Monday, March 25, 2013

Tying Blue Winged Olives with Bob


Hi Everybody!

Tonight was our final fly tying session of the season. Twenty fly fishers came out to tie small, real small. It was a tradition that Doug DeWitt started several years ago. We continued trying to perfect our Blue Winged Olive patterns. We tied from size 16 right down to size 24. We tried a number of different ways to tie BWOs. Blue Winged Olives are usually our first mayfly of the year in spring and they hatch again in the fall. We tied mainly size 18 to size 24 today. That is small. Several tyers even tried tying with 16/0 thread.



Another fly tying season has come to an end. Special thanks to all of the presenters this year. As one of the gang said tonight, it is hard to see the fly tying sessions end but it also signals the start of the fly fishing season. Yahoo.

Remember that we have booked Maxwell robinson for the weekend of April 20th and 21st for both spey casting and single handed fly rod casting. Get a hold of Bob Vanderwater to book a spot.


Blue Wing Olive crawling around on the snow in early spring.



BWO Thorax

Hook: Standard dry fly sizes 18-22
Tail: Micro-fibetts or Coq de Lion fibres
Body: BWO superfine antron or goose biot
Wing: Midge hackle or ostrich herl grey



Parachute BWO


CDC BWO


BWO Trude


BWO Comparadun

Wing: Snowshoe rabbit or coastal deer hair




Bruce Tilbrook at the vice and below is his book Sausage Men which is now available at the Fishing Hole in Edmonton.


Monday, March 18, 2013

Foam Flat Fish and the King Prince with Evan Ritchie



Hi Everybody!

Evan Ritchie was our guest fly tyer tonight and he decided that a fun fly would be just the ticket. Evan showed us one of his favourite pike patterns called the Foam Flat Fish. Tie them large and work the weed lines. You might just see your flat fish disappear with a big swirl. Pike find it hard to resist this great pattern. The neat thing about this pattern is that it dives and then comes back to the surface. Very cool idea Evan!

We then tied the King Prince. It is another effective variation in the "Prince Nymph" Series of flies.

Remember that the International Film Festival is this Thursday at Carnival Theatre at 7 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. remember to get you tickets on line right HERE. Save yourself $5.00.

Remember that the Central Alberta Trout Unlimited Dinner/Auction is April 25th at the Black Knight Inn. Please support this worthwhile function. It is a fun filled evening and the proceeds go to Central Alberta Trout Unlimited.

Next week is our final fly tying session of the season. Bring olive 8/0 thread or 16/0 olive thread. Bob Edens has the 16/0 thread. We are tying BWO patterns.


Foam Flat Fish

Hook: Mustad 34007 sizes 1/0 to 4/0
Thread; 6/0 color to match foam
Tail: Marabou
Body: Large crystal chenille
Over body: Glued 2 mm foam
Hot Spot: Orange 3/0 thread
Eyes: Craft eyes



King Prince

Hook: TMC 200R size 14-18
Thread: Olive 8/0
Bead: 7/64th Gold, black or silver
Tail: Black goose biots
Body: Light Peacock Arizona semi-seal
Rib: Gold tinsel
Wing Buds: White goose biots


Building the Foam Flat Fish

Monday, March 11, 2013

West Coast Sea Run Cutthroat Patterns with Roy Saunders

Hi Everybody!

My buddy Roy Saunders always looked forward to the Stanley Cup Play-offs when he lived on Vancouver Island. Yes the hockey play-off were on but Roy went looking for his fly rod because he knew the sea run cutthroat were roaming close to the mouths of the rivers and creeks on the east side of Vancouver Island looking for salmon fry to dine on. When the salmon fry were released by hatcheries, the sea run cutts were close by to feed. Roy shared three excellent fry patterns that work great for cutthroats on the west coast. The mouths of the Oyster River and Sooke River are a great place to look for sea run cutthroats. Roy has tested these patterns out on Upper Kananaskis Lake and he was pleased to report that these patterns are a winner on our Alberta lakes too!

Thanks Roy for showing us these excellent patterns.

Next week we will be tying Blue Winged Olive patterns. Bring 8/0 olive thread. We will be tying on small hooks!

Remember that the IF4 Film Festival is March 21st. Buy your ticket right HERE.

Please get a ticket to the Central Alberta Dinner/Auction on April 25th. See Doug, Troy, Bob, Colton or Larry for a ticket.

See you next week!




Roy Saunders



Teal Orange and Silver

Hook: Mustad 9672 size 10
Thread: Black 8/0
Tail: Golden pheasant tips
Body: Flat silver tinsel or diamond braid
Collar: Orange seal (yellow/blue work too)
Wing: Teal flank 


Salmon Fry

Hook: Mustad 9672 size 10
Thread: Black 8/0
Tail: silver tinsel frayed and olive teal or mallard flank
Body: Flat silver tinsel or diamond braid
Overbody: Olive teal or mallard flank
Collar: Orange seal (yellow/blue work too)
Wing: Teal flank 



The Professor

Hook: Mustad 9672 size 10
Thread: Black 8/0
Tail: Red hackle
Hot Spot: Yellow crystal chenille
Body: Green crystal chenille
Rib: Silver tinsel
Wing: Teal flank 






Saturday, March 9, 2013

Mastering Dubbing Loops with Phil Rowley




I always look forward to the all day seminar that Phil Rowley puts on for our club. Today was the 6th Saturday workshop that Phil has put on for us. The gym was full with 25 avid fly tyers and Phil challenged us to master tying with dubbing loops, using a magic tool and making our own dubbing brushes. Our gang is certainly developing into proficient fly tyers. The 10 patterns they worked on today certainly helped to expand their tying skills and confidence at the vice.

Why Dubbing Loops?
*Durability
*Translucency
*Reinforce & control brittle materials
*Manage thick stemmed feathers
*Combine dissimilar materials
*Divide tails

Phil is an outstanding instructor. The day flew by and the smiles on the faces of our gang was a testament to their success and what they learned. 

Thanks Phil for another educational day.

Just a reminder that we do have fly tying this Monday night. Roy Saunders is our guest instructor. See You then! We are down to the final three tying sessions of the year.


Phil Rowley


Fly Craft Fullback-Flashback

Hook:  Mustad S82 3906B #12-#8
Thread:  Black or Olive
Tail:  Pheasant Tail
Rib:  Fine Copper Wire
Body: Arizona Synthetic Peacock, Ice Dub or Peacock Herl
Wingcase: Pheasant Tail Topped with Mirage Opal Mylar
Thorax:   Arizona Synthetic Peacock, Ice Dub or Peacock Herl
Legs: Partridge or Indian Hen Back


Poly Spinner

Hook:  Mustad R50-94840 #12-#16
Thread:  Color to Match
Tail:  Microfibbets
Body: Dry Fly Dubbing
Wings:  Poly Yarn


Combining Different Materials Together
*Dubbing loops can be used to combine different materials such as dubbing and Crystal Chenille together
*Dubbing loop must always be at least 1.5 inches shorter than chenille
*Cal Bird style or crochet hook dubbing tool
*Load loop then bring chenille down parallel and spin tight


Dubbed Girdle Bug

Hook:  Mustad R74-9762 #6-#10 Weighted
Thread:  Color to Compliment Body
Tail:  Superfloss
Body: Dubbing Spun Together with Crystal Chenille
Legs:  Superfloss
Antenna:  Superfloss


Grizzly Dragon

Hook:  Mustad R74-9672 #6-#8
Underbody: 7/8 Slim foam body, tan or black
Body: Grizzly marabou, trimmed to shape
Wing Case:  Scud Back, Olive, ¼”
Legs:  Stretch Floss, mottled with a permanent marker
Head: Arizona Synthetic Peacock
Eyes: Booby Eye Body Foam, black


CDC Scud

Hook:  Mustad C49S #10-#14
Thread:  Olive
Rib:  Fine copper or gold wire
Body:  Dubbed mixture CDC and Light Olive Diamond dubbing
Shellback:  Olive Scud Back, 1/8” wide


CDC-A Primer
*CDC or Cul De Canard
*Feathers located around preen gland of water fowl
*Ducks and geese most popular sources
*Buoyant, gathers air bubbles
*Excellent material for both dry and wet flies
*Material gains its buoyant air trapping qualities from individual barbs not oil



CDC Caddis Pupa

Hook:  Mustad C49S #8-#14
Thread:  UTC 70 olive or brown
Body:  CDC
Thorax:  CDC
Hackle:  Partridge or Mottled Hen


Reinforcing Herl
*Dubbing loops can reinforce peacock herl, ostrich herl even pheasant tail
*Use thread or wire dubbing loops
*Dubbing loop must always be at least 1.5 inches shorter herl
*Cal Bird style or crochet hook dubbing tool
*Don’t twist tight at first
*Spin a few times, wind forward, spin again, wind forward etc.



Here is  a short video of Phil showing how to reinforce peacock herl.



Bullet Proof Prince

Hook:  Mustad S82 3906B #12-#8
Thread:  Black or Olive
Tail:  Brown Goose Biots
Rib:  Fine Gold or Copper Wire
Body: Peacock Herl
Legs: Partridge or Indian Hen Back
Wings: White Goose Biots


Dubbing Brushes
*Wire based dubbing brushes are strong and easy to produce
*Easy to pre make quantities of dubbing brushes for a variety of uses
*Use soft copper wire
*Can be made by hand or by using a dubbing block or machine




Training Coarse Dubbing
*Heat cup or glass to boiling point
*Saturate fly in hot water for a few seconds
*Stroke fibers back so they flow
*Set fly aside to dry



 Ruby Eyed Leech


Hook:  Mustad R74-9762 #6-#10
Thread:  Color to Compliment Body
Tail:  Dubbing Fibres
Body: Arizona Simi-Seal Dubbing Brush
Bead: Red Glass
Head: Copper or Gold Cone


Controlling & Dubbing Brittle Materials
*Aftershaft are the soft, brittle secondary feathers attached to main body feathers
*Best sources include pheasant rump and grizzly marabou
*Aftershaft feathers can be used to form mobile bodies and thoraxes
*Dubbing loops do an excellent job controlling fragile materials such as aftershaft feathers
*Use dubbing wax to hold materials in position
*Form dubbing loop around materials


Aftershaft Leech

Hook:  Mustad R74-9762 #6-#10
Thread:  Color to Compliment Body
Tail:  Marabou
Body: Aftershaft Feathers
Hackle:  Pheasant Rump







Popsicle Leech

Hook:    Mustad R74-9672 #2-#8
Thread: Color to compliment marabou color
Tail: Marabou mixed with a few strands of Flashabou
Hackle: Polar Chenille
Body: Crystal Chenille, color to compliment marabou color
Collar: Strung Marabou 
Bead: Copper, gold or hot orange cone

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Details About the Fly Tying Seminar on Saturday March 9th and Garage Sale


  • Hi Everybody
        Phil has asked me to pass the following information along about Saturday's workshop. He would like you to have the following along:

        Fine Copper Wire

       Lead Wire or Lead Wire Substitute (.020” or .025”)

        Dubbing Wax

        UTC 70 Olive (For Split Thread Dubbing)

        6/0 Olive Uni Thread

     UTC 70 or 8/0 Brown

       UTC 70 or 8/0 Black


Be sure to bring a dubbing twister, spinner, hook or whorl.  We are going to hopefully use them or demonstrate all of them as they each have a place dubbing.

If you are having trouble locating any of these materials, give Bob Edens a call (403-304-8362)

The workshop will start at 9 am. Do come early and have coffee and visit! Bring your lunch. If you want to order pizza, Karen will organize that sometime during the morning.  Phil will have some video to show at lunch time.

We will also be using magic tools. Phil will be providing these for the workshop.

We will have juice and water and a mid morning snack.

The workshop is at Mattie McCullough School. The school is located at 26 Lawford Avenue. Travel east on 32nd Street as far as it goes. The school is located just to the south of the end of 32nd Street. There is parking on the north side of the school. 

The workshop will wrap up at approxiamtely 4 pm.

...also we will be having the Central Alberta Trout Unlimited Garage Sale at the same time right at the front door of the school. We will have some tables with items to sell. The proceeds will go to the seller and Central Alberta Trout Unlimited. 

All the materials for the workshop are bought and ready to go. See you Saturday for an educational day of fly tying.

Bob