Monday January 16th Balanced Leeches and Chironomids

Its fun to have so many take a turn leading the group at Fly Tying Mondays. Tonight Betty MacKenzie was our guest instructor. Betty taught the group four very effective patterns; two were balanced leeches and two were chironomids. It is very neat to see Betty create fly patterns, field test them and then tweeking them a bit more until she is satisfied its a great imitation that the trout will identify as a food source. All of Betty's patterns are well thought out because she knows they will catch fish. Her field tests with her husband Steve are always great adventures. Great job Betty!

Jerry McBride from the Inland Fly Fishers in Spokane was the originator of balanced flies. Jerry believed that many flies should be presented horizontally in the water column just like the naturals. He modified many nymphs and leech patterns to test his theory. Try taking basic flies like a bead head flashback and make the pattern sit in the water horizontally. All you need is a pin and a bead to make the modifications. This style of fly also makes an great jigging action in the water.

Bob Morenski is the originator of the Ice Minnow. Bob has spent many a foray on the lakes of the Parkland Region of Manitoba putting his patterns to the ultimate test. Bob has created many variations of the Ice Minnow. Try taking several of Bob's Ice Minnows and tie them "balanced."

Davie McPhail is an amazing fly tyer. He has posted many of his flies on You Tube. Take a look at his Holographic Grey Boy. The Grey Boy that Betty tied is a variation that Phil Rowley came up with. He simplified the original pattern by putting a hot orange collar on the fly.

When fishing a balanced fly or a chironomid, tie it on your line with a nonslip loop knot. Watch Brian Chan show you how to tie this knot on your line right here (from Sport Fishing on the Fly).

Next week Bernie Peet is our guest instructor and it is going to be a good one. Come and learn about Loch Style flies.

Betty MacKenzie

Success!

Black Chironomid

Hook: TMC 100 dry fly hook size 12

Thread: Black 6/0 or 8/0

Tail: 2 strands of pearl crystal flash

Body: Black tying thread

Rib: Silver tinsel

Gill: White polypropylene or antron

Thorax: Peacock herl

Shellback: White polypropylene or antron

Grey Boy (Phil Rowley modified)

Hook: Mustad C49S or TMC 2457 sized 10 to 14

Thread: Hot Orange or hot pink

Gill: White polypropylene or antron

Bead: Black size 1/8 or 7/32

Body: Black stretch floss or flashabou

Rib: White stretch floss

Colar: hot orange or pink thread

UV Light Grey Boy

Same as above with a single strand of UV Pearl Super Flash as a added rib.

Betty's Claret Balanced Leech

Hook: Mustad 32833BLN size 8 or 10 with a bead head and pin

Bead: Gold 5/32nd bead

Tail: Black marabou with a few strands of crystal flash

Body: Black and claret polar chenille wound together, tied off and trimmed

Ice Minnow (Bob Morenski originator)

Hook: Mustad 32833BLN size 8 or 10 with a bead head and pin

Bead: Gold 5/32nd bead

Tail: Black marabou with a few strands of crystal flash

Body: White crystal chenille

Back: Black crystal chenille

Rib: silver or red wire

Vampire Leech (Todd Oishi originator)

Jig Hooks

Monday January 9th Trout and Ultraviolet Vision

Hi Everybody!

Rick Miyauchi did a presentation tonight on UV light and how to incorporate it in your tying patterns to trigger trout to take a fly. Rick emphasized simplicity in constructing his flies although he was using the key ingredients to get a trout to take the fly. A very well thought out presentation Rick! The 25 fly tyers came away with three great patterns! Time to add UV flashabou into some of my patterns.

UV Flashabou does come in a variety of colors.

Next week, Betty MacKenzie is our guest presenter. Betty has requested that you have the following items on hand:

pliers with wire cutters to cut the pins

lead if they want to weight the fly

a short length of light test fishing line to balance the hook

hot orange or hot pink tying thread

Rick Miyauchi

Some of the gang at their vices tying tonight's patterns.

Evan leading our newer fly tyers in a lesson!

Bloodworm

Hook: nymph hook 2 or 3 XL (Mustad 9671 or 9672) sizes 14 to 8

Thread: Red 3/0

Body: Red 3/0 thread

Shellback: UV purple flashabou

Rib: Red 3/0 thread twisted in a rope

Hot Spot Chironomid

Hook: Mustad C49S sizes 8 to 16

Body: black 8/0 thread (color to suit)

Hot Spot: UV Light flashabou

Thorax: Black Thread

Breathers: White midge gill

Caddis Emerger

Hook: Mustad 3906 or C49S sizes 10 to 16

Thread: 6/0 color to suit

Trailing Shuck: antron or z-lon (amber or color to suit)

Body: Mirage opal flashabou

Wing: Deer hair

Rib: thread

January 7th, 2012 Phil Rowley Workshop: Fun with Foam

Hi Everybody!

Today, the Central Alberta Fly Tyers set a new record. Thirty two fly tyers spent the day with Phil Rowley learning the intricacies of tying foam flies. We are very lucky that Phil has made himself available to our club over the past 5 years. Phil is the one of best fly tying instructors because of his clear and concise directions. Phil makes the day long seminar fun, educational and we all become better fly tyers each time he visits us. Thanks again, Phil. Another fabulous day!

A special thanks to Dr. Bill Young for lending a hand today as well. Much appreciated Bill!

Yes, we do have our regular Monday fly tying session on January 9th. Rick Miyauchi is our guest instructor. See you then!

Phil Rowley

Why Use Foam?

—Readily available

—Easy to use

—Can be trimmed to a variety of shapes and sizes

—Ability to color using permanent markers

—Provides both form and function

—Buoyant

—Perfect material in today’s hackle challenged world

—Works for both surface and sub-surface patterns

We learned all about the different types of foam that can be used in fly tying.

Including:

—Ethafoam-Packaging material

—Evazote-Sheet Foam

—Poly Urethane-UV Sensitive

—Vinyl Foam-Reacts to Solvents

—Poly Ethylene Foam

We learned all about different adhesives:

—Not all adhesives stick to foam-i.e. Epoxy Subs, Knot Sense

—Fabric adhesives

—Aqua Seal

—Soft Tex

—Soft Body

—Super 77

—Flexament or C-Flex

The foam cutters that we used today came from a company called River Road Creations Cutters. You can order the cutters on line.

The gang at work!

Preparing the foam.

Furry Foam Skwala

Hook: Mustad R74-9672 #8-#10

Thread: 6/0 Olive

Body: 2mm Sheet Foam, Olive and Furry Foam, Olive, Laminated Together

Wing: Deer Body Hair

Legs: Round Rubber Legs Barred, Olive

Winged Boobie

Hook: Mustad R-50-94840

Thread: 6/0 Color to Match

Tail: Marabou

Body: Crystal Chenille

Wing (Optional): Holographic SuperFlash or Flashabou

Eyes: Booby Eye Body Foam, Medium, White or Black

Sugar Cube

Hook: Mustad R50-94840 #12-#16

Thread: 6/0 Colour to match body

Trailing Shuck: White Packing Foam or Sheet Foam

Rib: Pearlescent Crystal Flash

Body: Stillwater Solutions Soft Blend Dubbing Maroon, Olive, Dark Summer Duck

Thorax: Stillwater Solutions Soft Blend Dubbing- Maroon, Olive, Dark Summer Duck

Suspender: White Packing Foam or Sheet Bubble

Foam Beetle

Hook: Mustad R50-94840 #10-#16

Thread: 6/0 Black

Shellback: Booby Body Foam, Black

Indicator: 2mm Sheet Foam, Orange

Body: Dubbing or Peacock Herl

Legs: Barred Round Rubber Legs, Small

Simplified Ultimate Boatman

Hook: Mustad S82-3906 #12

Thread: 6/0 Olive

Underbody: Stillwater Solutions Soft Blend

Dubbing, Dark Olive Green

Body: 5/8ths Foam Body Slim, White or Tan

Legs: SuperStretch Floss or Stillwater Solutions Midge Stretch Floss, Olive

Club Sandwich

Hook: Mustad S-80-3906 #4-#10

Thread: 6/0 White or Tan

Body: 2mm Sheet Foam, Tan, Brown and Orange glued together and trimmed to shape

Legs: Round Rubber Hackle, Knotted

Indicator: 2mm Sheet Foam, Hot Orange

Floating Minnow

Hook: Mustad R74-9672 #6-#12

Thread: 6/0 White

Tail: Stillwater Solutions Grizzly Marabou, Olive or Brown

Underbody: 2mm Sheet Foam, White

Body: SuperWeave Mylar, Medium

Extended Body Dun

Hook: Mustad C49S #6-#10

Thread: 6/0 Color to Compliment Body

Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibres

Body: 2 mm Sheet Foam, Color to Match Naturals

Wingcase: 2mm Sheet Foam, Color to Match Naturals

Thorax: Diamond Dubbing, Color to Match Naturals

Wings: Poly, Elk or Deer Hair

King's Foam Dragon

Hook: Mustad C49S #8-#10

Thread: 6/0, Black or Olive

Body: Foam Body, Plump or Slim, Covered with Dubbing

Legs: Stillwater Solutions Grizzly Marabou, Round Rubber Hackle Barred

Thorax: Dubbing

Wingcase: Thin Skin, Mottled Oak, Two Sections

Eyes: 1/8” Wide Strip of 2MM Black Sheet Foam