I like to use wire to rib the GRHE because it adds just a bit of weight to the fly, helping it dive through the surface film, and, more importantly, it reinforces the body, making the fly nearly indestructible. Look very carefully at the end of the wire where it’s been wrapped on the hook. [...]

I have been asked many times to demonstrate the tying of Hair Leg Nymphs. It’s the dressing of the legs that causes most people the most problems. But there are a number of production tactics that can also be demonstrated by this imitation. So, in the next several blogs we will use the dressing of [...]

I love the Poly Caddis because it is fast to tie, rides high, can be pulled under to suggest a diving caddis, and catches fish. Gary LaFontaine used the Poly Caddis on a regular basis for just those reasons. In it’s original design, I just tied the wing in at the head and allowed it [...]

I’ve had several comments on the D & D Midge Emerger with questions about sizes. The one shown in the post (see below) was on a size 18. but certainly they can be dressed on 16-22 with no problem at all. I use only 3 pieces of herl on the 22.

Over the last 55 years plus of tying I have tried to simplify flies to the point of almost non-existence to determine what characteristics of the flies seem to be essential to the fish’s take. This has led me to a whole series of imitations that I call the Down & Dirty Flies. They are [...]

Jason reshot Ulf Hagstrom’s “Still Got the Blues for You” at a different angle to better show the tail configuration. It’s well worth seeing. Thanks Jas!

Our new book, Long Flies, is getting closer. Watch for announcements about its release date and any special offers. Long Flies is a solid look at the developmental history of bucktails, streamers, leeches, buggers, muddlers, divers, collard flies, tube flies, and more, with special attention to design parameters. In addition, it contains an in-depth look [...]

The steelhead and browns of the Salmon River in New York were tuned into two fly designs during the time I was fishing there. One was the Steelhead Flea. Amazing simple in design, it was amazingly effective, too. The other was the Roe Bug—basically an easy egg with a veil. On the first day, we [...]

I’ve had requests to show step by step tying sequences for a couple of flies. The first of these is the Peacock Snail. Others to follow. The Peacock Snail is a lethal fly on trout lakes around the world. It’s very simple in design, too, making it easy and fast to tie. Sizes 10-14 are [...]

The day started early, and I was on the water just after daylight. The fish were moving, but not to my fly; not until I changed locations. Then they were after my fly, and continued to be after it for the rest of the day. The first several hours were an average salmon day: a [...]

My apologies to those of you who view this blog on a regular basis. We lost our internet connection about a week ago and our service provider danced around the problem trying a variety of fixes that didn’t work. Then came the holiday, and they were closed. Finally they came out yesterday and replaced our [...]

My Dutch buddy, Theo Bakelaar, was here in June to fish for stripers on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. It can be a fabulous fishery when things are right, and Theo hit in spot on. There can be good fishing both day and night, with the dark hours usually trumping the daylight. Interestingly, the big [...]

My friend Keith Scott, Bluesman, performs 200 shows a year throughout the US and Canada, and Europe keithscottheavyblues.com/. On top of that. he’s a maniac fly fisher. He performed at Malarkeys Pub here in Wausau the other night and we started talking about smallmouth bass. Then yesterday I received an inquiry from Chris McCall regarding [...]

My friend, Chuck Furimsky, founder and manager of The Fly Fishing Shows, is also the developer of Bugskin. It’s a thin leather product used in fly tying. Well, Chuck was cleaning a striper and found 3 baby flounders in its stomach. So what else could he do but tie a baby flounder fly? He found [...]