Here, Tim explains when you want to use a glossy finish–one that stands out from the fly materials, and when you should go with a penetrating fish–one that soaks into the materials. The effects of each are quite different, . . .
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Video: How to Tie the Hotspot Pheasant Tail Nymph
This pattern might not impress Frank Sawyer and Al Troth—originators of the slim, elegant Pheasant Tail Nymphs most of us use—but the proof is in the pudding, and the hotspot. . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Accurately Measure Materials
Many fly-tying recipes call for a tail or a wing that is as long as the shank of the hook. But how do you ensure that you’ve got the proper measurement? In this video, Tim explains how hold the . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the October Caddis Skater
Whereas the best way to present a mayfly imitation is almost always a dead drift, trout are often willing to chase a caddisfly skittering across the surface. Some of us learned this by . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Make Distribution Wraps
Some patterns, such as the Bird’s Nest, call for hackle fibers all the way around the body, which can be a pain. But Tim has a great trick that makes the process ridiculously easy. It’s all in how you prepare the feather and then tie it in. Try it out, and your . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Add a Weed Guard to a Fly
In this video, Tim demonstrates three ways to make a weed guard on a fly pattern. If you fish anywhere where weeds will foul the hook, you’ll want to add a piece of heavy monofilament to push the weeds aside before they can get . . .
Read MoreVideos: The Stories of the Adams and the Muddler Minnow
Our fly boxes are full of patterns–both famous and obscure–and each has a history. Someone, somewhere came up with the idea for the fly and then sat down and tied. Michigan fly-fishing legend Ray Schmidt has started a cool video series on classic . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Use Clamps While Fly Tying
One of the hallmarks of Tim’s tying process is that he’s always looking for ways to make tying easier, more efficient, and less frustrating, and he often finds novel ways of achieving these goals. Here, he shows you how to use . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Tie the Stonefly Creeper
Preston Jennings lived in Brooklyn, New York, and spent a lot of time fly fishing in the Catskills. His 1935 A Book of Trout Flies is considered one of the first serious attempts to connect the science . . .
Read MoreVideo: Barbed vs. Barbless Hooks
Although there are places where regulations require barbless hooks, the decision of whether to go barbed or barbless is usually left to the angler. In this video, Tim Flagler discusses the pros . . .
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