Tying the Griffiths Max (Video)

The Griffiths Max (GM)

The Griffiths Max or (GM) is a solid pattern in my box. An enlarged Griffiths Gnat by heritage, it's tied in one 3-material dubbing loop. Making it extremely easy to tie, and very effective. A great search pattern whenever the fish are looking for terrestrials.

Recipe 

Hook: Standard Dry#14

Thread: Olive 8/0 Uni-thread

Abdomen: Peacock Herl

Hackle: Brown Dry

AUGUST: Fly of the Month

Tying the RuffChuck

The RuffChuck is a mid-summers fly, perfect for smallmouth on pretty much any water, and a great choice when dredging those deep pools in search of trout in cooler waters. Originally tied to dead-drift underneath an indicator for trout, it does very well bounced along the bottom for nearly any species of fish you are targeting. My first choice is to drift this pattern under an indicator through pools. The natural swimming action of the materials in this fly through the current, can trigger some incredible strikes. 

RuffChuck

Hook: #8 Mustad C67S
Thread: 3/0 Red Uni-thread
Eye: 1/16oz Dumbell
Tail: Ruffed Grouse Marabou
Body: Amber Ice-Dub
Wing: Woodchuck guard-hairs

1.      Begin with the hook placed in standard fashion and in vise. Start your thread and wind back to the point on the shank just above the barb.

1.      Bring the thread forward to a location two eye-lengths behind the eye. Tie in the eyes on the top of the shank, anchoring with figure-8 wraps and a drop of head cement.

1.      Sweep one Ruffed Grouse marabou feather and tie in just above the barb of the hook, extended approximately 1 ½ the length of the hook.

1.      Spin the Ice-bub and build a tapered body forward to a point just in front of the eyes. Place a half-hitch and reposition the fly upside down in the vise. (Note: this step can be skipped if you are tying on a rotary vise.)

1.      Clean and stack a section of Woodchuck hair, trim butts evenly, and tie in to the front of the eyes matching the tips with the marabou.

Build a tapered head, whip-finish and apply 2 coats of head cement.

A Swarm of Bugs

The Long Standard

Replenishing the box after the beating my son put on it. An unassuming little hair popper that never lets me down.

 Recipe

Hook: 3XL Dry Fly #6

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread

Tail: 2 pair Grizzly Saddle

Tail: 2 pair Olive/Black Centipede Legs

Body: Natural and Dark Brown Deer hair

(Bottom of body is clipped flush with the hook)

I vary between a 50/50 body or a Brown center stripe

Bass Buggin'

Bass Buggin' a Local Pond

Last night my youngest son and I were able to break away for a little bit of bass bugging on a local pond. It was his first taste of bass on the surface, and I think he may be hooked.

1st Bass on the surface!

They were hungry for the last 2 hours of daylight, and we were able to coax up a half dozen fish. The Soup-de-jour was a longtime pattern of mine, the "Long Standard".

The Long Standard

Even the Bluegill came out to play!

A nice fat Gill willing to tackle a popper

His biggest fish of the day. 

For me, it was guide duty armed with a full lanyard, box of flies and some casting assistance. The fish did the rest.

Tying the Adams Family (Video)

The Adams Family

This fly was born on Fishing Creek in Central Pennsylvania. It was originally tied as a March Brown pattern during the early spring, and just plain old put fish in the net. Inspired by the origins of the venerable Adams dry fly, it sits with an irresistible footprint on those large flat tail-outs. The Adams Family has proven its worth bringing fish to the surface consistently when no hatch is on the water making it one of my favorite attractor patterns, yet as expected fishes excellent over the March Brown hatch.

 Recipe

Hook: Standard Dry #12-18

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread

Tail: Cree hackle fibers

Abdomen: Adams Grey beaver dubbing w/antron

Thorax: Adams Grey beaver dubbing w/antron

Wing: Cree or Grizzly hackle tips tied delta

Hackle: Cree (V-notched on bottom)

Lycoming Creek

Lycoming Creek North of Williamsport PA

On the road with a few hours this evening to spare, I decided to hit a stream that I had only driven by prior to my visit. 

Downstream of where I began

Planning off of some web research, I narrowed things down to a section of the creek that looked promising. However, things were not quite as expected upon arrival. The water was extremely low, slow and a bit warm. In the end, I caught a handful of chubs and one small 6" Smallmouth. All fish were taken on a #14 Penns Grannom. The water was full of crayfish and ducks, but no trout were even spotted on the particular water I visited. Regardless, it was still far better than an afternoon in a hotel room. 

Beautiful water that I will have to research a bit further and revisit.

ONE SMALL TROUT

Back from editing!! 

     One Small Trout is back from the final edit along with a revised cover. It is on track for an August 30th release. Included are 34 essays along with 13 patterns.