Fly tying | Page 28

Fall weather is on us here in the West—snowfall is slated to put an end to a brutal fire season, and the aspen leaves are turning in earnest. It's one of the best times of the year to be a fly fisherman, and it's when I start to think about visiting my favorite Western river:…

Small nymphs in the size 18-22 range are my least-favorite flies to tie—I've got fat fingers, and my vision isn't what it once was, either. But these little flies can be absolutely deadly on spring creeks and tailwaters, and hitting these rivers and streams without small, unassuming midge nymphs and attractors is a mistake. Video…

Some flies just work, and there's no real explanation as to why that is. The Peacock Caddis is one of those flies, as Tim Flagler perfectly describes in the video below. Video of Peacock CaddisI like this fly for two reasons. First, I think any fly with that "insect green" color put forth by peacock…

Tying deer- and elk-hair wings to my flies might be the weakest skill I have at the vise. I'm not a master tier, but I know my way around the fly shop when it comes to materials, hooks, threads, and the like. But this one skill has eluded me. Thankfully, Tim Flagler is out there…

I started using wire in my fly tying about a decade ago, and today, I'm not sure what I'd do without it. It's a versatile tying material that do anything from add weight to simple sparkle, or to toughen up a fly to make it last longer. I've even started using really thin wire on…

I'm always amazed at the creativity of fly-tying experts who are constantly inventing new ways to tie flies that fish will eat. While I'm something of a "simpler is better" tier, I certainly do appreciate the time and effort that go into making flies that incorporate a number of tricks and odd tools to accomplish.…