Fly Tying

Michigan Skunk Dry Fly – Improved

Posted by Ted Kraimer - July 17, 2017

There are times while fishing that our favorite patterns – dries, wets, nymphs and streamers – simply aren’t working despite changing patterns, technique and approach. These are ideal times to use a “Skunk” to save the day on the water.

Named for its color scheme, the skunk is a pretty simple pattern, but I’m sure at the time it seemed wild and crazy. It was such a departure from what was considered a “standard” pattern in the 1940s when it was developed. I often get questionable looks – today – when I tie one of these on, but I like the follow-up look from anglers when it proves its effectiveness.

While the original Michigan Skunk fly pattern has caught lots of fish over the years, its durability was vulnerable, as the exposed thread wraps easily became unwound after teeth and/or hemostats had their way. That, and well, if not tied right, the pattern could look pretty sloppy. With this in mind, I added some foam to the pattern which not only helps it float, but protects much of the deer hair and thread wraps. If stripped abruptly while pointing the rod at it, the fly dives and floats back up which offers yet another presentation variation to the pattern.

As with a lot of patterns, the Skunk or Improved Skunk doesn’t necessarily imitate anything specific so feel free to experiment and tie them up in different colors including olive, gold and more. Maybe it’s the color, maybe it’s because it is fished as a “Twitch Fly,” but whatever it owes its effectiveness to, the Improved Skunk deserves a place in your fly box.

Recipe

Hook: Gamakatsu S10 #10
Thread: Uni 6/0 – Black
Tail: Kip/Calf Tail
Body: Ice Dub – UV Black
Foam: 2 MM Black
Under wing: Krystal Flash – Pearl
Wing: Deer Body Hair – natural
Legs: Round Rubber Legs – Medium – White

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Wrap a thread base from behind the eye of the hook to above the barb.

Step 2. Prepare a clump of calf/kip tail by holding the tips and removing the short hairs
and “fuzz”. Then use a stacker/hair evener to stack the tips. Tie the tail on top of the hook
so the natural tips extend backwards about one hook gape’s distance. This material is slippery
so be sure to use plenty of wraps to ensure it will stay where you want it. Trim butts.

Step 3. Cut a piece of foam about 3/16″ wide and taper the lower 1/2 inch as shown.

Step 4. Tie in the tapered end of the foam on top of the hook and wrap back to the tail tie in area.

Step 5. Dub a body to just behind the hook eye.

Step 6. Pull the foam over the top of the fly and tie down just behind the eye. Do not trim foam.

Step 7. Tie in about 12 strands of Krystal Flash as an under-wing extending just short of the tail’s length.

Step 8. Prepare and stack/even a clump of deer hair. Tie in over the under-wing. Once secure, wrap thread
over the deer hair on a 45-degree angle, then secure with a few wraps making sure the deer hair doesn’t spin to
the opposite side of the fly’s body. This tie down should be a hook gape’s distance behind the hook’s eye.

Step 9. Pull the foam back over the top of the deer hair and secure with a few wraps.
Trim the foam so it extends just a bit.

Step 10. Tie in a rubber leg on each side of the fly and trim. The front legs should be slightly
shorter than the rear legs. Whip finish and apply two coats of water-based head cement to the thread wraps.

Finished “Improved Michigan Skunk”

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Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 16, 2017

Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Large stonefly nymphs populate most of our trout and steelhead rivers and because of their size, they offer a calorie packed snack to fish. Water levels often fluctuate dramatically in the Spring as snow melts and this increase in water flow often dislodges these large nymphs and send them tumbling downstream making this pattern ideal for Spring Steelhead.

The clarity of the water typically becomes stained with increased flows due to winter’s thaw and rains which is why this large profile fly pattern and sparkle thorax help attract the fish’s attention. The color black remains visible in the water column as it contrasts the stained water while the rest of the pattern does a good job of providing a stoneflies silhouette. And the rubber legs just add a little motion while it dead drifts.

Steelhead caught on Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

This variation of Bowerman’s Sparkle Body Stone fly pattern has worked for steelhead in the spring, but also in late fall when stoneflies seem to get active crawling around the river bottom.

Recipe

Hook:               TMC 3761 #6
Thread:            Uni 6/0 Black
Lead:               Lead Wire .030 (optional)
Tail:                 Goose or Turkey Biots – Black
Body:               Black Dubbing – Awesome Possum
Rib:                  V-Rib Medium Black
Thorax:            Estaz or Pearl Chenille – Black
Hackle: Hen Saddle – Black
Legs:                Medium Round Rubber Legs – Black
Wing case:       Turkey Tail treated with Flex Seal or Crystal Clear

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Wrap a base layer of thread to above the hook barb.

Step 2. Tie in a very small ball of dubbing above the barb to help spread the tail.

Step 3. Tie in biots – with the natural curve opposing each other in opposite directions.
Use the dubbing ball to help spread them. The pointed ends should extend the distance of the hook gape.

Step 4. Tie in the v-rib along the shank so the convex (rounded) side is against the
hook shank where the material extends beyond the hook bend.

Step 5. Dub a tapered body from the tail 2/3rds of the way up hook shank.

Step 6. Wind rib, convex (rounded) side up, through body creating a segmented look.

Step 7. Tie in wing case, dull side down, extending over the body area.

Step 8. Tie in the tip of a hen saddle feather convex side facing rear of the hook.

Step 9. Tie in Estaz or Chenille just in front of where saddle hackle is tied in.

Step 10. Tie in a rubber leg on each side of the thorax.

Step 11. Wind thorax material toward the eye so rubber legs are separated – maintaining an X profile.

Step 12. Gently pull the saddle feather over the top of the thorax and tie down.

Step 13. Pull wing case over thorax, trim and whip finish.

Final: Sparkle Stonefly Nymph

Option: If adding lead wire, do this step between steps 3 and 4.
Tie lead wire 1/3rd of the shank’s length behind the eye. After securing, wrap the
lead around the shank towards the hook bend and tie off above hook point.
When tying the V-Rib at Step 4, tie it just behind the lead wire.

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Skam Man Streamer

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 15, 2016

The Skam-Man streamer pattern represents a number of bait and juvenile sport-fish found in a number of different waters, serving as biomass/food for larger fish.

While it was named after and originally designed to imitate the natural reproduction progeny of the Skamania strain of steelhead on the Manistee River, this fly does a good job of suggesting more, including: shiners, juvenile rainbow trout and even shad (where they are present).

This fly is quick to tie, offers a great jig-like action and fishes well for trout and bass – both in rivers and lakes.

In Michigan Rivers, the Skam-Man has fished well in the spring, summer and fall – but like most patterns, some days it’s not what the fish are looking for. Coho salmon and steelhead have also eaten the Skam Man, so consider it a versatile pattern worthy of a place in your fly box and to be fished on Michigan waters as well as in other regions.

Anglers can fish this streamer pattern either on a sink-tip or floating line depending on the water depth, temperature and flow rate. Be sure to cast to the center of the river as well as the inside bends as often that is where feed fish often lie. Don’t forget to mix up the retrieve to find out what the fish want that day but start with a quick strip and pause retrieve with some rod tip-flick to speed it up but also provide a pause as it drops.

Recipe

Hook:                    Gamakatsu B10S – #4
Thread: Uni 6/0 Olive Dun
Eyes:                     Lead Dumbbell – Pearl X-Small
Tail: Marabou – Pearl Gray
Body I: UV Polar Chenille UV Pearl
Body II: Schlappen – Gray
Collar:                   Mallard Flank Feather
Legs:                      Sili Legs – Clear Barred
Wing:                    Craft Fur – Golden Olive
Dubbing:              Ice Dub – Minnow Belly

Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Wrap a thread base from behind hook eye to above hook point and back towards the eye.

Step 2. Using figure-8 wraps, tie the lead eyes on top of the hook. Using the photo as reference, they should
be tied so there is a space between the hook eye and the dumbbell eyes the size of the eyes themselves.

Step 3. Tie in a sparse amount of marabou for the tail that extends beyond the hook
the length of the hook itself. Sometimes you need to cut off the very tip and/or base of the feather.

Step 4. Tie in a strand of Polar Chenille.

Step 5. Tie in a schlappen feather by the tip.

Step 6. At the same time wind both the Polar Chenille and schlappen stopping just short of the lead eyes.

Step 7. Take a flank feather and tie it in by the tip. Hold stem of the feather up and run the edge
of your scissors along the stem to “break” the fibers which can now be folded backwards.
Fold and wind the feather once to get full coverage and trim excess.

Step 8. Tie in a rubber leg on each side of the fly so it extends the length of the fly.

Step 9. Dub the space between the body and around eyes to form a smooth body profile.

Step 10. Rotate vise or put the fly in vise upside down. Tie in wing so that it extends just
short of the tail material. Tie off with a whip finish and coat with a water-based head cement.

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A Fly

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 22, 2016

” A Fly”

One summer I was struggling to figure out what the trout on the local rivers wanted to eat. Adding insult to injury, the deer flies were feeding better than the trout – but on me as I observed the river thinking of the hundreds of possible fly patterns that might work. Then the light bulb flickered and buzzed like an old fluorescent lamp with a bad ballast- “Hey, what if I fished with a fly that looked like a fly?”

I adapted a few terrestrial patterns and came up with the deer fly pattern that I call “A Fly.” The Brook Trout and Brown Trout noticed all the flies on the water, too, and my pattern to them was no different, at least before they decided to eat it. Other guides and anglers noting our success that summer would often ask what pattern I was using, I simply and honestly replied, “a fly.” I’m not sure they ever caught on.

Brown and Brook Trout like to eat flies

When summer comes along and most of the match-the-hatch problems and puzzles have passed by, have some of these flies in your box. While some bigger fish do take A Fly from time to time, it’s mostly the smaller trout happily feeding in the summer months that this fly is effective with. It’s a great fly to fish on a 3 or 4 weight or to use as an indicator with a Trico attached as a dropper.

Being a smaller, darker fly, it can be tricky to see, so feel free to change the color and size of the “tracker,” but be careful because if it is too large, the fly won’t land right side up.

Headed to Chile this winter? Increase the size to a number 8 and watch what happens as this pattern imitates the local beetles.

Recipe

Hook: Gamakatsu S10-2S, Size 12
Thread: Uni-6/0 – Black
Body: Foam 2mm – Black
Underbody: Peacock Herl
Under wing: Angel Hair – Pear/Gold
Wing: CDC Feathers – Natural Gray
Rubber Legs: Sili Legs – Nymph Size, Olive Barred
Indicator: 2mm Foam, bright color

Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Wrap a thread base from behind the eye to above the barb then back mid-shank.

Step 2. Cut a piece of foam about 3/16″ wide and 2″ long.
Taper one end as shown by trimming with your scissors.

Step 3. Tie the end of the tapered foam on top of the hook from mid-shank and loosely
wrap backwards to above the hook barb – this helps prevent the thread from cutting the foam.
Now, wrap forward with tighter wraps to secure the foam.

Step 4. Take 5-6 strands of peacock herl and tie the tips in mid-shank and wrap
back to above the barb. Wrap/twist the herl around the thread to strengthen the peacock.

Step 5. Wind the peacock twist forward building a bulbous underbody
ending about 2/3rds up the shank. Tie off excess herl.

Step 6. Pull the foam up over the peacock underbody and secure with loose wraps all the way to the hook eye.

Step 7. Tie a sparse amount of Angel Hair as an under-wing so it doesn’t extend beyond
the foam back when it is pushed down. I typically pull just a few strands and
double back them over a number of times until I get the desired amount.

Step 8. Tie 4 to 6 CDC feathers so the natural tips are aligned
and extend to the bend of the hook and broadly fan out.

Step 9. Fold the remaining foam backward forming a bulge of foam up front and tie down so the foam
helps lay the wing down. Trim the foam just enough to maintain the pressure on the wing.

Step 10. Tie a rubber leg in on each side of the fly in the tie down region. It is important to note that these legs
are “Nymph” sized and are smaller in diameter providing adequate motion and maintaining a buoyant fly.
Trim the “X” of the legs so the rear legs are just short of the bend of the hook to avoid fouling.
Trim the front legs so they are shorter than the back legs.

Step 11. Tie in a piece of bright foam – your choice on color – to help you track the fly on the water.
Make this as small as you can but also large enough to help you see it.

Step 12. Whip finish and be sure to add two coats of thin
head cement to protect all of the exposed thread wraps.

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Ted’s Brook Trout

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 17, 2016

Ted’s Brook Trout Streamer Pattern

Big fish eat small fish. And, this classic-styled streamer pattern does a good job of imitating our native brook trout which are vulnerable to the larger brown trout that often share the same water.

While not large by today’s mega-articulated-tandem and otherwise over-accessorized streamer patterns, this kinder, gentler, natural profiled streamer allows you to sneak it into the territorial trout’s domain before it gets pounced on.

You can fish this brook trout with a shorter sink-tip (10-12′) or even a floating line. If using the latter, proper mending in the retrieve will allow you to dance and suspend the fly in likely fish-holding water and above structure.

Teds Brook Trout Streamer Brown Trout (921x651)

Brook Trout Eating Brown Trout

Brookies seem more prolific in the smaller rivers of Michigan where it is easier to pin-point the likely fish holding/sheltering lies vs. casting big, searching and covering water. When fish aren’t on the feed, this streamer approach sometimes is the difference between success and saying, “They just weren’t on a streamer bite today.”

Not a fly tier? Ted’s Brook Trout is available from Rainy’s Flies and can be bought in stocking fly shops. Below are tying instructions for you fly tiers.

Recipe

Hook:              TMC 300 #2-6
Thread: Fly Master + or Uni 6/0 Olive Dun
Tail: Grizzly Marabou – Golden Brown
Body:               Golden Olive Tri-lobal or Estaz
Wing:               Marabou – Golden Brown
Throat: Calf/Kip Tail – Orange
Collar: Mallard Flank Dyed Wood Duck
Topping:          Peacock Herl
Lead:               .035” lead wire

Tying Instructions:

Step 1. Start a thread base behind hook eye and take back to above barb.

Step 2. Cut 3″ of lead wire and tie in a hook gape’s distance behind the eye and wrap backwards – cover somewhat with thread wraps.

Step 3. Tie in Tail so it extends ½ of a hook shank’s length.
Wrap base of feather over lead to help build up underbody.

Step 4. Tie in Estaz and wind forward stopping just ahead of the lead wire.

Step 5. Tie in a full marabou feather on the top of the hook with the tips extending to the tail.

Step 6. Tie in a clump of Kip/Calf Tail on the underside so the tips extend to approximately the hook barb.

Step 7. Tie a mallard dyed wood duck feather by the tips. “Break” the back fibers on the
side of the stem away from you by running the back edge of your scissor edge along the stem.

Step 8. Wrap a collar of the mallard flank feather.

Step 9. Tie in 6 to 8 strands of peacock herl on top of the fly.

Step 10. Build a large, smooth thread head and whip finish. On flies like this, I like to apply two
thin coats of Sally Hansen’s clear nail polish to both protect the threads and put a nice finish on the fly.

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