the amount of hair on top of the hook shank to make just a two-toned bug, pull the hair back, make two as even as the amount you have on the bottom. Cut and wraps on the bare hook shank, double half-hitch. Build a clean the hair once again. Place the hair on top of the hook, small ball of thread in front of the clump of hair and push in the same manner used for the previous clump. Take two with your hair stacker to tighten the hair on the bug and wraps through the hair. glue this into position after packing it. If you decided to put a spot, then continue with the next steps.

Step 8: Once again, support the hair with the thumb on top and the hair on the bottom with the index or middle Step 7: It is the same process of stacking hair on top of finger. Flare the hair, just as you did on the previous clump. 88 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 You can continue stacking hair on top of each other to get defined stripes, bands or spots the end result will be a salt different sized spots on the finished fly. Once again, pull & pepper looking mixed appearance. the hair back; work the thread through the hair on the bare Step 1: Once again, cut and clean the hair, but do not shank. Take two wraps on the bare shank, double half-hitch. remove the tips. Pick your colors. What I like to do is lay Build a small ball of thread in front of the clump of hair and them on my leg or the table. You can do a preliminary push with your hair stacker to tighten the hair on the bug. blend by just folding them onto each other. There is a fair Apply head cement as before. amount of waste to this, so err on the side of too much hair rather than not enough. Many tiers prefer to pick this hand mixed clump of hair up and spin it on to the hook. The mere technique of spinning the hair will serve to mix the colors of hair. My thought is that stacking the hair after further mixing or blending it produces a more evenly mixed or blended appearance.

Blending

The next technique, blending, is a coloring technique which can be applied by either spinning or stacking. It requires taking two or more colors and combining them prior to applying them to the hook. Rather than clearly

Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 89 Step 2: To further mix or blend the hair place it into your hair stacker butts first- not by the tips as is the case with Wayne Samson has been fly-fishing and tying for over most other hair stacking. (I prefer a mega Godzilla stacker) fifteen years. Together with Glenn Weisner they operate Stack the hair. Before pulling the hair out, mix the hair even Glenn River Fly Co. Ltd- conducting private fly-tying ses- more with a large bodkin. Place the bodkin in the hair stacker sions, on stream educational workshops and make and sell and stir. Make sure you restack the hair before removing their flagship product called the “Fly-Kit”tm. Wayne is also it from the hair stacker. Once the hair is removed from the featured with mentor Chris Helm on the new Hooked on stacker in this ultra mixed or blended state it is ready to Fly Tying Series instructional DVD called Working with Hair be applied to the hook by either the spinning or stacking Stacking & Spinning where he ties his Rubber Tail Popper. method. As indicated previously, I prefer to stack the hair www.glennriver.com as I believe it gives me more control over hair quantity and distribution which results in a denser bug.

90 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 91 a denser, more cork-like bug. Stacking is a very versatile technique which permits you to add lateral stripes hence build bugs with a different color on top than on the bottom. Stacking also lets you add spots and spots within spots. Step 1: Same process as before, we’re going to clean up the hair, even up the butts and cut off the tips. Place the hair again at a 45° angle paying attention to the thread placement in the middle of the hair.

Step 4: Once again, clean and remove the tips of the next clump of hair. Place this clump in line with the hook shank on top of the previous clump. Pay attention to where the thread will intersect the hair as we need this point to be in the middle of the hair.

Step 2: Apply tension to the thread, flaring the hair slightly. Release the hair and push the hair to the underside of the hook making sure the hair doesn’t flare or spin. This takes a light touch.

Step 5: Take two loose turns of thread through the bottom clump and the new clump, making sure that each thread wrap is on top of the previous wrap.

Step 3: Support the hair with the thumb on top of the hook, and index finger on the bottom. Apply pressure with the thread and flare the hair in that position. This ends up being the bottom color of the bug.

92 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 93 94 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 “The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” Carl Jung

My friends describe me as a collector, my wife calls me that he had tied them. “How do you tie flies?” I asked, as a pack rat, and my parents refer to me as obsessive. I sup- he admired the contents of the fly box that I’d just put into pose they’re all correct, and I don’t mind because I’ve been order. I never put anything away, so my diligence had not called much worse. gone unnoticed. My fascination with flies began the moment I found my “I think my old fly tying kit is around here somewhere,” father’s old fly box in a dusty corner of the attic. There were he said, but several fruitless hours later we emerged empty a few cork popping bugs and all of the standard wet flies handed from the hot, dusty attic. “I guess it got thrown out,” of the day: McGinty, Black Gnat, , Yellow he said. “Or, maybe I gave it away.” Sally, maybe even a Parmachene Belle or Red Ibis. They The look of disappointment on my face must have been were pure magic to me, especially when my father told me easy to read because a week later a package with my Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 95 name on it arrived from Waseca, Orvis catalog tied flawlessly by the you qualify.” Minnesota. This was big stuff for a time school started in the fall. I had at “I’m a fishing guide.” I replied. “I ten-year-old. “Herters!” I whispered least a thousand trout flies tied, and work in Alaska during the summer in awe as I ripped open the box. It the dries pre-treated in silicone, before and in Argentina during the winter held a fly tying kit! The old man had I waded into that first trout stream. months.” come through for me, and I felt like Those imitations that weren’t quite “Really! I’m a fly fisherman too. the luckiest kid in the world that night perfect became my “fishing” flies. Where in Alaska do you guide?” The when I sat down and attempted to Of course, the purpose of a fly is to conversation was pleasantly diverted tie my first fly. The manual instructed catch fish, but after I’d tied, sorted, for a few minutes while we discovered me in the basic concepts, but didn’t organized, and inventoried them in that we shared mutual friends and have any pattern recipes, so without fresh, clean boxes, the last thing in the similar experiences. even knowing their names, I copied world I intended to do was lose one to “Well, you must have a few fly rods,” the flies my father had tied. a fish. It was on the farm ponds of my Mike asked, trying to be helpful. I sent requests to every purveyor youth, where I poached pan fish and I gave him a figure. “Good! We’ll of fly tying equipment I could find, the occasional bass that I developed average them out at, say $300 each. and weeks later the responses began the habit, which I still practice today; Reels and fly lines?” to arrive. I hit the jackpot when the I never use my best flies unless I have I gave him the number. “Good, that’ll Orvis catalog fell open on my desk; to. When I select a fly from my box, help. Do you have many flies?” hundreds of different flies adorned I’ll generally pass over a particularly I gave him a conservative estimate. its pages. The names were exciting well-tied one and pick another that is “Wow! Congratulations, you’ve just and exotic; Irresistible, Rat Faced fish-worn but good enough to work. qualified for your loan.” McDougal, Hunt’s Teagle Bee, Silver Call it Germanic practicality, but I’d Flies became an even more inte- Doctor, Bumble Puppy, Picket Pin, never consider risking the last fly of a gral part of my life when I began to Mickey Finn, Cow Dung, and many particular pattern or even the last of a guide, and my obsession with them more size, lest I forget how effective it was has led to some interesting experi- I tied flies with a vengeance. I and not have an example to tie from ences. “Bawb, that was a smashing was a child possessed. I heard my in the future. Moreover, there are cer- day’s sport!” Lady Rowcliffe said, as mother ask about me late at night, in tain flies that I’d never leave behind, she lifted a glass of Argentine wine in hushed tones. “Honey, is he all right? and oddly enough, would never think my direction. “I must say, those little He spends so much time alone in his to fish. These are usually flies from copper-bodied nymphs of yours are room.” my childhood, or ones given to me quite tony! I’m off to Bhutan from here “He’ll be fine, dear. It’s just a phase by noteworthy incorrigibles, like my to fish for Mahseer, a rather huge he’s going through.” friends that guide. carp-like beast that lives in the most “But he doesn’t play ball with his My collection of flies is separated beautiful of rivers. I haven’t been able friends, he hardly fights with his sis- into three categories. I have large to catch them on flies with any consis- ters any more, and just yesterday he “inventory boxes” that hold an assort- tency. I don’t suppose that you have asked one of them to look at his... his ment of certain types, say, stonefly any suggestions?” wooly worm!” nymphs. Then, I have smaller “fishing “Well, what do these beasts eat?” “Dear, it’s ‘ok’. I did the same thing boxes” that have a cross section of I asked, spreading a bit of butter and when I was his age... well, sort of.” the inventory boxes, weighted with blue cheese on a crostini. “If you’re sure, but he has to leave those that are particular favorites for “On my last trip, I’d awake early the dog alone. The poor thing looks the water I intend to fish. Finally, I have each morning to write my letters, have like it’s been attacked with a hedge “archival boxes” that have an honored a spot of tea, and watch the mon- trimmer. And, why is he so fascinated place on the bookshelf. These are flies keys. The filthy little buggers take their by cow dung all of a sudden?” that I would never fish for historic or morning crap right into the river.” I began to gauge my world by the sentimental reasons. With each pass- That’s what I love about Lilla; she’s cost of fly tying materials. It took two ing season, the number of those flies as comfortable talking about a mon- lawn jobs to buy a gamecock neck. in inventory shrinks and those in my key’s morning ritual as the variety of If I washed and waxed the family car library swell. Flies evoke memories, roses that surround her estate. “Well,” it was worth a box of Mustad hooks. and I’ve learned to feel rich when they she continued. “As the dirty blighters A Saturday spent with a broom in the surround me. shat from the bana tree, the mahseer basement and garage might mean If this seems excessive, consider the rose to their bloody little turds! a good scissors or hackle pliers. If I conversation I had with my mortgage Heads turned. “No shit?” was lucky and saved for a month, I banker. “It’s a nice old home, and I’m “Precisely.” could finally purchase a Thompson sure that you’ll love it. Now, how much “Lilla, what you need is a monkey “A” vise. Then things got serious; I do you need to borrow?” shit fly!” I exclaimed a bit too loudly. bought a book about fly tying...and I gave him a figure. “OK, that seems “Is everything ‘ok’ Senor Boob?” actually read it. reasonable. What’s your annual The Chilean waitress whispered over Though I’d never seen a trout, I income?” my shoulder. “Moan-key sheet?” instinctively knew that they would I gave him another figure. “Oh... that “Pardon.” I said sincerely. be more discerning judges of the fly might be a problem,” he said, getting “Moan-key sheet?” tiers art than the bluegill or bass in our down to business. “What do you do “Si.” I said, and shrugged my shoul- local water. So, I set a goal to have at for a living? Perhaps you have some ders as she rolled her eyes. least half a dozen of every fly in the property or equipment that would help “Lilla, do the turds float for long? 96 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 97 I asked. “Well, I’ll be.” Dan said. of a good fish. “Scoundrels!” She “Quite right, for just a bit.” Fred cocked an ear. “Hey, listen. hissed. “I know exactly what to tie!” I said What’s that?” The fish jumped and landed slab- excitedly, as we dove into our second Somewhere up stream we heard sided on the water. “Villains!” She course and a more red wine. a soft birdlike voice that cooed and spit. “I’ll fix you!” and, she dumped I tied several versions of the monkey giggled, and we reeled up and pushed the entire basket of bread into the river shit fly the next day while Lilla slept through the alders to find its source. “It in a shower of crumbs. The fish went siesta. Essentially, it was a simple sounds like it’s from the old Truettner wild in a frenzy that frothed the water. spun and clipped deer hair pattern, place,” Dan whispered. But, as desperate as they were to con- nothing more than the head of a mud- We eased our way to the river’s sume every last morsel, they simply dler minnow on a short-shank hook. I edge and watched as an old woman couldn’t eat fast enough. The bread fussed with different variations trying reached into a huge basket of bread, and the feeding fish drifted away from to make it more interesting, but you and tossed crumbs to the fish below the bridge and directly past us. For can only do so much with a piece of her bridge. The water seethed with fifteen minutes we enjoyed some of monkey shit. hundreds of them. the best fishing that has ever been Months later, Lilla wrote to me “Every fish for half a mile must be recorded on the South Branch. that she had indeed caught a record there.” Fred murmured. When we returned to the cabin, Mahseer using one of my monkey shit “Well, I’ll be damned.” Dan said. Dan’s father sat on the porch over flies. I tucked the letter and photos “I’ve got an idea.” I whispered, as looking the river, and smoked his pipe from her expedition inside of a copy we turned to leave. while he shared a bottle of bourbon of the book that mentions the epi- I’d camped my way across with the Crawford County sheriff. “You sode, Salmon & Women, by Wilma Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula fellas wouldn’t know anything about Paterson. of Michigan to reach Grayling, and had three villainous criminals bothering an Years before, I fished on the south slept on a closed-cell foam pad. It was old woman would you?” The sheriff branch of the AuSable River with my a simple matter to cut off a few chunks asked. friends Dan and Fred. It was the mid- and lash them to a hook. “Instant “Why no, Tom, what’s happened?” dle of June, and we were there for the bread fly.” I announced later, when Dan asked innocently. hatch of the Hexaginia, or “Michigan the first imitation was complete. “Oh, nothing really,” he said, and Caddis” as the locals referred to them. A plan was hatched at breakfast then added wistfully. “Nothing that I It was still too early for the big, late- the next day. The river was public; we haven’t wanted to do myself for almost night mayflies, but I’d just arrived and could legally fish wherever we wanted, ten years now.” was anxious to fish. It was settled though Dan thought it in bad form to Years later I was guiding on the when Fred mentioned that the eve- fish directly below the bridge. Old Mrs. Agulukpak River in Alaska, and as ning before he’d seen some caddis Truettner was still a neighbor, after all, we cleaned up after a shore lunch, I activity just upstream from the cabin. and he didn’t want to upset her too watched a piece of cornbread disap- “It was the damnedest thing,” he said. much. We’d pick up what we could pear into an all too familiar swirl. “I’ve “Yesterday evening the river was on from a respectful distance. got an idea.” I whispered... fire. I mean the water boiled with good We waited the next evening until the fish. Then it just stopped; as if some- old woman appeared in the gloaming one had thrown a switch!” as if by magic. “Time to eat, my little While caddis hatches are notori- pets,” she cackled, and threw a single ously difficult, this was particularly breadcrumb into the water. The crumb unusual, and it was just the excuse I drifted only a few feet before it disap- needed to get on the river early. We peared in a swirl that would shock reached the stretch of water that Fred any fly fisherman. The tidbits came had fished the evening before and, quicker and the fish responded as if true to his word, fish started to feed. to a dinner bell. As we began to cast Small fish at first, taking the emerging manna upon the water, our motion flies in splashy leaps that took them caught the old ladies attention. She cleanly out of the water. The momen- squinted and strained to make out tum built until the air swarmed with who it was in the darkness. rolling clouds of swirling flies and the “Who’s out there?” She croaked. river was alive with trout. “Leave my pets alone!” We spread out and each took claim But, there was no reason for the old to a bit of river; one wouldn’t need woman to be concerned. Every fish in much, and we each began to look the river was directly below her waiting for the larger fish. Fred was the first for Wonder bread. to hook-up; I suspect because he’d I couldn’t help myself; I stripped scouted a particular fish the night out the necessary line and threw it before. Dan was soon into a good all, straight upstream to within a few one, and I’d missed a couple when the yards of the bridge. It wasn’t as close feeding abruptly stopped. The silence as I’d wanted it to be, but it was close was palpable. Fred arched an eye- enough. The strike was instantaneous brow, and shrugged his shoulders. and my rod bent double to the weight 98 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009 Fall 2009 • Hatches Magazine 99 100 Hatches Magazine • Fall 2009