Currently browsing… Loon Outdoors
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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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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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Spring Fly Showdown: All hail the Elk-hair Caddis
The king of all flies? Voters choose the Elk-hair Caddis
The votes are in, and I must admit, I'm a bit surprised. In a fantasy "tournament" of fishing flies, the Elk-hair Caddis reins supreme. In the recently completed TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown, the venerable bug outlasted the stately Adams in the final matchup. And, honestly, I voted for the Adams. Not that I don't…
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Spring Fly Showdown: The finals
The Elk-hair Caddis and the Adams face off for dry-fly bragging rights
Two classic dry flies square off for all the marbles Twenty flies, two weeks and some intriguing matchups all come to a head today as the Elk-hair Caddis and the Adams face off in the championship match of the TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown. And it's a big day for interested anglers, fly tiers and…
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Spring Fly Showdown: The final four
The Prince Nymph squares off with the Elk-hair Caddis, and the Adams goes up against the Woolly Bugger
The first-ever TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown comes down to four much-loved fly patterns that likely have homes in fly boxes all over the world. Two classic dry-fly patterns, an old-school, yet still-beloved nymph and likely the best streamer pattern ever tied. Game 1: Elk-hair caddis vs. Prince Nymph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24oZLeiEYo Tying the Elk-hair Caddis. Like…
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Spring Fly Showdown: The Woolly Bugger vs. the Pheasant-tail Nymph
Vote in the TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown
Two great attractor patterns. Two proven fish-catchers. These two staple fly patterns are squaring off against one another in the round of eight for the right to go to the final four in the TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qddVdhAFFg Tying the Woolly Bugger The Woolly Bugger is perhaps the most versatile fly ever crafted.…
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Spring Fly Showdown: Copper John vs. the Adams
The Copper John or the Adams?
The round-of-eight bracket in the TU-Loon Outdoors Spring Fly Showdown features one of best deep-diving nymphs ever tied and perhaps the most widely used dry fly on earth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on6tnuje1SY Tying the Copper John. First tied by Colorado fly tier John Barr, the Copper John is now a nymph angling go-to bug, particularly in tailwaters where,…