Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin

Hex Mayflies
Hexagenia limbata

The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.

Stream photos

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Female Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult Female Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult

Lateral view of a Female Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the Columbia River in Washington

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27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.

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What have you been tying?

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 7:15 am EST

This cold weather has me dreaming of summer days and shady Mountain Brook trout streams. Little stoneflies and willing wild trout eager to eat a fly. So I'd be interested in seeing what everyone else is tying these days.

Roguerat

Posts: 456

Roguerat on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 10:25 am EST

I'm working through the hatch charts of streams I plan to fish this spring; the Pine is a new one, hope to be on-stream before canoe season. I'm tying a nymph/emerger/crippled emerger/dun/spinner series for each fly listed...
I've gravitated to tying a lot of Harrop's hair-wing duns over the winter and
can't wait to cast these.

15 degrees and dropping, a winter-storm warning through Monday (NWS actually named this one 'Linus!?'), like you I can look out the window and dream at least.

Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

Catskilljon
Upstate NY

Posts: 160

Catskilljon on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 12:06 pm EST

I'm working through the hatch charts of streams I plan to fish this spring; the Pine is a new one, hope to be on-stream before canoe season. I'm tying a nymph/emerger/crippled emerger/dun/spinner series for each fly listed...

That's a great plan...something I always tell myself I will do then I don't!

We are getting ready for our winter tying extravaganza at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum this weekend. They are celebrating the "Year of the Hendrickson". I thought I would get a head start and knock out some early.
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Pink fox, old Mustads and dun hackle...doesn't get much more Catskill than that :) CJ

Roguerat

Posts: 456

Roguerat on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 12:42 pm EST

Nice!

I used some white under-fur from our Norwegian Husky, Sequoia, and blended it with red and grey zonker fur to come up with what I hope is an acceptable Hendrickson pink. Have to wait a few months to see what the local Browns say about it, though.

I agree about the 'stages' tying routine, this is the first winter I've actually disciplined myself to slow down on odds and ends (way too many patterns to try, and too much fun trying them!) and tie more seriously.

Roguerat

Catskilljon
Upstate NY

Posts: 160

Catskilljon on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 1:11 pm EST

I agree about the 'stages' tying routine, this is the first winter I've actually disciplined myself to slow down on odds and ends (way too many patterns to try, and too much fun trying them!) and tie more seriously.

Roguerat

Exactly! When you add up all the stages, in different sizes and then multiply that by the insects you are imitating you have a daunting task in front of you!

CJ

MiltRPowell
Posts: 106

MiltRPowell on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 1:38 pm EST

CJ,
Really nice, ol'school to me.
And it doesn't get anymore Catskill then that.
Except for some of your other models, depends which one your showing at the time.
Good luck!,at the show, sure you'll have a blast..
Milt.

flyfishingthecreekM.R.P.

Roguerat

Posts: 456

Roguerat on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 3:14 pm EST

3 down and a lot to go..BWO's, Little Mahogany's, and Hendricksons for starters.

It's difficult to stay on track even with a list to follow, what with all of the variations and versions within a given hatch. Shuck-stuck emergers, 'headlight' style emergers, one-wing cripples, I tend to want to tie them just out of curiosity.

Roguerat

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 4:42 pm EST

Many different patterns; Sulfurs, Rusty spinners, Trico duns, Lafontaine emergers and more. The Tricos look huge but most are tied on Mustad #22 and some are tied on a Daiichi #1130 #18. Bigger gape than the Mustad but the same overall hook length. Also tied a couple dozen midge nymphs, a dozen Sulfur parachutes, a dozen Hendrickson Red Quill emergers, half a dozen Flick's Grey Fox Variants and more.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Entoman

Northern CA & ID

Posts: 2604

Entoman on Feb 1, 2015February 1st, 2015, 10:07 pm EST

CJ -

Nice! The pattern on the left is how I like to proportionaly tie my Catskill flies, only with the wings mounted a tad further back and also a tad shorter. It's been my experience that wings too long float on their sides. Also if too far forward as well, they can often assume the posture of the fly on the right when fishing. ;)

Pink fox... doesn't get more Catskill then that:)

As long as it's urine stained and not dyed... :)LOL

Nice as well, Matt. You've been a busy boy!

"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman

Feathers5
Posts: 287

Feathers5 on Feb 2, 2015February 2nd, 2015, 4:17 am EST

I've been tying sulfurs the last few days, what else? I'll be tying Hendricksons and Blue Quills next.

Roguerat

Posts: 456

Roguerat on Feb 2, 2015February 2nd, 2015, 5:40 am EST

Something I'm still sorting through...the various nicknames for naturals. A Little Mahogany could be a Blue Quill depending on region- or who I learned the name from (what I call an 'Iso' another may call a Slate Drake or White-gloved Howdy).
My now well-worn copy of Ann Miller's Hatch Guide for Upper Midwest Streams took some of the confusion away, she lists common names for a given fly. That and Insects by common Name on this site are my go-to resources when I'm scratching my near-bare noggin over a new name.

Digging out after Linus departed, 13" of the white and beautiful but nowhere near what I hear Chicago and parts south got.

Roguerat

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Feb 2, 2015February 2nd, 2015, 8:45 am EST

Nice as well, Matt. You've been a busy boy!

Boy, I'll say!

CJ you too, 100 years of the Hendrickson! Cool stuff, I wish I could get up there this weekend. maybe...

no where near as nice as CJ's but I'm having fun...

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Feb 2, 2015February 2nd, 2015, 10:36 am EST

That is a great looking fly! Beautifully divided duck quill slips. I also like that you have left a bit of bare shank behind the eye. On the few really old Catskill dry flies I've seen the tiers always left a bit of shank exposed.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Crepuscular

Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 920

Crepuscular on Feb 2, 2015February 2nd, 2015, 1:04 pm EST

I also like that you have left a bit of bare shank behind the eye. On the few really old Catskill dry flies I've seen the tiers always left a bit of shank exposed.

Thanks Matt. You gotta leave room for the Turle knot! :)

TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278

TNEAL on Feb 4, 2015February 4th, 2015, 5:35 am EST

I do that so I can tie my 24s on 20s

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Feb 4, 2015February 4th, 2015, 8:32 am EST

Hey Tneal, tie me a couple of dozen of those 24's.

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278

TNEAL on Feb 4, 2015February 4th, 2015, 2:20 pm EST

leaves lots of room for the turle knot

Brassie211

Altoona PA

Posts: 4

Brassie211 on Mar 23, 2015March 23rd, 2015, 5:23 pm EDT

I've been tying a lot of rubber wrapped caddis nymphs and I just started tying foam hoppers and wasps. Yellowstone on August 7th-18th

Orvis Silver label 7ft 5w. Orvis HLS Graphite 8 1/2 ft 5w.

Praise be to The Lord my rock,who trains my hands for war,my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1.

Planettrout