Currently browsing… Tim Flagler
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Atherton No. 2 Nymph
Tying the Atherton No. 2 Nymph
Well-known fly pattern creator John Atherton wasn't much for literal imitation when it came to tying his flies. Instead, he was the discipline's answer to impressionist painters—nothing looks exactly right in an Atherton creation, but nothing looks too out of place, either. Thankfully, trout often seem to look at flies the same we tend to…
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Surf candy
Fly fishing on both coasts for striped bass wouldn't be the same without Bob Popovic's Surf Candy. It's one of the best patterns anglers can use for stripers that are crushing bait in the salt, and even for fish that are migrating upriver en route to spawning water. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBkSZoX-TMo Tim Flagler ties the Surf Candy…
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Phat and Phunky Pheasant Tail Nymph
If you nymph at all, chances are you have a few Pheasant Tail Nymphs already in your fly box. The venerable fly is a nymphing staple—it works, and it's an excellent all-around mayfly nymph indicator pattern that can work throughout the year in virtually any conditions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RURof9qkhlA Above, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions puts a…
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The Leisenring Spider
There are few classic wet flies that I like to have in my fly box, particularly when I'm fishing some of the fabled waters of Yellowstone National Park. If I were to open my fly box, buried somewhere in the store room under all holiday detritus that has built up since I last visited the…
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Corded Midge Larva
Winter midge fishing is at its peak here in the West, and I'm always amazed at how big trout will take the tiniest bugs this time of year. In that spirit, Tim Flagler offers up his Corded Midge Larva, a diminutive midge tied on a tiny size 24 hook (which generally disqualifies me as someone…
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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…