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Posts tagged "fly tying"

Late March Fishing Report

Posted by Ted Kraimer - March 27, 2022

The higher water from run-off and some rain showers brought in fresh steelhead and invigorated those already in the Manistee and Betsie to move around. With a stain to the water, fish were happy and moving along those soft bubble lines towards the sections of rivers with spawning gravel as they prepare for why they come into the river. It was a good week to be out fishing.

Water temps have been hovering around 40 degrees but the cold weather of the weekend should keep things at that temperature or below, encouraging most fish to sit in holding water until things get a little warmer before the spawning really kicks in.

Egg patterns were favored with bolder colors standing out in the opaque coloration of the water. When the sun did peek out, smaller and more subtle egg patterns and nymphs seemed to work better. On days that are mixed with both clouds and sun, try a large egg and a mid-sized nymph like a hex or larger stonefly to cover both lighting situations.

Just a reminder that new fishing license are required April 1. New regulations on many of the local rivers have a harvest limit of 1 steelhead to help bolster natural reproduction and fish populations. All guide trips continue to be 100% catch and release.

Good luck.

Ted

May Days – The month that offers so much variety for a number of species. <<More info>>
Match the Hatch  – Late May and June offer dry fly anglers some of the best trout fishing of the year.
Fall Steelhead – Some good dates remain available in October, November and into December.

beads for steelhead, betsie river, egg patterns, fly tying, manistee river, steelhead, steelhead fly fishing, steelhead guide, stonefly

“Winter Time, and the fishing isn’t easy”

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 18, 2020

It’s been a see-saw winter with snow, mild temps, more snow, etc. But the calendar notes it is January and any chance to get out and fish this time of year should be considered a bonus.

Despite the warm-ups, the water temperatures on local rivers remain in the lower 30s. Whether you are looking to fish for trout or steelhead, the name of the game is to fish the slower water where fish are kind of doing the equivalent of hibernating. When a fly comes into their window, they have plenty of time to inspect it so leader size and realistic patterns can make the difference.

If fishing streamers for trout, small sink-tips or floating lines with heavily weighted flies is a good approach for a while until things warm up.

Steelhead anglers will find that fishing under a float or indicator might provide the best drag-free presentation right now; fishing a realistic and action-enhanced hex nymph pattern is one of my favorite flies to tie on this time of year.

Not into winter fishing? Here are some ideas on how to spend the new couple of months until the white landscape is replaced with green.

Good luck.

Ted

June’s Big Bugs – With summer comes some of our best dry fly fishing – don’t miss the Drakes, ISOs and Hex
Fall Steelhead – Spring season is almost all booked so be sure to get your fall dates before they too are gone.
2020 Fishing Season – We are booking dates through 2020 – don’t miss the prime times.

2020 fishing season, fall steeelhead, fly tying, hex nymph pattern, local rivers, steelhead fishing, winter, winter fishing

Bobble Head Baitfish

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 19, 2015
Bobble Head Baitfish Fly Pattern

Gray and White Bobble Head

This multi-species fly pattern is a variation of Jimmy Nix’s Shinabou, with the biggest difference being the head material. Rather than deer hair, the Bobble Head uses sheep hair and is trimmed somewhat bulbous, this – combined with its tendency to hold air, causes it to swim erratically during and after the strip.  When stopped, the fly rises slightly in the column while the current imparts movement on the long tail. The result is an alive, but wounded, baitfish look that predatory fish have a hard time resisting. The name of the fly comes from the action the pattern shares with bobble head dolls, often found on the dashboard of a car. Even at the stop light, the bobble head still moves.

Fishing the Bobble Head

Bobble Head Baitfish - Salmon

Baitfish Eating Salmon

There are a number of lines fly fishers can choose when using this pattern, but much of it depends on the type of water and species they are fishing.  In rivers with decent current, I like to use 30′ sink-tips with noticeably long pauses between strips.

When fishing lakes in depths 5-12′ deep, consider a clear sink-tip line and slow strip for a unique neutral suspension as you work weed lines, drop-offs and other forms of structure; this presentation can be deadly, but is more finesse fishing than most anglers accustomed to fishing large streamer patterns are comfortable doing.

If fishing deeper water in lakes, use bigger sink-tips and strip it back a little faster than the clear intermediate lines once you count the cast down to the depth you desire.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

In shallow water / flats, a floating line can be deadly,  but you will want to massage water into the fly first to keep it from floating on the surface.

I have used the Bobble Head Baitfish pattern for a number of species including trout, pike, musky, salmon, steelhead and bass.  By changing up the color scheme you can alter this pattern to look like other baitfish found in the water you fish, i.e. chub, perch, rainbow, brook or brown trout. If those don’t work, there are attractor colors/schemes such as chartreuse/white, firetiger, or yellow variations (for river smallmouth bass).

Recipe

Bobble Head Baitfish - Creek ChubHook:                  Mustad S74SNP #1
Thread:               Fly Master + –  White
Tail:                     Chinese Rooster Saddle
Flash:                  Angel Hair – Polar Ice
Foul Guard:       Bucktail – White
Body:                  Marabou – White
Wing:                   Marabou – Gray
Collar:                  Mallard Flank
Topping:              Peacock Herl
Head:                   Sheep Hair – White, Gray
Eyes:                   Holographic Silver – 1/4″
Lead:                   .035 Lead Wire

Tying Instructions:

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 1
Step 1.
  Using 2 -1/2″ of lead wire, wrap just off of center favoring the hook eye.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 2
Step 2.
  Match four saddle hackles so they are the same size and shape. Select long, wispy feathers
to provide maximum action and movement when fishing. Tie in two feathers on each side of the
hook – convex side facing out, extending beyond the hook bend 1-1/2 to 2 hook shank lengths.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 3
Step 3.
 Tie in a few strands of Angel Hair on each side and
trim so they don’t extend beyond the tail feathers. See note.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 4
Step 4.
 Tie in a small clump of bucktail to help prevent the tail feathers
from fouling the hook.  I happened to use white on the bottom and gray on top.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 5aBobble Head Baitfish - Step 5b

Step 5.  Select a full and long white marabou blood quill feather and tie in by the tip.
Wrap/Palmer through the body, stopping about a hook gape’s distance behind the eye.
Tie in a few strands of Angel Hair on each side of the hook.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 6
Step 6.
 Select a full and long gray marabou blood quill feather and tie
in on top of the hook extending approximately to half of the tail’s length.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 7
Step 7.
Tie in a mallard flank feather by the tip and wrap a collar by folding the fibers backwards.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 8
Step 8.
Tie in 6-8 strands of peacock herl extending just beyond the gray marabou.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 9aBobble Head Baitfish - Step 9b
Step 9.
Tie in a clump of white sheep hair on the bottom side of the hook, then, repeat on top with gray sheep hair.
After tying in, pull the butts backwards towards the bend of the hook and place a few wraps to encourage
the hair to stay there. You want the head to be tied in full because after trimming this will help provide
the shape and ultimately the movement of the fly – hence the name of the fly. Whip finish.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 10
Step 10.
Trim the sheep hair top and bottom so the butt ends of the hair transition to the natural tips.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 11
Step 11.
Trim the sides of the sheep hair head so they are relatively flat – this serves as
a keel helping the fly to track while providing the preferred profile. (Photo is a top view)

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 12aBobble Head Baitfish - Step12b
Step 12.
Apply a generous blob of Super Fabric Textile Adhesive where the sheep hair tie down section is.
Apply a 3-D Eye to each side of the fly and squeeze the adhesive into the sheep, head not only to
secure the eyes but also to stiffen and shape the head to help with profile and fly tracking.

Bobble Head Baitfish

Finished Bobble Head Baitfish Pattern – 4-1/2 inches long

Notes:

– When varying the pattern’s color, consider using natural or dyed grizzly feathers offering natural barring to the pattern.

– You can tie additional flash/Angel Hair into this pattern for dirty water or low light conditions but trim it away while on the water if need be.

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bass, bass fishing baitfish pattern., bobble head baitfish fly pattern, bobblehead baitfish, fly tying, great lakes

Twenty Pounder Stonefly Nymph

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 15, 2014
Twenty Pounder Stonefly Nymph Pattern

Twenty Pounder Stonefly Nymph

The Twenty Pounder is a variation of a somewhat common stonefly nymph pattern called the Twenty Incher. Since I like to use this fly for Steelhead and Salmon, I made some changes to the pattern to accommodate fish that are typically measured in pounds rather than inches, therefore the play on the name.

The scud hook is stronger than the original TMC 200R hook and also represents a curved stonefly getting washed downstream, providing a nice, natural profile. Copper ribbing is used rather than gold tinsel because, well, copper and peacock is a really nice combination that tends to work well on Michigan rivers and out west.

Twenty Pounder Stonefly Nymph Spring Steelhead

Fish a Twenty Pounder for Steelhead

The iridescence of peacock is very natural and offers a bit of fish appeal.  Borrowing elements from another pattern called the Half-Back, it just has a way of enticing fish to eat when the standard patterns aren’t working.  Proportions are important, so pay close attention to where the different parts of the fly are tied. It’s pretty easy to tie and worth having in your box. And of course, if you are a trout angler, tie some up on lighter wire hooks and fish where stoneflies are present, including rivers out west.

I fish this pattern either in a dead-drift nymphing approach or with Duck-and-Chuck. Since stoneflies can be found in gravel/rocky areas as well as sandy areas (with wood) this fly is effective in various water types. If fishing in stained or dirty water, try tyingsome of these with a thorax material that offers some flash like Krystal Dub, Ice Dub or even Estaz.

Twenty Pounder Stoneyfly Pattern VariationRecipe

Hook:               TMC 2457 #6 – #8
Thread:            Uni 6/0 – Olive Dun
Tail:                 Brown Goose Biots
Tail Splitter:    Arizona Synthetic Peacock Dubbing
Body:               Peacock Herl
Thorax:            Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Rib:                  Copper Wire, Medium
Wingcase:       Treated Turkey Tail
Hackle:             Grouse or Hungarian Partridge

Tying Instructions:

Twenty Pounder - Step 1Step 1.  Wrap a base layer from the eye backwards to just past above the hook barb.

Twenty Pounder - Step 2Step 2.  Dub a very small ball of dubbing into the bend of the hook to help separate the biots/tail

Twenty Pounder - Step 3 Twenty Pounder - Step 3.5

Step 3. Tie the biots in so they curve away from the hook and are even in length. I prefer to cut
two biots at once from the strip, trimming the base, and sliding them against the ball of dubbing to help split them. After tying down, trim the excess biot and advance the thread to the thorax section.

Twenty Pounder - Step 4Step 4.  Tie in copper ribbing on top of the hook so it extends from the thorax area backwards to the tails.

Twenty Pounder - Step 5 Twenty Pounder - Step 5.5

Step 5.  Tie in 5 – 7 strands of peacock herl from the thorax area
backwards to the tails.Twist herl around the thread to strengthen.

Twenty Pounder - Step 6Step 6.  Wind peacock herl forward making a slightly tapered body
approximately 2/3rds of the way towards the hook eye. Trim excess.

Twenty Pounder - Step 7Step 7.  Wind copper rib through peacock body and tie off.

Twenty Pounder - Step 8

Twenty Pounder - Step 8.5

Step 8. Tie in the wingcase upside down (shiny side up) and facing backwards. I like to coat the backside of my cinnamon tip turkey tail feathers with a generous coat of Flex Seal to keep the fibers from separating when I pull it over to form the wingcase. Treat your feather(s) prior to tying as the adhesive needs time to cure. Some tyers prefer Krylon Crystal Clear spray.

Twenty Pounder - Step 9 Twenty Pounder - Step 9.5

Step 9. Tie in hackle, curved side up and by the tips of the feather and on top/over the wingcase.

Twenty Pounder - Step 10Step 10. Dub the thorax a little over the peacock and wingcase then forward
to just behind the hook eye keeping the diameter slightly larger than the body.

Twenty Pounder - Step 11Step 11.  Gently pull the hackle feather over the thorax and tie
down forming the legs, evenly splayed on each side of the fly.

Twenty Pounder - Step 12Step 12. Pull the wingcase over the thorax by creasing the feather
with your thumbnail and over legs/feather. Trim and whip finish.

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fly tying, michigan rivers, salmon pattern, steelhead, stonefly variation, twenty incher stonefly, twenty pounder nymph

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
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