by Tim Rolston at The Fishing Gene Blog.……is a nice introduction to fly tying. Tim provides a great deal of informative how to’s on not just fly tying, but fly fishing as well from his home base in South Africa. If you have been considering fly tying please take a look at Tim’s excellent site. If you already fly fish, but don’t tie your own flies, you must consider tying your own creations to fully enhance your fishing experience…nothing like catching fish with your own creations!
I saw this technique several years ago at the Fly Tying Expo in Albany, Oregon. Here is a how to video on using Gorilla glue to form fly pattern bodies that float. I have yet to try this. I think about it, then forget to buy the glue when I am grabbing other items in a hardware store. How To-Step by Step
Mid Current Tutorial for Zug Bug Pattern here
Ah the magic of Peacock Herl. Zug Bugs, Renegades, Gray Hackle Peacock, Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tail Nymphs…however you see an opportunity to incorporate Peacock into the Abdomen and/or Thorax of a pattern, give it a try. The Zug Bug is a simple but effective pattern from the 1930’s. You could mix up the bead & ribbing color combo’s (gold, brass, silver for flash). Of course, the original was not tied with a bead head (a more modern adaptation).
Fly Fishers Republic Image
Stimulator Dry Fly by Barry Ord Clarke
A perfectly wonderful tutorial by Barry Ord Clarke on how to tie the Stimulator Dry Fly. Perfect Macro work too. Check out the Feather Bender site for excellent information.
If you search the videos on the net re fly tying tutorials, you will come across an extensive series by Davie McPhail. I never tire of his pattern selections…always informative beginning to end. There is something to learn in each tutorial. Davie talks with a bit of an accent…well an accent to my ear…but the ear adjusts soon enough and the sequences are so well done that you learn the moves easy enough. Here (X) is the link to a spiffy bead head Caddis Pupa pattern.
Davie McPhail Caddis Pupa Pattern…YouTube Snap
I was researching Winter Fly Fishing Patterns, when I happened upon a piece by Tom Rosenbauer with his suggestions for Winter patterns. Amongst the patterns was the Moto’s Minnow. I hadn’t heard of the pattern (not that I know all the patterns) so I checked into it and found a slew of recent pieces re the minnow pattern.
It is a pattern that is easily adaptable to different color combo’s to cover the minnow/sculpin colors. Here is a decent video on tying the Moto’s Minnow.
I at least once a year extol the virtues of streamer patterns for sculpins and minnows. But truth be told, I do not fish them, with the regularity they deserve, on rivers and streams. Lakes yes, rivers no. This is a regular presentation for browns and ‘bows for many anglers and I am missing opportunities….if you are not frequently using the streamer patterns as a primary search pattern then maybe you too are missing out. Consider the Moto’s Minnow (originated by Moto Nakamura) as one option in your arsenal of streamers. Even simple Woolly Buggers would be a starting point.
