Garnett Clews has been a regular presenter at Fly Tying Mondays. Garnett kindly did a presentation while I was away. Here are the three flies that Garnett presented. As always, Garnett presented flies that are great flies, especially effective on the Bow River. Thanks Garnett.
In the words of George Thourogood…. One bourbon, one scotch and one beer…. We tied one streamer, one nymph and one dry fly.
Streamer: Peacock Leech
This bug is tied in the same manner as a wooly bugger. It can be weighted or unweighted with a brass, tungsten or no bead. It all depends on how you want to fish it.
Tail is marabou, colour is up to you, I like black, olive or tan, my preference is a burnt orange tail.
Size the marabou tail the same length as the hook shank (size of hook is up to you much like a wooly bugger. I like size 4-6 3xl shank, but use what you like for size.
3-4 strands of peacock herl (you can substitute synthetic peacock chenille for longer life of the fly)
Tie in a piece of medium brass wire at the tail end after securing the peacock herl.
Twist your strands of peacock together to form a rope and wind forward, secure with a couple of thread wraps. Then tie in some saddle hackle (black, olive or tan) at the head and wind it back to the tail, secure the hackle by wrapping your wire forward. Tie off the wire, clip or helicopter to remove the tag end of the wire and whip finish.
Brian chan ties his without the wire or saddle hackle, who am I to disagree with Brian Chan? This is a pretty versatile fly that works regardless of how you tie it.
Materials needed, 3-0 olive, green or black thread, marabou, peacock herl, medium copper wire and saddle hackle.
Tung Dart
Super simple fly, effective Caddis imitation. Size 14 – 18 nymph hook. I like a jig head hook with a slotted Gold Tungsten bead.
Put the bead on the hook, place in vise, dress shank to the back of the barb on the hook with tan 6-0 or finer thread, I use 8-0 when I have it.
Dub on a small amount of tan dubbing, (rabbit works well but any fine dubbing) create a small tapered body to the bead, tie off.
Using tan CDC fiber tie in (by the tip of the quill just behind the bead, 2 wraps max of CDC (preening the fibers back from the shaft of the quill so the fibers point to the rear of the hook, whip finish. Done
Materials: 14-18 nymph hook, tungsten bead (slotted tungsten bead if using jig hook, can also use head turner beads on a standard hook, or just regular Cyclops bead)
Fine tan, olive or grey dubbing
CDC plume of the same colour as the body.
Corn Fed Caddis
Warning…. This fly will use a fair amount of your CDC, but you wont care when you fish it…. Trout love it. This is possibly the buggiest looking fly that I have ever seen.
Standard dry fly hook, 14-18 size
Dress the hook with 6-0 or finer tan thread, tie in a small piece of tailing fiber, any of the “lons” will work, Antrol, Zylon etc. Fine dubbing like the Tung Dart, dubb on sparsely winding towards the head of the fly creating a gentle taper. Tie off at about the 2/3 distance from hook shank. Leaving room for the wing and the head.
Take 2 CDC plumes stacjed one on the other (curves facing toward the shank) and tie in, A small amount of dubbing to create the head (use the same colour as the body) then create a small dubbing loop. Clip some CDC fibers from a plume and hold them in your Magic Tool or other dubbing clip. Spin the loop to create a small rope of fibers, preen the fibers back to the hook end of the fly and wrap the head (fill up the space that you left for the head of the fly.
Whip finish and fish it.
Materials: standard dry fly hook sizes 14-18 (20 if you dare)
6-0 or smaller thread
Antron, Zylon etc for tailing shuck (about ½ the shank length) match the colour to the dubbing and CDC colour.
Dubbing Fine dubbing, I like rabbit, but any fine dubbing will work. Colours are standard caddis colours, tan, olive or grey.
2 plumes of CDC colour to match dubbing
1 Plume of CDC for the dubbing loop.
