Three Favorites - Go to Jig Flies

To continue with the jig theme, here are three of my favorite jigs. The little winter stone is a great anchor fly for smaller streams that you can't fish bigger flies on. However it can be fished just about anywhere. The Sow Bug jig is one of my favorites for all spring creeks, I tie this without a bead and jig hook and it is my go to fly. So having some on a jig is much better for getting down in fast water. The last one is the Double Squirrel, it has a simple but buggy profile. Having 2 small hot spots are great triggers for fish in cloudy water. Check them out and start adding them to your boxes. 

Little Winter Black Stone Jig 

Materials

Hook: Partridge / Orvis Jig Hook 

Thread: UNI Thread 6/0 - Black 

Bead: Slotted Tungsten Bead - Black

Tail/Antenna: Goose Biots - Black 

Body: Ultra Wire - Br. Black 

Legs: Krystal Flash - Black/Pearl 

Thorax: SLF Squirrel - Black 

JIG SOW BUG

Materials:

Hook: Partridge / Orvis Jig Hook

Thread: UNI Thread 6/0 - Tan 

Bead: Slotted Tungsten Bead - Copper 

Underbody: Lead Wire - .025

Body: Sow Scud Dubbing - Sow Bug 

Shellback: Loon UV - Flow

Double Squirrel Jig

Materials:

Hook: Partridge / Orvis Jig Hook 

Thread: UNI Thread 6/0 - Fl. Fire Orange 

Bead: Slotted Tungsten Bead - Black

Tail: CDL Fibers 

Rib: Opal Tinsel - Small

Body: SLF Squirrel - Nat. Fox Squirrel 

Thorax: SLF Squirrel - Drk. Brown 

Hotspots: UNI Thread 6/0 - Fl. Fire Orange 

Winter Trout Fly Videos

So all of these videos have been posted before, and can also be found on my YouTube channel. However each of these are great flies to have ready for the winter months ahead of us. Winter is a great time to get out and fish your local tailwaters and spring creeks. Midges, caddis larva, and sow bugs are my top fly choices for this time of year. Enjoy each video and get those boxes filled!

A Few Days With Clients

Spending most of your free time on the water with clients or even by yourself, you meet all kinds of people. Some that you would like to toss in the river, or just can't wait for the day to be over. Others are on the opposite side of the spectrum, ones that are a joy to be around, and listen to every instruction perfectly. This past week was filled with plenty of clients that I can't wait to fish with again. One couple, Tom and Barb are in the beginning of a 2 year road trip fishing the top 100 trout streams in the US. Part of their journey has them interviewing all the guides that show them a good time on the water. Bellow is a video interview I did with them.

Interview with Jake

Onto the fishing report, Caddis are everywhere. Take lots of dry flies, but remember that fish may not always be rising to flies floating on the surface. This means you should have an ample amount of nymphs and emergers as well. The Yellow Breeches and The Tulpehocken Creek are full of fish looking for caddis. Head out today and find your pod of fish.

Video - DP Midge

Last year I tried to put up 7 post a month, in doing so some of the post were just filler and weren't the quality that I would have liked. This year I am going to try for at least 3 a month and make them  of higher quality. Im sure during the season I will do more with fishing reports, and stream photos. My goal is to give you a Gear Review, Fishing Photos, and a Video each month. I will do my best. Last post was Fishing Photos, and the Gear Review, now the video.

This is a fly that a good friend of mine showed me a long time ago, and it has been my number one midge fly for the past couple years. I did a featured fly on it a while back, and decided that this would be a great on to add to the "silent" film collection. Enjoy 

The Silent Midge - Video

It is winter time, even if it doesn't feel like it. This is the time of year when fish really key in on small midges. They can come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes; from a bright red to a dull black. No matter the color, trout love them! This video shows you one of my favorite mid winter midge patterns. Enjoy!

Video - Crescent Cress Bug

I have a small obsession with cress bugs, one that rivals my obsession with sculpins. This is a fly that has worked well for me over the past few winters. The first edition of this fly was designed almost three years ago, and after about four re-designs I am very satisfied with it. Life like, but doesn't take a lot of time to tie. Check it out.

Southeastern PA Fishing Report

 Tully: Caddis are everywhere. Don't let the splashy rises fool you, most of the fish are eating emergers and not adults. Fish a dry dropper rig when you see the splashes, and if you see them take adults cut the dropper off and go dry. Early mornings have been very productive nymphing with frenchies, caddis larva, pupas, and small midges.

Spring Creeks: Caddis, lt. cahills, olives, and midges have been hatching just about every day. Fishing a dry dropper is the only way to go. Sow Bugs, Caddis pupa, BWOs, and Adult caddis have all been working well.

Spring Fly Fishing in PA

It has been a very fish filled week here in Eastern PA. We have been doing some early morning exploring of a few less traveled creeks. Which is where this beautiful rainbow below came from. With scuds and sow bugs crawling over every rock, fly selection was easy. Fishing new water you can’t leave without flipping a couple rocks over to see what’s underneath. The rocks were covered with, caddis larva, multiple mayfly nymphs, and even a couple aquatic worms. My flies of choice: Frenchies, SYE Sow Bugs, Blended Caddis Larva, and Rubber Z Wings.

Spring Creek Fly Patterns: Caddis Larva, J:Son Caddis, Rubber Z Wing Caddis, Sow Bug

Guide season is now in full swing and the fishing has really picked up on our local waters. We are still not seeing too many caddis flying around. However the fish are eating caddis larva and pupas, so it can't be long now.  This past week I had two more trips on the Tully and both ended with happy clients and fish in the net. A couple more warm nights and a little rain, and we should start seeing good numbers of adult caddis.

Tailwater Fly Patterns: Caddis Larva, Frenchies, Zebra Midges, and Sow Bugs 

For all you Upper Delaware fans, Tony and I ran up this past weekend for a one-day float trip. We did most of our damage in the riffles with Hendrickson nymphs and other attracter patterns. The water levels on the West Branch were below 400 cfs, which made floating difficult, even for my boat. The bug life became very active as the evening approached, and we had a few shots at fish on top. Once the water levels come up a bit, the Upper Delaware should light up!

Upper Delaware Fly Patterns: Hendrickson Emerger, Hendrickson Adult,  Hendrickson Nymph

Interested in any of my flies, I now have a small selection of them for sale on the blog. Check out the Flies for Sale . This is located on the right side of the blog below the followers section.

Featured Fly - The Reaper

Here is a little mixed up nymph that is a little out there. Mostly black with a blue hotspot, and Chartreuse ribbing. A great fly for prospecting those little wild trout streams around the state. I have become obsessed with the Orvis Tactical hooks, the short shank wide gape makes for the perfect hook. A lot of my most recent fly designs have been based around what I can tie on these hooks.

Materials:

Hook: Orvis Tactical Hook sz. 12 - 16

Bead: Tungsten Bead - Black sized to match hook 

Rib: Ultra Wire sz. Small - Fl. Chart.

Tail: Saddle Hackel Fibers - Black 

Hot Spot: Uni Thread 6/0 - Silver Doc Blue or Danville 70 - Blue 

Body: Goose Biot - Black 

Thorax: SLF Squirrel mixed with Ice Dub - Black & Peacock Black 

Step 1: Make a small thread base behind the bead.

Step 2: Finish making a thread base while tying in the ultra wire rib.

Step 3: Pull about 10 saddle fibers off and tie in. Tie these in a little down the hook bend.

Step 4: Make a small thread base or hot spot, then trim extra off.

Step 5: Tie a goose biot flush to the hot spot. Then move thread forward.

Step 6: Wrap the biot forward. Tying it off right behind the bead.

Step 7: Taking the ultra wire under the tail first, wrap forward making a rib.

Step 8: Take your blended dubbing and make a thorax.

Step 9: Make a small hot collar with the thread. Whip finish and cut off!

Finished Fly: The Reaper Nymph