Currently browsing… fly tying
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How to use shanks for articulated flies
There are a few choices when it comes to choosing which shank to use for the flies you're tying, but, generally speaking, the idea is the same: shanks let you make longer fly bodies and then hang a "stinger" hook off the rear of the fly
And which ones to use, depending on the patterns you're tying I started using shanks for tying articulated flies a couple of years ago, and last year, in Argentina, I enjoyed some great streamer days for big trout using the fruits of my labor. There are a few choices when it comes to choosing which…
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Building a better ‘Bugger
Tim Flagler ties up his version of a 'better 'bugger' using weighted wire and a tougher construction
The Woolly Bugger might be the most-tied fly on the planet — for many of us, it was the first fly we ever tied. There's a reason for that, of course. It's among the easiest patterns to master, and, no matter how many times some creative vise-wizard comes up with the next great streamer pattern,…
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Finesse Dubbing Part II
As we noted last week, applying dubbing can be a little tricky. But, as Tim Flagler showed us, there are ways to make it simpler. Below, in his second installment video on the topic, Tim shows us how to take the dubbing noodle we've created and carefully move it closer to the hook shank for…
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The Chubby Chernobyl
There are some flies that, upon first blush, make you wonder aloud as you pick through the offerings at the fly shop, "What was the guy who tied this thing smoking?" A couple of decades ago, this was certainly the reaction many traditional fly anglers had when foam became an accepted fly tying material, and…
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Finesse dubbing
Using dubbing to craft fly bodies and collars shouldn't be that difficult, regardless of the material you use in the process. But, for those new to the craft, dubbing can often give them fits at the vise. Below, Tim Flagler shows us how to craft the simple dubbing "noodle," or a length of dubbing that…
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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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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…