Currently browsing… Tim Flagler
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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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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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Tying in the dreaded bucktail
The bucktail wing is one of the elementary ingredients in a number of popular flies, from Clousers to Coachmen ... even some caddis patterns call for bucktail. But, man, can it be hard to work with or what? I've always struggled with bucktail—I either lash it too tightly to the hook shank, which makes it…
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Jeff Blood’s White Death
It's steelhead season, although here in the Northwest, most folks aren't nearly as excited about it as they used to be thanks to dismal fish returns in the Columbia River system—it's an unfortunate recurring theme for anglers in the region who are helplessly watching our prized ocean-going fish dwindle seemingly every season. But for those…
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Tying quill bodies
If flies were measured by their appearance, quill-bodied mayfly patterns would take Best in Show honors every single time. Sleek yet buggy, streamlined, yet high-floating, quill-bodied flies are stylish and functional. https://youtu.be/4dpdMZmfRYM Tim Flagler shows us how to tie the perfect quill-bodied fly. But they can be a bear to tie, especially if you've never…
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The Woolly Worm
The Woolly Bugger's less-sophisticated cousin, the Woolly Worm, is an excellent searching pattern for subsurface trout, and it has the added benefit of being an excellent pattern for panfish, like crappy and bluegill. https://youtu.be/0T8CBIE5-Lc Above, Tim Flagler ties a really durable version of this venerable pattern. If it's meant for non-stop action on bluegill, it…