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Posted

Have you started tying any?

What are your favorites?

I've caught plenty of fish on the Black Wet Fly, but haven't ventured into tying any hoppers, crickets, or larger stimulators yet. I had luck on a size 18 black ant last year, and will be going to that fly quite a bit hopefully, but still need to tie some for this season.

Black Wet Fly

Size 12-16 Nymph Hook

I tie all of mine in a size 14

Black 6/0 thread

Black Krystal Flash or black Gudebrod Metallic-Braid

Nymph dubbing (black)

hen hackle (black)

Tie in thread. Where the hook bend meets the shank, tie in about a dozen strands of krystal flash or metallic-braid for overbody. Dub from the bend up the shank, leaving room behind the eye for hackle and final wraps. I like to use quite a bit of dubbing for a fat body to imitate any fallen beetle or other fat, black terrestrial insect. Pull krystal flash or braid over the body and tie down behind the eye. Tie in hackle and wrap 2-3 times around front of hook, pushing strands toward the back of the fly (just like a wet fly smile.gif ). Whip-finish and cement, if that's your style.

Posted

nice post Randy! keep this up, and we'll have to ask Rick to start up a Fly Tying forum... wink.gif

I haven't gotten around to tying terrestrials yet, if I did, hoppers would be in order. I'd use tan and yellow craft foam layeyered and glued together to form a body, and those latex silly legs (tan and brown) for the legs and antennae.

Posted

Here are two of my favorites:

Rainy’s Float Foam Beetle: Entomologists say beetles comprise nearly half of the species of animals on earth. Because they are so much a part of the background, I think we’re prone to ignoring these incredibly plentiful creatures, but trout don’t make the same mistake.

Hook: Size 12 to 18 standard dry fly.

Thread: Black 6/0 or 8/0.

Hackle: None, or black, one size smaller than normal for hook size, palmered over abdomen in widely spaced turns.

Carapace: Black float foam cylinder split in half lengthwise. Size dependent on hook size. Small works best on size 14 and smaller.

Abdomen: One to three strands of peacock herl (depending on hook size) wound around working thread and dubbed forward ¾ of the hook’s shank.

Legs: None, or black rubber round legs tied in behind head.

Indicator: Small block of yellow or fluorescent orange foam tied in between abdomen and head and trimmed short.

Tying instructions: Mount the hook in the vise and start the thread at rear of shank. Tie in the hackle, if used, by the base of the feather with the dull size forward. Cut a V-shaped notch in the end of the flat side of the halved float foam. This allows you to compress the foam better with the thread and neatness up the forward fold of the carapace. Tie in the foam with the flat side up and extending rearward. Tie in the peacock herl, wrap it around the working thread to reinforce it and dub a body by winding the herl and thread forward. Advance the dubbing forward ¾ of the shank length, or perhaps slightly further. Secure the herl with wraps of plain thread and trim away excess herl. If hackle is being used, palmer it forward in fast spirals to represent legs. Tie it off at the waiting thread and trim excess. Fold the foam forward to create a carapace and tie it down (You can slightly stretch or compress the foam to adjust the bulk of the fly’s outline). If using rubber round legs in lieu of hackle legs, tie in a length on both sides of the hook and add either half hitches or a whip finish to secure them. Trim them to length later. Add a small drop of head cement. Tie in a small strip of brightly colored foam and cinch it down. Trim it to a small block shape with scissors. Whip finish. Remove the fly from the vise and trim the bottom hackle (if you’ve incorporated hackle) so that the fly rides flush in the film.

Borger Flying Ant: One does see swarms of mated flying ants in the summer and trout do relish them. I’ve seen real feeding frenzies as trout prey on “flocks” of ants blown onto to the water. I think the wing adds greatly to the fly’s visibility on the water without scaring away trout looking for a non-winged ant. Dr. Borger’s pattern presents a remarkably lifelike outline, is simple in design and requires few materials. It does take a little practice to tie one nicely.

Hook: Standard dry fly, size 12 to as small as you can effectively tie the fly.

Thread: 8/0 to match dubbing color.

Dubbing: Commonly black or brown

Hackle: To match dubbing color.

Wing: Cream straight Zelon.

Tying instructions: Mount the hook in the vise in the standard position and start the thread at the rear of the hook. Twist a short, slightly bulky length of dubbing onto the thread. Lift the bobbin so that the thread is vertical and under tension. With your materials hand, slide the dubbing down against the hook shank and form it into a ball. Take a few turns of thread against the dubbing ball to seat it. Wind the thread forward, covering the bare hook shank with three layers of thread. Stop at about ¾ shank length. Take a sparse length of Zelon yarn and double it around the working thread. Pull it under thread tension to the top of the hook and bind it down there. Take several turns of thread up and back down the Zelon post. This will help “post” the wing and will ease mounting the hackle and dubbed thorax. Select a hackle appropriate to the hook size and trim the feather barbules close to the shank. Mount the hackle on the hook and bind it to the base of the wing post as well. Dub a slender amount of dubbing on the thread and wind it around the wing post to form the thorax. Take three turns of hackle around the wing post under the dubbed thorax and tie off the hackle between the hook eye and thorax. Finish the head of the fly with a whip finish and add a drop of head cement.

Posted

great post!

Quote:

I think we’re prone to ignoring these incredibly plentiful creatures


I too think many fly anglers often overlook fishing beetle patterns. Beetle patterns not only work great for trout, but panfish and smallmouth will readily take these patterns as well.

Posted

great patterns guys...

I really need to hit the vise, it's been too long.

Posted

yeah I have to get back in the saddle this weekend too. I'll be up in Baudette later this week, so I need to tie a bunch more clousers and pike flies!

Posted

I have to add that I slipped out for a few hours at mid-morning yesterday and had good luck getting sporadic risers to take a small Royal Coachman dry. With the peacock tufts and the white wings, I really think this fly looks a fair amount like a flying ant on the water. This fly performed better for me than tiny blue winged olives or little spinner patterns. And I can see the darned thing!

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