Bill, I wonder if that might be CdL soft hackle, like used in that Soft Hackle Streamer video you posted a while back?

Hmm, maybe not. I just checked the Whiting site and they don't offer the Coq de Leon Soft Hackle + Chicabou in black. I wonder why not, seems like a good choice.

Edited by user Sunday, March 25, 2018 11:08:39 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

That's what I ended up using but wasn't happy with the result. Seemed like something that was a little stiffer would work better. Still on the hunt to find the right material. I need to get up to the Driftless Angler show and buy a couple to use for reference. It's possible they may know who came up with that pattern and I might be able to wring out a recipe for it. I really like these small leech style streamers.


-Bill

Stuck inside today due to the gnarly weather, so I decided to try tying some flies.

These messy looking things are supposed to SBR Hendrickson Nymphs. Size 14 hook with Lemon Duck feathers for the wings and tail. I didn't have the right size bead head available - a smaller one would be more proportional to the body. These were made with 5-6 wraps of lead wire on the hook, so along with the large bead head they should get right to the bottom.



We'll see how they fish when I next get out in a couple weeks.


-Bill

But Bill, those larger beads will get the nymph down in the water column farther and faster, not a bad thing. Nicely tied, as usual from you.

Too damned hot to fish this weekend, so I might as well tie flies. The warm weather has me thinking about terrestrials. I found this pattern called the Mini Stone Flopper and thought I would give it a try.



These are similar to a Baby Boy hopper, but with Ice Wing Fiber instead of Elk Hair for the wing. I tied these like some earlier hopper patterns with a Daiichi 1130 wide gap hook in size 10. I feel this gives the fly a much better hook rate than a narrower gap hook. I need to find some better wing material as the Ice Wing tends to fray out a bit too much for me. But, maybe messy will work. We'll see.



My terrestrial fly boxes are prepped up and ready to go. I dedicate one box mostly just for hoppers, and the other for a variety of beetle, ant, Cranefly, Hippie Stompers, San Juan worm and cricket patterns in various shapes.



With hoppers, I've found that size is more important that color. When Trout are in a frenzy for hoppers, the strikes usually come within moments of the bug hitting the water. If they see something with the right profile, and is the appropriate size, they will hammer it. There's no need for complicated, difficult to tie patterns when Trout are feeding like this.

When I get follows and refusals, it's usually because the bug is too large. Most of my hoppers are size 10-12, and again with that wide gap hook.




-Bill