Monday, January 28, 2013

Low water swinger

This smaller, 2.5" total length cut-shank should work on the lower flow levels of 185 - 335cfs. 


You can use any color combo you like.  This brown/orange pattern mimics a crayfish, one of the favorite foods of the steelhead in the river.



The smallmouth bass that enter the river in May & June will also find it to their liking.  Just attach a #4 Octopus stinger hook with a non-slip loop knot and you are good to go!



List of materials in order they are put on:

Shank - cut from #4 streamer hook 7XL to give lenght of 35mm, smooth the end with file
add a rear loop on the shank with .018 beading wire

Rear bump - 2 turns of flourescent orange chennile

Tail -  dark brown marabou plume wound on by the tip, with 2 strands of copper flashabou along each side.

Body - copper Ice dub with brown grizzly hackle palmered and counter wrapped with fine black ultra
wire.

Front bump - 2 turns of Brown/copper tinsel chenille

Collars - brown Artic fox spun in a dubbing loop (sparse)
            - 8 strands of black rhea
            -  2 turns of ornage pheasant rump

Flash - 2 strands of copper flashabou along each flank

Wing - 2 body feathers from golden pheasant tied in flat over top of shank

Topping - 4 strands of copper krystal flash

Head - medium black bead chain tied under the shank with 2 turns of flourescent orange antron dubbing.

Thread - brown 140 ultra thread
           

Friday, January 25, 2013

Heading To The Fly Fishing Show


              Keep this in mind!  Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Wade Deep To Cast Farther??



Wading Deep to cast farther??  Not so fast -

Wading deeper to gain distance isn't the answer to gain a few extra feet. Wading deep decreases the height from the water to your rod tip to the bottom of your D loop. The few extra feet you my gain by wading deeper, will most likely be lost in the cast. Wading deeper reduces the height of your D loop and it becomes smaller.

Friday, January 18, 2013

More color combos for cut-shanks

Some more color combinations that work for me

 

Brown /orange
 
Black/blue
 
 Black/olive
 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Cut -shank Intruder

Black and red Intruder constructed in the same way as the ESL that was posted earlier.  Only changes are the addition of 2 wings (pheasant rump) tied on flat over the top of fly and the substitution of  XS yellow leads eyes for the egg head.



Top view:

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Burkheimer Fly Rod Build


Burkheimer Fly Rod Build - Broadband from North Fork Studios on Vimeo.

A great look into how Burkheimer Rods are built.

4" cut-shank Egg Sucking Leeches

Getting ready for some winter swinging this weekend by tying up these ESL's.  They are a cross between 2 of Zack's designs posted earlier on this blog.


Shank is cut from a size 2 Mustad streamer hook that is 7XL.


Materials in the order they are put on:
1. rear bump - mix of angora goat and ice dub
2. tail - Finn raccoon with 2 strands of Krystal flash along each side
3. two long grizzly hackles
4. body - ice dubbing with grizzly hackle counter wrapped with small ultra-wire
5. front bump - 3 turns of estaz with 2 turns of Aritc fox spun in dubbing loop
6. flash - 2 strands of holographic flash-a-bou along each side with 4 strands of Krystal flash over the top of shank.
7. collar - 12 strands of Rhea followed by 3 turns of pheasant rump feather
8. egg - ice dub over lead wire base.

This is another color combination
The grizzly hackles are splayed out for more movement in the water.

Monday, January 7, 2013

The Fly Fishing Show - Somerset NJ



Garden State Convention Center

January 25, 26, 27 2013

Show Hours: Fri 10 - 6; Sat 8:30 - 6:00; Sun 9 - 4:30

Anyone who is planning on attending stop by and see our own Frank Swarner, he'll be tying all weekend.

A complete list on the event can be found here.

Friday, January 4, 2013