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November 2024 Fly of the Month – Multipurpose Midge
Multi-Purpose Midge Developed by Tom Travis of Livingston, MT to cut down on the proliferating number of patterns he had to carry when fishing the spring creeks of Paradise Valley. On stream modification with a small pair of scissors transforms the basic pattern into different stages of the natural’s life cycle. Emerging adult : Basic pattern Adult : Trim off trailing shuck Stillborn : Trim hackle top and bottom, leave shuck Spent adult : Trim shuck, trim hackle top and bottom The hackle on this fly is tied undersized. For the thorax use two strands of herl for the larger sizes and one strand for the small ones, The original was tied with a stripped peacock quill abdomen. By using thinly dubbed bodies of different colors, an even greater variety of midge hatches can be covered. Hook : Dry fly; #14 – #22 Shuck : Lt. dun or lt. olive Abdomen : Stripped peacock or synthetic dubbing Thorax ; Peacock herl Hackle : Grizzly; undersized, palmered through thorax. Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
October 2024 Fly of the Month – Ausable Caddis
Ausable Caddis This Fran Betters pattern is tied with a heavy hackle so that it can be fished with a skittering action on the fast runs and pocket water of his local Adirondack streams. A signature characteristic of many of Fran’s flies is an Australian possum body tied using a bright colored thread. This method produces a translucent effect on the body of the finished fly when fished. The original had a white calf hair wing and mixed grizzly and brown hackle. Hook : Dry fly, #14 – #16 Thread : Hot orange Body : Rusty orange Australian possum Wing : White widow’s web Hackle : Brown dyed grizzly Alan BowersFly tied by Alan Bowers […]
September 2024 Fly of the Month – Ausable Cripple
Ausable Cripple The Ausable Cripple was developed by Bucky McCormick of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone Montana. Bucky being originally from New York state was familiar with Fran Better’s iconic Ausable Wulff. He modified the original transforming it into a cripple pattern. The fly can be fished as an attractor but is used primarily as the dry component of a dry dropper rig. A video on tying this pattern can be seen on the How-To section of Blue Ribbon Flies web page (blueribbonflies.com). Hook : Dry fly; #12-#16 Thread : Fl Fire Orange Tail : Elk hair Body : Rusty orange dubbing Wing : Grey Widow’s Web or similar Hackle : Brown and Grizzly mixed, brown dyed grizzly or dark barred ginger Alan Bowers Fly tied by Al Bowers […]
August 2024 Fly of the Month – Bi-plane
Bi-plane Originally developed by the tiers from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone MT to imitate a still born baetis dun, this pattern can be adapted to any hatch by changing size, body color and wing color to match the natural. The Bi-plane as with other “cripple” patterns is most effective during heavy hatches when the trout become selective toward defective emergers. This simple, quickly tied fly consists of a sparse trailing shuck, a sparse spent wing and a dubbed body. When tying, figure eight the dubbing thru the wing tie down spot to form a thorax. Hook : Dry fly; #16 – #24 Shuck : Light brown zelon Abdomen : Olive dubbing Thorax : Olive dubbing Wing : Dun zelon Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
July 2024 Fly of the Month – Brindle Chute
Brindle Chute In the Rocky Mountain west the late summer/fall hatches of the Timpanoga hecuba mayfly goes by many names. Fall Drake, Tan Drake, Drake Mackerel, even the Late Green Drake (there is no green evident in the natural). In the Missoula region it is simply called the Hecuba. Chuck Stranahan of Hamilton MT developed this pattern that he named the Brindle Chute for fishing the Bitterroot River. Chuck closely guards the formula for the dubbing. It is rumored to be 50% Hare’s Ear w/Antron, 25% Olive rabbit w/Antron and 25% Rust Orange Rabbit w/Antron. A small amount of gold rabbit is added to complete the mixture. The Brindle Chute can cover many other hatches of tan/brown flies. It is also a popular general attractor. Hook : Dry fly; #10-#14 Tail : Elk hair Wing/post : White Calf tail or synthetic substitute Abdomen : Dubbing mix; see above Hackle : Grizzley dyed tan Alan Bowers Fly tied by Al Bowers […]
June 2024 Fly of the Month – BWO Halfback Emerger
BWO Half Back Emerger This simple pattern was developed by Mike Lawson, of Henry’s Fork Angler’s in Last Chance Idaho, to fish the prolific olive hatches on the Railroad Ranch section of that river. Since baetis mayflies are widespread this fly this fly should be universally effective. As with all emergers it is at its best during heavy hatches or on ultra-selective fish. When tying, do not make the trailing shuck too thick. The pheasant tail fiber abdomen is reenforced with the rib to increase durability and only covers the rear 1/3 of the hook shank. The deer hair represents the emerging wings and should be tied so that it extends down the sides of the thorax leaving only the bottom uncovered. Dub over the forward tie down spot of the deer hair to complete the thorax. Hook : Dry fly; #14 – #20 Shuck : Brown zelon Rib : Fine red copper wire Abdomen : Pheasant tail fibers Wings : Dun deer hair Thorax : Olive dubbing Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
May 2024 Fly of the Month – Captive Dun
Captive Dun The captive Dun is an emerging mayfly patterned created by Rene Harrop. This very simple fly was one of the first specifically tied to imitate this stage of the mayfly’s life cycle. A low floater it has proved effective on tailwater flows and spring creeks. The wings, tied in by the tips at the tail position, is pulled forward over the abdomen forming a humpback. The original wing material was duck wing fibers but the more durable and buoyant fine deer hair is often substituted. The legs are tied in at the sides as outriggers. When first developed synthetics were not readily available as they are today. The trailing shuck was then tied with marabou but zelon is now the material of choice. The color of the abdomen and thorax is matched to the mayfly being imitated. The color of the shuck is matched to the color of the nymph and is the length of the body. Remember that the empty nymphal shuck will be translucent and therefore lighter hued than the live nymph. Hook : Dry fly; size to match natural Shuck : Zelon; color to match natural Abdomen : Dubbing; color to match natural Thorax : Dubbing; color to match natural Legs : Wood duck flank feather fibers Wings : Fine deer hair Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
April 2024 Fly of the Month – Dark Caddis Variant
Dark Caddis Variant This fly is one of a series devised by Chuck Stranahan of Hamilton Montana. By changing body, wing and hackle color this style can be used to imitate most caddis adults. The innovative part of this pattern is the white overwing. Both the wing and overwing are tied sparse and flared over the body. Chuck believes this creates a light diffusing effect much like the venation of the natural. Hook : Dry fly; #14 – #20 Body : Gray dubbing Wing : Fine dun colored deer hair Overwing : zelon or similar Hackle : Blue dun dyed grizzly Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
March 2024 Fly of the Month – Devil Bug
Devil Bug In a book published in the late 70s the author relates how he had recently developed and named this fly to imitate emerging caddis on high altitude lakes in New Mexico. Strangely enough, a number of years earlier the late Russ Malone showed me the same pattern with the same name. He said that he had used it with great success to help feed his family during the Depression! I guess some times (most times?) the real origins of fly patterns are not necessarily what you read in a book. Hook : Dry fly; #13 – #18 Tail : Deer hair Back : Deer hair Body : Peacock herl Head : Clipped deer hair Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
February 2024 Fly of the Month – Double Ugly
Double Ugly Although generally thought of as an attractor the Double Ugly is used successfully as a crane fly imitation on many tailwaters. It is surmised that the high floating characteristic of the pattern imitates the female fluttering on the surface during egg laying. The fly can be fished dead drift or with active twitching. The fish will choose the presentation they prefer. If you tie the pattern using imitation peacock instead of genuine herl the reinforcing rib may be omitted. Hook : Dry fly, 2XL; #4 – #12 Tail : Grizzly hackle fibers Body : Peacock herl or substitute Rib : Fine gold wire Hackle : Rear – grizzly Middle – brown Front – grizzly Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
January 2024 Fly of the Month – Griffith’s Gnat Emerger
Griffith’s Gnat Emerger Another great midge pattern from Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone Montana. It imitates an impaired midge struggling to free itself from its pupal shuck. The hackle is tied in at the front of the thorax; use only a couple of turns of an undersized feather. To watch Craig Matthews tie this fly go to the “How To” section of blueribbonflies.com. Hook : Tiemco 2488; #18 – #22 Thread : 8/0 olive dun Shuck : Light brown zelon Abdomen : Tying thread Thorax : Peacock herl Hackle : Grizzly Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]
December 2023 Fly of the Month – Double Wing Caddis
Double Wing Caddis The Double Wing Caddis is Kelly Galloup’s way of making the popular and highly effective X-caddis more imitative from the trout’s perspective. The addition of a second wing produces that effect when viewed from underneath. The shuck is only 1/4 the body length and the rear wing, tied in at the body’s midpoint, extends to the end of the shuck. The front wing tips extend to the midpoint of the rear wing. To see Kelly tie this fly go to the video section of his website, SlideInn.com Hook : Dry fly; #14 – #18 Shuck : Tan zelon Body : Tan or olive dubbing Wings : Short fine deer hair Alan Bowers Fly tied by Alan Bowers […]

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