SECTION 4: Flies & Fly Tying

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Prosper Wilson
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1 SECTION 4: Flies & Fly Tying Fly-tying Basics Many anglers begin fly tying to produce their own flies, thinking it will be a cheaper way to provide flies for their passion, but soon the pastime becomes an additional object of obsession. As with fly fishing itself, fly tying is a lifelong learning experience that requires years of practice to perfect. There s a lot to learn, but there are few things in life more satisfying than landing a beautiful fish on a fly you tied yourself. Pattern: The term pattern is the identifying name given to a fly, typically distinguished by its style or the materials used in its production. Each pattern usually has a classic coloring, but the same pattern may be tied in different colors or sizes, and certain materials may be substituted without changing the integrity of the pattern. The names may describe the characteristics of the natural for which it imitates, like Blue Wing Olive, or it may describe the basic materials used, like Mohair Leech. They may be named after their originators, like Royal Wulff, or bear the eccentricity of their creators, like Zoo Cougar. Hooks: An essential element in fly tying, hooks come in wide variety of styles and sizes, and each manufacturer has their own way of labeling each style. Luckily, the sizes have a consistent numbering system. On the larger end, hooks run as big as #6/0 (read six-aught ) and decrease in number down to #1/0. Then, continuing in decreasing size, the numbers increase, from #1 on up. So a #4/0 hook is rather large, a #8 hook is about medium sized, and a #22 hook is rather small. Patterns are not tied in any one size, and a range is usually suggested for each pattern depending on the size of the naturals found on the stream. Thread: The sizes of thread, another essential fly tying element, is not so clear. Thread manufacturers label sizes in one of two ways: either the aught or the denier system. The aught system ranges from 14/0 on the small end to 3/0 on the large end (give or take a few aughts). Denier is a more technical measurement used to describe the weight of the thread, so a smaller denier means a thinner thread. Though they aren t perfectly equivalent, 8/0 and 70 denier thread are used for small flies; 6/0 and 140 denier for medium flies; and 3/0 and 210 denier for large flies.

2 Dubbing: Used to build up the body of flies, dubbing are made from mixtures of natural fur or synthetic fibers, and oftentimes both. Natural dubbings typically sink more readily while synthetic dubbings float more easily. Feathers: A wide variety of feathers are used in fly tying, from chicken (hackle) to turkey (marabou) to peacock (herl) to partridge (soft hackle) and more. Beads & Weight: In order to sink flies quickly, you can slip a beadhead onto the hook before tying, wrap an underbody of lead or lead-free wire, or both for a heavier fly. Beads come in glass for light weight, brass for moderate weight or tungsten for heavy weight. Many baitfish patterns call for weighted eyes that are lashed onto the hook shank. Fly-tying Tips Start Large: When learning a new pattern, start with a larger recommended size to get a feel for the strength of the thread, the durability of the materials and the overall process of tying that particular pattern. Once you get the hang of it, step down to the next size. Tie Sparsely: You ll usually need less material, especially dubbing,than you might think. Remember, you are creating imitations of relatively small insects. You might think trout would be tempted by a fat, meaty fly, but that will most likely look suspectingly large compared to the naturals on which the fish is feeding. Don t Crowd the Eye: While tying a fly, always leave approximately one eye s-width of space from the eye so you ll have adequate room to whip-finish a knot. Mash the Barb: Smashing down the barb of a hook before you start tying will save you lots of trouble later, when you want to quickly remove a hook from a fish, yourself or your fishing companion. Many hook styles are available in barbless varieties. While a few dollars more, barbless hooks penetrate fish more readily, making them easier to land.

3 Recipes for Basic Patterns Woolly Bugger: There s a reason you ll find wooly buggers in practically every angler s fly box, just about any fish will eat a woolly bugger. It s a great template for variation, and changing colors or materials can imitate a number of different creatures. It s one of those flies that doesn t perfectly resemble anything but suggest a whole host of things that fish would like to eat. Here s what you need for a typical olive version: Hook: 3x-long streamer hook (e.g.: Tiemco 5263), sizes #4 12 Thread: 6/0 or 140 denier in olive Underbody: About 12 wraps of lead or lead-free wire Tail: Olive marabou and gold krystal flash Body: Olive chenille, then olive Indian hen hackle, then counter-wrapped with gold wire Simple Pheasant Tail Nymph: The versatile Pheasant Tail is a good example of the proportions that most nymph patterns follow: a tail about the same length as the hook shank; an abdomen about 2/3 of the shank; and a thorax the remaining 1/3. This simplified version leaves out a few of the details included in the classic pattern, but it ll still catch plenty of fish. Hook: 2x-long nymph or wet-fly hook (e.g.: Daiichi 1710), sizes #10 18 Weight: A gold or copper-colored beadhead, sized appropriately for the hook Thread: 6/0 or 140 denier in brown Underbody: About 6 wraps of lead or lead-free wire Tail: 3 pheasant tail fibers Abdomen: 4 6 pheasant tail fibers, counterwrapped with gold wire Thorax: Similarly colored natural dubbing, like pine squirrel CDC & Elk Caddis: CDC, or cul de canard, literally means duck butt. They are fine, naturally waterresistant feathers that come from,you guessed it, the butt of a duck. Because they don t require additional floatant, tying with CDC is an easy way to keep dry flies afloat. Try this simple pattern in green, brown, tan and cream. Hook: Standard dry fly hook (e.g.: Tiemco 100), sizes #10 18 Thread: 8/0 or 70 denier, color to match CDC Body: CDC feather, tied in by the tip Wing: Small clump of elk hair with the tips aligned

4 Matching the Hatch The lures of fly fishing are referred to as flies, a catch-all term that applies to all types, even those resembling different stages of aquatic insect development, as well as baitfish and other creatures. Having a general understanding of entomology, the study of insects, will help you know which fly to use. You often hear the phrase match the hatch, which originally referred to matching the color, size and pattern of one s dry fly with the adult insects that have emerged and are swarming above the surface of the water. Generally, it means determining which food source the fish are primarily relying on at that time, whether it s a cream-colored caddis, black stoneflies nymphs or large grasshoppers, and selecting a similarly-looking fly to imitate it. The Naturals Aquatic Insects: These bugs make up the bulk of a typical trout s diet. There are many different species of each type, and the prevalence of those species varies from region to region. These three types also make up a large part of the fly tying canon. In fly fishing terms, aquatic insects go through a few primary stages of life: as a nymph (or pupae, when referring to caddis), along the rocks in the bottom of a stream; as an emerger, when it heads to the surface to molt; and as a spinner, it s adult dry fly stage. The four main orders of aquatic insects are: Mayflies, typified by translucent upright wings like a sailboat when at rest and two to three thin tails. Caddisflies, with scaled wings, similar to a butterfly or moth. At rest, their wings form a tent covering their bodies. Stoneflies, generally larger, with compound wings laying flat over their body, and with two small tails protruding from their abdomen. Diptera, or true flies, which have clear wings that lie over their back. They are generally small and lack any other tails. Other Insects: Trout are happy to consume plenty of other insects, aquatic or otherwise. These may include scuds (freshwater shrimp), sow bugs (aka rolly pollies), blood worms, midges, ants, grasshoppers, damselflies, dragonflies and dobsonflies (aka hellgrammites). For tailwater and spring creek fishing, scuds and sow bugs will form the majority of a trout s diet. They live under the rocks in all those waters and the pattern of a scud fly will closely resemble a scud. The damsel, dragon, and Dobson flies can be mimicked in their adult or larval stage.

5 Baitfish: There are many types of fish in a stream ecosystem. Many smaller individuals are reffered to as baitfish. Minnows, chubs, shad, slicks, shiners are all common terms to referring to different baitfish species. These species generally feed on aquatic insects or phytoplankton. Using baitfish flies (called streamers ) are a good bet to entice larger trout, bass and other gamefish into eating. Crustaceans: Crawdads (or crayfish, if you prefer) are the most familiar crustacean in the Ozarks, and they make up a significant portion of the diet of smallmouth bass. Other Fish Food: The bigger fish get, the larger their prey. This may include frogs, mice, panfish, salamanders, their young, etc. Larger fish are typically opportunistic and will lie in wait, preserving their energy until a calorie-rich meal unsuspectingly swims by. The Imitations Dry Flies: Any aquatic insect during its terrestrial life stage where they land back on the water to deposit eggs can be mimicked by a dry fly. A dry fly should be similar in size, color, and have a similar action imposed as the naturals are observed while fishing this method. Other instances in which dries are used are as attractors. These are designed to intice a fish s attention and may not represent one specific species, but rather many types in general. Nymphs: Lightly or heavily weighted flies that suggest a free floating dead drift larval stage of the insects life cycle are called nymphs. These are fished deep, near the bottom of a stream, where insects may have dislodged and become vulnerable to predation by trout or other fish species. Wet Flies: These imitations are traditionally associated with historical fly patterns before modern nymph and streamer patterns were developed. Wet flies refer to the drowned adult stage of insects and can be extremely productive after the hatch is over, when fish no longer rise to bugs on the surface. Midges: Typically of minute size, midges refer to the flies imitating the diptera life cycle. They can be both dry and wet and are extremely effective in most tailwater systems. Usually these are the no-see-um flies that buzz around the water in clouds. Though very small, they are abundant. Because of their wide availability, they should not be underestimated in their ability to catch many fish and, at times, very large fish.

6 Scuds: While they do not look like much more than a little dubbing on a hook, trout big and small will eat these flies. Scuds are one of the most common trout foods and every fisherman should have a few of these in different sizes colors and weights. Try one with hints of orange, though typically grayish colored, scuds take on a shade of orange when they die, making for easy pickings for hungry trout. Soft Hackles: Typically tied with a speckled partridge feather, soft hackles are an emerger imitation. As an aquatic insect develops from the aquatic larval stage into the terrestrial adult stage, it swims to the surface. Soft hackles may be very lightly weighted so they sink as they drift and will rise to the surface as your line and leader straighten at the end of the drift. Streamers: Typically mimicking the large baitfish and crawfish of our waters, streamers are generally larger flies ranging in size from 1" 6" or longer. Larger rods, proficient casting and fishing from a boat are often necessary to fish streamers effectively. The most productive streamers are the medium sized ones, about 3 in length. Streamers are typically stripped, which is basically the fly fishing version of reeling in. Rather than using the reel to bring in the line, you ll strip in the line with your line hand (the one not holding the rod) at varying speeds, giving life and action to the streamer. Fly Tying Shopping List Vise Bobbin Scissors Bodkin Bobbin threader Whip finisher Hackle pliers Hair stacker Hooks Spools of thread Materials Plateau Fly Shop offers beginnger tying classes for $30. This class is a comprehensive class for the beginner and all materials are included in the class. Or, several companies offer entry-level fly tying kits for less than $100 that include most of these tools and materials to tie a few basic patterns. As you advance, you may want higher-quality tools and a rotary vice for better precision and efficiency. Additional Resources

7 FlyTyingForum.com Excellent message board for recipes and advice. YouTube.com/FlyFishing TheOzarks Brian Wise, a good fishing buddy, frequently posts tying videos for big streamers. YouTube.com in general Want to learn a new pattern? Search YouTube for instructional videos. The Fly Tier s Benchside Reference, by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer Aquatic Entomology, by W. Patrick McCafferty Fly Tyer Magazine, published quarterly

Hook and Hackle Club. Fly Tying for Beginners

Hook and Hackle Club. Fly Tying for Beginners Hook and Hackle Club Fly Tying for Beginners INTRODUCTION TO FLY TYING. 1. Equipment: Over view of types of vices, tools and thread. 2. Use: How to use vice, tools, thread a bobbin, whip finish. ( homework