Battle Creek Special

Here is another uniquely Alaska pattern from the gang at Alaska Fly Fishers. It’s said to be a popular pattern meant to act much like the more popular Flesh Fly in that it represents decaying loosened flesh from salmon who have already met their demise. You can also use a standard black Japanned hook to tie up this fly. It’s recommended by guides as a must bring fly along with the usual suspects.

Material List for the Battle Creek Special - Click here for the step by step tutorial

Thread: 6/0 or 3/0 white
Hook: #4-10 3X long streamer
Lead: .025 or .030 Tail: Marabou, white
Body: Chenille, shell pink
Body Hackle: Saddle, white
Collar: Saddle hackle, orange

Fly Tying Lessons

Dave Cammiss from the UK has set-up a vlog to aide in the teaching of the art of fly binding. The videos are well throughout, progressing from a simple black thread buzzer to a more complex Daddy Long Legs or Crane fly pattern. The site appears to be a work in progress and we’ll be sure to update as new lessons become available. You can access the lesson via youtube or off Dave’s vlog located at http://learnflytying.co.uk . So no excuses for not tying your own bugs.

Here is lesson 1 from the series.

Click here if the video does not play.

Tight lines.

Fly Tyer 30th anniversary Tying Contest

Well, the name of the contest is a bit misleading, but in celebration of the magazine’s 30th year of publishing our favorite subject, they are hosting a great contest to showcase the art. The idea is to tie one of the 3 required flies to the best of you ability and then tie another “tie-breaker” fly of your choice and style. Hopefully it doesn’t come down to just the Classic Atlantic’s taking home the prizes as has happened in other contests. Sure they are great to look at, but it makes for a bit of an uneven playing field in some ways.

The prizes include some of the expected tying vises, tools, and materials along with a fly fishing vacation and a canoe, but the most coveted prize is the limited edition bronze sculpture by artist Ott Jones. Tyer can choose from a Royal Wulff, Hair Wing Blue Doctor or a Flashtail Whistler for their compulsory pattern and all patterns will be put on display at the Catskills Fly Fishing Center.

So get tying people, you have lots of time and no excuses. The due date is September 30th 2008. You can view a complete set of rules and get some more info on the contest here - (http://www.flytyer.com).

Good Luck!

A few Flies from Planet Trout

This collection of emergers and wets caught my eye, so, you get a peak too. I could have used this on the stream this morning. Other featured patters are Batwing Baetis, Ally’s Nympho, Mike’s Wisdom and the Left over Klink, a very sexy looking soft hackle.

Hook: TMC 2488, 14-18
Thread: 14/0 Brown
Shuck: Brown Zelon
Abdomen: Rusty Brown Goose Biot
Rib: Fine gold wire
Underwing: kinky light dun zelon
Thorax: PMD yellow dubbing
Bead: Gold glass, 15/0
Hackle: Partridge

Click here for the rest of the post and recipies to the other flies -> Planet Trout

CDC Puff Baetis Emerger

Did I mention I love CDC? Here is another CDC pattern, this one a blue winged olive or Baetis emerger tied up by John Collins for riseformstudio.tv. The pattern is intended to be fished deeper in the water because the BWO’s hatch on the substrate of the waters and emerge to the surface as adults. You can also fish the fly in the film if you wish, and if that is your intention, I would recommend to skip the wire rib to keep the pattern lighter.

CDC Puff Baetis Emerger

Hook: Dai Riki 270 #18 - #20
Thread: Dark Brown
Rib: Brown Ultrawire Small
Tail: Mallard Flank Dyed Olive
Dubbing: Olive Rabbit
Wing: Dark Dun CDC Puff

Sweet Swimming Flies

Flies or lures? These straddle the line I think, but they have some unbelievable action in the water. The Frog, water dog and crayfish all look like some killer bass / pike flies. I give kudos to Emerge for going the extra mile to produce the video’s to showcase their flies. All tied on jig hooks for an interesting action on the retreive.

Schiel’s Deep Swimming Frog

Schiel’s Sugar Daddy Craw

Schiel’s Mad Mud Dog Salamander

Working with Chickabou

Marc Petitjean demonstrates how to use Chickabou with his Magic Tool. The technique shown is great for mixing feathers of different colors to get a sweet mottled effect and removing the stem which can be brittle and contributes to w weaker fly.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R2qPuurQn-M

Al Troth Montana Collection

Al Troth is credited with the creation of the Elk Hair Caddis, a staple pattern in many fly boxes including my own. So when I seen this eBay auction come up I got excited. This collection includes a signed card with 13 of Al’s flies, 6 being EHC variations. If you want to bid, do it quick as the auction ends tonight at 7:30 PDT. I’m not affiliated with the seller, I just think this would be a great addition to any collector’s cashe.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220240184423

Saltwater Yak Hair

Here is an article written by Kerry Pitt about Yak hair. It has an ample length and a unique wavy look, perfect for constructing massive pike and bull trout flies. Best suited for streamer wings, it is a nice sub for hard to find polar bear hair and does have some of the sot after translucence. Click the link below for Kerry’s full article. If you have some other uses for the hair, I’d like to know, post a quick comment.

Click here for Kerry Pitt’s article on Yak Hair

Polar Extreme Pot Belly Pig

Here is a popular sea run species pattern tied up on a weighted tube. One material on this fly I have never used is the Pig’s Bristle, and so now I need to track some down. The dyed jungle cock is also a rarity over here in North America unless you want to dye it yourself. As always, a great looking fly and lots of tips to be had in this lesson.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8E4EIYpa0h4