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The Sulphur Klinkhammer
The legendary sulphur mayfly hatches on East Coast rivers have likely started for some attentive anglers, and the evening duns will continue to emerge for some time, with the famed bugs coming off wistful cream-colored clouds. But as any angler who has fished the sulphur hatch knows, getting the size and silhouette exactly right is…
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Brown and grizzly hackle mix
Sometimes, when I'm watching Tim Flagler tie flies, I get the feeling he's speaking directly to me. He knows where more casual tiers — like me — are going to be tempted to cut some corners in the tying process, and he's quick to point out that there's usually no substitute for doing things correctly.…
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Ease young anglers into fly fishing
Let kids come to fly fishing at their own pace
By Jim Strogen My older grandsons, 13 and 9, are skilled fly fishers. Much to my delight, they often catch more fish than me on a fly rod. Their success, right from the beginning, has always been my priority. We started out, as most anglers do, for bluegills. At first, I would only take one…
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Matt Callies’ Hare’s Ear Nymph
The good old Hare's Ear ... every fly box has a few (or should, by God). Of late, I'm seeing a lot of folks at the vise adding their own little touches of goodness to this venerable patterns, but Matt Callies, who ties for Loon Outdoors, has produced what has quickly become my favorite. Generally…
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Making tough casts for big fish
Bigger fish will often lie in hard-to-reach habitat.
By Jim Strogen There are some spots that I know must hold a trout, that I won’t cast to and risk losing my fly. Instead, I just tip my hat to the fish for picking that lie and move on to the next hole. That doesn’t happen too often, and I tend to lose my…
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The Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph
The venerable Pheasant Tail Nymph turns up in most fly boxes, as it should. It's a buggy pattern, and the iridescence of the peacock herl tied in as the bug's abdomen always seems to draw trout to this classic fly. Over the years, the patterns has evolved somewhat, thanks largely to the introduction of synthetic…
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Tying easy extended bodies
Tying an extended-body fly ... with ease
Over the years, I've tied lots of extended-body flies, but really with only marginal results. Usually, it requires twists of Antron, lots of head cement or UV resin and, frankly, a little luck. Until now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GogY7s8diks Above, watch as Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions ties a simple extended body for a fairly typical mayfly pattern…
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