Tuesday, March 27, 2012

A true master of the thread does the sawyer pheasant tail

Here is Mr. Davy Mcphail doing the sawyer pheasant tail.  Give them a go, they sink like rocks, but catch fish better than rocks do! Enjoy.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Cream midge

  Some people like tying flies to look at such as Atlantic salmon flies and the likes, but well I like tying flies that are hard to see! I very much enjoy the art of tying small flies, and I do it quite often.   Here just a  simple cream midge i tied recently.   




 Hook- Mustad 94859-#28
Thread- Uni trico thread
Body- tying thread
Hackle- Whiting bronze grade neck hackle cream

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Ridge and Valley Trout Unlimited Fly Tier’s Round Table 4/3


Ridge and Valley Trout Unlimited Fly Tier’s Round Table 4/3

Ridge and Valley Trout Unlimited Fly Tier’s Round Table

On April 3rd RVTU will feature a Fly Tier’s Round Table to help our members get ready for opening day of Trout Season. The meeting will start at 7:00 - 9:30 PM @ MWA Resource Center, 10 Maple Ave, Asbury, NJ. Learn not only how to tie your favorite fly, but get advice on what to use in the upcoming season from experienced members.
• Having trouble with tying a fly?
• Never tied before?
• A little cabin fever?

Bring your vise and materials to the April 3rd Tier’s Round Table, learn a new fly or get help from other members. Never tied? No problem we will have vises and tools available to try your hand. We ask all members that do tie your own flies to come out and help your fellow members. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Fredy Fredy at ridgeandvalleytu.org
If any members have an extra vise and don’t mind bringing it, please do so. We might have some members looking to learn.

Time and Location: 7:00 - 9:30 PM @ MWA Resource Center, 10 Maple Ave, Asbury, NJ

Special thanks to the Musconetcong Watershed Association for donating the space for our members and guests to meet.


Check the website for changes/updates: http://www.ridgeandvalleytu.org/


So come on out people and tie some flies.  I will be there tying and if anyone wants to see a fly tied or learn how to tie one from me, come on out.   Its free and you dont have to be a t.u. member.  
 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Fly tying video lessons for begginers.

I am doing a video series for beginner tiers and this is video number 1. It is a green rock worm. Very simple and easy tie.
 This fly will teach you how start the thread, the pinch and loop technique to attach materials and wrapping materials.
Hook- Curved shank hook sizes 10-16
Thread- Black 8/0 uni
Body- Chartreuse or a bright green yarn
Rib-Black utc brassie
Thorax- Peacock hurl. 

Here is video 2 a simple midge pupa, This fly will teach you the basic dubbing technique and soft loop for attaching materials.
Hook- Dry fly hook or Nymph hook sizes 14-24
Thread- Uni black 8/0
Body- tying thread
Rib- Red utc wire
Thorax- Muskrat dubbing

Here is video 3, the griffiths gnat.  This fly will teach you how to palmer hackle.
Materials- Dry fly hook 10-26
Thread- Uni 8/0 black
Body- peacock hurl
Hackle- Grizzly neck hackle, saddle will work also
Rib- copper wire utc, or silver. xsmall

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spring is here! Spring session 1


  Yesterday was the first day of spring and it was a nice day for sure. I met up with Josh in the late morning and we hit a little limestoner. On are arrival there were trout rising to caddis(Yes caddis) and the occasional olive. There were stoneflies around laying eggs also.  So we fished dries up through my favorite stretch on this stream and we did quite well with dries. The griffiths gnat in size 14 worked well, the dark star did very well once again and as well as caddis dry flies!. The nicheo did very well also.    There are a lot of fish in the riffles as there are many bugs in the riffles now, so dont skip the riffles!   I did a bit of brief sampling yesterday and found plenty of gordon nymphs, so be on the look out and be ready to hit a Gordon hatch very soon! 




Monday, March 19, 2012

Winter session 47. Hardly winter.

Well got out for some flying today with josh. We hit a little creek we both enjoy a lot. Man what a gorgeous day out to fly fish. The trout were on the rise so I gave the dark star another test run and it worked wonderfully yet again. Funny thing is I eventually lost the fly to a trout again. Josh fished a Bwo parachute and did well with it. Lots of stone flies around as well as midges.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Winter session 46 one last time.

Well got out today for some flying on my local spring creek before the water closes. The trout were on the rise to midges, spent stones, and the occasional olive. I started out with a dry fly pattern I designed called the dark star.
It worked wonderfully until I lost it to a trout. The alternate version worked ok but the fly being a dun and the fish sipping midges they weren't interested in it on the flat I moved into.
So I switched to a #18 spent stone with a dun wonder wing. It worked very well producing several trout. Unfortunately most of the wild browns I caught were not photogenic. Haha but I never complain with quick releases.
As I finished up I had a run in with snagged again and his friend. Nice talking with you guys.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Winter session 45. Midges and baetis

Well, got out yesterday in the afternoon for some flying on my local spring creek. There were midges hatching by the thousands upon my arrival. I noticed it was ones I've seen there before. They have orange heads on them with black bodies and grey wings. I tied on a griffiths gnat tied with hen neck and an orange head. The trout couldn't refuse the fly. The midge hatched continued on but when the olives began to hatch the trout switched over. I tied on a quill wing Catskills dun, and the hatch was matched. The fly caught many fish before the hackle broke. I then switched to a size #18 quill Gordon and was back into fish. The olives were still hatching when I left.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Winter session 44, a spinner fall

Well I went back to work today and thanks to day light saving time, I had some sun left when I got home. I went to my local spring creek and the fish were rising away. There was millions of midges in the air and in the film. I started out using the spent stone from last time out and I missed a couple of takes with it. I then swapped for a still born midge and got my first one to hand. That brown was the only one interested in the fly so after a couple more drift, I changed flies. I noticed a baetis spinner go by as I looked at the film. So I changed out for a double wing rusty spinner. Hatched matched. I was into fish consistently. The only problem was the sun was down and the twilight was fading fast. I missed my last two and it was dark. So with "more than four" I headed back to the car.

Monday, March 12, 2012

New feature in the corner

Hey everyone, I added a chat box the fly corner. It's located on the right side. Anyone can chat, just simply enter a name and your message. By entering a name you get a cookie on pc which saves your name for you for future use. The name then is yours. So feel free to use it and chat with me or others. Please don't abuse the chat box. No spam please!!!! Enjoy and thanks for stopping by the fly corner!

Winter session 43

Well, got out very briefly for some flying before heading out with the ol' lady. I hit my local spring creek and the trout were rising away to midges. So I tied on a griffiths gnat and missed two. Then trout were not interested in the fly anymore. So I swapped out for spent wondering stone and that fly was dynamite. 4 out 6 drifts resulted in takes and hook ups. The trout took the fly with zero hesitation. Got a text and this session was over.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Stoneflies in the film, tutorial and video



  As of late there has been a lot of stoneflies on the water laying eggs. Many of these stones end up dead and flush in the film. Trout sip these guys just like midges.  I have been tying up wonder wing stones and fishing them for past couple of weeks with great results. So I figured I would share the flies I have been tying up and using for these situations.  The wonder wing makes a great stonefly wing and is relativity easy to do.  Hen neck feathers work great for the wing.  The tutorial is for an early brown and the video is for a black stone. The styles vary a little but not much. You can do either one for each. Just make the size and  color adjustments.
  click read more to see the tutorial and video. 

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Winter session 42, nymphs, dries and the wind

  Well, got out today for some flying. I met up Josh on one of our favorite little limestoners in hopes to get into some serious dry fly action on this beautiful day.  We started out nymphing and got into trout rather quickly. Then we saw a rise and the nymphs wet to bed.  We fished a good stretch of stream casting at the occasional rising trout. Then we went back to nymphing as the wind was gusting and the fish shut off on top.  Before the day was done and we took the long walk back to the car, we did get some more dry fly action. It was a beautiful day and fish all fought hard.   The productive nymph of the day was a lighting bug done up in pink. And for dry flies, it was the griffith gnat and the ez caddis. 

Winter session 41, Stone and midges

 Well, got out yesterday for some flying. We decided to hit a stretch of stream we had been eying up for a while.  I started of nymping, and it wasn't long before I got into a wild brown.   I nymphed until the air warmed up and the stones and midges came out in hordes. The fish started to rise, some sipping midges and others exploding on egg laying stones.   Josh did very well with his tie of the Griffith gnat and I did well with a ez caddis cripple.  The fly is a great imitation of a egg laying stone.   With "more than four" we hiked on back to car. 



Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Winter session 40, Dries on a spring

  Well got out yesterday for some flying on my local spring creek. Josh came on down with his flies he tied to give them a try. The trout were rising upon our arrival to midges and egg laying stones.  The griffiths gnats Josh tied up did very well and produced several wild browns.  We fish up the creek at rising trout until we both  had enough. Cold and hungry we walked on back to the car.  It was a fun day and congratulation to Josh with his first trout on his own ties!
Josh's first trout on his own ties!!!!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Lesson in the corner

   Today was a different day the usual in that Josh came to the fly corner for a fly tying session. He has never tied before and it was my honor to give him a tying lesson.  I was very impressed with how well he picked up on the task at hand.  I had him tie first a rock worm, then a fancier rock worm with a rib. Then a ultra fancy rock worm with rib and soft hackle.  We then moved onto Griffiths gnats, and finished up with his request of parachutes. I had him tie a pheasant tail parachute.  Great job Josh!!!!!!!!!
Josh's First fly ever
Second fly
3rd fly
4th fly.
5th fly
6th

7th fly


Friday, March 2, 2012

Winter session 39, A quick session

  Well got out today for a hour before I had to pick my daughter up.  I was surprised to see how many fish were on the rise at my favorite little spring week.   I got geared up quick and tied on a #16 still born midge and was into trout quickly.  There was a lot bugs on the water. Many spent midge in the film and quite a few stone flies buzzing around.  It was fun, watching the trout fly out water trying to catch the stone flies.  The film had many tiny midges and some decent size one. They were spent and many trout sipping them.  I stayed focused on the stonefly takers.  Its fun having a trout explode on your fly.  My phone alarm sounded and I was out of there. 


Dying stripped quills

I made a video on how I dye my stripped herls a nice bwo olive.  Its very simple to do and can be fun to do.

Winter session 38, Mountain stream and wild browns

 Well got out yesterday to do some flying with Josh. We decided to hit a section of one of our favorite mountain freestoners. The water was up from the rain yesterday and was just a tad off color. The water also had cooled from the rain, it was only 40F. Which is lower than the last time we went. So with the water not being so warm, the fish were not really rising. Josh stuck with nymphs and I stuck it out dry flying. I would take the occasional risers we came across and he would nymph the section and runs where the trout were not rising.  

  The fishing was excellent and I got my first trout on the dry for the month of March rather quickly. The trout took the spent stone fly, and then I swapped out for the still born midge.  I quickly had one on with that dynamite fly.   The nymphing was fantastic and the claret buzzer cleaned up.   It took every fish except one.  The lightning bug was responsible for the that one. Despite the lack of insects, I did manage my fair share.   However, I did come across some stone flies which I got photos of, there isnt just black stones around.