Chromies with Doug Pullan

Virtual Fly Tying with Doug Pullan

Doug always does a big presentation for our fly club each year. Well this year is no exception. Doug went to town tying and photographing 6 variations of Phil Rowley's original chromie. Chromies are a must in your chironomid box. As a chironomid pupa starts to develop, it will often be full of gas that helps it work its way to the surface where it emerges. Often trout will focus on chromies.

As you can can see from this throat sample, the trout were gorging on chromies

Doug with a dandy brown trout from Patterson Lake in Manitoba

Chromie (Phil Rowley originator)

Hook:  Mustad C49S Sizes 10-14

Bead:  Tungsten Black  

Gills: White Uni-Stretch

Thread: UTC 70 Black

Tag: Holographic Red Tinsel Small

Rib: Holographic Red Tinsel Small

Body: Flashabou Silver 6901 (2 strands doubled over to form 4 strands)

Thorax: Peacock Herl (1 strand)

Note: Top coat with UV resin. 

Gun Metal Chromie

Hook:  Mustad C49S Sizes 10-14

Bead:  Tungsten Black  

Gills: White Uni-Stretch

Thread: UTC 70 Black

Tag: Holographic Red Tinsel Small

Rib: Holographic Red Tinsel Small

Body: Flashabou Gun Metal 6916 (2 strands doubled over to form 4 strands)

Thorax: Peacock Herl (1 strand)

Note: Top coat with UV resin. 

Hog Magnet (John Kent originator)

Hook: Alex Jackson Covert Crystal sizes 11 and 13

Bead:  Red Entice Anodized Brass (7/64 for size 11, 3/32 for size 13)

Gills: White Uni-Stretch

Underbody: White Uni-Stretch (forms a tapered body)

Thread: UTC 70 Red

Rib: UTC Small Red Wire

Back: Holographic Tinsel Medium Red (placed on top of fly)

Body: Lagarten Mini-Flat Braid Silver (5 strands for size 11, 3 strands for size 13)

Note: Top coat with UV resin. 

Rusty Nail (John Kent originator)

Hook:  Daiichi 1120, size 8-14

Bead:  Tungsten white 

Underbody: White Uni-Stretch (forms a tapered body)

Thread: UTC 70 Wine

Rib1: Micro hollow tubing Mahogony

Rib2: Flashabou 6905 (3 or 4 strands)

Notes: Wrap micro tubing palmered forward over the thread body. Wrap flashabou forward between the micro tubing ribs. Top coat with UV resin. 

Smoke n’ Mirrors (John Kent originator)

Hook:  Alec Jackson Phantom Size 11

Bead:  Tungsten 7/64 Gunmetal 

Gills: White Uni-Stretch

Underbody: White Uni-Stretch (forms a tapered body)

Thread: UTC 70 Rust

Tag: Holographic Red Tinsel Small

Rib: UTC Red Copper Small

Body: Flashabou Gunmetal 6916 (5 strands)

Note: Top coat with UV resin. 

Anti-Static Bag Chromie

Hook:  Daiichi 1120, size 8-14

Bead:  Tungsten Black

Gills: White Uni-Stretch

Underbody: White Uni-Stretch (forms a tapered body)

Thread: UTC 70 Black

Rib1: UTC X-Small Black Wire

Rib2: UTC X-Small Red Wire

Thorax: UTC 70 Black

Body: Anti-Static bag

Notes: Top coat with UV resin. 

 

John Kent's Pumpkin Head

Hi Everybody!

The Pumpkin Head is one of John Kent's signature flies. I always have several in my fly box. Whether you are trolling, casting and retrieving or hanging this imposter under a strike indicator; you will find this fly to be a steady producer! John has told me that there is little difference between a glass , brass or tungsten bead. That is personal preference. There are lots of great variations as well. One of my favourite is a root beer coloured pumpkin head.

 

Touy’s Olive Chironomid

Touy Louangvisa is a skilled fly fisher. I often see Touy out on the water having a great time. Here is one of Touy's favourite chironomids. It is a go to when the chironomids are hatching.

 

Touy’s Olive Chironomid. 

Thread: UTC 70 Olive or Yellow Olive.

 Hook: Curved scud (TMC 2457 or similar). 

Rib: UTC wire Chartreuse small or extra small. 

Thorax: UTC 70 black. Thorax Cover: Pearl or Mirage tinsel. 

Wing Buds (cheeks): Orange Holographic tinsel. 

Gills (optional): White UNI-Stretch or similar. NOTE: If tying in gills make sure to do that “AFTER “ coating the body and thorax. This will prevent the gill material from soaking up the UV resin or nail polish used to coat the body and turning your fluffy white gills into an ugly hard white mass. Be sure to leave enough space at the head to reattach your tying thread and secure the gill material. Alternatively you can complete the fly as normal and add a dot of white nail polish to simulate gills or use a white bead

Scotty's Whiner

Touy Louangvisa was out fly fishing with his buddy Scotty. Touy was having a good day using this great little pattern. Scotty wanted one of these flies and Touy wouldn't give him one. Now I can see why it is called Scotty's Whiner! I am sure Scotty will exact some revenge at some point on the water!

Scotty Whiner (Touy  Louangvisa)

Thread: UTC 70 black. 

Hook: #10, 3XL nymph. 

Underbody: .020 lead wire substitute. 10 wraps or tiers preference. 

Body: 50/50 dubbing blend of Hare’s E Dub Harders Bloody Black and Arizona Simi Seal, burgundy used in dubbing loop. 

Wing (back): Mink Zonker strip Black.  

Note: Tie in zonker strip at tail. Wrap underbody then wrap dubbing. Finish by pulling zonker strip over body and tying off at head.

Larry Loves Micro Leeches Too!

My buddy Larry Prowse is one fine fly fisherman. Larry reminded me that he too loves micro leeches! I have used his black semi seal micro leech often in the Parkland Region of Manitoba, particularly in the spring. I watched Larry use the olive micro leech with the orange bead at a local lake with his grandkids. They had a blast. Take a look!

Hot Spot Micro Leech

Hook: Size 14 jig hook

Thread: Olive UTC 70

Bead: Hot Orange 7/64ths, tungsten

Tail: Black marabou

Body: Ice dub, either olive or peacock

Black Semi Seal Micro Leech

Hook: Size 14 jig hook

Thread: Black UTC 70

Bead: Hot Orange 7/64ths, tungsten

Tail: Black marabou

Body: Black Semi Seal

 

A Photo Essay of Fly Fishing in 2020

Karen and I were in Belize when the COVID-19 Pandemic exploded world wide. We were having an amazing time with friends; fly fishing for bonefish, permit and tarpon. We nervously watched knowing we were 4000 miles away from Alberta. Luckily our return was just 24 hours before the airports in Canada all closed. We were determined to keep our fly fishing adventures that we had planned in tact during the pandemic. We were mostly successful. Closing the Canada-USA border messed with a few trips that we hope to get back to in 2021.

All of these photos represent fabulous memories. We added several new adventures this year. Many of them were backcountry trips in Jasper and Banff National Parks. Both parks are a fly fisher's dream. Chasing lake trout in Alberta was a lot of fun and one trip in particular represented many challenges. Several photos are from regular trips that we absolutely do not miss from year to year!

Most of our trips include camping and hiking with friends. Our gang is quite important to us. We have lots of laughs and good times. We feel blessed to have crossed paths with so many awesome individuals. Many as passionate as we are about fly fishing.

I hope that once we put 2020 in the rear view mirror, and the COVID vaccine gets distributed; we can get back to better times. I miss fly fishing with so many. 2021 will be way better! 

We did make the most of 2020!

Enjoy!

Click on pictures to make them larger!

It took three years to land a permit for my friend, Doug. Happy day!

Spring in Alberta

Grandkids at Fish Lakes

A carpet hatch of mayflies with Brandon and Steve

Sylvan Lake Opener with Steve and Josh

Sylvan Lake

Jasper National Park

Banff National Park

Yellowstone Cutthroat in Banff National Park

Ice Cream on the Cob

Red Deer River

West Slope Cutthroat

Local Pot Hole Lakes

Bow River during the Stonefly Hatch

Whitefish on the Red Deer River

...more West Slope Fun

Red Deer River

Banff National Park-laker

Lake Abraham

My Son In Law, Alan

Grandkids Rock

Largest walleye I have ever caught!