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Trout

Sparrow Nymph Pattern (Gartsides)

Posted by Ted Kraimer - August 26, 2014

Sparrow Fly Pattern - OliveThe 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.
Sparrow Nymph for Salmon
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.

Sparrow - PurpleRecipe:

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:

Sparrow - Step 1

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

Sparrow - Step 2.5Sparrow - Step 2
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.

 

Sparrow - Step 3

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

 

Sparrow - Step 4Step 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.

 

Sparrow - Step 5 Sparrow - Step 5.5
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.

 

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

Sparrow Nymph Pattern with Rib

Finished Sparrow Nymph – with optional Krystal Flash rib.

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coho, early salmon fly pattern, early season salmon fishing, fish, fly box, fly tying, gartsides sparrow nymph, Jack Gartside, salmon, salmon pattern, silver salmon, sparrow nymph, sparrow patterns, swing, trout, trout sparrow, wet fly

Green Butt Soft Hackle Diving Caddis

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 4, 2014
Green Butt Soft Hackle - Diving Caddis - Mothers Day Caddis Pattern

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.Green Butt Soft Hackle - Brown Trout

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

Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 1Step 1. Wrap a thread base from behind the eye to above the hook barb.

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

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

Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 4Step 4. Tie in 4 peacock herl strands by the tips from just behind the eye to above the hook point.

Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 5Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 5.5

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.

Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 6Green Butt Soft Hackle - Step 6.5Step 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.

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

black caddis, caddis wet fly, diving caddis, grannom caddis, green butt soft hackle pattern, soft hackle caddis, swinging soft hackles

Swinging Soft Hackle Flies

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 4, 2014

It’s been ingrained into our minds and angling modus operandi that when fishing trout in Michigan we should either fish dry flies dead drift to match-a-hatch, or cast a big streamer to entice either a big eater or territorial fish. And if those don’t work, maybe – just maybe – some might even try nymphing. Long forgotten is fishing wet flies – probably one of the oldest presentations and, at times, most effective in certain circumstances.

When:

Swinging Soft Hackles - Brown Trout

Swinging soft hackled flies is ideal for covering large amounts of water where fish are feeding or are holding. Morning, day or evening, have some soft hackles in your fly box for those situations.

Let’s face it – there are fewer times when the stars align and a hatch occurs while fish are looking up. If you aren’t prepared to fish a streamer, or even want to, then this approach is ideal and a fun way to fish. It’s also a way to score a fish when it seems the river might not give up much.

Can’t figure how to match the hatch? I learned the true value of swinging soft hackle flies a few years ago in Idaho. Four fishing guides were equipped with a number of over-stuffed fly boxes and keen eyes, but we couldn’t figure out what the fish were eating. Frustration set in, and the conversation turned to topics other than fishing when Andy refocused and suggested I try a soft hackle pattern. Problem solved, code cracked, and fly rod bent with a number of trout playing the game over the next hour.

What:

Swinging Soft Hackles - FliesA soft hackle fly is a type of wet fly – it is not a nymph, streamer or dry. The idea is to present a pattern that looks like an aquatic insect below the surface – perhaps a diving caddis, a spent mayfly spinner, a mayfly emerger or even an attractor – which the fish can better see under the surface.  The soft hackle typically has a longer, spidery-like construction that when fished under the surface and across the river, moves and undulates, looking like natural food.

Have you ever let your dry fly straighten out downstream below you and swing back and forth below the surface as you talked with a friend, looked at some wildlife or fumbled through your vest, only to have a fish eat? That is essentially swinging a wet fly. In those situations we often laugh that the only way to catch fish is by not trying, but think about it – your fly at that moment is presented in a specific way and it conjured up a strike. Why not focus on presenting a fly in that manner?

Where:

Swinging Soft Hackles - RiffleThis method needs the current to help swing the fly across likely holding water. Riffle sections are ideal, especially when a caddis hatch has either occurred recently or is occurring.  Fishing above likely fish- holding water, or even where you know fish are, is ideal.

Ever witness fish barely breaking the surface or even just “bulging” the water upward? That is indicative of a fish focused on eating emergers;  swinging a soft hackle when you don’t have an emerger pattern can be the ticket.

How:

Swinging Soft Hackles - Step Down Hang DownOne of the reasons this presentation often works so well is because when done right, it covers the water very systematically and thoroughly.  In a typical situation, the angler casts at about 45 degrees downstream. A powerful stop of the rod, keeping your rod tip high, will ensure that the line, leader and ultimately the fly will straighten. If fishing where the current is uniform, the water pushes the line, swinging the fly downstream and across the river.  Lower your tip and track the fly as it swims across the river.

When your line has straightened out downstream – known as the “Hang Down” – don’t be so eager to recast. Let the water weave, bob and undulate the fly in the current for a few seconds. Often fish will follow the fly around and eat it at this point. Try lifting your rod tip up and down or even taking a few short strips upstream to entice some action – this is basically the presentation of Tenkara fishing – presenting a pattern straight down stream.

After a cast or two, take a step or move the boat downstream to make sure the water is being fished by your presentation. When fishing an expansive riffle, the strike can come anywhere, but if fishing mixed water with varying structure (submerged logs, a large rock, deeper run, hole, etc.) you will want to make sure you fish it effectively and controlled.

Swinging Soft Hackles - Controlled SpeedWhen multiple current speeds and seams make up the run, we may need to mend the line to control the speed of the fly and make sure the fly is downstream of the leader and line. If the fly moves significantly fast, it appears unnatural and might seem to the fish like too much work to chase. Rather than add additional line to the mend, we more or less want to steer the line by placing it either upstream or downstream depending on the situation to slow or speed the swing.

Because we are fishing a “tight” line – that is with virtually no slack in it – there is no mistaking when a fish takes. The jolt is part of the fun, but it can be frustrating if you don’t expect it and react with a heavy hook set, pulling the fly from the fish or even launching smaller fish skyward. Instead, anticipate the strike and raise the rod tip smoothly when you feel the bite- it’s as easy as that, but difficult to do at the same time.

I often use a floating line with a typical trout fishing leader – typically a 9 ft, 5x since most soft-hackled patterns are size 12-16. If fishing fast and/or deep water, sometimes a sinking leader can be used to bring that fly just a little deeper in the water column – still with a 5x tippet. Rod size is your preference – typically longer 8’6″ or 9 ft. rods are better because they allow you to control the presentation better, but if fishing smaller water, a shorter rod works, too.

Swinging for Steelhead

Swinging Soft Hackles - Spey CastingEver think about learning how to swing flies for steelhead, possibly using a two-handed or spey rod?

Well, this essentially is the same concept and approach – presenting a fly, sub-surface, through likely fish-holding water and doing so controlled in regards to speed and leading with the fly. In fact, learning how to fish for trout by swinging soft hackles will help you improve your technique when going after steelhead with intentions of swinging a fly.

More on fishing Soft Hackles and Wet Fly fishing:

Common Patterns:

Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Yellow, March Brown, Partridge and Peacock, Pheasant Tail, Crackleback, Galloup’s Rusty Sunk Spinner

Books:

“Wet Flies: Tying and Fishing Soft-Hackles, Winged and Wingless Wets, and Fuzzy Nymphs” By Dave Hughes

“The Soft-Hackled Fly” and “The Soft Hackled Fly Addict” by Sylvester Nemes

On-line article:

“The Soft Hackle Wet Fly – Back to Basics” By Jack Gartside

“When Nothing’s Rising” By John Gierach

soft hackled flies, swinging soft hackles, trout, trout in michigan, wet fly fishing

Borchers Emerger Fly Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 12, 2014
Borchers Emerger Pattern

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.

Borchers Emerger - Natural

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

Borchers Emerger - Brown Trout

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
Borchers Emerger Step - 1

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

Borchers Emerger Step - 2Step 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.

Borchers Emerger Step - 3Borchers Emerger Step - 3.5

 

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.

Borchers Emerger Step - 4Step 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.

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

Borchers Emerger Step - 6Step 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Borchers Emerger Step - 12

Borchers Emerger Step - 12.5

 

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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borchers drake emerger borchers drake, brown drake, emerger pattern, Great Speckled Olive, hendrickson, hendrickson emerger, isonychia, klinkhamer, mahogany dun, march brown, Michigan dry fly, tilt-shoot, versatile emerger fly pattern

May Days – A Month of Fly Fishing

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 12, 2014
May Fly Fishing - Streamer Fishing Michigan

Brown Trout caught in May

It is no secret that northern Michigan’s fly fishing is one of a kind when you consider the variety of species in our local waters. The first popular season of the year is Spring Steelhead from mid-March through April, and Trout fishing in June with its hatches of big bugs aren’t missed by many. But in between is the month of May – a great month to fly fish Michigan – filled with a number of choices for anglers of all skill levels at a productive and less populated time.

Below is a brief summary of the various species, time of month and common approaches we take to fishing through May.

Steelhead

May Fly Fishing - Drop Back Steelhead I

Drop-back steelhead caught on the swing

Most years, the steelhead on rivers like the Manistee below Tippy Dam continue to migrate in early May although, typically not in the numbers found in April. Considering how few anglers are out there and with water and air temps much warmer, this can be an ideal time to target drop-back and up-stream bound steelhead with nymphs, swung flies and streamers.  Just because the crowds are gone doesn’t mean the fish are.

More on Swinging for Steelhead

Steelhead & Trout

May Fly Fishing - Late Season Steelhead in Michigan

Late season Steelhead hooked while trout fishing

Waters like the lower Manistee containing both steelhead and trout, can offer a great one-two approach. That is, focus on steelhead until the sun gets high, then target trout. Or spend the day targeting trout with nymphs and streamers and hold on tight should you hook onto a steelhead in the process.  Streamer fishing is a good way to cover lots of water and focus on predatory trout and the drop-back steelhead looking to eat before heading back to the lake.  During the second half of the month steelhead are usually gone and anglers focus on trout with all types of presentations – nymphs, streamers, wet flies/soft hackles and dries.  Since trout are stocked in this water, it can be an ideal place for a beginner or kid to learn while making their trout fishing experience a positive one.

Trout

May Fly Fishing - Daylight Hatches and Brown Trout

Depending on the length and severity of winter, the first part of May usually offers good hatches of mayflies and caddis and build throughout the month on local rivers making for great dry fly fishing. The upper Manistee and AuSable are known for their dry fly fishing for brown, rainbow and brook trout. Watching them eat your hendrickson or mother’s day caddis in daylight is what it is all about for a lot of us anglers. Water conditions can vary from year to year – it can be clear or it can be stained, but regardless, the fish are there and usually looking to eat. Hendricksons to sulphurs and lots in between, don’t miss out on hatching bugs and rising fish.

May Fly Fishing - Michigan Mayfly Hatches

Late afternoon mayfly hatch in Michigan

A well-rounded angler who can not only cast a dry fly when an emergence takes place but can fish below the surface with a sink-tip fly line and a streamer can really maximize May’s potential.  May is – in my opinion – the best month to focus on the big trout with big flies. Since the trout haven’t been pressured, this is a good time to feed them a streamer pattern as they are not only hungry but also territorial.

On those first warm days of spring having your favorite dry fly rod strung-up with a dry in the boat as you cover the water with a streamer is great approach. May trout fishing often occurs during “Bankers Hours” – from late morning until early evening – which further appeals to anglers.

Additional Articles:

Tips for Better Streamer Presentations                                      Dry Fly Fishing Do’s

Panfish/Bluegills

May Fly Fishing - Bluegill on the Fly

Nice Bluegill/Panfish caught on a small streamer

As the sun gets even higher, the days longer and warmer, so do the waters on the many local ponds and lakes.  Mid-month, panfish (Bluegill) typically leave the depths and come in shallow to spawn providing a lot of fun for fly anglers. Ever catch a bluegill the size of your hand on a 3 or 4 wt. rod? You won’t forget it when you do. And you won’t forget it if a big bass or pike eats your bluegill as you bring it in. Rarely will you land both, but you will have a great fish story to tell!

Like most fishing – a versatile angler who can fish for bluegill on top with dries and subsurface with nymphs and small streamers will be the productive angler. Being visual, fishing on top is always fun but you can create your own luck and being able to swim a small nymph slowly near structure  increases your luck as this usually gets you that larger fish. Big bluegills are smart and are trophies in their own right making them not only fun to target, but worthy of bragging about.

More on Fly Fishing for Bluegill/Panfish

Carp and Smallmouth Bass

May Fly Fishing - Carp Fishing Grand Traverse Bay

Carp fishing Grand Traverse Bay

May’s winds blow the warm surface water of Grand Traverse Bay into the shallows bringing the first of the carp and smallmouth into the flats to eat or sometimes just sun themselves. With carp steadily becoming more popular with fly fishers, the angler who finds the pre-spawn fish before others does well – especially because they aren’t preoccupied with spawning. It can be tricky, as water temps are influenced by wind direction, sunlight and night-time temperatures, but knowing when and where to go will make the difference between finding fish and not. Being able to cast and manipulate a fly and watch them eat brings a saltwater-like fishing experience closer to home.

More on fly fishing for Carp

carp and smallmouth bass, dry fly fishing, fly fish northern michigan, Manistee below Tippy Dam, panfish/bluegills, steelhead, steelhead and trout, streamer presentations, trout, upper Manistee and AuSable
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