1. Troutnut Forum
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2. Fly Tying
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3. Simple/Easy patterns that are effective?

My favorite effective and easy patterns to tie:

- Spiders or UK style soft hackles (currently using sharp tail grouse feathers)

- elk hair caddis

- Green caddis larvae (Not sure if there is a name for the style). Basically some olive dubbing, peacock thorax. Sometimes I tie it with a bead head and/or a shuck made of grouse fibers or antron.

As a novice tier, I am always on the look for some new simple patterns to tie. Any suggestions?

Walt's Worm. I once saw a post that claimed that there wasn't a brown trout in PA that hadn't seen one of these. Very effective.

Hook: Mustad #9671, Tiemco #5262, or Dai-ichi #1710, #8-18
Thread: 6/0 or 3/0 tan
Weight: .020" lead wire for #8-10, .015" lead wire for #12-16, .010" lead wire for #18; brass or tungsten bead if desired.
Body: Hare-line #4 or Hare's Ear Plus #1, tied cigar-shaped and picked out aggressively.

I got a hare's mask last month. I'll make a lighter blend from it and crank a few of these out. Thanks Martin

If anybody else is interested, I think I've found some good answers in Bob Wyatt's patterns. I also ordered a book by Morgan Lyle, featuring some Wyatt's patterns, called "Simple Flies: 52 Easy-to-Tie Patterns that Catch Fish". It has some great reviews on Amazon so I am optimistic.

how about a few styles that translate into flies usable for 90 + % of emergences? The Adams parachute from #10-#20 with different body/thread colors with cover most mayfly emergers esp if the "tail' is a bit fuller than "normal"; we have a caddis/stone emerger called the North Branch Drake that can be sized and adjusted as above to cover almost all caddis and stones. One pattern, better described as a style, for most flies. Simple and highly effective. If anybody wants info on any of these,send me a message.Northern Mi has two other parachute syles that can be adusted similarly, one is easier to tie than the Adams and the other is a bit more difficult. Theres also one very small adjustment to the Adams style that greatly enhances fish catching.

I second Tim's advice on the Adams, though I usually tie it Catskill style with grizzly hen hackle wings. I have also had luck with a Female Adams, tied with a little yellow egg sac at the end of the body. Of course with spring hatches coming up, a Light Hendrickson is a good one to have for the next month or so. Good luck there, Michigander!

Jonathon

TimCat...Just a FYI. There are a few YouTube vids out there of Bob Wyatt tying his flies. He has a DVD and I think some folks have pirated it and stuck it on YouTube...Doesn't anyone feel they should pay for anything anymore?! If we keep stealing this stuff there will eventually be no incentive to put the effort in to creating anything.

Spence

"Doesn't anyone feel they should pay for anything anymore?! If we keep stealing this stuff there will eventually be no incentive to put the effort in to creating anything."

Darned straight, Spence. A person has the right to make money off of their creativity and abilities - I believe this is even enshrined in the constitution - without others ripping it off and distributing it for free, unless the creator endorses this (as musicians will occasionally do). Time, sweat, and money go into creating things and people who want it all for free have no understanding of this whatsoever! And sadly, in my field one is asked to volunteer all the time - teach for free, identify aquatic insects and plants for free, etc. Was my college tuition at U of M free?? Do I get free lodging, food, gas, electricity, fishing gear, etc.??? No wonder it is so hard to make a living at teaching and doing field biology, even though I am perfectly trained for both.

Sorry, enough ranting...our opener is looking to be sunny, low fifties F with moderate winds - I think I can handle the kayak in those conditions! We are due for heavy rain this evening so I think the streams are going to be high, and cold...best of luck to you gentlemen!!

Jonathon

TNEAL, The parachute adams was one of the first flies I ever bought, but haven't tied one. It is maybe the most successful fly I fished last summer. I don't have any dry-fly chicken hackle currently.

Spence and Jonathon, Speaking of supporting talent, after looking around the webs for more Bob Wyatt stuff, I think I have to get his book. I really like his philosophy, although I don't have much personal experience to confirm it, it makes sense and seems like a good read. Hans Weilenmann tied some of his stuff on youtube as well and a bunch of other excellent patterns. I am sure most of you are aware of his great videos but if not, check them out. Also, the comparison of musicians to fly tiers, guides, authors, etc is a good one.

I tied up some variations of Wyatt's Deer-Hair emerger 2.0 tonight. I tested it out in a jar of water with no floatant too. I left one for around 45 min before checking it and it was still sitting nicely. It's a great looking pattern and fun to tie.

Below is a variation I have been doing tonight. I deviate from his recipe some, but it is pretty much the same idea (sorry for the low quality photos):

Hook- Emerger/Caddis style, size 16 shown

Wing- deer hair, tied in after the dubbing and thorax, clipped to give it a "shoulder". I believe this adds some extra buoyancy. (I only have Deer hair good for comparaduns, so I let it spin/fan out because it is difficult to fight that with this hair. I could probably use some elk hair too, but that may be a bit thick for a size 16)

Body- Hare's Mask, lighter blend with a majority of underfur. This pattern is interesting because the dubbing noodle is put on the thread while it is still around the thorax or wing area. You wrap the dubbing on towards the rear, then use the 'naked' thread as a ribbing on the way back up. A vary cool and simple technique for some added durability!

Thorax- Peacock herl (the original called for spiky hare's ear, but I am just having some fun)







Sorry for the long post

Best of luck to my fellow Michiganders and anyone else here ready to make their way out there this spring!