Two Favorites - Dry Flies

With the caddis and sulphurs in full swing here in PA, I wanted to share two of my favorite dries.

The first is the Bubble Back Caddis, it is a Rene Harrop original with a spin. I love this fly for almost any situation during a caddis hatch. It can be a cripple, emerger, or an adult, or maybe not, but the fish still seem to gobble it down at all times. It is a great fly to use for a dry dropper rig when the fish are keyed in on emergers. With lots of loose cdc fibers it is easy to see at all distances and it can hold up a tungsten bead head fly with ease.

Bubble Back Caddis

Materials:
Hook: Partridge Patriot Dry - 12-18
Thread: UNI Thread 8/0 - Tan
Tail: Wood Duck - Lemon Barred
Wing: CDC Feathers -Natural Brown
Body: East Coast Dubbing - Yellow/Tan Caddis
Collar: Partridge Feather - Natural
Antena: Wood Duck - Lemon Barred
Head: East Coast Dubbing - Caddis Thorax 

The second is another stand by that I love. This is a CDC Parachute Sulphur. I love to use the cdc as a post because it always lands perfect on the water. It is also a lot lighter and drops on the water much quieter than para post material. I like to tie mine with very sparse hackle, just enough to make a footprint on the water. This is another one that can be used as an indicator fly, I tie it with Chart. or pink cdc feathers to see it easier.

CDC Parachute Sulphur

Materials:
Hook: Partridge Patriot Dry 12-18
Thread:  UNI Thread 8/0 - Yellow
Tail: CDL Fibers - Dark
Abdomen: Goode Biot - Sulphur Yellow
Para Post: CDC Feathers - Chart.
Wing: Grizzly Hackle
Thorax:  East Coast Dubbing - Sulphur Yellow

Trout Days - From a Guides Eyes

Wow, its been a while since my last post. I am going to try my hardest to keep up on a more regular basis. The last couple weeks of April and the first week of May have been had a mixture of bass and trout trips. This post will be about all the trout trips thus far.

We have been very busy and my new company Relentless Fly Fishing has hit the ground running. With the other guys in the shops we have 6 guides on the water these days, and everyone is doing a great job. The trout have been willing to please, and the bugs have started to come off nicely. The Tully and Breeches have been fishing very well, we have seen caddis, for a while now, and the sulphurs have started as well.

The spring creeks have also been fishing very well, they are all low and super clear right now, but if your approach and presentation are good, you will be successful. We have been seeing some caddis on most of them, but the sulphurs are starting up and the fish have noticed.

Some of my favorite patterns for this have been the Dead Ringer caddis pupa, CDC Parachute Sulphur, CDC Caddis, CDC Bubble Back caddis, Split Back Sulphur Nymph, and more.

It has been a wonderful season so far, and we have plenty of openings and new offerings on the guide side. Please give the shops a call if you are interested in hearing about all we have to offer.

Fish Photos and Some Guide Days

The season is now in full swing. Sulphurs are starting all over the state, however the caddis are still pretty thick and fish seem to still be keying in on them. Sulphurs will only get thicker as the month moves on. Look for fish rising in the soft water on our favorite local stream, and remember if they are super splashy rises and you see caddis, don't be afraid to nymph over those fish. 

Featured Fly - Dunnigan's Panty Dropper

Here is an awesome little fly pattern that I found while browsing Montana Fly Company's website. It is the perfect dropper of any sulphur dry, or the bottom fly of a double nymph rig. Change the thorax and add a hot collar, and you just made a totally different pattern.

Material

Hook: TMC 2499 SPBL or 2457

Bead: Tungsten Bomb Bead - Copper

Tail: Pheasant tail fibers 

Rib: Ultra Wire - Small - Copper

Body: Tying Thread - Brown Olive

Legs: Nymph Legs - Pumpkin/Black

Thorax: East Coast Dubbing - Sulphur Yellow 

Wing Case: Thin Skin - Mottled Oak - Black 

Wing Case Coating: Clear Cure Goo - UV

Step 1: Make a thread base, tying in the ultra wire as you go back.

Step 2: Tie in the 5 or 6 fibers of pheasant tail. Cut off the extra. 

Step 3: Covering the excess pheasant tail, and making the body of the fly, wrap thread forward.

Step 4: Wrap the ultra wire forward making a rib.

Step 5: Tie in the rubber legs right at the end of the ribbing.

Step 6: Dub the thorax. Remember changing the color to match the hatch.

Step 7: Cut a small strip of thin skin, then cut a "V" in the tip.

Step 8: Tie in the thin skin, making a wind case.

Step 9: Cut off excess thin skin, whip finish, and cut thread off.

Step 10:  Add a small amount of CCG, making a wing case, hit it with your UV light until cured.

Finished Fly: