March Meeting

Glen Northup, a very experienced fisherman and fly tyer will demonstrate tying a tan caddis. Tan Caddis may help you review this later and show alternative techniques.

November: Basic Techniques, Hare's Ear Nymph

Here's an excellent video of Tying the Hare's Ear Nymph. Unfortunately it uses leaded wire, which destroys the environment, and is prohibited from many streams. I recommend using nonlead wire, size .010 or .015.

From Jim Schollmeyer's Nymph Tying Techniques

October: Wings

Norbert Morin showed us easy and practical methods for tying Caddis wings, parachutes, hairwing flies, and the traditional Catskill wing. He emphasized that there are different ways to tie each of these wings, which work for different individuals--and that you should experiment to see which works best for you.

I suggest that you tie 5 of each of these flies before the next meeting. I also recommend Dick Stewart's Fly Tying Guide, which Dave Porecca at Rivers and Riptides can get for you, if he doesn't already have it. It has a lot of good information and pictures for beginning fly tyers as well as the standard recipes. Fly tying material may be purchased at River and Riptide, Carr's Rod-N-Gun, and The Bear's Den.

Since Norbert covered so much material, and there were so many people at the table, here are some videos to help you remember the steps and techniques, which may be different from those you saw.

Tan Caddis
Calf Tail Wings
Parachute Post (Tyer is using poly yarn instead of calf tail, but you've already leaned how to tie the calf tail to the hook and stand it up.)

Also watch: Fly Tying Technique Videos: Start the thread, half hitch, Materelli Whip finish, hand whip finish, and hair stacking

New beginners might want to read the rest of this page.
We'll start next month by reviewing some of these flies.

Dick Pearce

Tying Over the Summer

We won't have any more tying meetings till the fall, but it would be a good idea to keep in practice--and tie flies to catch fish. I recommend Dick Stewart's Fly Tying Guide, which Dave Porecca can get for you, if he doesn't already have it. It has a lot of good information for beginning fly tyers as well as the standard recipes.

Read Paul Marriner's How to Choose and Use Fly-tying Thread--and try to tie 10 flies a week, so you'll be able to sit at the intermediate tables next fall.

Think about your hand position and thread control.

A. K. Best recommends holding your material at a 45-50 degree angle from the center-line of your thumb (notice how natural it looks). Then hold your material against the hook shank, so that it doesn't move when you make your first wrap.

Also notice how close the bobbin is to the hook. "There should never be more than one inch between the end of the bobbin tune and the hook shank" (Advanced Fly Tying).

Tight lines,
Dick Pearce

April: Caddis

Video: How to tie an Elk Hair Caddis

Tying CDC and Elk Caddis

Tying a Poly Yarn Wing Caddis
Note: I use the poly yarn for the body.

February: Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear & Pheasant Tail Nymph

You all did well at the last meeting and now have flies that should catch trout in April. Tie 5-10 of each pattern--and work on your techniques. Watch how the tyers in the videos below twist their thread continually to compensate for the natural unwinding. And how they tie their material to the hook. And watch for tying techniques and variations of my instructions.

Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
Pheasant Tail Nymph See how to tie easier and better legs.

Also watch: Fly Tying Technique Videos

• Start the thread, half hitch, Materelli Whip finish, hand whip finish, hair stacking, mono eyes,making peacock herl stronger

November: Soft Hackle Fly

It was good tying with you last night. I hope you'll each tie 5-10 flies to get down the technique. Granted $25 is a lot to spend for one kind of fly tying material, but you can get hundreds of flies out of a hungarian partridge skin. If you buy a packet of feathers, you may get only a few of the right feathers--but you can probably search through them before buying. You might also find a hen hackle saddle that's close to patridge in looks for $7-15.

Here's a good video for tying a Partridge and Orange--with a simple thread body. It's very good on techniques and how to fish the fly.

And here's one for a March Brown soft hackle, which introduced a few more good possibilities.

Note that one of the tyers recommends putting the head cement on the thread before tying the head. Good idea. It insures that you don't get it in the eye of the hook.

Dick Pearce

Louis sent me an e-mail asking what to do about his ribbing coming loose. This was probably because it was not locked down. A secure way is shown in the video of tying a Hare's Ear Nymph. Watch how the tinsel is locked down at least twice before trying it yourself.

http://www.theanglersnet.com/Fly-Tying-videos/play_video.asp?section=6&VID=201

October: Zug Bug, Prince Nymph, Pinch Wrap

I hope everyone will tie five of each of the flies we tied at the October meeting.

One of the problems many people had was tying the tails exactly where they wanted it on top of the hook. That was partly because it might have been hard to see my demostration of the pinch wrap, and partly because it takes a little practice. The pinch wrap step by step.

I forgot to tell you about Hans Weilenmann's Better Way to Tie Hackle. I strongly recommend it. Please bring your best fly to the November meeting. I'd like to begin with a review of that fly; perhaps those people who mastered it could help out. You may have suggestions that come from your recent experience.

Here are two urls for tying a Prince Nymph with slightly different techniques. Take a look at both to see what's most helpful.
Tying a Prince Nymph, video
Tying a Prince Nymph, step by step instructions and still pictures.

Here's a video of tying a Zug Bug.

We will tie soft hackle flies at the November meeting, so that you can learn how to dub and practice tying hackle.

Dave Porecca is ordering some copies of Dick Stewart's Universal Fly Tying Guide for River and Riptide.

For those interested in the life cycle of a mayfly, see Troutnut on Mayfly hatches. This site has a wealth of information and great pictures. You also may want to purchase Thomas Ames Jr's Hatch Guide for New England Streams to find out what's hatching throughout the year.

September: Woolly Bugger

If you're going to continue tying, it would be a good idea to buy some basic tools. You can get good advice from Dave Porecca at River and Riptide, Joe Carr at Carr's Rod'n Gun, or Scott Wessel at the Bear's Den.

To practice what you learned at the last meeting and master the fly, it's a good idea to tie ten flies before the next meeting. Here's a good video to review the Woolly Bugger. Note that the flash is missing in the video. It is tied in after the tail.

Woolly Bugger

Thread: Black 6/0 Uni Thread.
Nonlead weight or bead head
Tail: Black Marabou Feather.
Flash: Green or red Krystal Flash tied in so that two strands are running along each side of the tail.  
Rib: Medium silver or gold oval tinsel (optional).
Body: Black chenille.
Hackle: Black saddle hackle.

Colors may be varied; olive is common. Peacock herl may be used for body.

See this video for whip finishing.

Dick Pearce