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Bead Head Baetis
https://vimeo.com/320057303 Now that the snow has fallen (in northern Michigan, at least), I start to turn my attention away from Google Earth and topo maps and toward refilling my depleted fly boxes. I have a handful of patterns that I always ensure to tie a few dozen in a few sizes. These are the flies…
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Isonychia Parachute
I'm less than a week away from a much-anticipated trip to Argentina, where I'll be fishing the country's northern Patagonia region. When I arrive, summer will be on the horizon, and bigger mayflies will be in my fly box. Tim Flagler ties an excellent big mayfly pattern—size 12—in his Isonychia Parachute pattern, a dependable dry…
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The RS2
For you masochistic anglers out there who actually enjoy fishing tiny emerger patterns, this one's for you. (And, yes, on occasion, I'm one of you. Insert face-palm emoji here). The RS2, which stands for Rim's Semblance 2, is one of the most effective small emerger flies ever crafted—it can be absolutely deadly in the fall…
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Icy Hot Jig
Winter flies that work dependably often don't look like anything found naturally in the water. For instance, I do really well using a size 12 Prince Nymph here in eastern Idaho, where winter fishing is doable on a few local rivers, like the Bear and the Henry's Fork. I suppose the Prince might be a…
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Loon Ergo fly-tying tools
Good fly-tying tools are hard to find. Often, you get exactly what you pay for. Scissors that fall apart or quickly dull. Bobbins that slice thin thread in the middle of a pattern. You know, predictably cheap stuff. But not Loon Outdoors products. I've been using Loon tying tools for a couple of years now,…
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Making your own hackle-folding tool
Tying in hackle that faces rearward can be a bit tricky at times, particularly if you're using small hackle and small hooks. But, for some patterns—many small soft-hackle recipes come to mind immediately—this is a necessary step in tying the fly. https://youtu.be/XNvXP0bIgL0 Above, Tim Flagler shares a great tip for crafting a tool that will…
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Shenk’s Minnow
As baitfish imitations go, Shenk's Minnow might be the most fun to tie. While other patterns, like Norm Zeigler's Schminnow, might actually be a little easier to craft, no other simple baitfish patterns calls for baby-blanket yarn in order to put it together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BGQ7VHFsFM Above, Tim Flagler ties the Shenk's Minnow with his own variations…
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