Fly Tying

Sparrow Nymph Pattern (Gartsides)

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 26, 2014

The Sparrow Nymph fly pattern is impressionistic and suggests a number of food sources to fish but nothing specifically. While Jack Gartside originally designed this nymph/streamer/wet fly for trout fishing, I have found it works on a number of species by changing up the body colors, hook size and presentation.

Each year as salmon season comes around, I find myself tying a number of Sparrows to stock my fly box. This classic, tried and true pattern works well on when salmon are resting in staging holes early in the migration/season. I’m not sure what the fish consider the pattern to be, but they really seem to like them some days – then again they are salmon, and some days they just won’t eat anything you try.

I prefer to fish the Sparrow for salmon as a nymph but sometimes I will get above the fish and barely swing it into the hole where fish are staged. When fishing for trout, fish the Sparrow like a soft hackle or even “greased-lined.” If tied in white/gray/grizzly or other baitfish imitating colors, strip it back after you have swung it for aggressive takes.

Tying the Sparrow is quick and easy with just a few basic materials and can be fished wet, as a nymph or in certain colors as a small streamer. The materials provide a lot of motion which I think really contributes to its effectiveness. For Coho/Silver salmon, try tying them in purple whereas classic colors for King/Chinook salmon seem to be olive, dirty yellow (think hex) and black. Body colors for trout include hare’s ear, peacock herl and orange (think sedge). Play around with body colors and dubbing materials – use some with flash or sheen to provide a trigger.

Recipe:

Hook:       TMC 3769 #6 (salmon) Daiichi 1560 #8-12 (trout)
Thread: Uni 6/0 – Gray
Tail:           “Tuft” Marabou
Rib:           Krystal Flash (optional)
Body:       Dubbing (your choice)
Hackle:    Pheasant Rump Feather
Head:       Pheasant Philoplume/After-shaft Feather

Tying Instructions:

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

Step 2. Tie in the tail so the natural ends extend back 1-1/2 times the hook gape’s distance.
This material can be found on a pheasant’s skin and is usually just below the wings.
Another source for this material can be cut from the stem of the hackle feather used in Step 5.

Step 3. Dub a generous body that tapers slightly towards the hook eye.
Stop about a hook gape’s distance behind the eyes.

Step 4. Chose a hackle feather from the pheasant rump patch or skin. Notice the
secondary Philoplume Feather? Remove from the stem and use for the head in step 6.

Step 5. Tie in the hackle by the tip and wrap two to three times tightly.
You want the feather barbs sized so they extend to just beyond the body.

Step 6. Carefully tie in the Philoplume Feather by the base and
cover the remaining head area with multiple wraps. Tie off.

Finished Sparrow Nymph – with optional Krystal Flash rib.

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Green Butt Soft Hackle Diving Caddis

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 4, 2014

Green Butt Soft Hackle – Diving Caddis Pattern

Black caddis are found in northern Michigan rivers anytime from late April through mid-July and can present themselves either heavily or lightly any day in between. It seems that as the season progresses, these “Mother’s Day caddis” or Grannom caddis tend to be heavier in density right at dusk and even into dark.

The adults bounce around on the water’s surface and don’t get much attention from fish because of their erratic nature of flight and the amount of wasted energy that sometimes goes into chasing them. But of importance are the adult female caddis with their bright green egg sack that oviposit/lay eggs by diving under water. These are the same caddis you may have witnessed crawling on vegetation or even your waders on a recent fishing trip – I often find them on my drift boat’s oar blades.

Green Butt Soft Hackle - Diving Caddis Pattern - Wet

When wet this pattern imitates diving caddis

This easy and quick to tie pattern is effective for fishing wet any time the hatch is present, and even at times a day or two after a heavy emergence has occurred. The bright wire imitates the egg sack while providing some weight. Meanwhile, the soft hackle undulates under the water imitating the wing and antennae of the diving caddis.

Fish this pattern by casting down-stream and across on an approximate 45 degree angle. Let the water swing that fly –controlled– to the hang-down position (directly downstream from you). Because there is little slack in the leader when fished this way, the takes can be exhilarating, even by small fish, as all the energy is felt in the rod. Just gently lift the rod up to the side and the fish should be on.

If you have ever been fishing when a mayfly hatch is occurring and the fish aren’t feeding on adults, try a mayfly emerger pattern. If that fails to work, look to see if there are any black caddis around – if so, this pattern might be the ticket to a bent rod.

Learn more about fishing soft hackle flies by reading Swinging Soft Hackle Flies

G.B. Soft Hackle / Diving Caddis Recipie

Hook:                    Gamakatsu S10-2S #12
Thread: Uni 8/0 Olive Dun
Tag: Ultra Wire – FL Chartreuse – BR
Body:                    Peacock Herl
Wing:                    Ruffed Grouse or Starling Feather

Tying Instructions

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

Step 2. Starting half-way down the hook shank, tie in wire on top of hook and wrap back to above barb.

Step 3. Advance thread back to mid-shank. Wind wire tightly forward t to mid-shank and tie off.

Step 4. Tie in 4 peacock herl strands by the tips from just behind the eye to above the hook point.

Step 5. Wrap the herl around the thread to make it more durable.
Fluff/tease with a tooth brush, then wind forward towards the hook eye and tie off.

Step 6. Tie in a hackle feather by the tip and make two full wraps. Make sure the hackle fibers –
when swept back – do not extend more than a hook gape’s distance beyond the bend of the hook.

Step 7. Whip finish. Finished Green Butt Soft Hackle – Diving Caddis. It’s quick, easy and effective.

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Borchers Emerger Fly Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 12, 2014

Borcher’s Emerger

This emerger pattern is a variation of the Borcher’s Drake, which is most likely in your fly box already. If it isn’t, it should be, as should the Borcher’s Emerger.

As does the dun, the Borcher’s Emerger can imitate a large number of common mayflies found in Michigan trout rivers and even beyond. A tier can stock their fly box with patterns from size 8 -16 to imitate: Hendrickson, Mahogany Dun, Great Speckled Olive, March Brown, Brown Drake and Isonychia mayflies. And by changing the colors of the dubbing and wing, you can also use this pattern to imitate other prolific bugs like Sulphurs.

Natural emerger struggling out of its nymphal shuck

Part of an emerger’s allure could be explained by having more body sub-surface, making it easy for fish to see. Or, as a season progresses, trout might be suspect of duns since most anglers use them. After a few hooks ups, they become quite wary.

I combined a few elements of common fly patterns to develop the Borchers Emerger pattern. The “Tilt-Shoot” wing is a variation of a parachute and does a great job of helping keep the fly upright and floating while angling backwards, providing an accurate profile of the wing. As most new flies can be difficult to master at first, this wing can be tricky, but perseverance will get you there.

Borchers Emerger Recipe

Hook:               Daiichi 1167 Klinkhamer # 12 (8-16)
Thread:            Uni 6/0 Camel (8/0 in smaller sizes)
Shuck:              Z-Lon – Brown
Body:               Cinnamon Tip Turkey Feather
Wing:               Coastal Deer Hair – Medium
Thorax:            Fine and Dry Dubbing – Rusty Brown
Hackle: Grizzly Dyed Dun – Dry Fly/Rooster

Tying Instructions

Step 1. After placing hook into the vise, wrap a base
layer from behind the eye backwards to point shown in photo.

Step 2. Using a sparse amount of Z-Lon (about half the diameter of a typical strand). Tie in
at the bend/kink just behind the eye and wrap along the hook to just beyond the base layer.

Step 3. Pull a few strands/fibers (approximately 5 or 6) from the tail
feather and tie the tips in near where the shuck extends backwards.

Step 4. Advance thread forward to where the bend/kink is and wrap the turkey
feather fibers tightly forming a slightly tapered body towards your thread. Tie off.

Step 5. Select about a wooden matchstick’s diameter of
deer hair and cut, clean and stack/even the tips of the hair.

Step 6. With the tips pointing rearward to about half-way down the body, secure
the deer hair with a few loose wraps and then a tight one. Too long of tips will result
in the fly tipping over. Too short and it won’t provide the proper wing profile.

Step 7. Pull the butt sections up and place a few thread wraps
against the hair to encourage them upward. Do NOT trim butts.

Step 8. Prepare a hackle by trimming a few barbs close to the stem.

Step 9. Tie the hackle at the base of the deer hair so the underside/concave of the feather is facing you.

Step 10. Using a sparse amount of dubbing, dub a tight thorax under and around the deer hair and hackle.

Step 11. Wind a relatively heavy/full hackle wing and tie off.

Step 12. Divide the deer hair tips and butts with your fingers and trim the butts
closely to the hackle. Apply a drop of head cement on the butts and the thread wraps.

Borchers Emerger Fly Pattern and How to Tie

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Autumn Offender Streamer Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 16, 2013

Autumn Offender Streamer – Fish it year round

While the name of this trout streamer pattern suggests it’s only effective in the fall, it catches fish all year -round and not just here in northern Michigan. While imitating nothing in particular, it suggests a number of common food sources including sculpins, creek chubs, and juvenile trout – staples to most trout’s diet.

This easy to tie fly incorporates colors and materials which often work when proven patterns in the fly box aren’t — making it a go-to pattern when fishing is tough. The long rabbit strip combined with the marabou and cone-head provides nice movement on the pause after a strip. With a bit of flash and a number of natural colors also incorporated, this pattern has just enough attention-getting characteristics and “bling” when the water is stained. But since the colors are relatively muted, it fishes well in clear water, too – which is often the water’s condition come fall.

Fish the Autumn Offender on a sink-tip or floating line depending on the water and time of year, and strip it back with a rod twitch and a pause. This streamer pattern has also caught steelhead when swung with a two handed rod and heavy sink-tip. To learn more about streamer fishing techniques read my article, “Tips for better streamer fishing“.

Not into tying streamers? This pattern is available from Rainy’s Flies and can be bought in stocking fly shops.

Recipe:

Hook:
Thread:
Tail:
Weight:
Body:
Wing:
Over Wing:
Collar:
Head:

Gamakatsu S11-4L2H #4
Uni 6/0 – Camel
Rabbit Strip – Black Barred Sand Variant or Brown Barred Tan
Large Cone – Copper
Krystal Hackle – Olive Brown, Large & UV Polar Chenille Rusty Copper
Marabou Blood Quill – Golden Brown & Yellow
Flashabou – Kelly Green and Holographic Copper
Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Flank feather
Ice Dub – Golden Brown

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Slide cone onto hook by inserting small end through point first. Put hook in vise.

Step 2. Wrap a base layer of thread to above barb.

Step 3. Tie in a section of rabbit that is a little longer than hook’s length.

Step 4. Tie in Krystal Hackle and Polar Chenille and at the same time, palmer towards cone
while stroking fibers backwards and stopping 3/8” behind eye.

Step 5. Tie in a yellow marabou feather by its tip and wrap two to three times.
Too much feather results in bulk which has less motion so fewer can be better.

Step 6. Repeat Step 5 but with a golden brown marabou feather.
Tip : A little saliva on your fingers stroked through the marabou
helps manage the materials, making the following steps easier.

Step 7. Tie in two strands of each color flashabou and tie on top as a wing, not extending
beyond the rabbit strip. Also, keep the ends staggered rather than trimmed to one length.

Step 8. Take the Mallard flank and tie in by the tip. “Fold” the half of the feather on the other side of the
step from you by using your scissor’s edge to crease the fibers. Holding the feather taught, run your
scissors in your other along the feather to “break” the fibers allowing them to flow backwards.

Step 9. Wrap the flank collar two or three times depending on coverage, tie down and trim.

Step 10. Dub a loose “trigger” ball of ice dub between flank and cone and the whip finish.

Finished Fly – The Autumn Offender

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Rabbit Strip Leech Fly Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 9, 2013

Rabbit Strip Leech. Sometimes called a String Leech.

Swinging flies for steelhead is becoming more popular with anglers using two-handed switch and spey rods. While the classic wets and “spey” style flies catch fish, patterns that are closer to streamers have proved effective. These larger patterns can bring a little more attention to themselves as they swim through an expansive run or in dirty or stained water. A rabbit strip leech or swing leech is about as basic as it gets for a pattern of this nature offering a good profile, action/moment and a proven track record.

Anglers that swing or strip streamers often complain that fish nip at the tail, missing the hook. This pattern places the hook near the end of the tail by using a loop of Berkley Fireline. This has three distinct advantages: 1. allows you to replace the hook in the event that it dulls or becomes bent further extending the life of the fly; 2. places the hook at the back of the fly where “nipping” fish will find it; and 3. eliminates the fouling of the long tail around the hook bend. This method/design works well with a number of streamers – try incorporating a loop in your fly patterns.

This pattern is only an example of one of the potential color schemes you can try. Try different color rabbit strips (browns, olive, white or black), ice dubs, collars, etc. to meet your needs and desires and fully make your fly box versatile by using various sized eyes for different conditions – from lead eyes to bead chain.

Top 5 Steelhead Flies - Leech Pattern - Miles Davis

The “Miles Davis” is a slight variation.

Recipe

Shank: Mustad 3366 2/0
Rear Hook: Gamakatsu Octopus or Drop Shot
Thread: Fly Master Plus – Black
Tail: Black Rabbit Strip
Tube: Black Tube
Body: Black Rabbit Strip
Collar: Black Schlappen
Wing: Flashabou – Black Holographic
Dub: Ice Dub – Peacock

Tying Instructions

Step 1. Insert hook in vise jaws and add a base layer of thread from behind hook eye to above barb.

Step 2. Cut a section of 20# Fireline – approximately 7 inches and fold in half. The loop end should extend off the back of the hook at a distance that meets your fly size needs – this example will extend two inches.

Step 3. Wrap the Fireline on top of the hook shank with tying thread. Place cut ends
of Fireline down through the hook eye and along the underside and wrap some
more. Whip finish and tie off. Apply a coat of Zap-A-Gap to secure and allow to dry.

Step 4. Using a tube fly vise or adapter, tie a 1/4 inch section of tube to the end part of your rabbit strip.
Be careful you don’t wrap over the rabbit hair but only over the pelt itself. Tie off.

Step 5. Start thread behind hook eye and wrap back to where previous wraps are.
Tie in Rabbit strip so the Fire Line loop goes through the tube and extends where
the pelt of the rabbit strip extends to the end of the loop. Do not trim Rabbit.

Step 6. Take remaining rabbit and wrap along hook shank towards hook eye,
sweeping rabbit hair backwards. Stop about 1/2″ behind hook eye.

Step 7. Figure-8 the eyes on the bottom of the shank so that the rabbit fur strip remains up.

Step 8. Tie in Flashabou wing with staggered ends without any strands extending beyond the rabbit.

Step 9. Wrap the schlappen forming a shoulder on the fly.

Step 10. Take a clump of ice dub and place it on top of the hook extending
backwards a little bit. Dub the rest of the head loosely and pick out.

Step 11. Whip finish and cut line. Using side cutters, cut the bend off the hook.
Thread the Fireline loop through the piece of tubing attached to the rabbit and attach
a hook by pushing the loop through the hook eye and over the hook then drawing tight.

Finished Rabbit Strip Swing Leech

Notes: Tie up a few shanks with Fireline loops during one session to speed up the process.

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