Early Season Go-Tos

The weather is warming up and the fish are starting to get hungry. The number one question that we get in the shop right now is, "what are the hitting on today?". So Im going to answer that question for you all, so you don't have to come into the shop and ask. With the Tully and the Breeches both being stocked streams, its not surprise that then Sexy Walts Worm is a must have. They are both caddis filled systems, so the RT Tube Steak Caddis Larva is another must have, the last one is Kevin Compton's Hot Butt Caddis Jig.

Sexy Walt's Worm 
Hook: Partridge Jig
Bead: Tungsten Bead
Rib: Pearl Tinsel - Sm.
Body: Hares Ear Plus #1
Collar: UNI 6/0 Fl. Fire Orangee

RT Tube Steak 
Hook: Partridge Straight Eye Grub
Bead: Tungsten Bead
Rib: Stretch Tubbing - Micro
Body: SLF Bug Dub
Collar: SLF Bug Dub

Compton's Peaking Caddis
Hook: Partridge Jig
Bead: Tungsten Bomb Bead
Rib: Ultra Wire - Copper
Hotspot: Chart. Floss
Body: Jack's English Hares Ear 

These all mimic some sort of natural food, but I want to be honest with you all... They also look like food pellets :).

This is why I have lots of each of these in my boxes to start the season off.

Dead Ringer Caddis Pupa

This fly got its name from being a very close mimic of a real caddis pupa. I have spent hours on the water trying to find live(or dead) caddis pupa to study. Some would say Im a little obsessed, but thats ok I need something to do in my free time. Anyway back to the fly, it has barred rubber legs to imitate wing pads, long wood duck to add the effect of horns, and a tungsten bead hidden under the shellback for weight. I use a bead one size smaller than usual to keep down on the bulk. This bug floats down the river looking as close to the real thing as it gets. Check out the video and tie some up.

This is a Caddis Pupa fly pattern - Dead Ringer Caddis Pupa 

Macro Midges

I am really beginning to love this new lens. It took a bit to get used to, but once you've taken a million pictures, a few actually come out nice. Below are a few example of some of my favorite midge patterns for the winter months.

The DP Midge, one of my all time favorites.

Not to sure the name of this midge pattern, but I like it.

Red Tail Emerging Midge.

The Midge army. 

Featured Fly - Double Squirrel Jig

This pattern is almost identical to the last fly I put up the only difference, its tied on a jig hook. I have had great success with the little double squirrel, so I decided to make it an anchor fly as well. We are getting into the winter months so getting as low as you can and staying in front of the fish longer, will make you more successful. Have fun.

Materials:

Hook: Orvis Tactical Jig - 10-14

Thread: Ultra Thread - Fl Orange 170

Bead: Tungsten Slotted Bead - Black - Match 

Tail: CDL Dark - 12-15 fibers 

Rib: Mirage Tinsel - Med - Opal 

Body: SLF Squirrel - Nat. Fox 

Thorax: SLF Squirrel - Dark Brown

Collar: Ultra Thread - Fl Orange 170

Step 1: Make your thread base while tying in the ribbing.

Step 2: Tie in your CDL Fibers. 

Step 3: Make a small Hot Spot out of your thread.

Step 4: Start your dubbing body right in-front of your hot spot. 

Step 5: Making tight wraps, dub the body.Tight wraps will help push the guard hairs out. 

Step 6: Taking the ribbing under the tail and back over the top, make your rib.

Step 7: Dub the thorax. 

Step 8: Make your Hot Collar and whip finish. 

Step 9: Final Step, take a dubbing brush to it, making it as buggy as you would like. 

Finished: Double Squirrel Nymph tied on Orvis Tactical Jig Hook

Finished Fly Pattern

Featured Fly - Double Squirrel Nymph

I will start this feature fly off by apologizing for not doing one for a long time. I was camera and computer less for a while, but I'm back up and running. This is a very basic nymph, but it has been working well for me. Tied from size 16 up to size 10, it works well for an anchor fly or just a general attractor. 

Materials:

Hook: Orvis Tactical Hook - Wide Gape - 16-10

Bead: Tungsten Bomb Bead - Copper or Black 

Thread:  Ultra Thread 170 - Fl. Orange 

Rib: Mirage Tinsel - Opal - Sm. or Med. 

Tail: CDL Fibers - Dark

Body: SLF Squirrel Dub - Fox Squirrel 

Collar: SLF Squirrel Dub - Drk. Brown 

Step 1: Slide the proper sized bead on the hook.

Step 2: Make a solid thread base, tying in your ribbing as you move towards the hook bend.

Step 3: Tie in your CDL tail, making a few extra wraps of thread to form a Hot Butt.

Step 4: Making tight wraps, dub the body, leaving a small space open behind the bead.

Step 5: Taking the ribbing under the tail towards the backside of the fly, make your forward ribs.

Step 6: Dub the collar with Drk. Brown squirrel.

Step 7: While doing your whip finish, make a small "hot" collar with the orange thread.

Finished Fly: Double Squirrel Nymph 

Smallmouth Food - Hellgrammites

Hellgrammites, a nasty bug that smallmouth love. These little guys can draw blood if you get too close, but for some reason smallmouth love them. They are in most warm water rivers, and some cold water creeks. Trout even like them, a high protein diet.

A fly tied by a State College regular and amazing bass fisherman Ron. This fly has taken more smallmouth bass and anyone could count.

Pat Cohen designed the bodies that can be purchased online or at any tco location. This is a dynamite hellgrammite fly patter.

Crittermite Tails are amazing. This little bass fly has been a go to fly since last season for me.

Made with Cohen's hellgrammite bodies, this realistic hellgrammite pattern in deadly under an indicator.

My most rcent experiment. I can not take full credit, I found a fly on instagram that had the same concept, and I combined theirs with my crittermite pattern. A great fly for fast water.

Smallmouth Food - Sculpin

One of the most common forms of fish food that swims. These are some of my favorites for smallmouth bass.

The Over Easy Sculpin is my favorite sculpin pattern. It looks like it will just swim out of your hand.

The Roaming Sculpin, is a quick tie that I came up with a while ago. It is a bottom crawling bass fly that drops fast and stays on the bottom.

The Tube Sculpin is a fly that can cross over from steelhead to smallmouth.

A smaller sculpin tied by Eric Snyder. It works great when the water is low and clear.

Mike Schultz's S3 Sculpin has become a staple in the bass wold. A great fly for any time, and any water conditions.

The Mohawk Sculpin, a design by the boys at Fly Fish Food, but this one was tied by Dean Myers. A great fly with a lot of movement and a great profile.

Not to sure the name of this one, but its a great sculpin, and holds its profile well in the water.

The Combo, its the Mohawk and the Over Easy.

Smallmouth Food - Crayfish

Warm water fishing has been off to a slow start. It is not because the fish won't bite, but that mother nature wont give up. We have been battling high water the whole month of July. When we do get out it is in less than ideal conditions. So that has left me with lots of time to tie flies, so much time that I don't any more room in my boxes. This is the first post in a series of four that I am doing regarding Smallmouth Food.

El Crawcito is a fly designed by the Fly Fish Food crew. It is an awesome Crayfish fly that has some awesome movement in the water.

Near Nuff Crayfish, Dave Whitlock had this one right, it sinks super fast and keeps a great profile when being striped or dead drifted.

Crazy Leg Craw, This is my variation of Pat Cohen's Jiggy Craw. It is not on a jig hook, but with the lead eyes on the bottom you can get a nice jig action with it.

Schultz's Single Fly Craw, this is an awesome fly for big water bass. It holds a nice profile in the water, and with all the rabbit, there is no short of movment.

Lenny's Crazed J Claw, another masterpiece tied by Lenny. This guy is fully lead wrapped with a tungsten cone behind the eye. She drops and says dropped. Awesome for dredging the bottom. 

I don't have a name for this one just yet, but it is a combination of a lot of flies. It has some Crawcito in it, some Clouser Cray in it, and some of Lenny's Crazed Cray in it. Bass love rubber, so put it on a crayfish and you have something.