Monday, November 5, 2012

Tying the Last Chance Cripple Baetis (Blue Winged Olive)







Rene Harrop's fly patterns were developed with an experienced eye for detail. Proven on the Henry's Fork, one of the most demanding trout fisheries in the country.

The Last Chance Cripple series are great patterns for selective fish. We use this Baetis version on our local tailwater with great success.

Tie in sizes 16-22 for a Baetis (aka Blue Winged Olive) Cripple.

The pattern is easily adapted to imitate other mayfly species.

Thanks for watching!

more videos and tying materials available at: www.flyfishsd.com


Last Chance Cripple Material List:

Hook: Daiichi 1100 or Tiemco 100 size 16 to 22
Thread: Tiemco 16/0
Shuck: Spirit River Sparkle Yarn, Darlon, or Z-Lon
Tail: Wood Duck or Mallard Dyed Wood Duck
Abdomen: Stripped Peacock Herl, Turkey Biots, or Thread and Wire

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Tying the Smoke Jumper




Smoke Jumper 

The Smoke Jumper fly is a popular pattern on Montana’s Bighorn River. The CDC winged emerger is a great all purpose emerger for midge and mayfly hatches. The color scheme of the fly can be altered to imitate the insect you are trying to imitate. Hatches that the Smoke Jumper fly is effective at imitating are midges, Baetis, and Pale Morning Duns.



You can tie the abdomen on the Smoke Jumper with several different materials- peacock herl, turkey biots, micro tubing, or thread with wire.
The wing on the Smoke Jumper is CDC (cul de canard). A high quality CDC makes a big difference on this fly. My preferred CDC is Petitjean Select CDC feathers. Lower quality feathers are not as full and don’t make as nice a wing.

Smoke Jumper Fly Materials

Hook: Daiichi 1130 or Tiemco 2487 size 16 to 20
Thread: Tiemco 16/0
Abdomen: Stripped Peacock Herl, Turkey Biots, or Thread and Wire

Tying Barr's Tung Teaser



Barr's Tung Teaser Nymph


barrs tung teaser nymph
Barr’s Tung Teaser is an excellent all purpose nymph from John Barr. This pattern has become a staple in my box and the bins at the shop. We often fish it as the lead fly in a two fly nymph rig. This pattern combines the effective features of many popular nymphs- biot tails, epoxy back, hackle legs. Tie and fish in sizes 12-18.

Barr’s Tung Teaser Materials

Flashback: Flashabou Pearl
Legs: Partridge or India Hen
Epoxyback: Liquid FusionClear Cure Goo, or 5 Minute Epoxy

Tying Hans' Cricket Fly



Tying the Hans' Cricket Fly 


Cricket fly patterns have become a staple in my summer fly selection. Bill Logan’s Big Secret Cricket has been a huge producer for me over the past 4 seasons. I recently began tying a variation of Hans’s Hopper to mimic a cricket. The resulting pattern, Hans’ Cricket fly, has been working very well on recent outings.
Materials:
Body/Head: 2mm Black Foam
Abdomen/Thorax: Ice Dubbing
Strike Indicator: Hot Pink Ice Dubbing

Tying the Sparkle Dun



Tying the Sparkle Dun


The Sparkle Dun, a comparadun style dry fly, is an extremely versatile pattern for imitating mayfly duns. By changing the size and color of the pattern, it is easy to mimic many species of mayflies.

Happy Tying!

Materials:


Sparkle Dun Materials (match color to mayfly species)
HookTiemco 100 or Daiichi 1100 size 12-22
Tail/Shuck: Sparkle Yarn or Antron Yarn


Friday, June 22, 2012

Tying the Foam Beetle Fly



Tying the Foam Beetle Fly


Materials:

Hook: Daiichi 1280
Thread: UTC 140 Denier
Body: 2mm foam
Underbody: Peacock or Black Ice Dub
Sighter: Orange 2mm Foam
Legs: Black Krystal Flash

The foam beetle fly pattern is easy to tie, but remains one of my top producers during the summer months. Trout love to eat beetles (and ants) that are blown into the water. I tie this pattern in sizes 12-18. Black is my best color, but i have had success with olive and brown versions.


Happy Tying!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Fly Tying with Hans- Ultra Violet Baetis Nymph





An epoxy back mayfly nymph imitation. The flashback on this nymph is made from Hareline Dubbin's Purple Haze Holographic Fibers. An excellent nymph to imitate Baetis mayflies. Tie in sizes 16-20. I used Clear Cure Goo for the epoxy back. After experimenting with CCG I discovered that the extra fine accessory tips are a must for applying the small amounts needed for epoxy backs on small nymphs.

Materials:

Hook: Daiichi 1560 size 16-18
Bead: Tungsten Sized to match
Thread: Tiemco 16/0 or 70 Denier UTC
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen: Microtubing color to match natural- Olive, Mahogany, Brown
Flashback: Hareline Purple Haze Fibers
Abdomen: UV Ice Dubbing color to match natural
Legs: Black FluoroFiber
Epoxy Back: Clear Cure Goo UV Cured Resin

Happy Tying

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Fly Tying Videos- Deep Purple Nymph

This simple to tie nymph has held a spot in my fly box for the last 3 seasons. Purple flies work extremely well in certain situations. For me this purple nymph works well in the spring and fall, especially when fish are keying in on Baetis mayfly nymphs. Tie in sizes 16-20.
Deep Purple Nymph
Materials:
Happy Tying
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Send mail to flyfish@rapidnet.com with questions or comments.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Tying the Firebead Sowbug


This is a pattern that some crafty fly tier on the Bighorn River? came up with. It works like hotcakes in the spring, especially on tailwaters like the Bighorn. Tie it with a pink, tan, or gray body. Wapsi Sow-Scud Dubbing is the preferred dubbing. Ice dubbing would also make a great version of this fly- try UV Tan, UV Gray, or UV Shrimp Pink.

Firebead Softhackle Sowbug
Materials:
Happy Tying

Monday, March 19, 2012

Fly Tying Videos- Egan's Rainbow Warrior


Lance Egan's Rainbow Warrior is an effective, easy to tie nymph pattern. It is especially effective on tailwater fisheries. We have had huge success with this pattern over the last two years. Typically it is fished as the dropper in a two-fly nymph rig. Tie in size 14-22. The fly can be tied with a glass bead or a tungsten bead.

Egan's Rainbow Warrion
Materials:
Happy Tying
Return to Fly Index
Send mail to flyfish@rapidnet.com with questions or comments.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Tying the Skullpzilla Streamer

Sculpzilla Materials:
The scullpzilla streamer from Solitude Flies has tons of movement in the water and it drives brown trout crazy. This has been one of our most effective streamers over the past two seasons. This video shows how to tie a version of this streamer with a Fish Skull head. The two hooks are joined by a section of fly line backing or by braided fishing line. Our favorite colors are white or barred tan. The version in this video uses a size 8 Gamakatsu octopus stinger hook and a size 6 front hook. This works well for a fly 3" in length. For longer flies use a 4 or 6 stinger hook and a size 4 front hook. Use a small fish scull for the smaller flies, and a medium for larger flies.
Happy Tying

Monday, March 12, 2012

Tying the Stillborn Midge Emerger

 


Stillborn Midge

This pattern is based on a Rene Harrop pattern. This version features an antron shuck and a foam back. It is effective for selective fish feeding on midges. My favorite colors are gray and cream. Tie in sizes 18-24.

Materials:
Happy Tying!

Return to Fly Index

Send mail to flyfish@rapidnet.com with questions or comments.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Beginning Fly Tying Class Sunday Feb. 26th



Learn to tie your own flies! This class teaches the essentials skills needed to tie 4 fly patterns. The next session of Beginning Fly Tying will be held Feb. 26th at 2:00pm. The class will run until 5:00pm. Cost of the Class is $49. All materials and tools are provided for the class. Payment is due at sign up. Please stop by or call the shop to enroll.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Two New Tying Videos

Tying the Pheasant Tail Midge Pupa and the Rainbow Czech Nymph



Thursday, February 9, 2012

Interesting videos...

Not sure who produced these entomology videos, but they are well done. I came accross them on Moldy Chum. The videos feature the life cycle of caddisflies and mayflies.

Mayflies


Caddisflies


Monday, February 6, 2012

Tying the CDC Klinkhammer


Klinkhammer Special

This is a twist on the original Klinkhammer Special- the world famous fly created by Hans van Klinken. Both the post and hackle are made from CDC. This pattern sits nicely on the water's surface. The CDC hackle undulates and adds movement to the fly. The black color scheme works well in mid to late summer when an increasing number of terrestrial insects find their way onto the water's surface.

Materials:
Happy Tying

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Missouri River Fisheries Meeting


If you fish the Missouri River in South Dakota you will want to attend a meeting at the Outdoor Campus West on February 1st. Game Fish and Parks staff will discuss the impacts on Missouri River Fisheries caused by flooding this past summer. How will Oahe fish in 2012? Be at the Outdoor Campus on February 1st at 7:00pm to find out.

Tying the Shuttlecock Buzzer




This pattern is based on the Shuttlecock Buzzer patterns I have seen published in Czech books and websites. I typically tie these in smaller sizes for imitating emerging midges on my local trout streams. My favorite sizes are 16-22. Black, Olive, and Grey are all productive colors. This fly can be tied much larger when fishing chironomid hatches on stillwaters. When tying this fly in larger sizes it helps to add 1 or 2 feathers to the wing.


shuttlecock_buzzer

Materials:
Happy Tying

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012 returns to Rapid City on March 7th!

The Fly Fishing Film tour makes it's triumphant return to Rapid City on March 7th 2012! Tickets on Sale Now at the shop for $12. They will be $15 the night of the show. The showing will be held at the Elks Theatre- this year it will be on the big screen. Doors will open at 7:00pm. Show starts at 7:30pm. Don't miss it! 
 Get more information on the films and filmmakers at the tour's website: http://flyfilmtour.com/
See you on March 7th at the Elk Theatre.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Tying the Pearl Core Cased Caddis

This is a cased caddis larva pattern tied in the Czech style. This nymph is tied on a jig hook with a slotted tungsten bead that causes it to bounce along the bottom with the hook point riding up. Cased Caddis patterns are very effective, especially in freestone streams. Fish this fly on point, with a smaller offering above it.



Materials:

Monday, January 16, 2012

Too cold to fish today...I guess it is winter.

High today in Rapid City was only 18 degrees- what happened to the 40's, 50's, and 60's? Don't worry, it is supposed to warm up again by Friday.


But what to do until then? I highly suggest coffee and fly tying. You know, those things we used to do in the winter time.


I have been on a heavy espresso bender today. Since I can't do much outside and I have been working at the computer all morning, I require a few extra shots of liquid energy. Later today, while still sailing high on the seas of caffeine I will sit down at the tying bench to film some new tying videos and to refill my fly boxes.

Here are a few fly pattern videos to revisit. These patterns will be useful by weeks end:

The Fabulous F-Fly


CDC Midge Emerger


Translucent Midge Pupa

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Winter Midge Hatches have Begun

They're back! When I was out on Rapid Creek this past Sunday I saw fish feeding on midges up top. I hadn't seen any fishable hatches yet, but there they were. The midge hatches that occur January through March here on Rapid Creek in town are spectacular. Maybe it is because any hatch that brings fish to the surface in the middle of winter is rare and something to celebrate, but to me it seems that winter or not these hatches generate some of the best dry fly fishing of the year. I fish in town much more than I used to and have begun to look forward to the fishing opportunities to be found there during the winter. The midge hatches are definitely a highlight.

If you get a chance to fish this hatch here are a few flies to take along:

F-Fly (tie in black or olive size 18-20)

Morgan's Midge size 20

CDC Adult Midge size 20
Matt's Midge size 20-22

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Winter, eh?

Well it has been an odd "winter" so far. We are used to warm weather here in the balmy west of the river Banana Belt, but these sustained highs in the 40-50's are peculiar. Looks like a dip into the 20's is coming next week though- there are still several of days with highs over 40 in the forecast between now and Wednesday. Make sure you make the most of them.


Fishing has been excellent on Rapid Creek below Pactola and here in town. I haven't been up to Spearfish recently, but I would bet that fishing through town and in the valley is benefiting from this warm weather. Rumor has it that Crow Creek is fishing well too.


I got out yesterday after a long hiatus. Had a busy month at the shop that culminated in a three day inventory counting session! Wahoo!

It was a relief to have time to fish for a change, even if it was only for an hour. Didn't see any risers, but I think the winter midge hatches should crank up soon. Yesterday I kept up my experimentation with French and Spanish style nymphing. I will post soon about the leader rig I am using for this style of fishing.

The new Sage ESN 10' rods are perfect for nymph fishing this way. The 3 weight fishes extremely well on Rapid Creek. The 2 weight would be a blast here in the Hills. There might be one of those in my future.

If you get a chance to get out in the next few days, email us some photos at the shop- flyfish@rapidnet.com.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Tying the RS2

Developed by Rim Chung. The RS2 is a proven pattern. Time after time it fools picky fish. Luckily for fly tiers, it isn't too tough of a fly to tie. Perfect fly to imitate emerging baetis ascending to the surface.

See the materials list at: http://flyfishsd.com/tying_the_RS2.htm