This blog will take off where the book "Unsinkable Dry Flies" left off, listing new and different ways to tie flies by attaching a air bubble to the hook. The flies displayed may be imitations of flies found in other reference materials or something completely unique. If you have a new idea email us, we will endeavor to post it on the Blog with your credit.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Mating Damsel Fly

Recipe Rated-X Damsel Fly
 Front Fly
-  Hook – 4 or 6X Long Shank, Size 10
-  Thread – 6/0 Blue
-  Eyes 1/8 inch black round foam
-  Body – 1/8 inch Blue Heat Shrink Tubing
-  Collar – Grizzly Hackle (optional)
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Black and White Rubber or Brown Mono
Rear Fly
           -  On the same hook
-  Thread – 6/0 Blue
-  Eyes 1/8 inch black round foam
-  Body – 3/32 inch Clear Heat Shrink Tubing colored with blue alcohol ink
-  Collar – Grizzly Hackle (optional) 
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Black and White Rubber or Brown Mono

This fly is great on any water where damsel flies are present.    Fish this fly in calmer water especially under overhanging bushes and trees.

Mating Crane Fly

Recipe – X-Rated Crane Fly


Base Fly
-  Hook – 4 or 6X Long Shank, Size 10
-  Thread – 6/0 Light Brown
-  Body – 1/8 inch Heat Shrink Tubing Colored Brown
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Monofilament
Butt Fly
           -  No hook
-  Thread – 6/0 Light Brown
-  Body – 3/32 inch Heat Shrink Tubing Colored Brown
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Monofilament


This fly is great on any water where crane flies are present. (Note: a second hook can be added to the butt fly and connected to the base fly with minimum 20# line)   Fish tend to hit this fly hard especially in calmer water under overhanging bushes and trees.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Mating Salmon Fly

Recipe – Big Bang Coitus Fly
Base Fly
             -  Hook – Aberdeen Hook, Size 2
-  Antenna – Brown Monofilament
-  Thread – 6/0 Orange
-  Body – 1/4 inch HeatShrinkz - UV Reactive Orange Heat shrink
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Rubber
-  Collar – Orange Metallic Thread
-  Head – Gray Foam
 Rear Fly
           -  No hook
-  Antenna – Brown Monofilament
-  Thread – 6/0 Orange
-  Body – 1/4 inch HeatShrinkz - UV Reactive Orange Heat shrink
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Rubber
-  Collar – Orange Metallic Thread
-  Tail - Black 1/8 inch Foam
-  Head – Brown 1/8 inch Foam

We all know about famous Salmon Fly hatches and have most likely seen Salmon Flies mating on bushes near the waters edge.  What we don’t realize is that fish really key on mating flies when they fall in the water.  Big fish seem to watch for this phenomenon and explode when they see it happening, thus the Big Bang Coitus fly.  Fish this fly anywhere when Salmon flies are out, but especially under overhanging bushes and trees.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Mating Stonefly

Recipe Coitus Stonefly
Base Fly
-  Hook – 6X Long Shank, Size 12
-  Antenna – Brown Monofilament
-  Thread – 6/0 Yellow or Gold
-  Tail - Yellow Biot
-  Body – 1/8 inch Latex Tubing
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Rubber
 Top fly
          -  No hook
-  Thread – 6/0 Yellow or Gold
-  Body – 3/32 inch Clear Heat Shrink Tubing (colored yellow)
-  Wing – Web Wing or similar (Clear with black ribbing)
-  Legs – Brown Rubber
-  Antenna – Brown Monofilament

The development of this fly was suggested to me by a local fly tier and shop owner Tim Tollett after seeing my DC Shuckster.    Fish this fly anywhere when stone flies are out, but especially under overhanging bushes and trees as well as cut banks.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Emerger with Shuck

Recipe – DC Shuckster
Shuck
  • Hook – Long shank, light wire, size 8 to 14
  • Thread – 6/0 caramel or light brown
  • Tail - Brown Biot
  • Body – Brown heat shrink
  • Collar – Brown/Green Web Wing of similar
  • Legs – Brown rubber

 Emerger
  • No hook
  • Thread - Green or color to match the emerging fly 
  • Wing – Web Wing or similar (white or off-white)
  • Collar – Grizzly or white saddle feather
  • Legs – White/Black spotted rubber

Taking Gary LaFontaine’s claim of an air bubble causing a nymph to rise to the surface and emerge I have gone one step farther and developed the DC Shuckster.  This nymph/emerger semidry pattern as it is designed to float has both the nymph shuck and the emerging fly with air inside both to hold it right at the surface.  Fish this fly anywhere you would any other emerger, but especially in surface film or foam. 

Monday, December 11, 2017

Dave's Bubble Emerger

Recipe – Dave’s Bubble Emerger


Hook – Long shank, light wire, size 12 to 18
Shuck – Variegated Z-lon or Antron (colors of your choice)
Thread – 6/0 green, yellow, or light brown
Body – Thread
Air Bubble – Clear heat shrink
Wing – Web Wing or similar (white or off-white)
Collar – Grizzly saddle feather cut flat on the bottom
Legs – Brown rubber

Real air bubble nymphs using heat shrink - what I have termed the Dave’s Bubble Emerger.  I realize there is plenty of controversy over Gary LaFontaine’s claim of an air bubble causing a nymph to rise to the surface and emerge, but few dismiss the use of a bead or some type of material (usually Antron) to create this elusion.  So, if you are going to tie a nymph or emerger that has this elusion why not make it a fly that really has an air bubble.  (Note: this technique can be applied to any fly where air bubble elusion is desired)  Fish this fly anywhere you would any other emerger, but especially in surface film or foam.