Terrestrial Patterns
Terrestrial patterns are designed to be suggestive or imitative of non-aquatic insects and other living food sources that most often end up in the nearby body of water.
Resin Black Ant
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Harrop's Flying Ant
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Fly of the Month
Fly fishing during the dog days of summer tend to be a challenge. Water temperatures in the Southern Appalachians in our headwater streams are marginally high for trout. On many of our lower elevation Delayed Harvest Stream the water temperatures reach the high 70s and in places over 80 degrees and trout must seek any cooler, deeper hides or risk suffocation due to a lack of sufficient dissolved oxygen.
With warmer water temperature and low dissolved oxygen, aquatic insect activity slows down to bottom survival of the nymph stage and a rarity of any type of hatch. The primary aquatic insect hatch during the early summer are little yellow and little green stoneflies in the afternoon and golden stoneflies during the night. The most abundant insects all summer for trout are terrestrials and specifically ants and beetles.
Black Ant
The absolute, number one, easy to tie terrestrial that an angler should carry in the fly box at all times is the black ant. Ants are everywhere and in good numbers. Worker ants are hunters and gatherers that travel the streambanks foraging for food to return back to the nest of their large social family. Wind, rain and accidents sweep ants into the trout stream where trout will readily take them for a high protein supplement, especially in the dog days of summer when most other insects are scarce.
There are thousands of species and eighteen categories of ants world-wide. These categories are a layman’s view of groups of ants based on their odd behaviors and interesting adaptations: Citronella, Field, Carpenter, Thief, Fire, Harvester, Amazon, Leafcutter, Crazy, Odorous House, Honeypot, Army, Bullet, Acacia, Pharaoh, Trap Jaw, Acrobat and Weaver. These category names provide a hint as to their claim to fame, for example Thief Ants tend to be the very tiny “piss ants” that appear at your picnic, attempting to rob you of your food. For the most part, anglers encounter Field, Carpenter, Fire, Harvester and Acrobat ants near and around streams. Yes, there are actually North American native species of Fire ants in which most tend to be red cinnamon or brown in color. Harvester ants may be brown, gray, cream or even yellow in color. Acrobat ants are typically black with a heart shaped abdomen that gets raised when threated. Many species of black ants have similar species that are brown in color, but black is the most dominate of ant colors. Overall the Field Formicidae family and Carpenter Camponotus genus ants are the most predominant along a stream bank.
Fly fishing during the dog days of summer tend to be a challenge. Water temperatures in the Southern Appalachians in our headwater streams are marginally high for trout. On many of our lower elevation Delayed Harvest Stream the water temperatures reach the high 70s and in places over 80 degrees and trout must seek any cooler, deeper hides or risk suffocation due to a lack of sufficient dissolved oxygen.
With warmer water temperature and low dissolved oxygen, aquatic insect activity slows down to bottom survival of the nymph stage and a rarity of any type of hatch. The primary aquatic insect hatch during the early summer are little yellow and little green stoneflies in the afternoon and golden stoneflies during the night. The most abundant insects all summer for trout are terrestrials and specifically ants and beetles.
Black Ant
The absolute, number one, easy to tie terrestrial that an angler should carry in the fly box at all times is the black ant. Ants are everywhere and in good numbers. Worker ants are hunters and gatherers that travel the streambanks foraging for food to return back to the nest of their large social family. Wind, rain and accidents sweep ants into the trout stream where trout will readily take them for a high protein supplement, especially in the dog days of summer when most other insects are scarce.
There are thousands of species and eighteen categories of ants world-wide. These categories are a layman’s view of groups of ants based on their odd behaviors and interesting adaptations: Citronella, Field, Carpenter, Thief, Fire, Harvester, Amazon, Leafcutter, Crazy, Odorous House, Honeypot, Army, Bullet, Acacia, Pharaoh, Trap Jaw, Acrobat and Weaver. These category names provide a hint as to their claim to fame, for example Thief Ants tend to be the very tiny “piss ants” that appear at your picnic, attempting to rob you of your food. For the most part, anglers encounter Field, Carpenter, Fire, Harvester and Acrobat ants near and around streams. Yes, there are actually North American native species of Fire ants in which most tend to be red cinnamon or brown in color. Harvester ants may be brown, gray, cream or even yellow in color. Acrobat ants are typically black with a heart shaped abdomen that gets raised when threated. Many species of black ants have similar species that are brown in color, but black is the most dominate of ant colors. Overall the Field Formicidae family and Carpenter Camponotus genus ants are the most predominant along a stream bank.
Hard Body Black Ant
HOOK : Tiemco 100 or equivalent size : 12,14,16,18,20
Thread : Uni 8/0 black
Abdomen : Black dubbing
Thorax hackle : Black Rooster
Thorax : Black Hackle
Directions :
HOOK : Tiemco 100 or equivalent size : 12,14,16,18,20
Thread : Uni 8/0 black
Abdomen : Black dubbing
Thorax hackle : Black Rooster
Thorax : Black Hackle
Directions :
- Debarb the hook and mount in the vise. Begin the thread two eyelengths from the eye and wrap to the hook bend in tight, touching turns. Let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thread with black dubbing and begin a tapered wrap. Start at the hook bend and advance to slightly ahead of the third mark. Do not try to use to much dubbing in order to have control of the shape and size. The shape is to be oval, so build up the dub in the middle of the abdomen to form the shape, ending back in front of the now formed abdomen. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select a black rooster hackle with barbs about one hook gape in length. Strip the end of the stem of barbs and tie in immediately in front of the abdomen. Shiny side to the front. Wrap in tight, touching turns to where the thorax will begin. Three or four turns. Let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thorax like the abdomen only slightly smaller.
- Form a small thread head, whip finish and done.
- Use your favorite brand of UV resin to cover the abdomen and the thorax.
Harrop’s Flying Ant
HOOK : Tiemco 100 or equivalent size : 12,14,16,18,20
Thread : Uni 8/0 black
Abdomen : Black dubbing
Wing : Mallard Primary
Thorax hackle : Black Rooster
Thorax : Black Hackle
Stabilizers : Moose Mane
Directions :
HOOK : Tiemco 100 or equivalent size : 12,14,16,18,20
Thread : Uni 8/0 black
Abdomen : Black dubbing
Wing : Mallard Primary
Thorax hackle : Black Rooster
Thorax : Black Hackle
Stabilizers : Moose Mane
Directions :
- Debarb the hook and mount in the vise. Begin the thread two eyelengths from the eye and wrap to the hook bend in tight, touching turns. Let the bobbin hang.
- Dub the thread with black dubbing and begin a tapered wrap. Start at the hook bend and advance to slightly ahead of the third mark. Do not try to use to much dubbing in order to have control of the shape and size. The shape is to be oval, so build up the dub in the middle of the abdomen to form the shape, ending back in front of the now formed abdomen. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select a small (1/4) gray mallard section and trim from the quill. The trimmed end should be square cut. Size the length of the wing at the hook and then trim the shape of the length by cutting two diagonals on the end not squared already. Tie in the wing on top of the hook shank using the touch method. Make sure the length is right (slightly past the abdomen) and centered on top of the hook shank. Secure with several thread wraps and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a black rooster hackle with barbs about one hook gape in length. Strip the end of the stem of barbs and tie in immediately in front of the abdomen. Shiny side to the front. Wrap in tight, touching turns to where the thorax will begin. Three or four turns. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select two moose hairs that are stiff for what will be the entire tie in. Moose will become grey after black tips. The tips are stiff with the grey being softer. Tie in with the tips toward the abdomen, on either side of the hook shank, immediately in front of the black hackle. Tie in just that black portion of moose so that the moose extends slightly past the abdomen. Trim waste.
- Dub the thorax like the abdomen only slightly smaller.
- Form a small thread head, whip finish and done.
Fly of the Month 08.16
The ole timers used to fish for trout in the canopied Southern Appalachian mountain streams with a long “dapping rod” typically made of a hickory sapling that was soaked in water then tempered and straighten with heat. Eventually, fly rods made of wood, then split-cane, then metal, then fiberglass and today graphite have replaced the dapping tools of the past. A modern Japanese Tenkara telescoping graphite fly rod is much closer in function to the ole dapping tools.
But this article is not about fly rods but rather the most common insect and fly used with these rods by the ole timers. The ole timer would collect bait and fish the three seasons for subsistence. That bait would consist of “spring lizards” which are salamanders, red worms, corn when in season, beetle grubs and crickets. Of all of these, crickets float and kick for a while on the surface making them the most useful and the most sporting with the dapping tools as the ole timer could watch the certainty of the trout take the cricket on the surface. The ole timer preference for crickets may also result from being easy to find due to their constant chirping. Also, as a side note, apparently one may determine the air temperature by counting the number of cricket chirps in one minute, divide by four and add forty to arrive at the air temperature, no thermometer required.
Cricket
In general, crickets, Gryllidae are nocturnal, exist world-wide only below 55 degrees’ latitude, and many are readily available in the forest where streams have a canopy. Field crickets, Gryllus domesticas are the target insect to imitate in the Southern Appalachians but there are a number of other species of cricket that are black or dark brown and live along streambanks. From late-spring to early-fall and especially during the summer months our mountain streams are warmer and terrestrials become a viable choice to entice trout – ants, beetles, hoppers, caterpillars and certainly crickets should be in the fly box.
In late-summer the streams are beginning to get low and very clear. There are few hatches to be found. To find trout in North Carolina that will respond to these extremes you are either looking for the deeper waters along an undercut bank that is overgrown with vegetation or you are fly fishing remote, highly canopied headwaters where it’s cooler. So what fly do you pull out of the fly box that will most likely attract a trout from the only comfortable place it can find. Almost any terrestrial will likely work but considering what the ole timers depended on, a cricket fly pattern makes a lot of sense. In fact, a cricket fly pattern is a great fly to use three seasons of the year.
The cricket fly pattern is fished as a dry fly, but not in a traditional since. Foremost a cricket fly pattern is a larger, bulky fly that defies a delicate presentation. However, as an exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to make a good, noisy splash just as a natural cricket would do as it falls into a stream. This would normally spook a trout when other hatches are occurring, but during a lack of hatch activity, a trout is typically hiding, feeding along the bottom or just into the shade along an overgrown or overhanging bank. In either case, the splash can invoke the attention of the trout.
The larger, bulky cricket fly pattern will also not float very long before it begins to slowly sink. Normally, when a dry fly begins to sink, it is immediately time to re-apply floatant to make sure you have a long, high drift on the surface. However, as yet another exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to gradually sink just as a natural cricket would do as it drifts downstream. Trout will take a cricket fly pattern on the surface as well as in the upper water column depending on how long the trout takes to follow and move over into a position for the take.
The cricket fly pattern may be tied in a number of sizes, styles and any color as long as it is only black or maybe dark brown. Sizes used on trout streams range from size 16 down to size 10. The styles vary from somewhat simple attractor patterns to very elaborate, almost realistic patterns. Watching Dave Whitlock tie his world famous Dave’s Cricket fly will give you a whole new meaning to fly tying. You have to practice to be able to tie a Dave’s Cricket in less than thirty minutes. But one must consider that the fly is so highly effective that you need a few in the fly box even if you have to purchase them.
Other effective cricket fly patterns which are considered to be somewhat simple include the Letort Cricket, a number of Black Foam Cricket fly patterns and Han’s Cricket Fly. There are many, many more. There is one fly tying book on terrestrial fly patterns that has thirty-one cricket fly pattern recipes.
To fish a Cricket fly, use a larger 3X-4X tippet size to better match the cricket fly size. Use fluorocarbon which is more transparent in water than mono such that a larger size is less noticeable. A cricket fly is presented in the same manner as a dry fly except the sheer weight of the fly will plop the surface with a good splash that demands the attention of any trout nearby. Cast upstream and across for a drift much in the same manner as fly fishing a traditional dry fly. The larger, bulky cricket fly will take some adjustment in the pause time on the back cast as it drops quickly. Drift the cricket fly down each feeding seam as well as very, very close to the stream bank, literally under the overgrowth if possible. Let the Cricket fly sink for a few feet further downstream just in case a trout is following or even waiting for the cricket to get close for the take.
This is a “go to” fly for the “dog days of summer” and is effective on canopied waters from late-spring to early-fall in North Carolina. If you are an ole timer, then we are “preaching to the choir.”
The ole timers used to fish for trout in the canopied Southern Appalachian mountain streams with a long “dapping rod” typically made of a hickory sapling that was soaked in water then tempered and straighten with heat. Eventually, fly rods made of wood, then split-cane, then metal, then fiberglass and today graphite have replaced the dapping tools of the past. A modern Japanese Tenkara telescoping graphite fly rod is much closer in function to the ole dapping tools.
But this article is not about fly rods but rather the most common insect and fly used with these rods by the ole timers. The ole timer would collect bait and fish the three seasons for subsistence. That bait would consist of “spring lizards” which are salamanders, red worms, corn when in season, beetle grubs and crickets. Of all of these, crickets float and kick for a while on the surface making them the most useful and the most sporting with the dapping tools as the ole timer could watch the certainty of the trout take the cricket on the surface. The ole timer preference for crickets may also result from being easy to find due to their constant chirping. Also, as a side note, apparently one may determine the air temperature by counting the number of cricket chirps in one minute, divide by four and add forty to arrive at the air temperature, no thermometer required.
Cricket
In general, crickets, Gryllidae are nocturnal, exist world-wide only below 55 degrees’ latitude, and many are readily available in the forest where streams have a canopy. Field crickets, Gryllus domesticas are the target insect to imitate in the Southern Appalachians but there are a number of other species of cricket that are black or dark brown and live along streambanks. From late-spring to early-fall and especially during the summer months our mountain streams are warmer and terrestrials become a viable choice to entice trout – ants, beetles, hoppers, caterpillars and certainly crickets should be in the fly box.
In late-summer the streams are beginning to get low and very clear. There are few hatches to be found. To find trout in North Carolina that will respond to these extremes you are either looking for the deeper waters along an undercut bank that is overgrown with vegetation or you are fly fishing remote, highly canopied headwaters where it’s cooler. So what fly do you pull out of the fly box that will most likely attract a trout from the only comfortable place it can find. Almost any terrestrial will likely work but considering what the ole timers depended on, a cricket fly pattern makes a lot of sense. In fact, a cricket fly pattern is a great fly to use three seasons of the year.
The cricket fly pattern is fished as a dry fly, but not in a traditional since. Foremost a cricket fly pattern is a larger, bulky fly that defies a delicate presentation. However, as an exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to make a good, noisy splash just as a natural cricket would do as it falls into a stream. This would normally spook a trout when other hatches are occurring, but during a lack of hatch activity, a trout is typically hiding, feeding along the bottom or just into the shade along an overgrown or overhanging bank. In either case, the splash can invoke the attention of the trout.
The larger, bulky cricket fly pattern will also not float very long before it begins to slowly sink. Normally, when a dry fly begins to sink, it is immediately time to re-apply floatant to make sure you have a long, high drift on the surface. However, as yet another exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to gradually sink just as a natural cricket would do as it drifts downstream. Trout will take a cricket fly pattern on the surface as well as in the upper water column depending on how long the trout takes to follow and move over into a position for the take.
The cricket fly pattern may be tied in a number of sizes, styles and any color as long as it is only black or maybe dark brown. Sizes used on trout streams range from size 16 down to size 10. The styles vary from somewhat simple attractor patterns to very elaborate, almost realistic patterns. Watching Dave Whitlock tie his world famous Dave’s Cricket fly will give you a whole new meaning to fly tying. You have to practice to be able to tie a Dave’s Cricket in less than thirty minutes. But one must consider that the fly is so highly effective that you need a few in the fly box even if you have to purchase them.
Other effective cricket fly patterns which are considered to be somewhat simple include the Letort Cricket, a number of Black Foam Cricket fly patterns and Han’s Cricket Fly. There are many, many more. There is one fly tying book on terrestrial fly patterns that has thirty-one cricket fly pattern recipes.
To fish a Cricket fly, use a larger 3X-4X tippet size to better match the cricket fly size. Use fluorocarbon which is more transparent in water than mono such that a larger size is less noticeable. A cricket fly is presented in the same manner as a dry fly except the sheer weight of the fly will plop the surface with a good splash that demands the attention of any trout nearby. Cast upstream and across for a drift much in the same manner as fly fishing a traditional dry fly. The larger, bulky cricket fly will take some adjustment in the pause time on the back cast as it drops quickly. Drift the cricket fly down each feeding seam as well as very, very close to the stream bank, literally under the overgrowth if possible. Let the Cricket fly sink for a few feet further downstream just in case a trout is following or even waiting for the cricket to get close for the take.
This is a “go to” fly for the “dog days of summer” and is effective on canopied waters from late-spring to early-fall in North Carolina. If you are an ole timer, then we are “preaching to the choir.”
Fly of the Month
We continue with Part Two of Damsel Fly. Our general research indicates that the nymph stage of the damselfly is readily available year-round in stillwater pools in our Delayed Harvest waters. The hatch process for damselflies begins at 60 degrees, so imitating an adult is mostly doable during seasonally warm days. However, imitating the damsel nymph may be productive year-round.
Damsel Fly – Part Two – Nymphs
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata which consists of Anisoptera, the dragonflies and Zygoptera, the damselflies. There are dozens of species of damselfly in North Carolina. Damsel nymphs regardless of species are dark olive, olive, olive-brown, brown or dark brown. Damsel nymphs are 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches in size (size 10 to 18 1xLong nymph hook) and relatively the same shape regardless of species. Tying an olive and a brown damsel nymph fly pattern in an average size will cover the gambit of possibilities in a given pool.
A distinctive element in tying a damsel nymph fly pattern is the addition of small eyes, typically using mono-eyes. Most nymphs have pin-point eyes which are not pronounced enough to give need to imitate
One very important key to determining when to use the damsel nymph is vegetation. If the pool does not have perimeter vegetation or woody debris, it is less likely there are damsel nymphs in the pool. The damselfly is predatory, eating other insects. The emergence occurs on vegetation, rocks or soil, so there is no need for an emerger fly pattern as it would be of no value to the angler.
To fly fish the damsel nymph, the nymph should slowly sink to the bottom near vegetation and remaining place without movement for a brief period. Then, apply very slight jerks that barely move the nymph on the bottom of the pool. If available practice in a pond first and apply great patience.
We continue with Part Two of Damsel Fly. Our general research indicates that the nymph stage of the damselfly is readily available year-round in stillwater pools in our Delayed Harvest waters. The hatch process for damselflies begins at 60 degrees, so imitating an adult is mostly doable during seasonally warm days. However, imitating the damsel nymph may be productive year-round.
Damsel Fly – Part Two – Nymphs
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata which consists of Anisoptera, the dragonflies and Zygoptera, the damselflies. There are dozens of species of damselfly in North Carolina. Damsel nymphs regardless of species are dark olive, olive, olive-brown, brown or dark brown. Damsel nymphs are 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches in size (size 10 to 18 1xLong nymph hook) and relatively the same shape regardless of species. Tying an olive and a brown damsel nymph fly pattern in an average size will cover the gambit of possibilities in a given pool.
A distinctive element in tying a damsel nymph fly pattern is the addition of small eyes, typically using mono-eyes. Most nymphs have pin-point eyes which are not pronounced enough to give need to imitate
One very important key to determining when to use the damsel nymph is vegetation. If the pool does not have perimeter vegetation or woody debris, it is less likely there are damsel nymphs in the pool. The damselfly is predatory, eating other insects. The emergence occurs on vegetation, rocks or soil, so there is no need for an emerger fly pattern as it would be of no value to the angler.
To fly fish the damsel nymph, the nymph should slowly sink to the bottom near vegetation and remaining place without movement for a brief period. Then, apply very slight jerks that barely move the nymph on the bottom of the pool. If available practice in a pond first and apply great patience.
Dragonfly Nymph
Damselfly Nymph
Ants
Fly of the month 06.11 Parachute Ant
This “fly of the month” represents the latest in the Tim Wilhelm/Tom Adams series.
When I joined the chapter and started fly fishing, there were two individuals that took me under their wing and helped me learn, Denny Burries and Joe Summer. Both were excellent fly tiers and whenever the opportunity arose that I could “borrow” from one of them, I didn’t hesitate.
Such an occasion presented itself during a trip the three of us took to fish the fabled waters of Pennsylvania. We were on Big Springs and in the area where we were fishing, the far bank was reinforced with logs. Above the logs was a weedy area that sloped back in to a field. Joe was catching fish left and right and I wasn’t so I asked him what he had tied on. Joe told me a Cinnamon Ant. Joe would bounce his ant off the logs and into the water where the current took his offering down the length of the logs. He hadn’t used any floatant on the ant and sometimes it would slip below the surface where it was just as effective as when it remained on top.
I didn’t have an ant in my fly box so I immediately recognized this as an opportunity. “Joe, you wouldn’t have extra ant would ya?” “Sure!” he said with a sly grin as he produced a fly box I hadn’t seen before. Inside were some of the prettiest flies I had seen and there in the middle was the perfect Cinnamon Ant. I hastily took the fly before Joe had a chance to return the box to his vest and scurried downstream ten yards to tie on my prize.
After about 20 minutes Joe called down to me “Why aren’t you fishing? You are missing the best time.”
“Having a little trouble tying on this fly” I replied.
“Can’t seem to get the tippet through the eye.” Ten minutes later, I still hadn’t tied the fly on when I looked over at Joe and Denny and they were on the bank laughing hysterically. In an instant I knew I had been had. Besides being superb anglers, Joe and Denny were also known as accomplished pranksters. Seems the two of them had hatched a plan to deal with my habit of mooching flies and Joe had prepared a special batch of flies intended solely for my use. Just the proper amount of head cement had been strategically placed by Joe in the eye of each of those flies. I got even, but that is a story for another day.
Fly of the Month 06.11 Parachute Ant
Hook: Dry Fly, standard length, Tiemco 100 or equivalent, Size: 14, 16
Thread: 8/0 Uni Black
Body: Black Superfine or equivalent dubbing
Wing: T flat Turkey, white or bright color
Hackle: Black Rooster
Directions:
1) Begin tread wrap three eyelengths back from eye and wrap to the bend behind the point of the hook but before the curve of the bend
2) Dub the thread, somewhat heavily with black dubbing and begin wrapping the abdomen using tight turns to about one half the length of the hook. Repeat the dubbing and build a “fat”middle of the abdomen and take the thread to the middle of the hook at the forward edge of the dub and let the bobbin hang.
3) Select a white turkey flat and snip the center and most square section for the wing post. The length should be about the same as the hook shank. Tie in forward of the dubbed abdomen by laying the turkey on top of the hook with the tips toward the eye. Make several secure wraps and bring the thread forward of the tips and by pulling back toward the bend, the tips will stand up. Make several wraps in front of the post. Trim the excess length. Holding the turkey by the tip, make several close turns of thread up and down to stiffen the post and tighten the turkey.
4) Select a black hackle, strip the end about one eighth of an inch and tie in at the post. The hackle will tie in behind the post and bring the thread immediately forward of the post and let the bobbin hang.
5) Repeat the dubbing as above but make the thorax about one third to one half smaller than the abdomen. When you are satisfied with the thorax bring the thread to behind the thorax but in front of the post and let the bobbin hang
6) Grasp the hackle by the tip and wrap the bare stem up the post and then begin wrapping the hackle in tight, descending wraps down. Two or three turns should suffice (more turns for rougher waters) and secure with one or two wraps of thread. The thread should be “worked” into the hackle to minimize bunching of unwanted barbs. Grasp the hackle forward of the post with your left hand and pull back to finish securing the hackle. Using a small (tiny) amount of dub thread advance the thread to the eye.
7. Make a small head with thread wrap, cement to finish.
There are a good many ant fly patterns that include Cinnamon Parachute Ant, Red Parachute Ant, Brown Parachute Ant, Brown Ant wet, Cinnamon Ant wet, Red Ant wet and Black Ant wet.
- Tom Adams, Tim Wilhelm
This “fly of the month” represents the latest in the Tim Wilhelm/Tom Adams series.
When I joined the chapter and started fly fishing, there were two individuals that took me under their wing and helped me learn, Denny Burries and Joe Summer. Both were excellent fly tiers and whenever the opportunity arose that I could “borrow” from one of them, I didn’t hesitate.
Such an occasion presented itself during a trip the three of us took to fish the fabled waters of Pennsylvania. We were on Big Springs and in the area where we were fishing, the far bank was reinforced with logs. Above the logs was a weedy area that sloped back in to a field. Joe was catching fish left and right and I wasn’t so I asked him what he had tied on. Joe told me a Cinnamon Ant. Joe would bounce his ant off the logs and into the water where the current took his offering down the length of the logs. He hadn’t used any floatant on the ant and sometimes it would slip below the surface where it was just as effective as when it remained on top.
I didn’t have an ant in my fly box so I immediately recognized this as an opportunity. “Joe, you wouldn’t have extra ant would ya?” “Sure!” he said with a sly grin as he produced a fly box I hadn’t seen before. Inside were some of the prettiest flies I had seen and there in the middle was the perfect Cinnamon Ant. I hastily took the fly before Joe had a chance to return the box to his vest and scurried downstream ten yards to tie on my prize.
After about 20 minutes Joe called down to me “Why aren’t you fishing? You are missing the best time.”
“Having a little trouble tying on this fly” I replied.
“Can’t seem to get the tippet through the eye.” Ten minutes later, I still hadn’t tied the fly on when I looked over at Joe and Denny and they were on the bank laughing hysterically. In an instant I knew I had been had. Besides being superb anglers, Joe and Denny were also known as accomplished pranksters. Seems the two of them had hatched a plan to deal with my habit of mooching flies and Joe had prepared a special batch of flies intended solely for my use. Just the proper amount of head cement had been strategically placed by Joe in the eye of each of those flies. I got even, but that is a story for another day.
Fly of the Month 06.11 Parachute Ant
Hook: Dry Fly, standard length, Tiemco 100 or equivalent, Size: 14, 16
Thread: 8/0 Uni Black
Body: Black Superfine or equivalent dubbing
Wing: T flat Turkey, white or bright color
Hackle: Black Rooster
Directions:
1) Begin tread wrap three eyelengths back from eye and wrap to the bend behind the point of the hook but before the curve of the bend
2) Dub the thread, somewhat heavily with black dubbing and begin wrapping the abdomen using tight turns to about one half the length of the hook. Repeat the dubbing and build a “fat”middle of the abdomen and take the thread to the middle of the hook at the forward edge of the dub and let the bobbin hang.
3) Select a white turkey flat and snip the center and most square section for the wing post. The length should be about the same as the hook shank. Tie in forward of the dubbed abdomen by laying the turkey on top of the hook with the tips toward the eye. Make several secure wraps and bring the thread forward of the tips and by pulling back toward the bend, the tips will stand up. Make several wraps in front of the post. Trim the excess length. Holding the turkey by the tip, make several close turns of thread up and down to stiffen the post and tighten the turkey.
4) Select a black hackle, strip the end about one eighth of an inch and tie in at the post. The hackle will tie in behind the post and bring the thread immediately forward of the post and let the bobbin hang.
5) Repeat the dubbing as above but make the thorax about one third to one half smaller than the abdomen. When you are satisfied with the thorax bring the thread to behind the thorax but in front of the post and let the bobbin hang
6) Grasp the hackle by the tip and wrap the bare stem up the post and then begin wrapping the hackle in tight, descending wraps down. Two or three turns should suffice (more turns for rougher waters) and secure with one or two wraps of thread. The thread should be “worked” into the hackle to minimize bunching of unwanted barbs. Grasp the hackle forward of the post with your left hand and pull back to finish securing the hackle. Using a small (tiny) amount of dub thread advance the thread to the eye.
7. Make a small head with thread wrap, cement to finish.
There are a good many ant fly patterns that include Cinnamon Parachute Ant, Red Parachute Ant, Brown Parachute Ant, Brown Ant wet, Cinnamon Ant wet, Red Ant wet and Black Ant wet.
- Tom Adams, Tim Wilhelm
Beetles
Fly of the Month 05.13 Japanese Beetle
In May, the aquatic insect hatch is at it’s peak and you should already have a good supply of mayfly, caddis and stonefly dry fly patterns in full use. At least through mid-June, duns and caddis dry fly patterns are a must. However, at this point in your tying schedule you need to be getting ready for the summer months and tying flies that will serve you well from June through September. One of the insects that dominates the Southern Appalachians is the invasive Japanese Beetle. Like it or not, the Japanese Beetle is now a long-time permanent resident and is highly successful because it has few natural enemies here in the United States. That’s bad news for flowering plants as this beetle can deleaf a small shrub in a matter of a few weeks. The plants look terrible yet they do seem to survive the ordeal.
Japanese Beetle
The good news is that Japanese Beetles are available in huge numbers anywhere flowering plants are near the stream. This beetle, like most beetles is clumsy in flight and landing. This beetle very often ends up in the stream rather than on the plant when it tries to fly around. Also, windy days reak havock for the Japanese Beetle in flight. So, for the angler, the Japanese Beetle is an ideal insect to imitate. Even before the terrestrial season, the Japanese Beetle is working the flowing plants and falling in the stream. It’s as if you encounter a beetle hatch. This beetle is found throughout the Southern Appalachians and available for a longer period than most other native beetles. With few natural enemies, the numbers are often of a scale that trout seem to readily identify and pounce on the Japanese Beetle whenever they fall into the stream.
Although the Japanese Beetle is a more recent addition to the food supply for our trout, the Japanese Beetle fly patterns may be found in most fly shops and produced by all major fly pattern suppliers world-wide. The local tradition of using the Japanese Beetle can be traced back 30-40 years in the Southern Appalachians. One of the first successful fly pattern imitations is Roger Lowes’ Japanese Beetle.
This is a fairly easy fly pattern with a simple materials list. Peacock sword herl provides a near perfect color and texture for the body. Japanese Beetles generally are found in huge numbers with all of them the same size 14 or maybe size 16 depending on the brand of hook utlized.
To fish the Japanese Beetle, the presentation needs to be a kur-plunk! Beetles fall off plants, beetles fall out of flight. Beetles are bulky and make an announced splash that a trout will recognize even from a distance. That kur-plunk sound travels quickly and loudly in water.
When fly fishing any bulky terrestrial, the kur-plunk is followed by a natural drift with gentle twitching that gives the impression of a stuggle. Since the beetle is bulky, all a natural beetle can do is create some movement with it’s legs. The wings are rendered somewhat motionless due to the bulky wing covers that normally shield the wings when fully folded and put away.
A beetle eventually sinks over a distance as their bulkiness is heavier than water, thus if the dry fly Japanese Beetle pattern sinks along the drift, let it sink! However, let it continue to sink without any drag until you have completed your full drift downstream and ready to retrieve the fly for another pass. After several drifts you will need to re-apply floatant to achieve an initial float prior to each sink.
On thing to keep in mind, trout in the Southern Appalachians are opportunistic and will likely hit a Japanese Beetle fly pattern from June to September even if there is no evidence of a flowering plant nearby with Japanese Beetles falling into the water. The Japanese Beetle is a great
terrestrial pattern to begin the summertime terrestrial fly fishing early and often. Also note, the Hot Creek Special we presented last month is of a similar color due to the peacock herl and it is designed to attract trout on the hottest days of the year. No wonder the Japanese Beetle fly pattern works so well.
Fly of the Month 05.13 Japanese Beetle
(Japanese Beetle per Roger Lowe)
Hook: Wet Fly, Tiemco 5212 or equivalent, Size: 10, 12, 14, 16,
Thread: 8/0 Uni or equivalent in Rusty Brown
Body: Peacock Herl
Abdomen Case and Thorax Shield: Swiss Straw in Brown and Olive, respectively
Legs: Peacock Herl
Directions:
1) Debarb, mount the hook and tie in the thread three eyelengths from the eye. Wrap in tight, touching wraps to above where the barb was and move with tight wraps to the two thirds mark (toward the eye). Let the bobbin hang.
2) Cut a three inch piece of brown Swiss straw and trim one end to a point. Tie in by the point at about the two thirds mark to cover the abdomen. By lifting the straw as you tie toward the hook bend you can maintain its position on top of the hook shank. Wrap to the barb location and push the straw away, toward the hook bend. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select four to six herl strands and tie in just in front of the straw. This time, tie the herl in at their base, instead of the tips. This will be stronger and bulkier for the body segments. After securing and advancing the thread in firm wraps to the two thirds mark, let the bobbin hang. Grasp the herl and spin into a rope. Wrap the herl rope forward and back and then forward again to from the abdomen. The shape should be pretty bulky. This is a beetle, not a mayfly. Secure the herl with thread and trim away the excess and tidy up the ends. Let the bobbin hang in front of the abdomen.
4) Take the straw with your fingers and bring forward, pulling deliberately while maintaining the position on top of the hook shank. Use the thread to bind in the straw immediately and tight to the herl abdomen. Secure with several wraps and position it to within a few turns of the eye (do not crowd the eye). By wrapping the brown straw on top of the shank you have added some bulk and kept the thickness of the material on the hook even. Trim the waste and bring the thread back to between the abdomen and thorax.
5) Cut a three in piece of olive Swiss straw and tie in tight to the abdomen, keeping the material on top of the hook shank. Trim away excess.
6) Select a peacock herl and fold in half. Tie in immediately forward of the abdomen. They should form sort of an "X" look.
7. Select three or four peacock herls and tie in like you did for the abdomen. Make a rope and wrap. Do not crowd the eye.
8. Bring the straw forward over the legs and thorax to form the shield. Tie in, trim the waste and form a thread head.
9. Whip finish and cement.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
In May, the aquatic insect hatch is at it’s peak and you should already have a good supply of mayfly, caddis and stonefly dry fly patterns in full use. At least through mid-June, duns and caddis dry fly patterns are a must. However, at this point in your tying schedule you need to be getting ready for the summer months and tying flies that will serve you well from June through September. One of the insects that dominates the Southern Appalachians is the invasive Japanese Beetle. Like it or not, the Japanese Beetle is now a long-time permanent resident and is highly successful because it has few natural enemies here in the United States. That’s bad news for flowering plants as this beetle can deleaf a small shrub in a matter of a few weeks. The plants look terrible yet they do seem to survive the ordeal.
Japanese Beetle
The good news is that Japanese Beetles are available in huge numbers anywhere flowering plants are near the stream. This beetle, like most beetles is clumsy in flight and landing. This beetle very often ends up in the stream rather than on the plant when it tries to fly around. Also, windy days reak havock for the Japanese Beetle in flight. So, for the angler, the Japanese Beetle is an ideal insect to imitate. Even before the terrestrial season, the Japanese Beetle is working the flowing plants and falling in the stream. It’s as if you encounter a beetle hatch. This beetle is found throughout the Southern Appalachians and available for a longer period than most other native beetles. With few natural enemies, the numbers are often of a scale that trout seem to readily identify and pounce on the Japanese Beetle whenever they fall into the stream.
Although the Japanese Beetle is a more recent addition to the food supply for our trout, the Japanese Beetle fly patterns may be found in most fly shops and produced by all major fly pattern suppliers world-wide. The local tradition of using the Japanese Beetle can be traced back 30-40 years in the Southern Appalachians. One of the first successful fly pattern imitations is Roger Lowes’ Japanese Beetle.
This is a fairly easy fly pattern with a simple materials list. Peacock sword herl provides a near perfect color and texture for the body. Japanese Beetles generally are found in huge numbers with all of them the same size 14 or maybe size 16 depending on the brand of hook utlized.
To fish the Japanese Beetle, the presentation needs to be a kur-plunk! Beetles fall off plants, beetles fall out of flight. Beetles are bulky and make an announced splash that a trout will recognize even from a distance. That kur-plunk sound travels quickly and loudly in water.
When fly fishing any bulky terrestrial, the kur-plunk is followed by a natural drift with gentle twitching that gives the impression of a stuggle. Since the beetle is bulky, all a natural beetle can do is create some movement with it’s legs. The wings are rendered somewhat motionless due to the bulky wing covers that normally shield the wings when fully folded and put away.
A beetle eventually sinks over a distance as their bulkiness is heavier than water, thus if the dry fly Japanese Beetle pattern sinks along the drift, let it sink! However, let it continue to sink without any drag until you have completed your full drift downstream and ready to retrieve the fly for another pass. After several drifts you will need to re-apply floatant to achieve an initial float prior to each sink.
On thing to keep in mind, trout in the Southern Appalachians are opportunistic and will likely hit a Japanese Beetle fly pattern from June to September even if there is no evidence of a flowering plant nearby with Japanese Beetles falling into the water. The Japanese Beetle is a great
terrestrial pattern to begin the summertime terrestrial fly fishing early and often. Also note, the Hot Creek Special we presented last month is of a similar color due to the peacock herl and it is designed to attract trout on the hottest days of the year. No wonder the Japanese Beetle fly pattern works so well.
Fly of the Month 05.13 Japanese Beetle
(Japanese Beetle per Roger Lowe)
Hook: Wet Fly, Tiemco 5212 or equivalent, Size: 10, 12, 14, 16,
Thread: 8/0 Uni or equivalent in Rusty Brown
Body: Peacock Herl
Abdomen Case and Thorax Shield: Swiss Straw in Brown and Olive, respectively
Legs: Peacock Herl
Directions:
1) Debarb, mount the hook and tie in the thread three eyelengths from the eye. Wrap in tight, touching wraps to above where the barb was and move with tight wraps to the two thirds mark (toward the eye). Let the bobbin hang.
2) Cut a three inch piece of brown Swiss straw and trim one end to a point. Tie in by the point at about the two thirds mark to cover the abdomen. By lifting the straw as you tie toward the hook bend you can maintain its position on top of the hook shank. Wrap to the barb location and push the straw away, toward the hook bend. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select four to six herl strands and tie in just in front of the straw. This time, tie the herl in at their base, instead of the tips. This will be stronger and bulkier for the body segments. After securing and advancing the thread in firm wraps to the two thirds mark, let the bobbin hang. Grasp the herl and spin into a rope. Wrap the herl rope forward and back and then forward again to from the abdomen. The shape should be pretty bulky. This is a beetle, not a mayfly. Secure the herl with thread and trim away the excess and tidy up the ends. Let the bobbin hang in front of the abdomen.
4) Take the straw with your fingers and bring forward, pulling deliberately while maintaining the position on top of the hook shank. Use the thread to bind in the straw immediately and tight to the herl abdomen. Secure with several wraps and position it to within a few turns of the eye (do not crowd the eye). By wrapping the brown straw on top of the shank you have added some bulk and kept the thickness of the material on the hook even. Trim the waste and bring the thread back to between the abdomen and thorax.
5) Cut a three in piece of olive Swiss straw and tie in tight to the abdomen, keeping the material on top of the hook shank. Trim away excess.
6) Select a peacock herl and fold in half. Tie in immediately forward of the abdomen. They should form sort of an "X" look.
7. Select three or four peacock herls and tie in like you did for the abdomen. Make a rope and wrap. Do not crowd the eye.
8. Bring the straw forward over the legs and thorax to form the shield. Tie in, trim the waste and form a thread head.
9. Whip finish and cement.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Hoppers
Fly of the Month 08.12 Hopper Juan
It is hot. The streams are beginning to get low and very clear. There are no hatches to be found. To find trout in North Carolina that will respond to these extremes you are either fly fishing remote, highly canopied headwaters where it’s cooler or you are on a larger stream looking for the deeper waters along an undercut bank that is overgrown with vegetation. So what fly do you pull out of the fly box that will most likely attract a trout from the only comfortable place it can find.
Grasshopper
The Grasshopper is fished as a dry fly, but not in a traditional since. Foremost a grasshopper is a larger, bulky fly that defies a delicate presentation. However, as an exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to make a good, noisy splash just as a natural grasshopper would do as it falls into a stream. This would normal spook a trout in the spring or fall, but during the hot days of summer, a trout is typically hiding or feeding along the bottom or just into the shade along an overgrown or overhanging bank. In either case, the splash can invoke the attention of the trout.
The larger, bulky Grasshopper will also not float very long before it begins to slowly sink. Normally, when a dry fly begins to sink, it is immediately time to re-apply floatant to make sure you have a long, high drift on the surface. However as yet another exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to gradually sink just as a natural grasshopper would do as it drifts downstream. Trout will take a Grasshopper on the surface as well as in the upper water column depending on how long the trout takes to follow and move over into a position for the take. Once the Grasshopper fails to initially float on the surface, you should re-apply floatant to assure some surface drift, and then work through a few passes again.
The Grasshopper may be tied in a number of sizes, styles and colors. Sizes used on trout streams range from size 14 down to size 6. The styles vary from somewhat simple attractor patterns to very elaborate, almost realistic patterns. Watching Dave Whitlock tie his world famous Dave’s Hopper fly will give you a whole new meaning to fly tying. I had to practice to be able to tie a Dave’s Hopper in less than 30 minutes. But one must consider that the fly is so highly effective that you need a few in the fly box even if you have to purchase them.
Grasshopper patterns on the market are typically unique in style and sold simply by size with a few patterns that may come in an alternate color. For example, Dave’s Hopper, Joe’s Hopper and a few other patterns is tied with a yellow body or a green body. Sometimes the green body can also represent a katydid as there are only a few Katydid patterns. A black or brown pattern is typically a Cricket as there are a good number of patterns that parallel specific hopper styles such as the Letort Hopper and the Letort Cricket. Over the years I have purchased many different hopper patterns and have literally collected the various styles. I have three full boxes, each with 18 slots and each slot with a different hopper pattern. I am sure there are many more I have not encountered.
To fish the Grasshopper, use a larger 2X-4X tippet size to better match the Grasshopper size. I use fluorocarbon which is more transparent in water than mono such that a larger size is less noticeable. Cast upstream and across for a drift much in the same manner as fly fishing a traditional dry fly. The larger, bulky Grasshopper will take some adjustment in the pause time on the back cast as it drops quickly. The Grasshopper is presented in the same manner as a dry fly except the shear weight of the fly will plop the surface with a good splash that demands the attention of any trout nearby. Drift the hopper down each feeding seam as well as very, very close to the stream bank, literally under the overgrowth if possible. Let the hopper sink for a few feet further downstream just in case a trout is following or even waiting for the hopper to get close for the take.
My most memorable experience using a Grasshopper is a day in Yellowstone National Park on Gibbon River in 1988. The Gibbon River is a fast flowing, freestone stream down to Gibbon Falls, then the streams meanders through Gibbon Meadows until it flows into Firehole River. The stream through the meadow flows through overhanging wild grass on both sides, ideal hopper country throughout. My first cast that did not hang up in the grass drifted only a few seconds before a huge fifteen inch brown chomped my Yellowstone Hopper and headed down stream like a freight train. I recall catching the most browns ever in a single day on several different hopper patterns. This is a fly for the dog days of summer in North Carolina.
Fly of the Month 8.12 Hopper Juan
Hook: Streamer, 3x to 4x, Tiemco 5263 or equivalent, Size: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Thread: UTC 140 in color to match
Body: 1.5mm Closed Cell Foam two colors of choice
Wing: Plain Web Wing material (MFC)
Note: There are numerous foam patterns available. This is a straightforward yet handsome grasshopper imitation with great visibility, good support for droppers, durable and easy to tie. There are also other photo illustrations for classic variants of hopper patterns. They are time proven and quite honestly not a difficult tie. Try them all!
Directions:
1) Cut the two foam pieces to size for the hook of choice. You may cut the pieces with scissors or craft knife. Make sure if you cut them without a manufacturers cutter, you allow sufficient length. The foam should extend past the hook eye and the bend by one hook gape for each position. Rounding the front is not necessary and I trimmed the tails after tying in everything else. In use, for the patterns shown, are MFC Hopper/Stonefly cutters. These are available from most fly shops and come as a set or individual based on hook size. Closed cell color foam is available in fly shops or craft stores. The fly shops will have the best assortment of the correct colors, but either will do. Vary color patterns to suit the time of year and location where you are fishing.
2) Choose the bottom color of foam and skewer with the hook point allowing a segment to protrude beyond the hook bend. There will be sufficient length to extend beyond the hook eye. Slide the skewered foam into position such that it is under the hook shank. Rotate the foam out of the way and wrap the tying thread on, beginning two eyelengths from the hook eye. Spin the thread counter clockwise, flattening the thread and wrap in, in tight, overlapping wraps to above the hook barb. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Return the foam, laterally along the hook shank and after aligning take the bobbin and make the first wrap to bind the foam to the hook. Apply the thread in a very vertical and perpendicular (to the hook shank) wraps, fashion and secure with no more than three turns, one on top of the other. Let the bobbin hang.
4) Select the other piece of foam and match the tail ends. Holding the two pieces with your left hand, wrap the thread in the exact place as the bottom section. Once your are happy with the position make two more, tight wraps maintaining that single line of thread, and secure the top to the bottom.
5. Advance the thread to the next bottom segment (pushing the top foam section out of the way) location. The distance of the segment should be the next third of the hook shank. Wrap one or two soft wraps to assure you like the position, then no more than two firm wraps to secure. You will notice that a concave dimple has occurred between the two segments of the bottom. Place a small drop of CA (Zap-A-Gap style) cement in the dimple and place the upper section of foam in alignment and make one soft thread wrap for position and then two firm thread wraps to finish that segment.
6) Advance the thread to the next position, one third of the remaining space to the hook eye. Pull the bottom segment up to the bottom of the hook shank and make one or two soft wraps to verify that you like the position. Wrap tight with two turns and apply the cement.
7) Bring the top piece of foam down and secure with one or two soft wraps. When you are happy with the placement secure with two firm wraps. Advance the thread to half the distance to the eye hook and secure the bottom piece of foam. Before bringing down the top piece trim the bottom foam so that the eye is free.
8) Add the cement and bring the top foam down as you did above. There will be a section of foam protruding past the eye that remains untrimmed at this point. Bring the thread across the top of the first segment (closest to the eye) with one movement making a forty five degree line across the top of the top piece of foam. Let the bobbin hang.
9) Cut the wing material in a similar manner to the body, but taper it slightly so that it is more narrow towards the eye. Tie in at the first segment (closest to the eye) using one light wrap for position and one firm wrap to secure. You do not want any build up of thread at this point. Make sure your wraps remain directly on top of one another. Let the bobbin hang.
10) Select four or five strands of sparkle and tie in with two wraps on top of the wing. These will trim slightly longer than the wing. Let the bobbin hang.
11) Select a portion of elk hair and after cutting, cleaning and stacking tie in on top so that the evenly matched tips are rearward and slightly longer than the length of the abdomen. When tying the hair wing in use the pinch method for placement and make two firm but not tight wraps. Using your left hand keep the hair on top and tight as a unit while you add two more turns of thread but with a lot more pressure than before. You want the wing to lift but not stand straight up. Trim the excess directly in front of the tie in. You will notice after securing the hair wing has shortened somewhat so that it does not protrude past the wing. Let the bobbin hang.
12) Use your right hand to bring the top piece of foam back to the hair wing and secure with two firm wraps. Trim the excess foam and let the bobbin hang.
13) At this point if you so choose you can add a bright or white piece of Antron to act as an indicator. Just tie in a small piece with two wraps and trim to the height you prefer.
14) Choose two pieces of round rubber striped or unstriped legs. Place one at the tie point and make one soft wrap to hold it in place. Repeat on the other side and make two firm wraps to secure them.
There are many, many hopper fly patterns including Hopper Juan Green, Hopper Juan Red Orange, Hopper Juan Red Tan, Joe’s Hopper, Madam X Olive Hopper, Madam X Hopper and Letort Hopper.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
It is hot. The streams are beginning to get low and very clear. There are no hatches to be found. To find trout in North Carolina that will respond to these extremes you are either fly fishing remote, highly canopied headwaters where it’s cooler or you are on a larger stream looking for the deeper waters along an undercut bank that is overgrown with vegetation. So what fly do you pull out of the fly box that will most likely attract a trout from the only comfortable place it can find.
Grasshopper
The Grasshopper is fished as a dry fly, but not in a traditional since. Foremost a grasshopper is a larger, bulky fly that defies a delicate presentation. However, as an exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to make a good, noisy splash just as a natural grasshopper would do as it falls into a stream. This would normal spook a trout in the spring or fall, but during the hot days of summer, a trout is typically hiding or feeding along the bottom or just into the shade along an overgrown or overhanging bank. In either case, the splash can invoke the attention of the trout.
The larger, bulky Grasshopper will also not float very long before it begins to slowly sink. Normally, when a dry fly begins to sink, it is immediately time to re-apply floatant to make sure you have a long, high drift on the surface. However as yet another exception to dry fly fishing, you really want your presentation to gradually sink just as a natural grasshopper would do as it drifts downstream. Trout will take a Grasshopper on the surface as well as in the upper water column depending on how long the trout takes to follow and move over into a position for the take. Once the Grasshopper fails to initially float on the surface, you should re-apply floatant to assure some surface drift, and then work through a few passes again.
The Grasshopper may be tied in a number of sizes, styles and colors. Sizes used on trout streams range from size 14 down to size 6. The styles vary from somewhat simple attractor patterns to very elaborate, almost realistic patterns. Watching Dave Whitlock tie his world famous Dave’s Hopper fly will give you a whole new meaning to fly tying. I had to practice to be able to tie a Dave’s Hopper in less than 30 minutes. But one must consider that the fly is so highly effective that you need a few in the fly box even if you have to purchase them.
Grasshopper patterns on the market are typically unique in style and sold simply by size with a few patterns that may come in an alternate color. For example, Dave’s Hopper, Joe’s Hopper and a few other patterns is tied with a yellow body or a green body. Sometimes the green body can also represent a katydid as there are only a few Katydid patterns. A black or brown pattern is typically a Cricket as there are a good number of patterns that parallel specific hopper styles such as the Letort Hopper and the Letort Cricket. Over the years I have purchased many different hopper patterns and have literally collected the various styles. I have three full boxes, each with 18 slots and each slot with a different hopper pattern. I am sure there are many more I have not encountered.
To fish the Grasshopper, use a larger 2X-4X tippet size to better match the Grasshopper size. I use fluorocarbon which is more transparent in water than mono such that a larger size is less noticeable. Cast upstream and across for a drift much in the same manner as fly fishing a traditional dry fly. The larger, bulky Grasshopper will take some adjustment in the pause time on the back cast as it drops quickly. The Grasshopper is presented in the same manner as a dry fly except the shear weight of the fly will plop the surface with a good splash that demands the attention of any trout nearby. Drift the hopper down each feeding seam as well as very, very close to the stream bank, literally under the overgrowth if possible. Let the hopper sink for a few feet further downstream just in case a trout is following or even waiting for the hopper to get close for the take.
My most memorable experience using a Grasshopper is a day in Yellowstone National Park on Gibbon River in 1988. The Gibbon River is a fast flowing, freestone stream down to Gibbon Falls, then the streams meanders through Gibbon Meadows until it flows into Firehole River. The stream through the meadow flows through overhanging wild grass on both sides, ideal hopper country throughout. My first cast that did not hang up in the grass drifted only a few seconds before a huge fifteen inch brown chomped my Yellowstone Hopper and headed down stream like a freight train. I recall catching the most browns ever in a single day on several different hopper patterns. This is a fly for the dog days of summer in North Carolina.
Fly of the Month 8.12 Hopper Juan
Hook: Streamer, 3x to 4x, Tiemco 5263 or equivalent, Size: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Thread: UTC 140 in color to match
Body: 1.5mm Closed Cell Foam two colors of choice
Wing: Plain Web Wing material (MFC)
Note: There are numerous foam patterns available. This is a straightforward yet handsome grasshopper imitation with great visibility, good support for droppers, durable and easy to tie. There are also other photo illustrations for classic variants of hopper patterns. They are time proven and quite honestly not a difficult tie. Try them all!
Directions:
1) Cut the two foam pieces to size for the hook of choice. You may cut the pieces with scissors or craft knife. Make sure if you cut them without a manufacturers cutter, you allow sufficient length. The foam should extend past the hook eye and the bend by one hook gape for each position. Rounding the front is not necessary and I trimmed the tails after tying in everything else. In use, for the patterns shown, are MFC Hopper/Stonefly cutters. These are available from most fly shops and come as a set or individual based on hook size. Closed cell color foam is available in fly shops or craft stores. The fly shops will have the best assortment of the correct colors, but either will do. Vary color patterns to suit the time of year and location where you are fishing.
2) Choose the bottom color of foam and skewer with the hook point allowing a segment to protrude beyond the hook bend. There will be sufficient length to extend beyond the hook eye. Slide the skewered foam into position such that it is under the hook shank. Rotate the foam out of the way and wrap the tying thread on, beginning two eyelengths from the hook eye. Spin the thread counter clockwise, flattening the thread and wrap in, in tight, overlapping wraps to above the hook barb. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Return the foam, laterally along the hook shank and after aligning take the bobbin and make the first wrap to bind the foam to the hook. Apply the thread in a very vertical and perpendicular (to the hook shank) wraps, fashion and secure with no more than three turns, one on top of the other. Let the bobbin hang.
4) Select the other piece of foam and match the tail ends. Holding the two pieces with your left hand, wrap the thread in the exact place as the bottom section. Once your are happy with the position make two more, tight wraps maintaining that single line of thread, and secure the top to the bottom.
5. Advance the thread to the next bottom segment (pushing the top foam section out of the way) location. The distance of the segment should be the next third of the hook shank. Wrap one or two soft wraps to assure you like the position, then no more than two firm wraps to secure. You will notice that a concave dimple has occurred between the two segments of the bottom. Place a small drop of CA (Zap-A-Gap style) cement in the dimple and place the upper section of foam in alignment and make one soft thread wrap for position and then two firm thread wraps to finish that segment.
6) Advance the thread to the next position, one third of the remaining space to the hook eye. Pull the bottom segment up to the bottom of the hook shank and make one or two soft wraps to verify that you like the position. Wrap tight with two turns and apply the cement.
7) Bring the top piece of foam down and secure with one or two soft wraps. When you are happy with the placement secure with two firm wraps. Advance the thread to half the distance to the eye hook and secure the bottom piece of foam. Before bringing down the top piece trim the bottom foam so that the eye is free.
8) Add the cement and bring the top foam down as you did above. There will be a section of foam protruding past the eye that remains untrimmed at this point. Bring the thread across the top of the first segment (closest to the eye) with one movement making a forty five degree line across the top of the top piece of foam. Let the bobbin hang.
9) Cut the wing material in a similar manner to the body, but taper it slightly so that it is more narrow towards the eye. Tie in at the first segment (closest to the eye) using one light wrap for position and one firm wrap to secure. You do not want any build up of thread at this point. Make sure your wraps remain directly on top of one another. Let the bobbin hang.
10) Select four or five strands of sparkle and tie in with two wraps on top of the wing. These will trim slightly longer than the wing. Let the bobbin hang.
11) Select a portion of elk hair and after cutting, cleaning and stacking tie in on top so that the evenly matched tips are rearward and slightly longer than the length of the abdomen. When tying the hair wing in use the pinch method for placement and make two firm but not tight wraps. Using your left hand keep the hair on top and tight as a unit while you add two more turns of thread but with a lot more pressure than before. You want the wing to lift but not stand straight up. Trim the excess directly in front of the tie in. You will notice after securing the hair wing has shortened somewhat so that it does not protrude past the wing. Let the bobbin hang.
12) Use your right hand to bring the top piece of foam back to the hair wing and secure with two firm wraps. Trim the excess foam and let the bobbin hang.
13) At this point if you so choose you can add a bright or white piece of Antron to act as an indicator. Just tie in a small piece with two wraps and trim to the height you prefer.
14) Choose two pieces of round rubber striped or unstriped legs. Place one at the tie point and make one soft wrap to hold it in place. Repeat on the other side and make two firm wraps to secure them.
There are many, many hopper fly patterns including Hopper Juan Green, Hopper Juan Red Orange, Hopper Juan Red Tan, Joe’s Hopper, Madam X Olive Hopper, Madam X Hopper and Letort Hopper.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Inchworms
Fly of the Month 05.12 Inchworm
RRTU is pleased to announce that Alen Baker has agreed to partner with Tom Adams and continue the Fly of the Month series beginning with this issue. We want to thank Tim Wilhelm for tirelessly partnering with Tom for the last two years and bringing his insight into the world of tying flies. Of course Tim is not going anywhere as we expect that he will next focus on other articles for the newsletter including but not limited to rod-building. Thanks Tim for all you do for coldwater conservation and RRTU!
This “fly of the month” represents the first in the Alen Baker/Tom Adams series.
Inchworms
North Carolina trout streams are cooled by a canopy that provides a generous diet of terrestrials that includes inchworms. Higher gradient, well canopied streams have less aquatic insects due to the scouring effects of spring flooding. With fewer aquatic insects trout are highly dependent on the canopy that provides terrestrials. Ants, beetles and hopper flies have typically been the most popular terrestrial imitations utilized by fly fishermen. Experienced anglers may well include inchworms among the most popular. These terrestrials are generally the most abundant during the warmer months of each year.
An inchworm gets its general name from the little one inch size caterpillars that we find walking on limbs with a “grand arch”, covering about an inch with each step of their unusual means of travel. We also see inchworms suspended on their silk line. Some of these caterpillar species are much bigger than an inch and some are smaller. Some caterpillar species are fuzzy and look nothing like what we consider to be inchworms so we typically tie a woolly worm or crackle back pattern to imitate them.
This month we will focus only on the “inchworm” like caterpillar pattern. The most noticeable color inchworms found are chartreuse or insect green, very bright greens that blend with the new leaves of spring. As we move into the summer and fall seasons, inchworm colors tend to be brown or grayish-tan, very dull earth tones that blend with the bark and limb colors. Inchworm patterns as with any terrestrial pattern may be fished dry or wet. Typically, the pattern is tied with materials that will float if greased with floatant and sink readily once soaked when no floatant is applied.
One of the most original fly patterns for an inchworm is based on using deer hair tied laterally along the hook shank. These patterns look as much like a stick as they do an inch worm but they float really well due to the hollow deer hair. Tying an inchworm in the style of an San Juan Worm allows the tyer to create a more worm-like imitation and even imitate the“grand arch” if so desired.
My first experience with the inchworm pattern was with Bo Cash. He ties his “greenie weenie” pattern and fishes the inchworm as a dropper to a Wulff or elk hair caddis dry fly.
We were fishing the remote headwaters of Wilson Creek in August and he specifically wanted to show me how aggressive a trout would hit his “greenie weenie”. The brown trout in this remote stream are very wary and even more so in August in low water conditions. From below a nice, still water pool, he carefully placed his elk hair caddis and “greenie-weenie” dropper to the far left side of the pool just short of the moving run of water coming into the pool. Bo says “now what this!” Out of a dark area against a large rock to the far right side of the pool, you could clearly see this wave head straight across the pool in a bee line toward the two flies. The “greenie weenie” was slowly sinking slightly as he meant for it to look natural (terrestrials often struggle on the surface, floating for a few minute until they drown and slowly sink). Bamm!!! A nice 11 inch wild brown trout hit the “greenie weenie” and made it his own. The trout had traveled 6-8 feet across the pool for his prey. I was stunned and amazed that any trout would travel that far for a take - especially in the slow, dog days of summer when the water temperatures are near lethal levels for trout.
I try to recreate that day of fishing every August now.
Fly of the Month 05.12 Inchworm
Hook: Mustad 37160 or equivalent
Thread: Uni 8/0 or equivalent in Chartreuse
Abdomen/Thorax: Chartreuse Chenille
The directions and photos are of the Mustad curved hook, it can be substituted with equal fishing effectiveness with any number of wet fly hooks.
The directions are for the simplest method, that works and it was so simple I had to add to it. Do not feel the need unless you can’t stand it. Catches more fisherman than fish.
Directions:
1) Thread wrap toward the bend, from three eyelengths from the eye to a point in line with the hook eye. Let the bobbin hang.
2) Select a two or three inch length of chenille and using scissors or fingernails, strip the chenille from the core thread. Expose about an eighth of an inch and tie in by the exposed chenille thread.
3) Advance the thread to the eye and wrap the chenille forward to three eyelengths from the eye and tie off. Trim the excess chenille and tie in a head. Apply head cement.
See how easy this is. Takes about five minutes. I added an ostrich herl for spikes and peacock herl for the head. That adds about two more minutes. I have observed a color variation in the field that was present simultaneously with the bright green and offered a tan as an alternate. Good luck !
Other fly patterns include Inchworm Mustard, Inchworm Peacock, Inchworm Tan, Inchworm Wet
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
RRTU is pleased to announce that Alen Baker has agreed to partner with Tom Adams and continue the Fly of the Month series beginning with this issue. We want to thank Tim Wilhelm for tirelessly partnering with Tom for the last two years and bringing his insight into the world of tying flies. Of course Tim is not going anywhere as we expect that he will next focus on other articles for the newsletter including but not limited to rod-building. Thanks Tim for all you do for coldwater conservation and RRTU!
This “fly of the month” represents the first in the Alen Baker/Tom Adams series.
Inchworms
North Carolina trout streams are cooled by a canopy that provides a generous diet of terrestrials that includes inchworms. Higher gradient, well canopied streams have less aquatic insects due to the scouring effects of spring flooding. With fewer aquatic insects trout are highly dependent on the canopy that provides terrestrials. Ants, beetles and hopper flies have typically been the most popular terrestrial imitations utilized by fly fishermen. Experienced anglers may well include inchworms among the most popular. These terrestrials are generally the most abundant during the warmer months of each year.
An inchworm gets its general name from the little one inch size caterpillars that we find walking on limbs with a “grand arch”, covering about an inch with each step of their unusual means of travel. We also see inchworms suspended on their silk line. Some of these caterpillar species are much bigger than an inch and some are smaller. Some caterpillar species are fuzzy and look nothing like what we consider to be inchworms so we typically tie a woolly worm or crackle back pattern to imitate them.
This month we will focus only on the “inchworm” like caterpillar pattern. The most noticeable color inchworms found are chartreuse or insect green, very bright greens that blend with the new leaves of spring. As we move into the summer and fall seasons, inchworm colors tend to be brown or grayish-tan, very dull earth tones that blend with the bark and limb colors. Inchworm patterns as with any terrestrial pattern may be fished dry or wet. Typically, the pattern is tied with materials that will float if greased with floatant and sink readily once soaked when no floatant is applied.
One of the most original fly patterns for an inchworm is based on using deer hair tied laterally along the hook shank. These patterns look as much like a stick as they do an inch worm but they float really well due to the hollow deer hair. Tying an inchworm in the style of an San Juan Worm allows the tyer to create a more worm-like imitation and even imitate the“grand arch” if so desired.
My first experience with the inchworm pattern was with Bo Cash. He ties his “greenie weenie” pattern and fishes the inchworm as a dropper to a Wulff or elk hair caddis dry fly.
We were fishing the remote headwaters of Wilson Creek in August and he specifically wanted to show me how aggressive a trout would hit his “greenie weenie”. The brown trout in this remote stream are very wary and even more so in August in low water conditions. From below a nice, still water pool, he carefully placed his elk hair caddis and “greenie-weenie” dropper to the far left side of the pool just short of the moving run of water coming into the pool. Bo says “now what this!” Out of a dark area against a large rock to the far right side of the pool, you could clearly see this wave head straight across the pool in a bee line toward the two flies. The “greenie weenie” was slowly sinking slightly as he meant for it to look natural (terrestrials often struggle on the surface, floating for a few minute until they drown and slowly sink). Bamm!!! A nice 11 inch wild brown trout hit the “greenie weenie” and made it his own. The trout had traveled 6-8 feet across the pool for his prey. I was stunned and amazed that any trout would travel that far for a take - especially in the slow, dog days of summer when the water temperatures are near lethal levels for trout.
I try to recreate that day of fishing every August now.
Fly of the Month 05.12 Inchworm
Hook: Mustad 37160 or equivalent
Thread: Uni 8/0 or equivalent in Chartreuse
Abdomen/Thorax: Chartreuse Chenille
The directions and photos are of the Mustad curved hook, it can be substituted with equal fishing effectiveness with any number of wet fly hooks.
The directions are for the simplest method, that works and it was so simple I had to add to it. Do not feel the need unless you can’t stand it. Catches more fisherman than fish.
Directions:
1) Thread wrap toward the bend, from three eyelengths from the eye to a point in line with the hook eye. Let the bobbin hang.
2) Select a two or three inch length of chenille and using scissors or fingernails, strip the chenille from the core thread. Expose about an eighth of an inch and tie in by the exposed chenille thread.
3) Advance the thread to the eye and wrap the chenille forward to three eyelengths from the eye and tie off. Trim the excess chenille and tie in a head. Apply head cement.
See how easy this is. Takes about five minutes. I added an ostrich herl for spikes and peacock herl for the head. That adds about two more minutes. I have observed a color variation in the field that was present simultaneously with the bright green and offered a tan as an alternate. Good luck !
Other fly patterns include Inchworm Mustard, Inchworm Peacock, Inchworm Tan, Inchworm Wet
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Caterpillars
Fly Of the Month 04.10 Yellow Palmer
One of the earliest mentions of a Palmer Fly was in Thomas Barker’s Art of Angling, published in 1651. Barker’s book discussed the flies of “greatest creddit” and explained the values of Palmer Flies. He contended they were more effective than the winged patterns, an opinion maintained by many experts today. Charles Cotton’s appendix to Isaak Walton’s fifth edition of The Compleat Angler (1675) contained a list of original fly patterns and differentiated between plain and palmered hackle-type flies. It was about this time that the soldier-palmer became well known, and so named because its solid red body resembled the color of the jackets worn by British Soldiers. Palmer is an old English name used to denote a caterpillar and the Soldier Palmer was tied to imitate the Palmer Worm or the hairy caterpillar of the tiger moth. The Yellow Palmer, along with the orange, is a very popular fly in the southern Appalachians and is it any wonder when you consider the earliest settlers to the area came form England in the 1700’s. This is an easy fly to tie and is suggestive of the little yellow stone fly, so common on our trout streams in late spring and early summer.
Fly of the Month 04.10 Yellow Palmer
Hook: Standard length and weight dry fly, Tiemco 100 or Mustad 94840, Size: 10, 12, 14
Thread: Uni 8/0 Lt Cahill
Tail: Traditionally blend of Brown and Grizzly hackle feathers.
Body: Yellow polyblend or Antron
Hackle: Brown/Grizzly hackle feather
Directions:
1) Start thread three or four eye lengths back from eye and wrap turn to turn to bend of hook ( over the hook point ).
2) Using six or eight hackle fibers tie in softly at hook bend forward to cover hackle and return thread to original hackle tie in point wrapping firmly but do not over pressure causing the tail to lift up. Tail should be straight and even.
3) Select a Brown & Grizzly hackle feather and strip the end of feather exposing about one eight inch of stem. Tie in stem, with the shiny side of the feather facing the eye, at the point where the tail is covered by thread and move out of the way.
4) Tie in Polyblend or Antron slightly forward of bend and wrap thread forward to about a third of the distance back from the eye to the hook bend. Let the bobbin and thread hang at this point and begin wrapping even and slightly overlapped turns of body material. You may use hackle pliers or tie by hand. When reaching the thread tie off the body material with three or four thread wraps and cut off extra material. Advance the thread to the eye and return with even wraps back to the forward point of the body material and let the bobbin and thread hang.
5) Begin to palmer the hackle by advancing forward in even and firm wraps to the point where the bobbin is hanging and tie the hackle off. Clip excess and finish the head with cement.
(An Orange Palmer can be tied using orange dubbing for the body and pheasant tippet for the tail.)
- Tom Adams, Tim Wilhelm
One of the earliest mentions of a Palmer Fly was in Thomas Barker’s Art of Angling, published in 1651. Barker’s book discussed the flies of “greatest creddit” and explained the values of Palmer Flies. He contended they were more effective than the winged patterns, an opinion maintained by many experts today. Charles Cotton’s appendix to Isaak Walton’s fifth edition of The Compleat Angler (1675) contained a list of original fly patterns and differentiated between plain and palmered hackle-type flies. It was about this time that the soldier-palmer became well known, and so named because its solid red body resembled the color of the jackets worn by British Soldiers. Palmer is an old English name used to denote a caterpillar and the Soldier Palmer was tied to imitate the Palmer Worm or the hairy caterpillar of the tiger moth. The Yellow Palmer, along with the orange, is a very popular fly in the southern Appalachians and is it any wonder when you consider the earliest settlers to the area came form England in the 1700’s. This is an easy fly to tie and is suggestive of the little yellow stone fly, so common on our trout streams in late spring and early summer.
Fly of the Month 04.10 Yellow Palmer
Hook: Standard length and weight dry fly, Tiemco 100 or Mustad 94840, Size: 10, 12, 14
Thread: Uni 8/0 Lt Cahill
Tail: Traditionally blend of Brown and Grizzly hackle feathers.
Body: Yellow polyblend or Antron
Hackle: Brown/Grizzly hackle feather
Directions:
1) Start thread three or four eye lengths back from eye and wrap turn to turn to bend of hook ( over the hook point ).
2) Using six or eight hackle fibers tie in softly at hook bend forward to cover hackle and return thread to original hackle tie in point wrapping firmly but do not over pressure causing the tail to lift up. Tail should be straight and even.
3) Select a Brown & Grizzly hackle feather and strip the end of feather exposing about one eight inch of stem. Tie in stem, with the shiny side of the feather facing the eye, at the point where the tail is covered by thread and move out of the way.
4) Tie in Polyblend or Antron slightly forward of bend and wrap thread forward to about a third of the distance back from the eye to the hook bend. Let the bobbin and thread hang at this point and begin wrapping even and slightly overlapped turns of body material. You may use hackle pliers or tie by hand. When reaching the thread tie off the body material with three or four thread wraps and cut off extra material. Advance the thread to the eye and return with even wraps back to the forward point of the body material and let the bobbin and thread hang.
5) Begin to palmer the hackle by advancing forward in even and firm wraps to the point where the bobbin is hanging and tie the hackle off. Clip excess and finish the head with cement.
(An Orange Palmer can be tied using orange dubbing for the body and pheasant tippet for the tail.)
- Tom Adams, Tim Wilhelm
Leafhoppers
Bees & Wasps
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Rocky River Chapter of Trout Unlimited (c) 2014