Small Water Popping

Small Water Bass Popping

Spending time on some nearby ponds chasing small water bass with deer hair poppers

They love those poppers.

The fly of the day was the P&G Popper

P&G Popper

Hook: #6 Gamakatsu Stinger

Thread:  Black Uni-thread 6/0

Tail:  Purple Marabou

Legs: Grizzly Hackle

Head: Purple deer hair in front of Yellow

Tying the Pine Creek Nymph

Pine Creek Nymph

This Pattern was originally tied for the Upper Pine Creek in Tioga County PA. It has become my go-to pattern in many Central PA streams over the years. I tie this pattern without weight, and finish my drifts with a Leisenring lift.

Pine Creek Nymph Recipe

Hook: Standard Curve Shank Nymph #16 - #12

Thread:  Brown Uni-thread 6/0

Tail:  Wild Turkey Tail fibers

Rib: Dark Brown Body Glass

Abdomen: Wild Turkey tail

Thorax: Insect Green dubbing

Wingcase: Wild Turkey Tail

Hackle: Furnace Hen neck

Tying the Naches Bee (Video)

The Naches Bee

               I fondly refer to the Naches Bee as being the “Incidental hatch”.  It was tied out of curiosity after watching native Cutthroat feed on a swarm of bees along an Eastern Washington State stream. It works quite well and has since continued to work coast-to-coast.

Naches Bee Recipe

Hook: Daiichi 1270 #12

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread

Abdomen: Yellow Hareline

Rib: Black Flat Waxed

Wing: Light Dun CDC, tied Delta fashion

Thorax: Dark Brown Hareline

Hackle: Black Saddle hackle V-clipped on bottom

Filling Bug Bins

The Replacements

It's always a good thing when you are refilling empty bins in your fly box. In this case, I was running low on deer hair poppers due to the recent tenacity of the local bass and bluegill.

Assorted Bug Parts

Tied on #6 Gamakatsu Stinger hooks, hair bugs have been in demand in the lily pads.

Purple and Black

The Purple and Black has been the big hitter near dusk

Tying the Briar Creek (Video)

The Briar Creek Wet

This pattern was named after the Brook Trout stream I grew up along.  An excellent pattern that has earned a permanent spot in my box for both streams and stillwater. 

Briar Creek Recipe

Hook: Standard Nymph #14-10

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread

Tail:  Red Tippet

Abdomen: Natural Hareline Dubbing

Rib: Flat Gold tinsel

Hackle: Silver Badger Brahma Hen

Wing: Tipped Wood Duck

Tying the Ruby Midge (Video)

The Ruby Midge

            The Ruby is one of my favorite low-water midge patterns.  It’s a great search pattern in smaller pocket water or boulder fields. I like to fish it fairly tight-lined and actually pull it through and around boulders, along shelves and through the heads of smaller riffles and plunge pools. It is also an exceptional dropper pattern for a tandem rig.

Recipe

Hook: #18 - #14 Nymph Hook

Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-thread

Bead:  Small Copper Tungsten

Abdomen:  Small Red Body Glass over Black thread

Rib: Small Copper Uni-Wire Size (BR)

Thorax:  Peacock Ice-dub

Tying the Northwest Jack (Video)

The Northwest Jack

The Northwest Jack was born around 1990 on the Northwest’s coastal rivers, and mimicked the salmon and steelhead smolt that were so abundant. It was originally tied in larger sizes, however it has adapted to its smaller version as an excellent all-around trout streamer.

Northwest Jack Recipe

Hook: 7x Daiichi 2370 "Dick Talleur" #4-8

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-Thread

Tail: Moose Body Hair

Rib: Medium Gold Ultra-Wire

Body: Silver Mylar

Throat: Red-dyed Tippet

Wing: Black Bucktail over Blue Super Hair