Ostrich Callibeatis

December 11, 2016, 7:01 pm

≫ Next: Yellow Tail Jig - Soft Hackle

≪ Previous: Mini Cheech Leech

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The Stillwater Slaya

So.. despite how much I love tossing streamers, I really love fishing stillwater. My biggest fish have come from stillwaters and I just really enjoy fishing them. One thing I've discovered during my stillwater endeavors is that Callibaetis patterns that contain ostrich are stellar! Some of my best days on the stillwater can thank this bug and others like it. This Callibaetis pattern started with a bead and soft hackle, but like many other patterns it had to undergo a simplification process. I've found out that some days fishing a weightless pattern is just the ticket, and for some reason, the trout will ignore everything else. I don't have the slightest clue as to why, but I do know it works!

One of my favorite parts of this pattern is the slightly over-sized legs and the opal flashback. The over-sized legs really help this bug swim and act like rudders while finger crawling it back on a full-sink line, or even while doing long and steady strips. I did struggle with a dubbing for this pattern and after trying a bunch of different dubbings I have found my favorite to be a 50/50 mix of SLF Spiky Squirrel in Natural Fox and Peacock Ice Dub. As for the opal flashback... We all know opal calls in the fish like a carnitas burrito calls in da Cheech.

Next time you find yourself prepping your fly box for a stillwater adventure don't forget to tie some of these up!

~Brandon

Material List

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Hook: Alec Jackson Phantom Covert Nymph Hook - 13     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 70 Denier - Olive     
Tail: Whiting Coq De Leon Rooster Cape - Medium Pardo     
Legs: Coq De Leon Hen Saddle - Speckled Brown     
Thorax Pt.1: SLF Spikey Squirrel Dubbing - Natural Fox     
Thorax Pt.2: Ice Dub - Peacock     
Rib: UTC Ultra Wire - Copper - Small     
Flashback (wing case): Mirage Flashabou - 3005 - Opal     
Wing Case: Montana Fly Company Skinny Skin - Mottled Brown     
Wing Case Coat: Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish     
Abdomen: Ostrich Herl - Scud Tan     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Loon UV Power Light

Thin Skin - Gator, Brown/Black

Mayfly Tails - Dark Dun

Rattle Bass Fangs Scissors

Dr. Slick All-In-One Dubbing Brush

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Yellow Tail Jig - Soft Hackle

December 22, 2016, 10:54 am

≫ Next: A New Spin on the Dubbing Brush Table

≪ Previous: Ostrich Callibeatis

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Add some Jig to your box with this simple tie

Yellow Tag

It's no secret that jig hooks and slotted beads are rapidly increasing in popularity in the United States. I first was intrigued by the jig style hooks several years back when I started talking with the competitive fishing guys like Lance Egan, Glade Gunther, and Devin Olsen, and the proof is in the pudding - they flat out catch fish.  Not only are they very productive flies, but they tend not to snag so bad as you drag them close to the bottom.  I have been tying and fishing lots of jigs this year, and they all tend to end up having both a soft hackle and a hot spot.  I usually tie the hot spot on the front or back of the fly (or both sides like this one), and I like to add soft hackle like CDC or partridge to them.  There is a wide variety of sizes and colors of slotted beads you can use, and the body of these jig flies can be anything from bare thread, quill, or buggy squirrel dubbing.  Chances are that you can grab a handful of random materials and make them look awesome on one of these simple jig flies!

~ Cheech

P.S. - This fly is just a representation of a color combo that I like.  You should mix and match various different colors to match the bugs in your rivers.

Material List

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Hook: Fulling Mill 35045 Jig Hook - 14     
Thread: 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge - Camel     
Bead: Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads - Black - 1/8" (3.3mm)     
Tail / Ribbing: 3/0 UNI-Thread Waxed - Yellow     
Body: Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing - Hare's Ear     
Hackle: Nature's Spirit Primo Partridge Skin, Natural     
Hotspot 1: Ice Dub - UV Cinnamon     
Hotspot 2: Ice Dub - UV Hot Orange     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Stonfo Comb/Brush Tool

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

A New Spin on the Dubbing Brush Table

December 28, 2016, 7:37 am

≫ Next: Modern Nymphing: Video Review

≪ Previous: Yellow Tail Jig - Soft Hackle

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Next Level Dubbing Brushes

Dubbing Brush Table

So we've been messing with dubbing brush tables for a while now because, unless you've been living patterns and tutorials with them.
under a rock and haven't realized it, dubbing brushes are a big time saver and unlock a lot of creative possibilities with your streamer patterns. We've done a number of

So as we've done with many of our fly patterns, we ended up thinking about some options and features for a new table as we worked on a co-lab with the crew at Rocky Mountain nets. These guys are essentially wood-working ninjas and really knocked it out of the park on the end result.

Probably the coolest feature of all is the ingenious table drop design with recessed magnets that allow you to drop the table/shelf out of the way when you spin up your brushes. That, plus a good number of tool, dubbing wax and wire spindles, give this new version a big upgrade.

Anyway, check out the video to see it in action and check out the things you need for doing dubbing brushes.

Material List

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Tools from the tutorial:

Dubbing Brush Table

UNI Dubbing Brush Wire - Medium (.006")

Wire Flush Cutters

Loon High Tack Swax

Modern Nymphing: Video Review

January 3, 2017, 2:53 pm

≫ Next: Make Your Own Squirrel Dubbing

≪ Previous: A New Spin on the Dubbing Brush Table

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European Nymphing Video Review

Rainbow victim of Euro style nymphing (photo Devin Olsen)

We don't do a lot of video or film reviews mainly for the simple reason that there's just a lot of stuff out there from Youtube to the many film festival entries each year to Uncle Ken's DVD collection of fly fishing and tying videos from the 80's. So when we saw that Lance Egan and Devin Olsen, arguably two of the better nymph fishermen on the planet, team up with Gilbert Rowley -- a very fishy guy who happens to be a ninja behind the lens -- we knew "Modern Nymphing: European Inspired Techniques" was one video that we'd have to look over.

As background, Cheech and I have been familiar with and ramping up with Euro style nymphing for the past few years. I've known about similar techniques for many years prior but really never gave them much thought, convinced my traditional strike indicator methods were getting the job done just fine. While I can't point to a specific point that convinced me, I can say my nymphing approach has forever been changed. Even more, based on the results we've seen and what I've seen from others, including Ryan Barnes, Lance and Devin, I'm a firm believer in its effectiveness. So if you've never tried it or remain unconvinced, the one thing this video will do is to get you off your duff and finally give you the push you need to start the learning curve.

So how does this video/film stack up against other educational fishing films out there? In a word: it doesn't. It's in a class of its own. While maintaining its core goal of educating a fisherman on the techniques of Euro style nymphing, it offers very pleasing cinematography that is uniquely combined with plenty of action as they catch fish after fish after fish. So while Lance and Devin do a great job explaining things, Gilbert has done a fantastic job capturing all the action and putting it together into a format that's easy to follow and even easier to watch.

From a more descriptive standpoint, the video follows a logical outline first giving you the introduction to the general methods they'll discuss and why they're so effective. That's followed by discussion on gear recommendations and why you'll need said gear. They very clearly discuss the rigs you'll use, how to build them and how to use them. This includes clear diagrams on the setups they're actually using in the film as well as how to rig your flies, tie knots etc. From there, you'll learn (or better said, be shown) about putting the rigs into action with casting, drift control and hook setting techniques. As a final piece to all of it, they then spend time reviewing effective fly patterns for this style of fishing.

On a closing note here, if you're serious about getting into this method, you need this video as well as George Daniel's "Dynamic Nymphing" book we reviewed a couple years back. You can purchase the video online here or you can pre-order the DVD's here from our store.

Make Your Own Squirrel Dubbing

January 6, 2017, 7:06 am

≫ Next: Mil Spec Cripple - Mayfly Pattern

≪ Previous: Modern Nymphing: Video Review

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The Best, Buggiest Stuff Out There

Wet fly with squirrel body

This video really doesn't require much introduction because all the good stuff is in the video.  Lots of people have been doing this for a lot of years, and I had started to do it more and more with used up squirrel zonker pelts.  As soon as I used up all the zonker strips, I'd trim off the remaining fur off the head portion and blend it up.  The cool thing about doing this with the whole pelt is that you can get dubbing in different lengths as described in the video.  The recipe ratio that I like is about 4 parts squirrel to 1 part ice dub, and you can mix and match quite a bit between UV cinnamon and UV lavender ice dub. Anyway, blend away and tie buggy stuff!

~Cheech

Materials from the tutorial:

Whole Squirrel Skin - Natural Fox

Whole Squirrel Skin - Natural Gray

Ice Dub - UV Cinnamon

Ice Dub - UV Lavender

Coffee Grinder Link
Beard Trimmer Link

Mil Spec Cripple - Mayfly Pattern

January 9, 2017, 2:41 pm

≫ Next: Mil Spec Loop Wing Emerger - Mayfly

≪ Previous: Make Your Own Squirrel Dubbing

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Mayflies are Cheeseburgers*

*If you listen to Pink Floyd while reading this post it will make more sense.

Mil-Spec Baetis Cripple

 Imagine if you had an addiction to cheeseburgers.  Any time cheeseburgers were available you went out of your way to eat as many as possible, and not only are you addicted to cheeseburgers, but everyone around you was also addicted to cheeseburgers - I know, it sounds like a Fly Fish Food staff meeting.  (Ok, I love writing this post so far...)  Now imagine that cheeseburgers grew legs and were only in a certain spot for a short period of time before running away from you.  You know what I'm thinking - chase the cheeseburgers with sprained ankles and torn ACLs.  Same delicious cheeseburger, less running around.  Mayflies are cheeseburgers for trout.

Now that you have imagined cheeseburgers with tangible limbs, we'll talk a little bit about mayflies and the laziness of trout.  Trout, much like my children, work as little as possible in order to get food, and if there is a bug in the water that is easier to eat than the others they are all over it.  All they care about is caloric intake.  Without diving too far down the entomology rabbit hole, we'll just say that some mayflies die before they are ever able to fully mature.  They are void of their nymphal shuck at this point, but their wings and tails are all wadded up in clumps of delicious trout cheeseburger.  Not only do they have kind of a distinct footprint on the water (jacked up wings and tails), they don't move at all because they are dead, or otherwise incapacitated to the point where they don't move.  Had these patterns been named in our day and age with all the political correctness, they would have been called something other than "cripples," but thanks to our fly fishing forefathers, we have cripple patterns. 

Long story short...  Mayflies die on the surface.  Mayflies that die in the surface film look tasty to trout.  Trout proceed to eat tasty jacked up mayflies that are stuck in the surface.  Tie mayflies that look all jacked up so that lazy fish will eat them.  Live long.  Prosper.

A few notes on this fly...  I have been messing with body types for mayflies quite a bit, and I realized that I could get a body to look just like a nice quill or biot simply by using flat thread and markers.  This body style was so realistic and so easy to adapt to different bugs that I called it the Mil-Spec body one day at the shop.  The name kind of stuck.  In addition to this, the trigger point international fibers are treated with floatant (even though I use Lochsa on this pattern), and they also have great sheen on the water.  It's been one of my go-to materials lately.

~Cheech

**Before you watch this video, it's worth noting that the flies I have done with Chartpak markers tend to bleed color out.  I have had better luck with sharpies and prismacolors.

Material List

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Hook: Fulling Mill 35050 Ultimate Dry Fly Hook, Barbless - 18     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Olive     
Tail / Wings: EP Trigger Point Int'l Fibers - Dark Dun     
Wing Case: Nature's Spirit CDC - Dark Gray Dun     
Thorax: Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing - BWO     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Magnetic Bobbin

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

Marc Petitjean Whip Finisher

Mil Spec Loop Wing Emerger - Mayfly

January 16, 2017, 11:58 am

≫ Next: Mil Spec Nymph

≪ Previous: Mil Spec Cripple - Mayfly Pattern

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More Ammo for Your Dry Fly Box

This is another fly from the Mil Spec series that brings all the trout to the yard.  When I originally started tying this style of fly, I was using thread and wire to make the abdomen, dubbing for the thorax, and snowshoe hare's foot fibers for the wing.  This pattern is very similar in form, but I switched to all synthetic fibers because I could change the colors to match any mayfly that I was using, and I could tie it much faster.  The simplicity of this fly is kind of why I like it so much.  Not only does it do a great job of looking helpless on top of the water, I can also tie these in about 3 to 4 minutes each.

When I fish this fly I really like to use a floatant that will bind itself to the materials that I use.  Loon Lochsa is really good at floating basically whatever you squeeze it onto, and Loon Payette Paste is kind of an unusual solid floatant that you can kind of mash into the thorax and wing of this fly to keep it riding high for a longer period of time.  Or...  You can just be like Curtis and use bacon grease as your floatant.  At the end of the day it's really just up to you...

~ Cheech

Material List

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Hook: TMC 2488 Nymph Hook - 18 - 25 Pack     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Olive     
Tail: Sparkle Emerger Yarn - Brown     
Wing: EP Trigger Point Int'l Fibers - Dark Dun     
Thorax: Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing - BWO     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Magnetic Bobbin

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

Marc Petitjean Whip Finisher

Mil Spec Nymph

January 23, 2017, 7:47 am

≫ Next: Mil Spec Soft Hackle

≪ Previous: Mil Spec Loop Wing Emerger - Mayfly

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Thin to Win

Mil Spec Nymphs

"Now that was a cast," I privately assured myself as I landed my small PMD emerger about 7 feet in front of the fish that had been taunting me all day.  He was the guy that was telling his fish buddies "hey watch this," and he would rise very aggressively, and then stay subsurface for 15 minutes.  Little did he know, that I had a fresh dry fly itch, and it was going to get scratched that day.  This went on for about 40 minutes or so, and this fish had me right where he wanted me; frustrated, searching for exactly the right bug, casting hurriedly...  I had dry fly fever.  Curtis will attest that I change flies more than humanly necessary, and this trip was no exception.  On went a little curved shank bunny jobber, with all the right floaty parts in all the right places.  This bully of a fish lost that battle on the very cast that I had reassured myself that it was a good cast...  He was a brute.  All of 13" and he got a stern tongue lashing from me before being released to taunt another day.  This fish, however, won a battle for the rest of the fish in that river because he made me lose my focus long enough during my tirade of clipping off and tying on new patterns that I left my pack unzipped and I dropped my "mayfly" box (of about 350 flies) into the river.  I didn't realize until the next week.  I half-heartedly looked, but I knew that this probably just meant that I was going to have to hit the vise pretty hard to replace them.  Off to the shop to pick up a box and a bunch of hooks...

Mil Spec PMD Nymph

I tell that story because that dumb little 13" fish spurred this whole new mayfly box that I have been working on, and I've been quite pleased with some of the patterns that are lining the rows.  Not only did I want some super ninja techie flies that have all the detail, I also wanted some quick ties that I could crank out in short time.  As I was deciding what to tie, I was set on figuring out a bug that was both super techie, and super easy.  Long story short, my stripped peacock quills switched to flat thread and a marker, and it was kind of hard to tell the difference.  I was also in the middle of cleaning and tweaking my AR-15, so I started calling this technique the "mil spec" technique for lack of a better term.

A couple of notes when tying these: DO NOT USE A CHARTPAK MARKER like I did (sorry to yell), but the chartpak ink dries a bit slower, so it can bleed into the body, making it a one toned fly.  Sharpies work really well.  Also, try different colors of thread like burnt orange, purple, brown, gray, etc. etc.  The sky is the limit with these bugs.

~Cheech

Material List

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Hook: TMC 2488 Nymph Hook - 18 - 25 Pack     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Olive     
Tail: Sparkle Emerger Yarn - Brown     
Wing: Whiting Brahma Hen Saddle - Mottled Gray     
Thorax: Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing - BWO     
TBD: Mirage Tinsel - Opal - Small     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Magnetic Bobbin

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

Marc Petitjean Whip Finisher

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Mil Spec Soft Hackle

February 2, 2017, 3:11 pm

≫ Next: Mil Spec Damaged Dun

≪ Previous: Mil Spec Nymph

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Trout Food with Two Materials

The latest entry to the Mil Spec lineup is just a simple soft hackle pattern.  Really, this pattern doesn't need much explanation because it's only two materials, but the subtle segmentation and a sparse hackle is a good recipe for sore fish lips.  I really like to fish this fly on a Euro rig with a small split shot above it for weight (yes...  call me a heathen).  One key to this pattern is the Whiting Farms is the 4B hen cape that is used, and we actually prefer these to the red label Whiting hen capes because of how soft and webby the feathers are.  The best part about this fly is that you can tie up a dozen in no time...  No more talky...  Here is the video.

~ Cheech

Material List

Add to Cart

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Hook: TMC 2488 Nymph Hook - 18 - 25 Pack     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Olive     
Hackle: Sparkle Emerger Yarn - Brown     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Magnetic Bobbin

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

Marc Petitjean Whip Finisher

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Mil Spec Damaged Dun

February 12, 2017, 7:26 pm

≫ Next: 2017 Savery Creek Hosted Trip

≪ Previous: Mil Spec Soft Hackle

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Trout Love Easy Food

If you didn't know, mayflies are like cheeseburgers.  It's a long story, but I ranted about it here (EPIC cheeseburger rant)... This is another fly from the Mil Spec series that I have been playing with to mimic a mayfly that is having a hard time growing up and incorporating itself into the adult world.  It likes to just hang in the film not knowing that there are hungry sharks seeking it out.  Yep.  I like fishing cripples.  This is kind of a takeoff of the Quigley style of cripple with the classic front-facing wing and hackle.  Anyway, it's a very simple, straightforward pattern that doesn't need a lot of explaining.  Bring on the video!

Material List

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Hook: Fulling Mill 35050 Ultimate Dry Fly Hook, Barbless - 18     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Olive     
Hackle: Whiting Hebert Miner Hackle Cape - Bronze - Medium Gray Dun     
Tail: Sparkle Emerger Yarn - Olive Brown     
Wing: EP Trigger Point Int'l Fibers - Dark Dun     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Magnetic Bobbin

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

Marc Petitjean Whip Finisher

2017 Savery Creek Hosted Trip

February 14, 2017, 1:28 pm

≫ Next: G Funk Stonefly

≪ Previous: Mil Spec Damaged Dun

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June 29th to July 2nd 2017

Savery Rainbow taken on a big hopper

We're excited to announce our Savery Creek hosted trip for 2017. From June 29th to July 2nd, we'll be packing our gear and heading to a legendary remote stream in the wilds of south central Wyoming where we'll hang with you for a few days throwing big dry flies and streamers to hungry trophy-sized Rainbow trout. It's truly difficult to describe how awesome this place is to those who haven't experienced it. Suffice it to say, it's an incredible opportunity to catch huge fish on big nasty flies. This hosted trip is one of the highlights of the year for us!

Here's how it will go: You'll travel to Wyoming and meet up with someone Thursday to accompany you to the lodge. Thursday evening, we'll enjoy some home-cooked food and discuss the fishing plans for the next day. You can then enjoy an evening of relaxation watching a variety of wildlife from the balcony or tie flies with Cheech and Curtis. You'll then spend two full days of fishing with us. We normally fish big dry flies and streamers but nymphing can also be effective as well. Our goal is to get you into a fish of a lifetime.

The lodge at Savery Creek

During your stay, you will enjoy incredible fishing, delectable food, great company and a wilderness experience that rivals anything in the world. We recommend booking your spot early in order to ensure you of a spot.

Here are the details:

• We have room for 6 to 8 anglers. First come, first served and spots will fill up fast. We can accommodate non-anglers but please let us know in advance so we can arrange for that.
• The cost will be $1400 per angler for three nights lodging, two days fishing (with guides), food, fly tying materials and flies (if you don't want to tie or want to save the ones you tie).
• We usually tie flies in the evening, but the fly tying part is totally optional. If you want to get one-on-one instruction from Cheech on how to tie his Project Hopper, it can't hurt.
• We advise bringing your own rod, but if you don't have a suitable one, let us know and we can make arrangements. We suggest a 5 or 6 weight. You could get away with a 4 weight, but a 23 inch 6 lb fish full of fight will appreciate a beefier rod. 3X or 4X tippet is great.
• 50% deposit will hold your reservation. Email me: curtis@flyfishfood.com to snag a spot.
• Contact us for travel suggestions, but you can fly into Hayden, Colorado; Rock Springs, Wyoming; Laramie Wyoming, or even Salt Lake City, Utah.
• You need to plan on arriving to Savery Thursday afternoon to evening. Sunday is also a travel day, with departures Sunday morning from the lodge.

We're excited to meet some new faces and invite anyone who's been to come again!

A Savery Rainbow who fell for a juicy Cicada pattern

G Funk Stonefly

February 20, 2017, 3:02 pm

≫ Next: The Asher Stacker

≪ Previous: 2017 Savery Creek Hosted Trip

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You Can't Fake the Funk

Seines are cool...  Several summers back, I was fishing with my brother on a very popular Utah river, and I had brought my 3'x4' seine so I could show him the importance to fly selection and how each river is very different.  Off we went to some fairly oxygenated water and he went a few feet upstream and started the seine dance.  After several minutes of making him look like a complete idiot, we had some movement on the screen.  Those samples won't be easily forgotten, not because of the sheer amount of insects that ended up crawling around on the screen, it was because the majority of them were large gnarly stoneflies that somehow found their way into a river dominated by mayflies and midges.  We all know that they didn't just somehow end up there...  Most anglers will just find something that works and stick with it (not that there is anything wrong with that) and completely ignore insects that might even help you catch more fish than the normal standbys.  By seining these waters, I not only changed the normal bugs that I fish there, but I started to fish where these big meaty morsels hang out.  Guess what?  I caught lots and lots of fish that summer, so did Uncle Drew and he's a total noob. #burn

Several of these experiences have led to good ideas at the vise, and this one was no exception.  I filled boxes with different stonefly patterns, and many have changed up year to year.  The G Funk is kind of a mashup of a lot of different patterns all mixed into one.  It's got chenille, rubber legs, a UV hotspot, and some soft hackle.  Anyway, tie some of these bad boys up and head out to harass your local trout.

~Cheech

Material List

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Hook: Daiichi 1730 - Bent Shank Nymph Hook - 6     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 140 Denier - Black     
Bead: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Black Nickel - 5/32" (3.8mm)     
Tails/Legs: UNI Flexx - Purple     
Body: Chenille - Medium - Black     
Rib: Vinyl Rib - Black - Medium     
Veil: Ice Dub - UV Black     
Thorax: Ice Dub - UV Dun     
Hot Spot: Ice Dub - UV Cinnamon     
Hackle: Coq De Leon Hen Saddle - Speckled Lavender     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco TMC Adjustable Double-Arm Bobbin

Loon Razor Scissors - 4"

Loon Water Based Head Cement System

The Asher Stacker

February 28, 2017, 8:41 am

≫ Next: Starling and Pheasant Blue Winged Olive Soft Hackle

≪ Previous: G Funk Stonefly

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A Killer Midge Cluster

Asher Stacker

Going back a few years, I posted the story of the Orange Asher and how it had become a solid part of my midge box. But, as is my usual tendency, I tinker with things. I found that the original Asher ended up doing better when more sparsely hackled. However, the problem there became that it didn't float as well. That got me thinking about ways to keep enough hackle but yet still maintain a somewhat sparse amount of hackle showing to the trout. That's when I figured a hackle stacker style Asher would do the trick.

What I realized even more is that with this style, the bright orange body sits flush on the water and is much more visible. So I've basically transitioned my section of Ashers in the midge box to a section of Asher Stackers. And like the previous version, Green, Purple, Red or Pink are also great colors.

Material List

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Hook: Fulling Mill 35050 Ultimate Dry Fly Hook, Barbless - 16     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 70 Denier - Fl. Orange     
Underbody: Veevus Holographic Tinsel - Orange - Medium     
Hackle: Whiting Hebert Miner 1/2 Saddle - Bronze - Grizzly     
Hackle Core: RIO Powerflex Tippet - 6X     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco Razor Scissors

Tiemco Midge Whip Finisher

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish

Starling and Pheasant Blue Winged Olive Soft Hackle

March 10, 2017, 3:47 pm

≫ Next: Wiggle Whitey - Atriculated Streamer

≪ Previous: The Asher Stacker

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A Hatch-Matchy Softie

I remember one time fishing on the Firehole river many years ago in Yellowstone National Park. We ran into a phenomenal PMD hatch that saw an old-timer hip-boot wearing guy above us fishing what turned out to be soft hackles. He slayed and we caught only a few fish. I was sold.

Since then, I've always made it a point to have soft hackles across most of my pattern types. I've had great days fishing soft hackles with incredible success during hatches with midges, blue winged olives, green drakes, callibaetis and whatever other winged bug you can think of.

This pattern is a great emerger or even drowned adult. Sylvester Nemes mentions a pheasant and starling in his famous soft hackle book which got me thinking about this one. Plus, it's hard to beat such a good natural combination as pheasant tail fibers and the very soft and supple feathers from a starling.

Although this one represents a Baetis or blue winged olive, you can mix up the colors to match whatever mayfly or bug you'd like. They're easy to tie and fun to fish.

Material List

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Hook: Fulling Mill 35050 Ultimate Dry Fly Hook, Barbless - 16     
Thread: 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge - Olive Dun     
Body: Nature's Spirit Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails - Olive     
Hackle: Nature's Spirit Starling Skin     
Ribbing: UTC Ultra Wire - Olive - Small     
Thorax: Nature's Spirit Fine Natural Dubbing - Baetis     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco Razor Scissors

Tiemco TMC Ceramic Bobbin (Std)

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Stonfo Pinza Elite Hackle Pliers - Standard

Wiggle Whitey - Atriculated Streamer

March 13, 2017, 3:38 pm

≫ Next: Little Neon Caddis Nymph

≪ Previous: Starling and Pheasant Blue Winged Olive Soft Hackle

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Browns Love White Meat

Wiggle Whitey

I was on a solo mission to one of those spots on the river that exist on every piece of moving water in the country.  It's the hole that you have looked at time and time again but never fish it because of whatever excuse you come up with.  I had driven past this hole for years, and finally decided that it was time for me to figure out why it was taunting me so much.  It was still pretty early and the light was low, but I could still decipher some oblong slithery movement hugging the rocks beneath the main current.  On went the good old stonefly and worm rig with the Euro outfit and it didn't take long before my line was tight - super tight.  I was sure that I had hooked the biggest brown I had ever hooked on that river until I saw it.  Purplish flash on the back.  Odd head wiggles.  Yep.  It was a whitey.  I actually gained a lot of respect for Grandpa Whitey and all of his other family members that decided to fight with me that day, because of all the fish I caught in what is now one of my favorite stretches of river, the Whitey family fought the hardest.

That good day of nymphing got me thinking about streamers and streamer design more than a little bit.  I convinced myself that the only reason that whitefish were so damn slimy was to help them slide down the throat of a big hungry brown trout.  I tie many of my streamers in a white, cream, or tan coloration, but I hadn't really tried to do something that was the dirty gray or white that matched a whitefish.  Up to this point, I had just modified current flies to have a whitefish color, but this fly was built from the vise up with whitefish in mind...

Tips...  1- With fox, less is more.  Get comfortable with the amounts that you tie in and you will get it dialed in. 2- If you can, find someone that sells whole tails.  Foxes of all types, coyote, raccoon, etc.  It's all really good.  I found mine at a gun show.  #Murica  3- I used Whiting 4B rooster saddle, but Whiting American rooster saddle works great too - American Hackle

~ Cheech

Material List

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Hook: Gamakatsu B10S - 1 - 25 Pack     
Thread: Gamakatsu B10S - 1/0 - 25 Pack     
Connections: Fish-Skull Articulated Shank - 35mm     
Tail: Whiting 4B Schlappen/Bugger Saddle - Grizzly     
Body 1: Medium UV Polar Chenille - Gold     
Body 2: UV Polar Chenille - Gold     
Body 3: Arctic Fox Tail Hair - White     
Flash: Holographic Flashabou - Holo Moonlight - 6946     
Head 1: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Alpha Wolf     
Eyes: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Cream     
Eyes: 3D Big Fish Eyes - Super Pearl - 3/8" (10mm)     
Marker 1 : Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Delta Brown (Dark Brown)     
Marker 2: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Goldenrod     
Thread : UTC Ultrathread 140 Denier - White     
Weight: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Gold - 3/16" (4.6mm)     
Wire: Articulation Wire     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Loon Ergo Hair Scissors - 5"

C&F Design Tying Comb

Loon Ergo Bobbin

Tear Mender Waterproof Adhesive (6 oz)

Loon Applicator Bottle, Cap & Needles

Wire Flush Cutters

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Little Neon Caddis Nymph

March 16, 2017, 8:05 am

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One of my "go-to" nymphs

Little Neon

Back in college, I did a fair amount of guiding on a local tailwater and fished a lot of hatch-matchy type patterns depending on the time of year. There also happened to be a lot of caddis in this river and I found one caddis larva pattern, in particular, seemed to do well all year round. This pattern was originally tied relatively small (#18's and #20's) and on a straight shank nymph hook but I've since started tying them jig style -- especially for Euro style nymphing.

Nothing fancy as far as materials go so it's an easy tie and will definitely drum up fish for you.

Material List

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Hook: Hanak H 450 BL Jig Hook - 12     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 70 Denier - Black     
Bead: Hareline Slotted Tungsten Beads - Black - 7/64" (2.8mm)     
Weight: Lead Free Round Wire - .015     
Under-Body: Veevus Holographic Tinsel - Chartreuse - Medium     
Over-Body: Half Round D Rib - Chartreuse - Small     
Thorax: Hare'e Ice Dub - Black     
Soft Hackle: Nature's Spirit Starling Skin     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco Razor Scissors - Gold, Half-serrated

Tiemco Tying Brush

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Tiemco TMC Ceramic Bobbin (Std)

Gray Soft Hackle

March 20, 2017, 9:28 am

≫ Next: Dual Threat Sculpin

≪ Previous: Little Neon Caddis Nymph

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A Mix of Classic and Modern

Give respect to the yard birds.  Most fly tyers know that good dry fly hackle is like art to behold, and there is so much time, effort, and history that goes into those hackles that it's kind of mind blowing to think about.  But what about the common hens that seem to be populating back yards across hipster-America? What about the yard birds? Well, Those feathers tie some of the most effective fly patterns out there - soft hackles.  The beauty of a soft hackle style fly is that you can tie them out of so many different types of feathers: chickens, partridge, grouse, starling, pheasant, etc etc...  I have personally been really fond of the 4B hen capes from Whiting Farms, and they have been dominating my soft hackle efforts.

This fly is really just a standard soft hackle that I added a bit of modern materials to.  The rib is made of Spanflex and the thorax is made of ice dub, but other than that, it's a pretty standard fly.  This one isn't as sparse as some people tie them (I tie those too), but I wanted to make a hackle with some depth, so watch the tie in and wrapping method used in this video (I learned it by watching Hans Weilenmann).

Technique:  You can throw this fly down and across like a traditional approach, or you can add it to a modern nymphing rig.  I really like to add it to an inline Euro rig and add some weight to the line if I need it to get down.  Another killer method is a greased leader so you can fish it in the surface film.

~ Cheech

Material List

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Hook: Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook - 12     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 70 Denier - Red     
Tail: Whiting Coq De Leon Rooster Cape - Light Pardo     
Body: Nature's Spirit Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Dubbing - Muskrat Gray     
Ribbing: Spanflex - Olive - Medium     
Thorax: Ice Dub - Olive Brown     
Hackle: Whiting 4B Hen Cape - Natural Medium Dun     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Loon Ergo All Purpose Scissors - 4"

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Dual Threat Sculpin

March 28, 2017, 9:45 am

≫ Next: Double Soft Hackle

≪ Previous: Gray Soft Hackle

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Add Some Meat to Your Dead Drift Game

I really like sculpins - We're talking about how much Curtis likes computers, so it's kind of a big deal.  It's true that they are the bottom dwelling slimy creatures that scour the bottoms of most western trout streams, but big trout love to eat them.  I have played with a lot of different sculpin variations through the years, and there are two things that I have decided I like in a sculpin - they need to ride close to the bottom, and they need to have a fat head with a skinny body, tapering of course .  This being said, an inverted hook, and proper material selection are critical to achieve maximum bottom hugging and tapered slithering ability.  My best sculpins have been the El Sculpito and the Belly Scratcher Sculpin because they both have these characteristics of having good taper and riding low in the water column.  I usually fish those flies with a slight cast upstream, dead drift for a little bit, and then start to strip once it's directly across to slightly downstream from me.  Swinging them has been really good as well.  After fishing these for years, I realized that I'd love a bug that looked more natural in the water on the dead drift part of my presentation.  OR...  Maybe make a bug that I could dead drift all the time and have it ride horizontally.  Even more, I had thoughts of fishing a big nasty sculpin on the bottom of a tight line nymph rig with 2x tippet and hanging a pink squirmy wormy about 20" above it.  THAT - is the definition of a filthy nymph rig.  I went through lots of hooks and styles before it hit me like a ton of bricks on day while I was tying balanced damsels for high mountain lakes.  I needed to tie it "balanced" style.  As I searched for the proper extension pin, I realized that I could just cut a shank, lash it on there really tight, and then I'd still be able to fish it non-balanced style as well.  Kind of a dual threat! If you are thoroughly confused what all this "balanced" stuff means, the video below will clear all that up.

Tips for tying - This bug really isn't super complicated at all, just a bit time consuming.  Make sure to pay attention on the part of the video where the hook is lashed to the shank.  If it's not done properly the shank will pull off of the hook.  Also with the zonker strip, I feel that tapering the magnum strip is critical to this fly because if you don't, you will be missing out on taper and movement in the back section of the fly.  Also, there have been some minor changes to the pattern that I prefer.  I have been using black and orange double pupil eyes instead of yellow, and I officially upgraded to a size 2 hook for this one to increase the hook gap.  The overall length of the fly is the same, just bigger gap.  

Lastly...  I had been battling a cold, so please forgive all the coughing in the video;)

Happy drifting with the dirty bird rig.

~ Cheech

Dual Threat Sculpin - Olive

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Hook: TMC S506H Specialty Jig Hook - 2     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 140 Denier - Olive     
Shank: Articulated Fish Spines - 25mm Shanks (24 pack)     
Eyes: Double Pupil Lead Eyes - Large - Black w/ Fl. Orange & Black     
Body: Cactus Chenille - Pearl - Medium     
Gills 1: Polar Reflector Flash Chenille - Olive     
Gills 2: Polar Reflector Flash Chenille - Blood Red     
Tail: Magnum Rabbit Strips - Olive Variant     
Fins: Kiley's Fish Finz - Mottled Olive - Large     
Head 2: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Brown Olive     
Head 2: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Pale Lemon     
Marker 1: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Black     
Marker 2: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Delta Brown (Dark Brown)     
Resin: Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)     

Dual Threat Sculpin - Tan

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Hook: TMC S506H Specialty Jig Hook - 2     
Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread - 140 Denier - Tan     
Shank: Articulated Fish Spines - 25mm Shanks (24 pack)     
Eyes: Double Pupil Lead Eyes - Large - Black w/ Fl. Orange & Black     
Body: Cactus Chenille - Pearl - Medium     
Gills 1: Polar Reflector Flash Chenille - Tan     
Gills 2: Polar Reflector Flash Chenille - Blood Red     
Tail: Magnum Rabbit Strips - Gold Variant     
Fins: Kiley's Fish Finz - Mottled Brown - Large     
Head 2: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Alpha Wolf     
Head 2: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Cream     
Marker 1: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Black     
Marker 2: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Delta Brown (Dark Brown)     
Resin: Loon UV Clear Fly Finish - Thick (1/2 oz)     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Tiemco Deer Hair Scissors - Fine

Loon Ergo Bobbin

Stonfo Comb/Brush Tool

Loon UV Mega Light

Fly Tyer's Z-Ment

Double Soft Hackle

March 30, 2017, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Chironomid Clinic

≪ Previous: Dual Threat Sculpin

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Multiple Colors in One Fly

Soft hackles appeal to me because they are the epitome of not having rules in fly tying.  Almost any feather can be used for a soft hackle, and the color range only depends on how many different colors of dubbing, tinsel and yarn you can find.  Instead of getting into a lot of specific materials, I wanted to focus on techniques for this fly.  I show how to prop up a tail, spin a tightly wound body that shows segmentation, and how to wrap two hackles at the same time.  The beauty of this one is that you can change colors and sizes to somewhat match the bugs in your water.  Let your creative juices flow with this one!

Tips - 

• The dubbing I used for this is fox squirrel that I shaved off of a pelt.  The video for the technique is found HERE.  I use plain squirrel from the back half of the animal for the body of this fly.  For the thorax, I use the material that I shaved off of the top part of the pelt (for shorter fibers) mixed with cinnamon ice dub.
• I used UTC 70 for this fly, but you can also use Danville 70, Uni 8/0, Veevus 14/0, or MFC 8/0.
• Any hook can be used...  I just like the stubby nature of the 1530.

~Cheech

Material List

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Hook: Daiichi 1530 - Heavy Wet Fly Hook - 12     
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier - Yellow     
Tail: Whiting Coq De Leon Rooster Cape - Medium Pardo     
Body: Whole Squirrel Skin - Natural Fox     
Mix with Body Dub: Ice Dub - UV Cinnamon     
Hackle 1: Whiting 4B Hen Cape - Brown     
Hackle 2: Whiting 4B Hen Cape - White Dyed Yellow     



Other tools from the tutorial:

Rite Bobbin - Half-Hitch

Loon Gator Grip Dubbing Spinner

C&F Design Hackle Pliers

Chironomid Clinic

April 3, 2017, 10:22 pm

≫ Next: Early Season Chironomid Fishing Tips

≪ Previous: Double Soft Hackle

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Come Hang and Fish!

Chironomid Rainbow

We're excited to announce an exciting opportunity coming up: We're holding a special Chironomid clinic at Falcon's Ledge in Altamont Utah on April 14th and 15th. 

This is a must-attend event for a few reasons. First, which may or may not be all that attractive, you'll be listening to Cheech and I spill the beans on chironomid patterns, techniques and gear. Second, you'll have on-the-water fishing time on some of the most productive chironomid waters we know to put into practice what you learn. This time of year offers some of the most consistent fishing and we anticipate great chironomid hatches and lots of great fish!

And lastly, you can spend the night in the very awesome Falcon's Ledge Lodge. This clinic is only $250. The normal fishing and lodging rates alone are well worth this much! If you prefer to attend only the morning session, the cost is only $150.

Here's the agenda:

April 14th

• 6pm: Arrive at Falcon's Ledge.
• 7pm: Fly patterns, gear and technique presentation.
• 9pm: Hang out and/or retire to bed

April 15th:

• 7am: On-the-water presentation and review
• 8am: Fishing time with one-one-one instructor coaching
• 11am: Departure from Falcons

If you're interested, please email me: curtis@flyfishfood.com

Spots are limited. If you'd prefer to attend only the on-the-water session, you can attend for $150. If you're coming from out of town, let us know and we can help to acquaint you with additional fishing locations, transportation or lodging etc.