The Hair-Wing Drake as seen outside, and at the edge of, the fish’s window. I promised a tying piece that related to the “big mayfly” illustration in a previous post, so here it is: the Hair-Wing Drake. This particular pattern goes back a few decades, and has its roots in the Comparadun and various extended-body [...]

Want some meat to toss around during run-off? Try a big, juicy Strip Leech. If you’re a tier, Check out the recent “TieTalk” post I wrote up for my friends at “Field & Stream” magazine’s FlyTalk blog. The Strip Leech pattern shown is one of GB’s, and goes back to the days of bell-bottoms (I’ve [...]

Promised instructions for GB’s version of the Loop-Wing Dun weeks ago, so here it is (with instructions that I wrote for FlyTalk)… 1. Get the hook into the vise and wrap the shank with thread. 2. Tie in the tails. I typically use hackle-fibers tied in a fan-style. Colors to match the natural, or an [...]

For the tyers here at FF&W, if you want a simple caddis imitation for the coming season, check out the latest over at FlyTalk. The fly is the Poly-Caddis (not the only pattern with that name), GB’s synthetic take-off on the Elk Hair Caddis from back in 1972 (must be 70′s week here at FF&W). [...]

Rumor has it that 2010 could be a crazy grasshopper year. I fished the Bighorn in the summer of 1986, when hoppers were absolutely everywhere. I caught more truly big fish on top there that summer than any other time since. If the predictions hold true, there will be a run on hopper patterns come [...]

This is just a quick re-play of a previous post-turned-page. I occasionally re-post older posts and/or pages since that info sometimes falls by the wayside (at least if my Google Analytics are any indication). In addition, with the recent hopper-based link from FlyTalk, I figure a little post on easy droppers is a good idea. [...]

A slice from the March/April 2010 FF&W E-List mailing: Tube Jigging. Tube Jigging (a name that my father is fond of using) is just about what it sounds like: Using a float tube (or other small watercraft) to slowly work a fly in a “jigging” manner. As you may have already surmised, this is not [...]

One of my favorite patterns for imitating small mayfly nymphs, sliced straight from GB’s 1991 book, Designing Trout Flies. And by request, the Loop Wing Dun—perhaps my favorite small mayfly dun imitation ever—is the next fly up for instruction. Almost forgot: GB found a small stack of Designing Trout Flies buried in the dark recesses [...]

With the recent Drawing Flies 52 emphasis on wet flies (another to come this week) I though that I’d post a bit on “adding a swing.” This really is an “add-on” tactic, not a full blown wet-fly approach, but it can still give your presentations an extra, and sometimes effective, element. August of 2005 saw [...]

If you’re not into fly tying the above title could give you pause, but if you are into the “vice of the vise,” then here’s a post for you. This has already been up over on GB’s blog, but I figure why not post it here, as well? This is from GB’s 1991 book, Designing [...]

A bit of writing from about 10 years ago in which I actually use the term “most-subtle” with a straight face. Hope you find it useful (even if the wording gets a bit fluffy in spots). – – – – – – – – – Fly fishing for trout can be a most-subtle affair. The [...]

I often read passages and sections from Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It. What so often jumps out at me about great narrative writing is how even the sparsest language can convey sweeping ideas and emotions. Many who have read (or seen) River Runs are familiar with the opening and closing lines. The close is [...]