The last "Big Bug" hatch of the year...A Jiggy October Caddis, A Party Mop October Caddis, and an October Caddis Chubby
Fishing the October Caddis hatch with nymphs throughout day will be productive. Don't hesitate to throw a dry-dropper rig with an Orange Foam Caddis or an Orange Stimulator Chew Toy.
Chris N,
September 22, 2023
Hot Spots Can be Incorporated in Many Ways
This fly uses fluoro floss – typically in orange – as a rib. Try other colors, like Red.
Chris N,
September 22, 2023
This creative and unique dry fly is also simple and quick to tie
This fly is similar to a Comparadun or a No Hackle, but is made almost entirely of CDC. While the result is a shaggy fly, the profile that fish see is pure gold.
Chris N,
September 14, 2023
A slim BWO nymph that uses only a few materials
Tying legs on small nymphs can be frustrating. Here are two different methods that make tying legs on small nymphs less frustrating.
Chris N,
September 14, 2023
The Mole Fly Emerger is genius in its simplicity.
The key to tying the Mole Fly Emerger Fishing Fly is to use natural dubbing, which will help the body sit below the surface as it is designed to do.
Chris N.,
September 14, 2023
The Puff Daddy Fishing Fly is a go-to BWO emerger for many
We like to tie the Puff Daddy Fishing Fly with a sparse CDC collar and add a bit of flash to the CDC collar
Chris N,
September 14, 2023
Synthetic rabbit zonker strips move like a natural material and are easy to tie with.
Synthetic zonker strips alleviate the need for a dubbing loop on this fly because the thin “hide” does not create bulk when wrapped around the shank.
Chris N,
September 03, 2023
Adding hotspots to classics is possible with new INFERNO biots
There are numerous ways to add hot spots....add INFERNO biots to the list!
Chris N,
August 25, 2023
Eggstacy Material Looks Great in the Water
The Firehole 520 Jig Hook is the perfect hooks for a jig egg
Chris N,
August 24, 2023
Two Flies, three ways to split tails, and multiple body options
These flies fish well as trailers during a Trico hatch
Chris N,
August 21, 2023
Take a look at the new Faux Bucktail synthetic fiber from Flymen Fishing
The fibers are solid, which means they do not flare like natural buck tail. This also means they can be wrapped around a hook shank.
Chris N,
August 20, 2023
A new material for a classic
Faux Bucktail is Durable and Easy to Use
Chris N,
August 19, 2023
Brushes can greatly simplify flies that call for compound loops.
Brushes can be used for saltwater fly fishing flies, warm water fly fishing flies, and fly fishing flies for salmon and steelhead.
Chris N,
August 16, 2023
Trout get very excited and boldly aggressive whenever a terrestrial plops on the surface!
We like this ant pattern because it can be tied as a tanked ant or hi viz ant with only a few changes.
Chris N,
August 15, 2023
Top 5 greatest dry flies of all time. In a dry-dropper setup, this is our go-to dry.
There are conditions in which multiple layers of foam improve the fly. Here is how we do it
Chris N,
August 15, 2023
The France Fly is a top producer. The 2.0 version is quickly becoming our default version of this highly productive fly.
Simple, easy to tie and able to mimic lots of bugs.
Chris N,
August 15, 2023
Ostrich is an overlooked material.
Ostrich is easy to tie with, has really good movement in the water, and can be used for everything from a thorax to a mini soft hackle.
Chris N,
August 14, 2023
The Top Secret Midge is a Top Producer all year.
The traditional Rust color thread is dynamite. Try a few color variations like black or purple. The white rib is constant -- the purpose is to create a quill-like appearance.
Chris N,
August 14, 2023
Flies for Stillwater Bliss
Lakes and reservoirs have different flies, but the techniques are largely very consistent with how we fish other water. The rewards can be....well, take a look.
Anna on the Fly,
August 03, 2023
Don’t be a runaway during run-off. A few flies and thoughts for high water season.
Murky? Yeah, maybe. But, run-off also kicks up a ton big bugs. Focusing on color and size can produce some run-off monsters.
Anna on the Fly,
May 22, 2023
One of the top three natural materials of all-time has countless uses.
Described as the exact color a nymph afraid of being eaten by a trout would want to come up with, Hare's Ear dubbing is a classic material that finds itself into today's patterns time and time again.
Chris N.,
May 17, 2023
There are numerous options for tying fishing flies with quill bodies. Quills are more durable than ever and the results are lights out.
Gone are the days of using a pencil eraser to strip peacock quills. Today's options provide beautifully segmented fly fishing flies with lasting durability and endless color options.
Chris N,
May 09, 2023
Fly tying materials continue to get better and better. The range of materials is the best it has ever been and usability has not suffered.
EBT and Bugger Dubbings reduce steps and improve bugginess.
Chris N.,
May 04, 2023
Perdigon fly fishing flies are fish catchers for several reasons. With a few simple material changes, many of your favorite nymphs can be tied Perdigon style.
Perdigon fly fishing flies sink quickly and are very durable. Fish and anglers love them. And, tying them isn't very difficult.
Chris N,
May 04, 2023
This tool will identify the insects most likely to occur in the water you're fishing, and make fly recommendations for each phase of insect life.
The Fly Predictor is an app that identifies the insects most likely to occur in streams, rivers, and creeks at a given set of geo coordinates. Said, another way, drag your finger on a map to a specific body of water, and the app will tell you the bugs most likely to occur in that water. It’s like having a fishing buddy that is an entomologist, but without them bugging you with bad insect jokes!
Chris N,
April 06, 2023
Micro Golden Stonefly | Big bugs are molting as the snow is melting!
What makes the Mirco Golden Stonefly “the fly of the month” going into April is because it is very realistic to the actual golden stone nymph, the lighter pale yellow color, the epoxy back giving that armor look, the life like segmented body and the “turkey biot” used for the legs which pushes the water and grabs fish’s attention this is definitely one of the most realistic Stonefly patterns around and a deadly pattern to use the next few months.
Anna on the Fly,
March 26, 2023
Nymphs with Hot Spots Should Have a Place in Your Fly Box
Hot spots are effective. We outline all the different forms and colors that you’ll find on today’s top hot spot fly fishing flies.
Chris N.,
February 26, 2023
Bjorn’s Flash Midge Larva | Keep 'em Guessing
The black beauty, the mercury midge and other small midge patterns get a lot of airtime, but one thing that I find important when choosing flies is picking VARIATIONS!
Anna on the Fly,
February 07, 2023
Confidence patterns are the stable of flies that an angler reaches to regularly with the expectation of catching fish.
Confidence patterns are not simply a list of best sellers, nor are they a list of most recommended flies. Confidence patterns are the stable of flies that an angler reaches to regularly with the expectation of catching fish. Our confidence in these flies is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts…we fish these flies with the expectation of catching fish and we probably have better concentration and better presentations. And, thus, better results.
Chris N,
February 05, 2023
How are fly fishing flies designed? Foundations and three paths of creativity.
Fly design doesn’t just happen sitting behind a vice. There’s a lot of creative genius and time invested into these combinations of feathers and hooks.
Chris N,
February 04, 2023