Fly Tying: Chunks and Dredgers

A ‘chunk’ on a hook. Heavily weighted hooks designed to dredge heavy currents alone or in tandem with another fly. Simple, scraggly dubbed Pupa patterns that you either better chuck/duck or sling out around you and not hit any one beside you.

The hook has a molded lead body on a large size 6 hook. This style hook from Jan Siman comes in smaller sizes also. Yes, you can get by with wrapping your own lead wire. The body was dubbed with a blend of rabbit/sparkle dubbing. The thorax was wrapped with a dubbing brush of deer hair. The hair was dyed in cinnamon, but I used a black permanent marker to darken the deer hair. A ‘chunk’ to dredge with. Not meant for quiet back waters; you’ll be hung up.

Greens, Tans, Black, Orange. Any number of colors work as the  fly tumbles the rapids, riffles and seams. Smaller versions will do well too.

Earthquakes and Jim Berkland

I listened to Jim Berkland this past week as he discussed the oddities of animal behavior, full moons and high tides. These were the primary indicators that caused Berkland to predict an earthquake of some magnitude this week, starting today. Today we witness (if we’re are so lucky) a mega moon of sorts, the largest in several decades. Coupled with this are unusual high tides. Somehow, Berkland ventures out onto a tectonic plate to suffer certain scoffing and the alliances with unsolicited whackadoodles that judge his predictions as some biblical forthcoming. Well, he is interesting to listen to, if nothing else.

Horse puckey? Whackadoodle mental meanderings? Intriguing stuff that must drive the climate change crowd a bit daffy as they can’t blame much of it on man. The hourglass is spilling………………………………

Fly Tying: Emerger Wing Forward

A few unique concepts for the beginning tier: A wing canted forward out over the front of the eye of the fly; a wound hackle inverted so the tips also face forward; a sparkle/shimmering material for tail to suggest nymphal case. The forward tilting wing is something the late Gary LaFontaine offered up. The inverted wound hackle is used in Tenkara fly patterns; the tail material is more frequently used for mayfly emergers and stillborns.

Fly Tying: Little Fort Leech (Spumoni For The Taking)

So many ‘must have’ options for the beginning stillwater fly fisher. Of course, the ubiquitous Woolly Bugger in assorted sizes and earth tones is a must have pattern for the lake fly fisher. The Little Fort Leech first caught my attention in, well the Little Fort Fly Shop in B.C. some 20 years ago. It has always been one of my top stillwater flies because I fish it with confidence. I have experimented with a brilliant green dash on the tail with some success, but frankly never with the successes of red. A simple black tail, black flashy chenille these days, black hackle and gold bead with that red splash. No other adornments…no flashy strands of  Krystal Flash or ribbing. This a perfect lake pattern (I recall catching a beautiful, large Redside above Maupin on this fly on a very chilly morning) whether inched, stripped, wind drifted…what ever. Dragon fly nymph, leech, baitfish?