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Fly tying: The Last Walt’s
Attractor patterns occupy a special spot in my heart—I love flies that are versatile and might represent any number of buggy possibilities, but no one bug in particular. Such is the case with the Last Walt's, a fly Tim Flagler ties in the video below. As he notes, this bug doesn't match anything specific, but…
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Fly tying: Damselfly nymph
If you fish in froggy water—slow-moving, maybe a bit muddy—you need to have damselfly nymphs in your fly box. They work well in long slicks in trout water or even in high-elevation trout ponds and lakes. And, of course, they're great for warm-water critters like bass and bluegill in waters where they're found. The originator…
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Fly Tying: Catskill-style Red Quill
I love our fly fishing heritage. I love the way our craft is steeped in tradition. And there are some flies that just emote the glorious past of fly fishing—flies like the Red Quill, tied in the video below by Joe Fox. As Tim Flagler describes it, Fox is "fly-tying royalty," based largely on his…
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Fly tying: Whip finishing by hand
About a decade ago, while sitting at a table in the dining room at what is now Calder Mountain Lodge on the northern, roadless tip of Prince of Wales Island, I busied myself tying up a few bright orange streamers for the next day's fishing for Dolly Varden in the island's tannin-stained salmon streams. An…
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Fly tying: The Red and Black Midge
Midge nymph patterns are deliciously simple to tie, and the pattern Tim Flagler demonstrates in the video below is no exception. I love any fly that uses simple thread as a true fly ingredient, not just something to fasten all the other ingredients to the hook. The Red and Black Midge is dependen t on…
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Fly tying: The Deadpool Midge
Profane and hilarious, the central character of “Deadpool” became an instant hero when the Marvel Comics movie was released last year. So, here’s the Deadpool midge, and it seems obvious how it got its name. It’s black and red, matching the mercenary-turned-superhero’s garb. But could there be a double entendre at work? You know, this…
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Fly tying: The Top Secret Midge
These blustery spring days when Mother Nature can't seem to make up her mind can frustrate even the most seasoned angler when it comes time to figure out the right fly pattern. Bright sunshine one minute can be followed up by a quick dose of rain, a snow squall or a sleety mix of both.…
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