Here’s another “guide-fly” lesson from Alvin Dedeaux of All Water Guides. (Or, as he calls them, “super easy to tie, down and dirty, quick and easy, fish-catching guide flies.”) As Alvin says, he doesn’t want to create flies that are complicated or take a long . . .
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Video: How and Why to Use a Hackle Guard
One of the more annoying things in fly fishing is when it’s hard to thread your tippet through the eye of a fly because there are hackle fibers in the way. Hackles too close to the eye can be a problem at the vise, as well, because they can become . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the Conehead Bunny Muddler
In this great video, Tim ties a heavily weighted slinky version of the Muddler, featuring a tungsten cone and plenty of lead-free wire. The bunny tail and rubber legs offer plenty of lifelike motion, and two kinds of flash material add to the pattern’s . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the Turbo Beetle
Late summer into early fall is a great time to fish beetle patterns for trout, bass, and panfish. The big hatches of summer are usually over, and the fish know that terrestrials provide a lot of nutrition. In this great video from Tim Flagler of Tightline . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the Freshwater Clouser Minnow
The Clouser Deep Minnow—created by Susquehanna River icon Bob Clouser and named by Lefty Kreh—is perhaps the best-known saltwater fly. But over the years, the pattern has proven its effectiveness in freshwater, as well, catching everything . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie with Gel-Spun Thread
Gel-spun polyethylene (G.S.P.) thread is incredibly strong and slick, which makes it perfect for spinning deer hair, but it can be a huge pain in the butt to use. In this great video, Tim Flagler explains the benefits of using GSP thread and shows you how to . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie Tap’s Bug
Last week, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions offered a primer on how to trim spun deer hair, and today’s pattern is a classic bass bug on which you can try these skills. Tap’s Bug was the creation of H.G. “Tap” . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the Two-Tone Intruder
Over the past couple of years, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions has showed us how to tie the Intruder Leech and the Pine Squirrel Trout Spey Streamer, both of which make use of a shank and a trailing . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Trim Deer Hair
Spun deer-hair makes for a dense, buoyant fly body, whether you’re tying a large, traditional Tap’s Bug or a size 12 Goddard Caddis. Once you’ve got the hair spun on the hook shank, it’s time to trim it to shape. . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie a Water Walker Variant
A Jackson Hole native, Will Dornan knows about big Western bugs. His Water Walker is a killer stonefly and terrestrial pattern that lures big trout to the surface. It’s also a great way to float a nymph in a dry-dropper . . .
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