Trout Bum of the Week LXIV: Rich Strolis


Throwing big streamers for brown trout is one of Rich’s favorite pastimes.
Photos courtesy Rich Strolis

Rich Strolis is an independent guide on Connecticut’s Farmington and Housatonic rivers, but he’s perhaps better known for his fly-tying videos on vimeo–many of which have been featured on. . .

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Book Excerpt: How to Tie and Fish the Busted Stone

Written by: Rich Strolis


Merging natural with synthetic materials, the Busted Stone offers a great imitation of these rather complex insects.

Stoneflies will forever be one of my favorite insects to replicate and fish. Some species grow large, making them a joy to fish as you can see them easily on the surface of the water, and due to. . .

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Classic Video: How to Tie the Shimmer Stone

Golden stoneflies (family: Perlidae) are often abundant in well-oxygenated waters—especially freestone streams where trout live, and especially in the West—although their range stretches. . .

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Video: How to Tie the Bush Meat Streamer

Since Tim Flagler of Tightline productions has been tying a bunch of tiny flies in our Wednesday fly-tying videos, I thought I’d post this chunky, articulated streamer from Connecticut-based guide. . .

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Video: How to Tie a Simple Foam Beetle

As the story (perhaps apocryphal) goes, someone once asked the British scientist J.B.S. Haldane what we could infer about the Creator from studying nature, and Haldane replied, “I’m not sure, but he has an inordinate fondness for beetles.” Haldan’s point was that beetles make up some 40% of known insects. And since trout eat insects, it’s only logical that trout share this inordinate fondness for such readily available sources of. . .

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Video: How to Tie the Knucklehead Streamer

The Knucklehead Streamer from Richard Strolis on Vimeo.

[Editor’s Note: After watching Hank Patterson work the vise, it seemed appropriate to repost this excellent video on tying The Knucklehead.]

The spring season is almost here, and high water on the Battenkill will mean it’s streamer time. I’ve always liked articulated patterns, though I haven’t tied many because they seemed kind of complicated. But in this video, Connecticut-based guide Rich Strolis, demonstrates a straightforward method for tying wiggly, two-hook streamers using some innovative new products. You can tie the Knucklehead in lots of different colors to mimic your local forage fish. I plan on tying up some olive and copper ones for the ‘Kill.

Click “Read More” for the recipe.

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Video: How to Tie the Shucked Up Emerger

Shucked Up Emerger from Richard Strolis on Vimeo.

We have featured many patterns from Connecticut-based guide Rich Strolis—such as his verion of a Blue-winged Olive Thorax pattern—and here’s a great emerger pattern to go with it. Blue-winged olives are among the most important insects in early spring out West, often hatching on overcast days or even during snow squalls. In the video, Rich says the fly is so effective he’s even a little hesitant to share his recipe, but I guess he can’t help himself…which helps us.

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