Stillwater Chomper Pattern Redux

Earlier this week, I tied up a couple Chomper patterns and was not overly pleased with the results: too much materials and the resultant bulky fly. Today, I used the amounts suggested by Tim Rolston and I am pleased with the simpler, cleaner fly.

A single ostrich herl, 14/0 thread and a narrow, mottled shellback. Simpler, cleaner and I can’t wait to try it. The pattern is similar to many other ‘scud’ like patterns. The important part here is the material: Ostrich Herl. No head cement, no raffia, smaller thread, less bulk…nicer.

Fly Tying: Bakslengen’s

Visit the Bakslengen site for some very crisp, beautiful tying efforts.

I like this Damsel dry pattern with the braid tail and split braid wing. Simple and inviting....gluuump! Damsel Pattern

Stillwater Fly Pattern: Chub (CJ Rufus)

Came upon this pattern in the Bend Bulletin. A pattern called the CJ Rufus (I don't know). The pattern is pretty straight forward to tie (Wollly Bugger), but has the unique extended beard of rootbeer marabou and some flash. The fly is reputed to ride hook up, probably because of the over sized beard? The fly was offered by Gary Lewis here

Fly Tying: Bearded Wonder…’52 Buick

Here is a little gem I found a few of in a half empty fly box tucked away in a forgotten drawer in the garage. The ’52 Buick. An old time British Columbia classic I learned to tie long ago along with Carey Specials, Doc Spratley’s and Half Backs and Full Backs.

’52 Buick: What a nice little, basic fly for a beginner: a Size 10, 2xl nymph hook (here an old Mustad 3906B hook). The tail is dyed green Guinea feather fibers pulled from the stem and a clump tied in at the bend. The ribbing here is older gold tinsel, but today I would opt for copper wire. The abdomen is a dubbed green rabbit fur, but again any green dubbing would do. The abdomen was dubbed up 3/4 of the way and then followed with the ribbing. Then a beard of guinea. The beard is not seen as much these days. The wing case is peacock sword and the thorax is peacock herl. The thread was 6/0 olive. Even if you forgo the beard this is a simple pattern to tie, meant for stillwaters. Easy to tie and a classic pattern.

Calico Bugger

A typical Woolly Bugger pattern. The tying stages are the basic..crimp the barb and slide on the bead...tie in the tail material (in this instance, two colors of burnt orange over purple marabou)...then tie on the body material (black with purple rug yarn) at the rear, tie in at the area over the flattened barb and tie in the grizzly hackle by the tip at the same spot. Wrap the body material forward to the bead. Then palmer the hackle forward with even spaces (note my gap) and tie off and then bind it down behind the bead and done. The Calico Bugger was a great fly for me years ago in B.C. and then I got away from tying it. I am going to tie up a half dozen and see if they produce this year on the lakes and even in the rivers. The body material could be dubbing or one of the newer chenilles as well.

Fly Tying: Kaufmann Lake Dragon Nymph

The Best Dragon Fly Nymph, created by Randall Kaufmann. (SwittersB)

SwittersB isn’t given to such pronouncements as a rule. I came perilously low on my tied up Lake Dragons last season, in fact this the last one in all my lake boxes. If you enter Dragon Fly in my blog’s search box you will find 70+ entries on assorted patterns and pontifications about the dragon fly nymph for stillwaters or my superstition about its magical powers it bestows upon me once in flight. Ok, maybe it is a touch hot out on the waters sometimes.

But this pattern is top rated amongst all the Dragon nymphs I have tied. The Lake Dragon just produces. This time around, I will tie some that are less weighted and fish the shallows/shoals/weeds a little better. The pattern has been around for quite awhile, but you won’t see it in shops as much anymore, so you must tie up this beauty or some offer it on line.

The original pattern was a 50/50 blend of olive green rabbit and Angora. Along the way I added orange rabbit…a very little bit…in the thorax dubbing.  I noticed red or orange straggles over the years in the original patterns so very subtlety protruding from the head or thorax. Not sure it has made a bit of difference.

Fine or medium copper wire for the ribbing. Olive marabou, chickaboo or filoplume for the tail. No weight, single layer or doubled layer of wire wraps. Plastic dumbbell eyes…no single bead head here! Cut the wing case from a turkey feather that you lacquered with some clear drying goo. Then tie in the six pieces of pheasant tail fibers on each side, not extending but half way back in the abdomen. The abdomen and the thorax are dubbed from the same mix of fur. With today’s blends you can come close to the color, but the original works great. A size 6-8 hook with 8/0 olive thread binds it all together.

So, this is one of my four tying goals, initially for this Spring:

1. Tie up at least two dozen Lake Dragon Fly Nymphs

2. Tie up several dozen Green Rock worm caddis larva

3. Tie up several dozen unweighted Woolly Buggers in the Black, Brown, Green colors

4. Tie up a few more black/brown ants and whatever else pops into my mind.

More information on the legend Randall Kaufmann. In the day, he had already been there before……………….

Fly Tying: Biot Hot Spot on a Bugger

Regard the ubiquitous Woolly Bugger…I make no apologies in promoting or using the fly. It just works. But, the last few years with the Woolly Bugger (Little Fort Leech) and the Lake Bait pattern, I used dyed hot red and hot green hackle fibers or dyed hot red marabou fibers either at the top of the tail, but shorter than the tail length or at the sides tied in at the head. I have been wanting to experiment with the side of the head spot for an attractor hot spot. In the Brown Buggers, below, I used a dyed red goose biot. I will explore the length, durability and success of the material. Remember, the hot spot here is for an unweighted fly, so the hot bead head is not an option. Of course, the two could be combined with a heavier weighted fly.

Woolly Bugger w/ Hot Red Goose Biot, Unweighted, Size 8

The Tried & Very True Little Fort Leech (Hot Spot On Top of Tail)