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wandering monks fly pattern of the month
When I started fly fishing 40 some years ago, I soon realized that being able to tie your own flies was a necessary aspect of the pursuit…first of all, it saved me some money…secondly, and actually more important it allowed me to be more a part of the the whole process. It has always been important to me to make as much , if not all my own gear.
…an “organic” adult caddis pattern…the “Amber Caddis”…
…the “Clear Creek Slayer”…
…a precise and accurate presentation, realism in the pattern, floating well & making good contact with the water…
…the ingredients for success with weary trout…
…an Adult Stone Fly imitation…or as I like to call it…the”Big Fly Dry”…I bent the legs around a bit for the picture here to make it look like it was crawling for a laugh…my wife said it was more realistic than some orthers … recently I played a little joke with her on, laying out a fresh tie on the kitchen counter…lets just say I wont do that again…
I used mallard feathers, Wild Turkey fan and some Buffalo wool for body dubbing & a little swiss straw for the wrapping thread…this pattern is meant for a trip to the Gunnison in early June for the monster stonefly hatch that happens there…
Incorporating parts of my harvests into the hunting and fishing equipment I made myself, was something that came naturally to me. It was even more affirmed for me after more study and personal experiences with Native American Culture, several of my friends from that persuasion showed me a lot of their view on what hunting and fishing was to them, and how using “organic” materials were part of the respect involved in the pursuit of anything involving the creation. wm…
…the shadow cast from this “one feather” dry says it all…
It only made sense to utilize materials that came from hunting etc…and the pleasure of knowing I was catching fish that came from another area of my life in the outdoors was very fulfilling…something for me that really added a whole new dimension in an area of interest I already had a great love for…
…weary trout can be tricked if your patterns go to the next level…
In the case of dry flies some details that realy need to be addressed are contact points and shadows projected…especially on bright sunny days…here is a simple and easy tie, a “one feather”, size 18, using only one hackle feather and the left over tip…w/ a thread body here… ”The Kurt Gowdy”…in a March Brown imitation…the bottom of the hackle is trimmed away to help a proper float presentation…this trimming does not always work…but does more than not…
…here is a mature May Fly pattern that I have a matching nymph & emerger for too…
…”The Trilogy”…my favorite trio based on the same hook and materials…
…I add to this page regularly…and will be making up at least one SBS every month…
…here are some more of my homegrown patterns…
…with a little thought and the right materials, flies can really come close in imitating various aquatic insects…
all photos and text are property of Wandering Monk Fly Rod Co.tm
here are some suppliers I use for my hooks and other tying ingredients…also a few great resources for materials…fur and feathers…
AO Feathers a place that has quality materials, and some hard to find items like double hooks and items used by those devoted to classic patterns…a small family business. Aaron has become a friend, and shares the same faith as I do…
Fly Fishing The Sierra a great site for not only purchasing quality materials for tying flies…but also a great library of patterns with a list of mterials needed…something Steve sells too…this is probably one of if not the most complete fly angling sites out there. Everything from detailed fliy patterns(and materials available) but also tactics, basic angling knowledge and even a campsite directory…great job Steve!
here are some links to sites that offer excellent SBS’s or youtubes… a few folks whom I consider master tyers ,and some step by steps to tie flies…or with you tube videos…also just some good resources worth looking at…
Charlies Fly Box , Charlie Cravens site…Arvada, Colorado…I sold a lot of his patterns in a shop I worked at in Colorado…he is not only creative, but also a super tyer, and a great guy…the original, Mr SBS himself…
Hans Stephenson from Dakota Angler…Rapid City , South Dakota…Hans is a great tyer and has the youtube thing down very well…many new styles and materials…
Davie McPhail….an oustanding tyer from Scotland…all manner of trout and salmon flies…he has many youtubes done on all sorts of patterns…a real magician…
Fly Anglers Online is a great resorce for tying tutorial’s for all manner of flies…trout to salmon…here is a very good link for tying Dee Style flies…browse their pages for a lot more…
Salmon Fly.Net… this is an all around great resource for fly tying and fishing in general for Salmon and Steelhead…I get a lot of ideas from studying these pages…