Tying the Bunny Dun

This comparadun style of fly is quicker to tie than its deer hair winged cousin. The snowshoe rabbit hair floats well and has a great texture. Use it to imitate mayflies on your home water. In the hills we tie these to match PMDs, baetis, and tricos.

Tying the CDC Midge Emerger II

This is a hybrid between a palamino midge and a morgan's midge. A versitle fly to have in a midge hatch, it can imitate an emerger as well as a stuck in the shuck midge. Tie them in this color scheme or come up with your own. Don't overdo the floatant. Just a smear on the wing and hackle will do.

Tying the Tape-Wing Caddis

Oliver Edwards gave me the idea for the wing. An early version of this fly appeared in his Flytyers Masterclass. I have tied the Edwards version of this fly with deer hair for legs and it works great. I have used this cdc legged version and it works too. Whatever floats your caddis. The technique for the wing is great. I am sure you will put it to good use.

Tying a Soft Hackle

Soft hackles have been around for a long, long time. In the video I say a hundred years; well, I looked it up, try 500 years! There must be a reason- ah yes, they catch fish. These are simple flies to tie and they work extremely well. Experiment with various color schemes and materials.

Tying the CDC Midge Emerger

The CDC Midge Emerger is a dynamite small pattern originated by Shane Stalcup. Tied by Hans Stephenson of Dakota Angler & Outfitter in Rapid City, South Dakota. The CDC soft hackle give the fly movement and traps air bubbles that mimic an emerging midge pupa. Fish this pattern deep behind a copper john. It can also be fished below the surface behind a dry fly such as a parachute adams.

Tying the Klinkhammer Special

Here is a spectacular searching dry fly. This fly will bring fish to the surface when others can't. Fish it along the current seam in riffles and choppy water. This pattern does a great job imitating an emerging caddis, but also is taken for a terrestrial trapped in the film. Grease the post and hackle, but leave the floatant off of the body. The body of the fly should hang down below the surface.

Ryan Gabert put this fly to the test this past summer and found it to be very effective for trout in the Black Hills. It also worked well for cruising carp on the Missouri River.

Tie some in various colors. Two color schemes to focus on are the tan version showed in this video and a black bodied version.

Tying the CDC Mayfly Dun

Here is another fly to put in the quick but effective file. Despite being easy to tie, it doesn't have any problem fooling fussy fish. I tie this fly in various colors to match baetis, PMDs, and PEDs here in the hills. It does require some special attention to keep it dry. I use an amadou drying patch to dry the fly after catching a fish. Follow the amadou with a treatment of desiccant floatant. The example in the video is tied to match a baetis (aka Blue Winged Olive) mayfly dun. Happy tying...

Tying the CDC Dun

Tying Hans' Carp Nymph

Stock your boxes with these great flies for the upcoming Carp Season. this easy to tie nymph has been very productive for me the past couple of summers. Fish it in front of tailing carp. Make sure to lead the carp with your cast so the fly has time to sink. As the carp approaches make a short 1-3" strip to attract the carp's attention. Wait for the take. Strip set to set the hook. My favorite color variations use root beer, gold, or pearlescent olive estaz.

Using the Hunchback Scud

Here is a video of the Hunchback in Action. I don't mean me with my bulky hip pack, but rather the fly. It did very well this past Sunday on Rapid Creek. This was a beautiful brown trout.

Tying the Hunchback Scud

Here is the Hunchback Scud, it was my best fly from over the weekend. We have used it quite a bit over the last couple of years. We started buying them from Umpqua Feather Merchants, who got it from tyer Michael McLellan. We love the profile and the weight provided from the lead triangle. I usually tie them in olive, tan rainbow, or UV shrimp pink. The video is a bit jumpy at times from some camera bumping and editing. Enjoy

Tying the Bubble Back Midge

This is a great pattern that we used to keep a guide secret. Now the secret is out. Tie some up and catch a few finicky fish.

New Video- Tying the F-Fly

Here is a great fly to stock your box with. It is a quick and easy tie. I have been using it for the past year with great results. Two weeks ago it took 5 fish during a midge hatch on Rapid Creek. Check it out!

New Video- Tying the F-Fly

Here is a great fly to stock your box with. It is a quick and easy tie. I have been using it for the past year with great results. Two weeks ago it took 5 fish during a midge hatch on Rapid Creek. Check it out!

Tying a Czech Nymph

Here you go, video numero dos- Tying a Czech Nymph

New- Tying Whitlock's Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

Tying Whitlock's Red Fox Squirrel Nymph