Fly Tying: CDC Review & Moustique’s

CDC is one of those fly tying materials that has seemingly magical properties.  CDC is a fragile feather that imparts life like movement and flotation to fly patterns. Remember the admonitions to never add floatant materials to the CDC as this will destroy the natural buoyant properties. Hans Weilenmann writes at the Global Fly Fisher (GFF) about Tying With CDC. There is a great deal of information and links re CDC in the GFF post.

As I was studying up on CDC, I saw references to the Moustique style of fly pattern. This style of pattern uses a hackle collar of CDC at the front of the fly (as you would wrap a normal hackle in a dry fly or wet fly, you wrap the CDC feather). Normally, I have used a CDC plumes or puffs as a swept back underwing on wets and emergers. I have on occasion wrapped it once beneath an overwing of Elk Hair on Elk Hair Caddis to suggest legs.

The Moustique pattern is a simple pattern and the wing is one to two turns of CDC only. Check out the link at Rackelhanan re a simple Moustique Pattern

Fly Fishing: Beginner’s Assortment

A Basic Assortment of Trout Flies for the Beginning Fly Fisher

Anyone categorically claiming a definitive list of flies for the beginner is aware that there are a myriad of basic fly patterns to choose from to construct such a list. This (non-definitive) list is a temporary safe haven for the beginner, until  they start the onward march toward dozens of fly boxes and then the probable retreat toward fewer fly boxes. The possibilities of patterns and scenarios are endless. So, to suggest a must have list is inherently problematic.

I offer the above collage as a very temporary list of patterns to start a season with and then build upon.

Muddler Minnow (Top/Left   Woolly Bugger (Top/Center)  Wet Fly (Top/Right)

Egg Pattern (2nd Row/Left)   Gold Bead Hares Ear (Center)  Adams (2nd/R)

Elk Hair Caddis (3rd Row/L)                              Bead Head Pupa (3rd Row/R)

San Juan Worm (Bottom/ L)                               Pheasant Tail Nymph (Bottom/R)

“OMG! What about……………”   Yes, yes, quite true. The possibilities are endless, and you will in short order increase the patterns you carry. Sit with five other fly fishers and each will have their favorites. But, I bet most would consider the above list an adequate start for a season’s trial. If you would like to take a season to see if you really want to get into fly fishing, then buy/borrow the above patterns to start and then try the sport. Keep it simple. Vary the sizes and colors a bit and concentrate on presentation, observations and reading the water.

Fly Fishing: Hatch Charts & You

Hatch Charts found in magazines, web site searches and the ‘net in general are a useful resource for the fly tier/fly fisher. There are different styles of hatch charts that will require little research. The above hatch chart first tells you the general location (Virginia) the general type of insects (‘Major Caddis, etc.) and the suggested general dry fly/nymph patterns and what months those patterns will apply.

The above hatch chart would require you to do some extra work re the size of fly pattern to use, as well as define what insect a ‘blue quill’ or ‘White Wulff’ represents. Once this general understanding is acquired for a region, you may look at the above hatch chart and easily decipher the fly pattern/insect identifiers and just focus on the ‘when’ of the chart.

This next hatch chart is similar to the first hatch chart, but it gives a little more in the way of insect specifics. You will still have to research the insect and determine the fly patterns and sizing. You do have the time span that those suggested fly patterns are worthwhile on the Eagle River.

This next hatch chart is graphically impaired, but actually provides more details. You can see the suggested insects and, in this instance, the sizes for the patterns in addition to the time span.    

Now this last hatch chart combines several important factors: the insects are more specifically identified, the sizes of the insects/patterns are provided too. Then not only do you see when those insects are most often available, but also the hatches are weighted as to intensity (low, medium, high). Some hatch charts will call the ‘high’ intensity hatches ‘super’ hatches.

All the hatch charts are going to require you to research the best fly patterns to tie or buy for the referenced insects. Then you will be good to go what’s and when’s for a particular body of water. Not all waters are so nicely dissected though. A thoughtfully designed hatch chart is a great resource.

Disaster Mapping: Earth Quakes, etc.

DISASTER MAPPING IN THE U.S. 

Oklahoma Earthquakes

BishFish on Hooks…I mean everything…..

BISHFISH ON HOOKS 

Fly Tying: Down to the Gnat’s Ass

A simple beginner's midge pattern to tie. A size 14-18 fine wire hook, an abdomen of one barb of pheasant tail and one strand of green kystal flash wrapped up the shank together. The hackle is one wrap of dry fly quality grizzly and the small tab of foam in figured eighted atop the shank and then covered with a few wraps of peacock herl. The rear end of the fly will ride slightly downward and the wing/foam will support the fly in the film. SwittersB

The fly fishing literature will advise you that midges-chironomids-buzzers are available year around as a dry fly/emerger option. The above pattern is, at a size 16, on the large size for most streams/rivers, but suitable for many lakes. 

Study up on the larva, pupa, emerger and dry fly patterns that work from the muck up onto the surface. Dry, Emerger, and droppers are suitable for rivers, but you are advised to know your larva/pupa patterns when fishing  the vertical presentation of a lake.

By no means the only resources, but you would be well served to study UK and BC literature on how to tie and present Chironomid patterns. The buzzer, midge, gnat, chironomid/bloodworm designations are more regional in use and in no way are separate insects. As a rule, the UK=Buzzer, BC=Chironomids and the US=Midge….are uniform in tying and presentation, with variations, of course, as in all fly tying/fly fishing.

The midge patterns are simple to tie (particularly larva and pupa patterns) yet very effective. They are always there, so have the necessary assortment of options.

Insectology: studies in the field

Good Luck Charm. PP May the Warmth & Light Always Break Through the Low, Gray Days (SwittersB)

All things Odonata (Dragons & Damsels) at NW Dragonflier. The Winter time is a good time to study up on fish foods. For some it is a good time to do stream samples and study the health of a stretch of stream (here) 

A kick seine to collect stream samples. This can be a one/two person operation. Most of us once on the stream do not have the patience for such studies. We may turn over a rock here and there to watch nymphs scurry, but that is often the extent of our studies. Sam Martin photo of Mike Steffen using kick seine.

Climate Change (Man Made Influence?)

Man Controlling the Weather (Collier's Magazine, 1954; Smithsonian Mag)

“After the experiments of G.E.’s Research Laboratory, there was a feeling that humanity might finally be able to control one of the greatest variables of life on earth. And, as Cold War tensions heightened, weather control was seen by the United States as a potential weapon that could be even more devastating than nuclear warfare.

In August of 1953 the United States formed the President’s Advisory Committee on Weather Control. Its stated purpose was to determine the effectiveness of weather modification procedures and the extent to which the government should engage in such activities. Methods that were envisioned by both American and Soviet scientists—and openly discussed in the media during the mid-1950s—” (more)

Mammatus Clouds

Doesn’t this stuff just conjure up all manner of conspiratorial possibilities? I mean there it is, the explanation for all that has been happening. Can you imagine when the  ’Chem Trail‘ conspiracists read this stuff what runs through their government infected minds?

Fly Tying: Hot Spot Nymphs (Natural +)

Hot Spot Nymphs Collage

As a beginning fly tier, you will see the pattern index is full of a large array of patterns, most of which tend toward a natural, impressionistic look. The incorporation of a ‘hot spot’ does fly in the face of traditions and for some tiers smacks of an egg pattern, worm pattern or some sort of Jezebel.

This push/pull mental process is for you to sort out and is part of the fun of fly tying and fly fishing. The hot spot of red, orange, blue, chartreuse etc. does add interest to a fly pattern. The hot spot can be pronounced or it can be the subtle variety like say a thread head. Experiment with hot spots at the tail, butt section of abdomen, thorax, thread head or hackle barbs. 

 

Fly Tying: Bent Rubber Legs (How To)

Marc Defrank has a tip on how to create the angled/bent rubber legs. I have not seen this before and have not tried it. Check it out and also note a nice photo S-B-S on how to use a whip finisher in another post by Defrank.

Marc Defrank Fly Tying Blog shares how to create the angled rubber legs with Super Glue and a little tension.