The "Electric Slider" Frog

     This adaptation of the classic Gartside Gurgler has been a great fly for me this Summer. Anyone who chases Bass on top with a fly rod should be familiar with Jack Gartsides legendary fly which is arguably the most effective surface fly ever created. As with most classic flies of this caliber the imitations are endless and anglers from freshwater to salt all have a version they like to fish. This is my version   and here's how I like to fish it. Much like "Target Shooting" with a streamer I like to cast it as tight to cover as I can and strip it back like my life (or the poor little frog's life in this case) depended on it! The wire weedguard allows me to cast right into brush piles, fallen timber, pads, grass, anywhere bass like to hide and ambush fleeing prey. Another great way to fish it is to cast it right onto the bank then hop it off. If a fish doesn't strike after it plops down strip it back and pause it every so often to give any fish tracking it a chance to pounce. Mix it up to find the presentation that works and be prepared for some vicious strikes!

Hook: 3/0 Gamakatsu Weedless Worm 

Thread: Chartreuse UTC 140

Legs: Olive Bucktail over Chartreuse split and posted to form the legs

Underbody: UV Chartreuse Micro Polar Chenille

Overbody: 2mm Chartreuse Craft Foam (I like to dress up the top with permanent markers)

Eyes: Doll Eyes

Mr. Bubble CDC Caddis

     This Caddis pattern has been sitting on my tying desk for a while now. I wasn't sure what to do with it honestly. It wasn't until recently when I was getting my gear together for a trip to the Gunpowder River that I decided what the hell and stuck it in my box. I'm sure glad I did. 

     We arrived at the river and were greeted by an angler who had just finished fishing. He recommended olive streamers so I tied on an olive Bastard Bugger and made my way down the trail to the boulder pools above Falls Road. I nicked a few fish including one hefty brown that took me into the white water and got loose. The sub-surface bite slowed as the sun came out so we made our way upstream where I was greeted by another angler who was confronted with a unique situation. He explained that the fish were taking Caddis despite the fact there were none coming off or any seen buzzing around. He was taking fish on a standard Elk Hair Caddis and I remembered the bubble wing Caddis I had brought along. So to make a long story short I plucked it out from my box and after a liberal application of Dry Shake went on to catch fish for the rest of the day. Tie a few up, they only require two materials if you count the thread, they float like a buoy, are easy to see, and as Oliver Edwards would say "They work a treat!"

Hook: Tiemco 100 sz. 12-18

Thread: Uni 8/0 in Tan

Wing: 3 pieces of CDC, One light colored piece for the underwing and two darker pieces tied "Bubble Wing" style

Abdomen: Dubbed CDC

Thorax: CDC, touch dubbed, spun in a split thread dubbing loop, or wound as a hackle

Underside, Über Buggy

BBW Bass Fly

     Along with the weather the Bass fishing has been heating up these past few weeks. I was wondering a few days ago why I haven't been tying a whole lot lately, then I remembered. I've been fishing! I live within ten minutes of 5 top notch ponds and all have been producing quality fish. However, due to the weather the shallow water opportunities of spring have passed. Local anglers of all disciplines have had to fish deeper to locate fish trying to beat the heat.

      The BBW or "Braided Body Worm" shown here is one pattern I've had success with recently. The tail of the worm is created by braiding two pieces of standard chenille with a length of Estaz or crystal chenille. It also features a bright foam tip that suspends the end of the tail when jigged or hopped along the bottom. Tie some up and experiment with different colors of chenille to match the water conditions in your area.

Hook: 3/0 Gamakatsu Weedless Worm Hook

Thread: Olive UTC 140

Weight: Lead Wire and Black Lead Dumbell Eyes

Tail/Body: 2 Strands standard Olive Chenille and 1 strand Medium Olive Crystal Chenille braided "Pony-Tail" style

Worm Tip: 2mm Craft Foam

Collar: Olive Schlappen

Head: Medium Olive Crystal Chenille

Parachute Antics

I guess I'm lucky in that the first Trout I caught on a fly rod I caught on a Dryfly. Most novice anglers might take their first fish with a nymph on an indicator rig or by stripping a black Wooly Bugger but not me, I was blessed with a slow and deliberate rise. Unfortunately however, I can't say I was drifting Duns over furiously feeding fish in the middle of an epic hatch of Sulphurs on a famed eastern Spring Creek. It wasn't such a legendary event. I was fishing with my Father on Morgan Run in Carroll County Md. one Fall afternoon. Anyone familiar with this stream knows there are several pools conveniently located near the parking areas that get absolutely hammered. I was fishing one such spot with little hope of catching anything. No rises anywhere or even fish so it seemed but I kept fishing if only for the "on the water" practice. After trying all the old favorites like Adams and Elk Hair Caddis I tied on a Parachute Ant and cast it above a drowned tree. I followed the bright green post on that fly like a hawk as it approached the submerged timber and as it passed over a log it happened! A silvery head appeared and grabbed the fly, I waited until I felt the fish and set the hook! A minute later I had my first Fly caught Trout in the net and a smile on my face. Since then I always carry a few Parachute Ants with me. I've caught trout practically every month of the year on them regardless if their "in season" or not. Also, the next time your having trouble "Matching the Hatch" try "Un-Matching" it with an Ant pattern and you might be surprised. Furthermore don't be afraid to try larger sizes. There's just something about Ants that Trout love. 

Hook: Tiemco 100 sz. 12-22

Thread: Black Uni 8/0

Body Segments: Black Superfine Dubbing

Post: Hi-Viz Poly Yarn

Hackle: Black

The Fly Fisherman's Senko Worm

It could be argued that Fly Fisherman are at a disadvantage to Spin Fisherman when it comes to lure selection for Bass fishing. Fly anglers fishing for Bass might feel like they only have a few options on the water as opposed to a gear angler who has a tackle box full of them. Fly Fisherman can either fish a popper or surface slider and if that fails to produce we're left with fishing streamers and that's pretty much it right? Wrong! Unlike conventional anglers who are limited to what's on the shelves at the tackle shop Fly Fisherman and tiers are limited only by their materials which can be used to create all manner of effective flies. For a very long time the plastic worm or "Senko" worm has been one of if not the most effective lures a conventional angler could throw. This fly is the Fly Anglers version of this timeless bait. There are several other incarnations of the plastic worm for Fly Fisherman such as the "Gulley Worm" and "Foam Tail Super Worm." So the next time your at the pond or on the lake don't get jealous of the Spin Fishers. Figure out how you can replicate or in some cases improve upon the lures they are using. There is a definite satisfaction in this aside from catching more Bass, and that is beating the "Bass Pro's" at their own game!

Hook: Gamakatsu Offset Shank EWG Worm Hook sz. 2/0

Thread: Black UTC 140

Eyes: Red Lead Dumbell

"Wing"/Tail: Black Rabbit Zonker

Body: UV Black Estaz

Legs: Brown Round Rubber

Collar: Black Schlappen

The Result:

Heptageniidae Nymph Pattern

This pattern is about as realistic as I care to tie. It's a generic Heptageniidae or "Flat Headed" Mayfly Nymph I put together. These nymphs are common in practically every stream I've sampled and with 500 or so species they are no doubt an important food source for Trout. They are purpose built for crawling around rocks along the stream bottom. However, unlike other species of Mayfly Nymphs such as Baetidae they are poor swimmers and one misstep while crawling around in the current means a helpless snack for a hungry fish (That's not to say plenty Baetis don't get gobbled up!)  I had bought some extra small mono eyes last year for some Caddis Pupa I was tying and figured I could come up with some Mayfly Nymphs that could use them as well. I usually use this pattern as a dropper in tandem with a heavier more generalized nymph. I normally don't worry too much about details like eyes and such when developing my flies but it's fun to experiment at the vise. You may buy something at the flyshop and have only a vague idea ,or none at all, of what to use it for but once you start tying you'll be surprised what you can come up with. Have fun and experiment, therein lies the beauty of Fly Tying!

Hook: Tiemco 3761 sz.14

Thread: Dark Brown Uni 8/0

Tails: Moose Body Hair

Abdomen: Brown Scud Back ( I usually trim the 1/8 strip in half when wrapping bodies)

Rib: Brown UTC Ultra Wire sz. small

Wing Case/Head: Mottled Oak ThinSkin  (Underside colored with Brown permanent marker)

Thorax/Head: Brown SLF Squirrel

Legs: Brown Speckled Hen Saddle ( Tied over the thorax style)

Eyes: Spirit River Black X-Small Mono Eyes

Hackle Stacker Damselfly

My well earned vacation starts this coming Monday and I'll be kicking it off with a float trip down one of Maryland's famed Smallmouth Rivers, The Monocacy Scenic River. Aside from getting my gear in order and getting the boat setup I've also been tying lots of flies. I've tied a few dozen poppers, divers, and surface sliders as well as meaty streamers and plenty of crayfish to round out the standard Smallie menu. However I've also come up with a few new patterns to test out and this adult Damselfly is one I can't wait to try. It's nothing groundbreaking as far as fly design goes but I figured it deserved a post if only because Damselflies don't get the same respect from Fly Fisherman that other winged insects do. At any rate I'll let everyone know how it works out. It reminds me of when I started tying flies by fashioning a pair of vise-grip pliers into a makeshift vise and wrapping all manner of craft store feathers to whatever hook I could find with sewing thread. I had just finished tying what I thought were some great flies. I showed them to another angler while we waited out a rain shower under a bridge. "What do you think of these?" I asked him. He replied in monotone "Well, they're bound to catch something." Tight Lines!

Hook: Gamakatsu B10s sz. 6

Thread: Uni 6/0 in Doctor Blue

Abdomen: Light Blue 2mm Craft Foam (Feel free to use pre-made Damselfly bodies if you prefer not to make your own)

Wing: White Sparkle Organza 

Post/Loop: Strip of Light Blue 2mm Craft Foam

Hackle: Grizzly tied "Para-Loop" style

Thorax: Wapsi Life Cycle Nymph Dubbing in Peacock ( The best synthetic Peacock dubbing as far as I'm concerned)

Eyes: Large Black Plastic Bead-Chain