Detailed instructions for tying a Tabou Caddis Emerger by Tightline Productions.

I know it has been slow here on FrankenFly the last week, but if you read my last update, you know I have been in Michigan. I thought I would write a few different posts highlighting the trip. To kick it off, a visit to Mayfield Pond.

Mayfield Pond

This year my cabin was only 10 minutes away from Mayfield Pond where the most famous fly in the country, the Adams, was born. I didn’t have time to tie an Adams, but Leonard Halladay actually tested all of his flies at the pond. I had a Halladay Hair Stone that I had tied up, so I put that on my line and gave it a float. The pond is in a very peaceful park which made it enjoyable to fish and relax. The pond was created by the damming of Swainston Creek, a tributary of the Boardman River.  I did switch to a small streamer and worked some of the water. No bites, but it was a pleasure and an honor to fish this historic pond.

A sign explaining the functionality of Mayfield Pond.

The Halladay Hair Stone that I mentioned above was said to be Len’s favorite fly. It is a general pattern that can be used to imitate a variety of insects. Mr. Halladay added the red tail because he said he wanted it to not only attract fish, but fishermen themselves. The one below is tied by me (Paul J. Beel).

Halladay Hair Stone

Recipe:

Hook: Mustad Dry Fly Size: 8-12
Thread: Black, 6/0
Tail: Pig Bristles, 2 or 3, dyed red
Wings: Deer Hair, tied spent
Body: Gray Yarn
Rib: Yellow Monocord, 3/0
Hackle: Brown & Grizzly mixed, 2 brown an one grizzly.

I was lucky to be able to spend a few hours on this trip with two great guides in northern Michigan. It was really what made the trip worth while. Keep in mind, this trip wasn’t a fishing trip, but a vacation with my family where I was able to steal a few hours here and there to go fishing.

First, I went on a morning float on the Jordan River with Brian Kozminski of True North Trout. My first thought was how much I liked the boat we were using. Koz has an Adipose from Montana. The low sides made for easy access to the water and the stability while moving all around the boat was excellent.

This time of year is a good time to throw ant style dry flies, like the Amy’s Ant and Chernobyl. The fish had a thing for the Amy’s Ant on this particular day. It made me a believer in the pattern, because I had never used it before.

While on a more open stretch of river, Koz had a rod loaded with the new Sharkwave line by Scientific Angler, so he let me try it out. I liked the way it casted. I thought it felt smooth running through the guides and I felt I could shoot line easier.

Another product that Koz had in the boat was Frogs Fanny floatant. This is a powder based floatant and water would just bead up on this stuff. It was awesome! Check this video out to see what I mean.

Later in the week I met up with Alex Cerveniak of Northern Michigan Fly Fishing. I had my step-son with me this time and he is a novice fly fisherman, so I was just hoping Alex could put us on some fish, any fish. He did just that. To our delight, when we arrived at the river, fish were rising. Alex was great with my step-son. Since it was a narrow river, we needed to do a lot of roll casting, so Alex showed him how and he was catching fish soon after.

One of the exciting things for me was the chance to catch my first brook trout. I’ve caught many brown and rainbow trout, but have never caught a brookie. I was surprised to learn the main species in the stream Alex chose was none other than brook trout! I was anxious and a little shakey because I wanted to land one so badly. I missed several rises and bites because of this. (either that or I just suck, LOL) It wasn’t until I switched to one of Alex’s flies called the Otsego Ant that I finally caught my first brookie and it felt amazing. We fished into the darkness, taking turns and catching several more brookies.

Alex showed me a casting technique that I had never seen before. It is called the bow and arrow cast. It can be used in very tight quarters which makes it handy to learn. Plus, it’s just plain cool! Check out this video to see how it’s done.

We were just talking about throwing mouse patterns up in Michigan. I thought this was a cool video. Enjoy!

Since I just posted that cool video on rainbow trout going after mouse patterns, I thought I better follow it up with a mouse pattern video. This one is fairly straight forward and easy to tie. Give it a whirl, if you want to do some mousing of your own!
This one is tied by Ryan Soillers.

Like the sign said last week at Gates Au Sable Lodge, “Tis noble to fish a Chernobyl.” It’s that time of year where fishing an ant pattern is a great way to go. Even better, a big, bright, gaudy ant pattern like the Chernobyl. Philip Rowley was nice enough to contribute this step-by-step of the Chernobyl Ant to FrankenFly. Phil is an expert in still water fly fishing. Check out his website Fly Craft Angling with Philip Rowley and also his Still Water Fly Fishing Store ran by him and Brian Chan. I would recommend looking at the book section of their store especially if you are doing some stillwater fly fishing. Ok, I’ll let Phil take it from here.

Hook: Mustad R74-9672 #6-#10
Thread: Black 3/0
Under-body: Orange 3MM or 2MM Sheet Foam
Over-body: Black 3MM or 2MM Sheet Foam
Legs: Barred Round Rubber Legs-Hot Orange or White Rubber Hackle
Indicator Posts: Orange 2MM Foam

Tying Notes: This version’s colour scheme is suggestive of the large Pternonarcys stoneflies or salmon flies. Vary the leg, under-body and over-body colors to suggest golden stones and grasshoppers. Gaudy attractor colors also work well.

Cruising through the dry fly bins in most fly shops reveals some bizarre looking patterns, Amy’s Ant, the Club Sandwich and the Fat Albert to name a few. Large, unique and unorthodox, these patterns share two common denominators. They float like corks and utilize large quantities of foam. In recent years foam bodied dry flies have exploded in popularity. This explosion can be traced back to one particular fly designed for the Green River in Utah, the Chernobyl Ant.

As its name would suggest the Chernobyl Ant resembles a huge mutant ant that trout can’t resist. Simple to construct, the Chernobyl’s long gangly rubber legs and dual layer contrasting foam body screams to be crushed and drowned as it bounces and bobs downstream. From my research the Chernobyl Ant was originally a black bodied fly known in some circles as the Black Mamba. Most versions now feature two colors of foam. Black and orange to suggest large salmon-flies, brown and yellow for golden stones and yellow and tan for hoppers.

Depending upon pattern size and river conditions two hook gape wide slices of 3MM or 2MM closed cell sheet foam is a Chernobyl standard. A straight edge and utility knife provides the most consistent results for cutting the foam strips. Specialized foam cutters can also be used to create size specific foam bodies. I use 3MM foam for #6 and larger Chernobyls, 2MM foam for #8 or smaller. If you are in doubt use thicker foam as it can be thinned by carefully stretching and stroking the foam strip.

Securing foam requires firm thread pressure. Use strong tying thread such as 3/0 to avoid accidental breakage. Cover the shank with thread creating a sound base so the foam doesn’t roll around the shank. Apply thread pressure using a tight, tighter, tightest philosophy so the wraps constrict around the foam strip locking it in place. Pinching and narrowing the foam at the tie in point also helps. Add 6-8 additional wraps at the tie in points. Buoyancy will not be affected. A collection of wide thread wraps at the front and rear tie in areas of the body also helps splay the legs.

There are a number of ways to tie a Chernobyl. I begin by tying in the under-body foam just back from the hook eye. Once the initial tie in is complete wind the thread backwards to the bend using open wraps to segment the body. Secure the over-body, rear set of legs and indicator post at the rear of the hook. Lift the over-body and rear legs out of the way and wind the thread forward to the under-body’s initial tie in point travelling through and further securing the initial body segments. Looking from below the under-body foam should completely envelope the hook shank. To complete the fly secure the over-body, front legs and indicator post in place just behind the hook eye.

Chernobyl Ants ride low and can be difficult to track. Most versions include small foam indicator posts tied in at the front and rear tie down points on the fly. I use thin 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide slivers of 2MM foam for my indicator posts. High visibility indicator posts can be the same color or alternate colors such as hot orange and yellow providing two sighting points. Either color may be more visible depending upon light and water conditions.

The original pattern featured black or white round rubber hackle legs. Mottled or barred legs are now common. I use these legs most often. Mottling your own legs is easy. Place a light colored length of rubber hackle in the jaws of the vise. Pull and twist the leg tight until it wants to double back or furl onto itself. Take a permanent marker and make one single pass down the extended length of the twisted leg material and you have one barred leg. Do not make multiple passes as the leg will not mottle properly.
Rubber hackle stretches when pulled. Take this into account when trimming. If you trim stretched rubber hackle the net result will be short stubby lifeless legs. Gather and support the legs but do not stretch when trimming. Keep your Chernobyl legs about body length as lanky legs are important. Long legs jiggle and bounce providing superior action.

Although a straight forward pattern to tie it pays to use disciplined approach. Incorporating production techniques to prepare and tie in the foam and legs improves your speed, pattern quality and consistency. Once you get rolling it doesn’t take long to produce a succulent handful of Chernobyl Ants.

Tying instructions:

1) Cover the hook shank with tying thread creating a solid thread base. Leave the bobbin hanging two hook eye lengths back from the hook eye. Depending upon your hook size, trim a hook gape wide section of 3MM or 2MM sheet foam for the under-body. Foam thickness depends upon hook size. Use 3MM sheet foam for larger #6 and #4 Chernobyl Ants, 2MM for small versions. Secure the foam strip in place just behind the hook eye ensuring the end of the strip protrudes approximately ½ the shank length in front of the hook. Pinch the foam at the tie in point and use constrictive thread wraps to secure; tight, tighter, tightest.

2) Secure the under-body foam down the shank using open wraps to create a segmented appearance. Place 6-8 firm thread wraps at each segment. Leave the tying thread hanging roughly half way between the point and rear of the flattened barb. Trim the foam strip at the rear of the fly so it is 1/2 the shank length.

3) Lay the foam over-body on top of the under-body and secure in place at the rear of the hook using the same pinch and constrictive thread wrap process used to secure the under-body. Place additional thread wraps at the initial tie in point to further secure the over-body. The over-body foam strip should be the same width and length as the under-body. Secure a pair of legs on each side of the fly at the rear of the hook. Keep the legs long. They will be trimmed to length later. Cut a thin strip of 2MM sheet foam for the indicator post and bind in place at the rear of the hook, so there are equal amounts of foam on either side of the tie in point. Trim the indicator post so it is roughly 1/8” high. Lift the over-body up out of the way and wind the thread forward over the under-body through each of the body segments. Place additional thread wraps at each segment to further secure the under-body. Leave the bobbin hanging at the initial under-body tie in point. The foam under-body should envelope the hook shank.

4) Lay the over-body flat on top of the under-body and secure in place just behind the hook eye where the under-body was initially tied in. Bind in two pairs of legs along each side of the body and a 2MM foam indicator post in the same manner as the rear legs and indicator post.

5) Build a neat head at the hook eye under the foam protruding in front of the hook. Whip finish and remove the tying thread. Bevel cut each corner of the finished foam body to form a rounded appearance. Trim the legs so each pair is roughly the same length as the finished body. Apply gel super glue to the head, thread wraps along the under-body and between the extended portions of the under and over-body. Carefully pinch the extended portions of the under and over-body to fuse them together. Remove any excess glue with a dubbing needle and use it to secure the indicator posts.

This is a fly designed by Doug Swisher and a variation of his Madame X fly pattern. It is a proven patter. Hammer Creek Fly Fishing guides you through how to tie it.

The HMG Gilled Nymph Variant is a creation of mine having seen a similar fly by Herman deGala. Herman is an exceptional tier regarded in the fly tying community as one of the best in Colorado. His website http://www.flytyingclips.com is a must see, three-dimensional, viewer controlled, phenomenon. The HMG Gilled Nymph Variant can be fished as the nymphal stage of a mayfly, a damsel fly or a dragon fly.

Again, you fly tiers, I urge you to consider the many advantages and applications for hot melt glue. View the testimonials a http://hmgflysystems.com testimonials.html and share with your fly fishermen and fly tying friends.

RECIPE:
Hook………..2302 size 14
Bead………..Tungsten
Thread………Veevus 12/0
Tail…………..Ostrich herl
Lead……..….0.15
Body …….….Ostrich herl
Thorax………CDC & HareLine Ice dubbing loop
Shell back…..HMG hot melt glue
Eyes…………HMG hot melt glue

This is a variation of the Prince Nymph by Hopper Juan Ramirez. You can keep up with Hopper Juan at his blog. I did an interview with Juan last year, so here is the link in case you missed it.

By Tightline Productions.

photo by Hans Weilenmann

Material List:
Hook: Tiemco 102Y #15
Thread: Benecchi 12/0, black
Hackle: Silver badger
Rib: Wire, silver fine
Body: Fluey barbs from base of saddle hackle, claret/red

Note: R.I.P. Robin Williams

Cheers,
Hans W

A killer Caddis pattern from the master, Davy Wotton.
This is a proven performer here on the White River plus much wider afield _ and as good as it looks in our fly bins its even better wet.

Fish it as a standard nymph or as the point fly in a team of wet’s Wotton style.

Video from Dally’s Ozark Fly Fisher www.theozarkflyfisher.com on the White River in Cotter, Arkansas. Produced by the incomparable Brian & Jennifer Wise from Fly Fishing The Ozarks www.flyfishingtheozarks.com.

Materials List

Bead head optional: 2mm for hook sizes 12/14
Wing: Swiss straw or Raffine natural color straw
Hackles: Brown partridge//hen pheasant neck or spangled hen hackle dark tan/brown
Body: options include,, hares ear//SLF Standard dubbings.. Olive, cream, tan,orange, SLF Whitlock number 1
Head: Hares ear

Deer hair flies are addictive, both to tie and to fish. Usually I tie my deer hair flies on a hook after first selecting the right hook for the job. But sometimes there are no hooks that are optimal for the fly and the fish it is supposed to catch. At those occasions a hook and a shank combination may be a better alternative. One of those times is when tying a large mouse, vole or a lemming fly for trout. By using a hook and a shank combination I can make a bigger mouse without using a long shanked streamer hook where the long shank could be used as a lever and the result could be a lost fish, or a large pike hook where the wide hook gap could mean missed takes when fishing for trout. Another time when a hook and a shank combination is a good alternative is when you want to add some extra movement to a fly like a deceiver or similar.

Material list:

Shank: 2.5cm
Hook: Mustad C52S size1
Thread: Veevus gsp 200d
Tail: Rabbit zonkerstrip
Body & head: Deerbelly hair
Ears: Thin foam
Eyes: 6mm
other stuff: Varnish, zap gel, superglue and uv resin.

Baitfish muddler

Shank: 3,5cm (cut of the back loop from the tail with a plier when the tail is finished)
Hook: Tiemco 600sp size 2/0
Thread: White Veevus gsp 200d
Tail: White frantic tail
Body: White rabbit zonker
Sideline: Silver lateral scale
Head: White deer belly hair
Eyes: 6mm living eyes “earth”
Other stuff: Varnish, zap gel and thick wire and superglue to attach the shank to the hook.

This is a really great fly and nice to tie. I like to fish it on lochs, popping it on the surface and waiting for the enevitable smashing take from a eager trout, I don’t fish it that often on rivers, I find other caddis patterns far more productive.

Material List:
Hook: Dry Fly #10 – #14
Hotspot: Green SLF #10
Body: Amber SLF #24
Wing: Deer Hair
Balloon: Yellow Craft Foam

Eggie Bugby

Back in April I posted here on FrankenFly information I had found on the Eggie Special. The old Grayling, Michigan pattern information was taken from a fly tied by Bob Smock. I assumed Bob had tied the Eggie Special to the original recipe, but now I know that it was a little different. A few weeks ago, I had the very pleasant surprise of receiving a comment from Eggie Bugby’s grandson, Dale. He explained that his father, Robert, now 88 years old, had the correct material information about the Eggie Special pattern. I was thrilled! So I called Eggie’s son, Robert, soon after, to talk with him about his father, Eggie and the legendary Eggie Special fly pattern.

Robert explained that Bob Smock didn’t have the correct wing material because that is the closest type of hackle tips he had at the time to the original. The actual wing material used was a dark barred ginger variant. It looks like brown grizzly in color. There was something else that was different, but I didn’t know it at the time.

I asked Robert if he had any flies tied by his dad or if he had any that he tied that showed the fly in detail. He did, but sadly, they were eaten away by moths. I talked with Robert more about Eggie and other patterns he tied like the “Badger” and “Grasshopper.” Eggie used to sell his flies for 15 to 35 cents at the novelty store and from his home. He had a shop beside his house. He would fish the Au Sable River two to three times a week. Robert grew up fishing with his dad and learning to tie the patterns that caught tons of fish.

A few days later, I spoke with Dale again through email. He informed me they were sending me a package that included a photo of Eggie and not only that, but an actual fly they found that was tied by Eggie himself and it was intact! Yes, INTACT! I couldn’t believe it! I was like that kid on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when he found that golden ticket!

Below is the fly that Eggie tied. An actual Eggie Special. The photo was taken by me of the fly I received in the mail from the Bugby’s. The other difference I mentioned earlier, was that it had grizzly and brown hackle in the front around the wings and not just brown. I didn’t realize this until I studied the fly myself. So finally, after so many years, we finally know what the actual pattern is for the Eggie Special. I list the materials below the photo. I want to thank the Bugby family for being so generous and helpful.

I want to dedicate this post to my friend Tom Deschaine, who passed away May 31st, 2014. Tom ran the website MichiganDryFlies.net and would have been as excited as I am about this classic Michigan dry fly.

Eggie Special

Eggie Special material list:

Hook: Mustad #94840 Size: 10-12
Thread: Black, 6/0
Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibers, 3 to 4
Body: Pale Yellow Wool
Wing: Dark Barred Ginger hackle tips, upright and divided
Hackle: Rhode Island Red (Brown) Hackle, palmered the full length of the body. Brown and Grizzly hackle wrapped around wings near head of the fly.

-Paul J. Beel

In February of last year, the originator of this pattern, Mike Mercer, sent me a very cool write-up on how he came up with Mercer’s Missing Link. If you missed it or forgot about it, be sure to go back and read all about it.

The Caddis Fly Angling Shop just released this video the other day of Tony Torrence showing how to tie this pattern. Tony knows his stuff, so enjoy!

A winged wet Hare’s Ear as traditional and elegant a fish catcher as you will find.

Winged wet flies date back to the early 19th Century UK, a time when the vice was considered a subversive influence, bamboo hadn’t really taken over from wood, and a light trout rod might be 12’ long. While other conventions of the time, buckled to progress, the winged wets remain.

Wet fly master and White River guide Davy Wotton demonstrates his winged wet technique on this classic pattern.

“The winged wet hares ear is one of the old traditional classics that will catch trout in any water they can be found. It’s particularly good during the caddis season and when water conditions are warm and trout are active to all manner of food sources.”

If you want more of Davy’s tying or wet fly fishing skills check out his DVDS, or book a trip (870 435 6166)

Our thanks to Davy for the demonstration Brian and Jenni Wise Fly Fishing the Ozarks flyfishingtheozarks.com for the video production

Recipe:

Tail: Few fibers of hen pheasant hackle or tan hen hackle. Or 3 strands of bronze mallard.
Body: Hares ear dubbing or SLF Whitlock number 1 Red Fox thorax.
Rib: Fine flat gold tinsel.
Wing: Either rooster ring neck pheasant or hen pheasant secondary wing quills.
Hackle: Hen pheasant neck or Brown partridge or tan/brown hen pheasant hackle

Video produced by Brian Wise: Fly Fishing the Ozarks flyfishingtheozarks.com
in conjunction with Dally’s Ozark Fly Fisher, Cotter Arkansas. theozarkflyfisher.com

Another nice fly here tied by Jim Misiura. This one looks like it would be a real fish catcher. Try it out!

Material List:
Hook: Curved Shank #16 – #1/0 Weight: .010 Lead Wire
Thread: Brown Tail: Teal Flank Rib: Copper Wire
Body: Brown Dubbing Hackle: Dark Hen Cape
Wing: Teal Flank Collar: Dark Hen Saddle