Synthetic Sedge-Traveling Sedge

Phil Rowley came up with this "synthetic" version of a traveling sedge pattern for lakes. It is another option instead of a Mikulak Sedge! The synthetic version is easier to tie and its profile is an excellent imitation of the natural! If there are large traveling caddis on your local water, this is an excellent pattern to tie on! I am going to be sure to have some for late June and July on several mountain lakes I enjoy visiting! Fly fishers in British Columbia will certainly have a few of these in their fly box! There are definitely lakes in Alberta where there are large caddis that scoot across the water!

Synthetic Sedge (Phil Rowley)

Hook: 1760-size 8 and 10-Use a heavier hook to ensure the fly land right side up!

Thread: Olive 8/0

Body: Foam-tan 2 mm

Underbody: olive 5 mm brill

Wings: Willow Web-smoke

Legs: rubber

 

Stream Weavers Flies-Bob Edens-Is Closing out

Bob Edens is closing out Stream Weaver Flies. His business is winding down so Bob can spend more time out on the water. Everything in Bob's shop is 45% off. Bob has been an incredible resource to all of us here in Central Alberta. We owe him an incredible amount of thanks!

If you need to stock up on tying material, I would definitely get in there!

 

Bubba Gump Shrimp

This is a fly of my design. My buddy Phil Rowley named it the Bubba Gump Shrimp. It is a suggestive pattern that I use right after ice off in the shallows. Trout early on will key in shrimp and leaches. This pattern represents both. My buddy Rick Miyauchi designed a similar pattern we affectionately called Kismet. The only difference is that the body on Kismet is straight olive/brown brill.

If you fly fish at Fish Lake at Nordegg, this is my "go to" fly! We camp there often with our grandkids and family!

In the fall, the Bubba Gump Shrimp is quite effective along drop offs and on shallow flats areas.

Bubba Gump Shrimp

Thread: Olive 8/0

Hook: Jig size 16, sequin pin and 3/32nd tungsten orange bead, gold bead later in season

Tail: Marabou, olive or black

Body: Brill, olive and orange

 

Duct Tape-A Stillwater Fly Fisherman's Best Friend

I always get a laugh out of the names that John Kent gives to flies. These flies are called Duct Tape. Named after Red Green. (from the television show) Steve Smith, aka Red Green, always reminded all men out there that Duct Tape was a man's best friend! Often bloodworms are targeted  by trout. Throat samples can show that the bloodworms are often red or green and at times, a combination of both colours. John designed this bloodworm pattern two ways. One with red holographic tinsel with mirage opal tinsel over olive (or watery olive UTC thread), while the other version had holographic red tinsel with olive or water olive thread with no mirage opal tinsel over top. I have seen the effectiveness with this pattern. The key for success is getting the fly real close to the bottom where the bloodworms are!  If surface water temperatures are climbing up, try using a Duct Tape right on the bottom. Early in the season, tie one on that is small-size 16 and as the season progresses, tie them size 14, 12 and 10. I have encountered gigantic bloodworms in throat samples at times.

Duct Tape (John Kent originator)

Hook: Daiichi 1760-sizes 16-10

Thread: olive and red UTC 70

Rib: silver wire, small

Bead: Red

Body; Red Holographic Tinsel, medium, mirage opal tinsel, medium, thread

 

Rusty Nail-One of My "Go To" Chironomids

I have posted about the Rusty Nail Chironomid before, but it is well worth reminding everyone of its effectiveness. Take a look!

Rusty Nail-John Kent originator

Thread: Wine UTC 70

Hook: Daiichi 1760-sizes 12-14

Bead: White 7/64ths or 3/32nds

Body: Mirage Opal Tinsel, medium

Rib: Mahogany Micro Tubing

Tying Note: After laying a tapered layer of wine UTC 70 thread, wrap the rib, then wrap the mirage tinsel in between the ribs. It is easier to control the micro tubing which can slip on top of mirage opal tinsel!

 John Kent's Rusty Nail Chironomid is always in my lake fly box. On the Central Alberta pot hole lakes and further abroad; the Rusty Nail just plain works during chironomid hatches. I remember an epic day a few years ago at Dickson Trout Pond when there was a carpet chironomid hatch. We all tied on a Rusty Nail chironomid and had an exceptional afternoon of fly fishing. I highly recommend having lots of Rusty Nails in your chironomid box!

You can purchase Mahogany Micro Tubing from Bob Eden's business, Stream Weaver Flies.

The boat launch was covered with chironomid shucks!

The Gulls were plucking chironomid adults off of the surface.

The swallows were gorging on chironomids

Emerging chironomids and adult chironomids

Filling in the Lake Boxes

Happy Easter everyone! It has been a snowy last few days and the added moisture is definitely welcome and needed. I hope we get a lot more. Our pot hole lakes as well as Sylvan Lake and Gull Lake are down in water volume.

I have finally started to fill in several of my fly boxes. I have been focussing on the basics that I use a lot!

Chromies, black and red ice cream cone chironomids as well as olive and copper chironomids. My "go to" balanced leech pattern is a Tokaryk Special 2.0 and I have learned that Brian Chan's Baby Damsel tied balanced is a very effective pattern here in Central Alberta.

Ice off is not too far away. I have some work to do to ensure my fly boxes are ready for spring!

Happy Easter

Have a fantastic Easter everyone. I hope you can get together with friends and family. I am very grateful to be a Canadian and living in such a beautiful place. 

Time to get a new fishing license (AlbertaRELM), clean out your kit bag, put on a new leader and figure out what holes need to be filled in your fly boxes. Open water season is upon us now. Several rivers opened up to fishing yesterday and it will not be too long before our pot hole lakes are ice free. A new fly fishing season is all about anticipation. It is going to be awesome!

 

Fantastic Turnout for the Final Tying Session of the Winter Season-Backswimmers

 

Deer Hair Backswimmer tied by Rick Miyauchi

What a fantastic way to wind down the 2025-2026 fly tying season. We tied up three different types of backswimmers. That included tying up a deer hair backswimmer. That was a real challenge and I was impressed with your results!

The best part about the evening was the great turn out! I absolutely love seeing everyone working together, visiting and just plain having a great time!

...as we bring the tying season to a close for the group, the fly fishing season is amping up. I'm excited just like many of you! I do want to thank our presenters. We have such a diverse amount of tying expertise in our group. I am very appreciative to all of you who helped with the tying sessions. I especially want to thank Adam for all he has done to keep our gang tying at Reliance Oilfield Service Learning Centre. 

Keep checking back on our blog! There will be fly fishing reports, flies that are working and bug hatch information throughout the fly fishing season! See you out on the water!!!!

Head over to Alberta Relm to get you 2026-2027 Alberta Fishing License.

An example of the smaller boatman, tied up by Rick Miyauchi with deer hair! This is an Alfred's Boatmen!

If you like to work with spun deer hair, this is a tool you will need.

Rinse and Repeat (Phil Rowley)

Deer Hair Ultimate Boatmen

Reinforce your boatmen and backswimmers with clear Gorilla glue!

Boatman/Backswimmer Challenge-The Final Tying Session of the Season on March 30th

We have one last fly tying session this Monday, March 30th at 6:30 at Reliance Oilfield Services Learning Centre. The theme is backswimmers/boatmen. We will be tying two foam patterns that definitely need to be in your fly box. 

...and then we are going to try to  spin up a deer hair boatmen pattern. That will be a lot of fun and an excellent challenge!

Bring some white 6/0 and 8/0 thread as well as some olive 8/0 (70 denier) thread with you! It will be a great way to wind down the tying season! 

...also bring red, olive and black markers. We can share these around too so bring them if you have them!

 

Damsels!

Hi Everyone!

What a fantastic turn out we had last night for our second last tying session of the year! We missed you last night Ralf and look forward to your return! Last night we focussed on tying some damsel patterns. We tied Randall Kaufmann's Marabou Damsel, as well Phil Rowley's suggestive Grizzly Damsel and we tied a basic balanced damsel.

Note: One of our younger fly tyers won a draw for a fly rod at the Sportsman raffle. Unfortunately the winner's name was almost not readable. If you put in for a draw, get ahold of Doug Wood (403-347-7968) to claim your prize!

Next week is our final tying session of the year. We will be tying boatmen/ backswimmers. It should be an excellent session! See you there! Bring some UTC Olive and Red tying thread!

Marabou Damsel (Randall Kaufmann)

Hook: Daiichi 1260 size 10

Thread: UTC 70, Olive

Tail: MFC (Montana Fly Company) Rust/Olive Marabou

Body: MFC (Montana Fly Company) Rust/Olive Marabou

Rib: Copper wire, small

Grizzly Damsel (Phil Rowley)

Hook: Daiichi 1260 sizes 10-12

Thread: UTC 70, Olive

Tail: Grizzly Marabou

Body: Grizzly Marabou dubbed

Shellback: Mirage Opal Tinsel, medium

Thorax: Aftershaft Grizzly Feather and partridge feather, olive

Thorax Shellback: Scudback, olive 1/8th

Balanced Marabou Damsel

Hook: Pro Tyer hook: size 14 asnd 16

Sequin Pin with 7/64ths tungsten bead or 3/32nd tungsten bead

Thread: UTC 70, Olive

Tail: MFC (Montana Fly Company) Rust/Olive Marabou OR Olive Marabou

Body: MFC (Montana Fly Company) Rust/Olive Marabou OR Olive Marabou

Rib: Copper wire, small