Sometimes Simple is Best...

Walt's Worm
This fly was originally designed by Pennsylvania resident Walt Young.  If I am not mistaken it was orginally tied to imitate cranefly larva.  I have had a lot of success with this fly before caddis hatches so the fish may take it as caddis larva/pupa.  I also think it would be a good scud imitation in smaller sizes.  What ever the fish take it for is immaterial because they take it often enough that it is a go to fly for me.
Recipe:
Hook -  2x long nymph hook (10-16)
Underbody - .015 lead wire
Body - Hare’s Ear dubbing (I use Hareline Plus #1)
Thread - Tan 6/0
The Procedure:

The Results:

This fish was caught on a Walt's Worm that was tied by my son, who was five at the time.

Tenkara Flies

This year for Christmas my wife gave me a Tenkara fly rod, leader and this vial of flies.  These flies which I assume are designed to imitate mayflies are very elegant.  I sat down at the vise to duplicate one and I think I did a fair job.

CF Design Marco Polo Travel Kit

I have been thinking about one of these travel kits for years and a few weeks ago I snagged one off Ebay for a fraction of what they normally sell for.  This kit includes a very good light weight vise and a selection of very high quality tools.  In fact these tools are better quality than the tools on a day to day basis.  Also included is a magnetic hook pallet.  It all fits in large fly box, prefect for traveling or streamside tying sessions.  Now I have an another excuse to plan a trip.

Another Bird and Trout

I picked up this Jerry Hossom Bird and Trout back in November at the New York Custom Knife Show. This one has been on my wish list for some time now. This is a beautiful little knife that will disappear when carried in a vest pocket or around the neck.   The next step is to find someone to make a sheath for it.  I may just give the blade a kydex cover for now, until I can find something better.  As much as I like the knife it is not exactly what I was looking for, but since these knives are so few and far between I jumped on it.
Just in case your interested, the version below is what I had in mind.  As you can see its a slightly longer blade with a little different shape.  You can't see it in this photo but there is a line cutter on the ricasso (on the other side of the notch).  The hunt continues...

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone had a great day whether you celebrate the day or not. After this year I am convinced that Santa is a fly fisherman. Plenty of fly fishing goodies in the ole stocking this year.

Merry Christmas!

One hell of a fisher...dog

Change in plans...

I was planning on wetting a line tomorrow morning but the forcast is calling for over a foot of snow.  I may chance it and give it a shot for a few hours before it gets too sloppy, but maybe a better option would be to stay home,  start a fire and tie some flies.

Pancora Streamer

I saw this streamer pattern tied for the first time this summer during TU's national meeting in Michigan.  Unfortunately I lost my notes so I can't give the creater of the pattern the credit that he deserves.  This streamer was one of my top producers this fall.  The pattern was originally designed to target trout swimming in the waters of Patagonia and was tied to imitate the Pancora.  Pancora are a crustacean which sorta looks like a mix between a crab and a crayfish.  

Luckily the colors do a pretty good job matching our local crayfish species.  I fish this fly in a heavily weighted version and try and bounce it along the bottom.  It works well being stripped like a traditional streamer as well.

Recipe:

Hook:  Straight Eye Streamer 2-6

Cone: Gold tungsten

Weight: .35 lead wire

Tail:  Olive or orange marabou (orange version shown)

Body: Olive Estaz

Rib:  Gold wire

Wing:  Olive zonker strip - secured zonker style with the gold wire ribbing

Legs:  White round rubber

Collar:  I tie two versions olive metallic dubbing as pictured or red metallic dubbing

Another Killer Czech Nymph

This is another pattern that worked very good for me this last season.  I have modified it slightly with the addition of the deer hair thorax dubbing.  I like this new version even better, hopefully the fish will agree with me.
Recipe:
Hook:Partridge CZ
Inner Ribbing:  Gold wire
Outer Ribbing:  Maxima Mono
Abdomen:  Light olive synthetic dubbing
Hot Spot: Pink ice dub
Thorax:  Simon Thorax dubbing -Brown
Shellback:  Tan magic shrimp foil

Hi-Viz Beadhead

This pattern is tied with a orange tungsten bead and adhesive lead tape under the thorax...very heavy fly.  Should be a good searching pattern for Spring's high, off colored waters.  I saw Kevin Compton tie a similar pattern at the Fly Tying Symposium a few weeks back so I can't take any credit for this one.

Hook:  Scud size 14
Bead: Orange tungsten
Tail:  Pheasant tail
Abdomen:  Olive biot
Thorax:  Hares ear spun in dubbing loop
Wingcase:  Black thin skin