Category: Fly Tying Posts

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2026 Sowbug Roundup – The Delicate Dry Fly

Sowbug Roundup is a three day fly tying and fly fishing show that is held in Mountain Home, AR. The event will be held March 26th, 27th, and 28th. As I have done so in previous years, I will be a fly tying demonstrator again this year.

The theme for this year’s expo is The Delicate Dry Fly, and I like to plan my demonstrations around the theme of the event. To make things run smoothly for me, I have put together a plan and I have prepared some fly tying cards that show the flies I will be demonstrating. It really helps me when I plan ahead!

Something new for me this year though is that I will also be a Featured Fly Tyer for the Day 2 Friday afternoon. For this session I will be tying in the main lobby with a video camera and monitor showing the audience what I’m doing a little more closely.

Day 1 – Caddisfly & Mayfly Dry Flies

On Day 1, I will be tying mostly caddisfly dry flies but also a few mayflies as time permits. The flies I will be demonstrating are as follows:

Caddisflies

  • Apple Caddis w/ Wonder Wings
  • Elk Hair Caddis – Amber/Brown
  • Elk Hair Caddis – Gray/Grizzly
  • EC Caddis Emerger – Ginger
  • Front-End Loader – Tan
  • CDC Bubble Caddis

Mayflies

  • Slate Drake w/ Wally Wings
  • BWO w/ CDC Split Wings

On some devices, you can scroll through the Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

Day 2 – Catskill Style Dry Flies

On Day 2, I will be tying Catskill Style Dry Flies. This is a style of dry flies first tied for the streams in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. This style was the first type of dry flies developed in the United States. Prior to this, the flies in the US were typically wet flies.

I will be the Featured Tyer for this session so it will take place in the main lobby where there will be a video camera and monitor to make it easier to see. The flies I will be demonstrating are as follows:

  • March Brown
  • Light Hendrickson
  • Quill Gordon
  • Light Cahill
  • Red Quill
  • Pink Lady
  • Adams
  • BWO

On some devices, you can scroll through the Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

Day 3 – Foam Dry Flies

On Day 3, I will be tying Foam Dry Flies. These are dry flies that contain some sort of foam to help with flotation.

The flies I will be demonstrating for this session are as follows:

  • Camel Light Crane Fly
  • Braided Blue Damselfly
  • Hi-Viz Beetle – Red
  • Tom’s Wee Hopper – Olive
  • Tom’s Wee Hopper – Tan
  • My Favorite Ant

On some devices, you can scroll through the Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

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2026 NWTF Convention & Sport Show

Flies donated to the Cast & Blast package at the NWTF Convention

If you’re into wild turkey hunting then this is something you won’t want to miss. The NWTF Convention & Sport Show is sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation and will be held in Nashville, TN on February 10-15, 2026.

I’m not too much of a turkey hunter but I have gotten involved with this in a different way. I was contacted by the SD & ND Regional Director of the NWTF to donate some flies for their Black Hills Cast & Blast package. The package is a fully supplied trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills for both trout fishing and turkey hunting. You can bid on the package at the convention this week during the auction.

There are many items included in the package, such as lodging, guide service, fly rods, coolers … and of course … my tiny part: TROUT FLIES. The photo below is what I donated to the package:

Flies donated to the Cast & Blast package at the NWTF Convention
2025-26 National Wild Turkey Federation Fly Donation

So if you are the successful bidder on the package, four dozen of my flies will be included with the trip. I have fished the Black Hills area a few times before so my fly collection includes several patterns that have been successful for me. The nymphs range in size from 12 to 18. These are the sizes I commonly fish with. The dry flies range from sizes 12 to 22, with each successive pattern being one hook size smaller. The first three patterns are mainly attractors and the last three target specific mayflies or midges.

Nymphs

  • Rumble Stone
  • Mohawk Pheasant Tail
  • Sexy Walt’s Worm
  • Gordon’s Fire Starter
  • Prince Nymph
  • Skinny Nelson

Dry Flies

  • Royal Coachman
  • Adams
  • Purple Haze Parachute
  • Blue Wing Olive
  • Morgan’s Midge
  • RS2

The Rumble Stone nymph is a new fly I have substituted in this year. It’s a great looking stone fly pattern and, although I haven’t had the pleasure of fishing it yet, should do well where there are stone flies present.

I think the lucky winner(s) of this package will have great success with these flies!

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Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!!!

I came across a variation of a fly I’ve had good success with and I can’t wait to try it. The one I’ve fished before is called the Rumble Bug. It’s a Euro Nymph fly pattern tied on a jig hook. The new one is called the Rumble Stone and it is tied on a curved nymph hook.

Here is what the Rumble Bug looks like and how it’s tied:

A detailed tying guide for McKenna's Rumble Bug fly pattern, featuring a jig hook and a material list with specifications.
Rumble Bug

Here is a link to Tim Flagler tying the <rumble bug>.

The new fly that I came across is very similar to the fly above but it is called the Rumble Stone. It, of course, is a little larger and imitates a stone fly.

Here is what the Rumble Stone looks like and how it is tied:

A detailed image of McKenna's Rumble Stone fly pattern, showcasing its materials and tying instructions, including a close-up of the fly on a curved nymph hook.
Rumble Stone

And here is the link to Shawn Holsinger tying the <rumble stone>.

I would love to hear your feedback on either one of these flies!

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2025 White River Fly Fishers Expo

The White River Fly Fishers Expo is a fly tying event held in Branson, MO. This year the Expo will be held on October 10-11. The event will be held again at the Branson-Hollister Lions Club. It’s a really nice venue with updated lighting and WiFi.

2025 White River Fly Fishers Expo
2025 White River Fly Fishers Expo

I will be a fly tying demonstrator at the expo during both sessions on both days so please stop and see me if you are in the area. I plan on tying several of my favorite and more successful Caddisfly and Mayfly dry fly patterns. Here are the patterns I plan on demonstrating:

Day 1 – Friday October 10, 2025

Caddisfly Dry Flies (Order: Trichoptera)
  1. Corn-Fed Caddis [#14 Dry]
  2. Front-End Loader Caddis [#14 LtCzech]
  3. Elk Hair Caddis [#14-16 Dry]
  4. CDC Bubble Caddis [#12-16 Dry]
    • American Grannom “Brachycentrus americana”
    • Alderfly (Order: Megaloptera) “Sialis hamata”
  5. Wonder Wing Caddis [#6-12 Dry]
    • Apple Caddis “Brachycentrus appalachia”
    • Golden Stone (Order: Plecoptera) “Acroneuria lycorias”

Day 2 – Saturday October 11, 2025

Mayfly Dry Flies (Order: Ephemeroptera)
  1. March Brown [#12 Dry]
  2. Red Quill [#14 Dry]
  3. Adams [#16 Dry]
  4. Blue Wing Olive [#18 Dry]
  5. Split Wing Spanish Dun [#14-18 Dry]
    • Silk Body
    • Peacock Quill Body
    • Moose Mane Body

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FeedSpot Top 40 Fly Tying Blogs

Feedspot Top Fly Tying Blog

There’s a website out there called FeedSpot and it aims to rank the Top 40 Fly Tying blog websites. Part of their mission is to get subscribers to join the club and more actively promote their blog sites. As of yet, I have not done that.

Here is what the FeedSpot Top 40 page looks like. It’s a very nicely laid out page with the rankings and a little information about each blog.

FeedSpot Top 40 Heading
FeedSpot Top 40 Heading

And here I am at #6!

FeedSpot #6
FeedSpot #6

My blog has moved up and down in the ranking a little, probably dependent on how often I post a blog entry and how useful the information really is. I started out somewhere in the high 20’s but #6 is definitely the highest rank I’ve obtained.

Take a look at FeedSpot and let me know what you think.

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2025 Sowbug Roundup – Euro Nymphing

Sowbug Roundup is a three day fly tying and fly fishing show that is held in Mountain Home, AR. The event will be held Mar 27th, 28th, and 29th. As I have done so in previous years, I will be a fly tying demonstrator again this year.

The theme for this year’s expo is Euro Nymphing, and I like to plan my demonstrations around the theme of the event. To make things run smoothly for me, I have put together a plan, so I have prepared some fly tying cards that show the flies I will be demonstrating. It really helps me when I plan ahead!

Day 1 – Perdigon Nymphs

On Day 1, I will be tying Perdigon Nymph. The word perdigon comes from the Spanish word perdigonnes which means pellet in English. The idea is to have a fly that sinks very quickly like a lead pellet. Thus perdigon nymphs are constructed with oversized heavy beads and very smooth bodies so there is very little resistance to sinking quickly in the water column.

The Perdigon Nymphs I will be demonstrating are as follows:

  • Blue Flash Perdigon
  • Body Quill Perdigon
  • Butano Perdigon
  • Gasolina Perdigon
  • March Brown Perdigon
  • Micro Glint Perdigon – Peacock
  • Peacock Perdigon
  • Peacock Flash Perdigon
  • Rainbow Warrior Perdigon
  • Spanish Bullet

On some devices, you can scroll through the Perdigon Nymph Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

Day 2 – Euro Nymphs

On Day 2, I will be tying Euro Nymphs. These nymphs are part of a more general style of European nymphs. They are usually a little larger and somewhat more developed that Perdigon Nymphs .

The Euro Nymphs I will be demonstrating are as follows:

  • Euro Stonefly – Golden Stone
  • Euro Stonefly – Little Black
  • Higa’s SOS – Black
  • Higa’s SOS – Olive
  • Holographic Frenchie
  • McKenna’s Rumble Bug
  • Mohawk Pheasant Tail – Green
  • Mohawk Pheasant Tail – Red
  • McKenna’s Sexy Walt’s
  • Sexy Walt’s – Chartreuse
  • Sexy Walt’s – Pink

On some devices, you can scroll through the Euro Nymph Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

Day 3 – Euro Dry Flies

On Day 3 I will be tying Euro Dry Flies. These are simply dry flies with enough natural flotation to support a Euro Nymph and/or a Perdigon Nymph below it. The nymphs would be tied off the hook bend of the dry fly using a foot or two of tippet.

The Euro Dry Flies I will be demonstrating are as follows:

  • Corn-Fed Caddis
  • Front-End Loader Caddis
  • Improved X-Caddis – Olive
  • Stimulator – Yellow/Red
  • Humpy – Yellow

On some devices, you can scroll through the Euro Dry Fly Tying Cards I have prepared here:

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2025 Sowbug Roundup – Auction Flies

2025 Sowbug Auction Flies

Sowbug Roundup is a three day fly tying and fly fishing show that is held in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The next event will be held Mar 27th, 28th, and 29th of 2025.

I will be a fly tying demonstrator at this year’s Roundup. Part of the duties of a demonstrator is to donate three flies for the auction. The flies will be put into a framed collage and sold at the Fly Tyer’s Dinner on Friday, March 28th.

For my auction flies, I have chosen three flies from Mary Orvis Marbury’s magnificent 1892 book Favorite Flies and Their Histories. It’s a revolutionary book for its time and one I refer to often.

One of my flies is from the Lake Fly section, one is from the Trout Fly section, and one is from the Bass Fly section of the book. Here are the flies I have chosen:

2025 Sowbug Auction Flies
2025 Sowbug Auction Flies

And here are the original images from the book where they came from:

No. 64 Lord Baltimore (Lake Fly)

Lord Baltimore Lake Fly
64 Lord Baltimore – Created by Professor Mayer of SIT in Hoboken New Jersey in the 1800s

No. 116 Orange Coachman (Trout Fly)

Orange Coachman Trout Fly
116 Orange Coachman – The original Coachman was created in England in the 1800s and named for the lord’s coach driver who invented it

No. 273 Mather (Bass Fly)

Mather Bass Fly
273 Mather – Created by C. F. Orvis; named by A. N. Cheney in compliment to his friend, Mr. Fred Mather

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2025 NWTF Convention & Sport Show

Flies donated to the Cast & Blast package at the NWTF Convention

If you’re into wild turkey hunting then this is something you won’t want to miss. The NWTF Convention & Sport Show is sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation and will be held in Nashville, TN on February 12-16, 2025.

I’m not too much of a turkey hunter but I have gotten involved with this in a different way. I was contacted by the SD & ND Regional Director of the NWTF to donate some flies for their Black Hills Cast & Blast package. The package is a fully supplied trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills for both trout fishing and turkey hunting. You can bid on the package at the convention this week during the auction.

There are many items included in the package, such as lodging, guide service, fly rods, coolers … and of course … my tiny part: TROUT FLIES. The photo below is what I donated to the package:

Flies donated to the Cast & Blast package at the NWTF Convention
2024-25 National Wild Turkey Federation Fly Donation

So if you are the successful bidder on the package, four dozen of my flies will be included with the trip. I have fished the Black Hills area a few times before so my fly collection includes several patterns that have been successful for me. The nymphs range in size from 12 to 18. These are the sizes I commonly fish with. The dry flies range from sizes 12 to 22, with each successive pattern being one hook size smaller. The first three patterns are mainly attractors and the last three target specific mayflies or midges.

Nymphs

  • Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear
  • Mohawk Pheasant Tail Nymph
  • Sexy Walt’s Worm
  • Gordon’s Fire Starter Nymph
  • Prince Nymph
  • Skinny Nelson

Dry Flies

  • Royal Coachman
  • Adams
  • Purple Haze Parachute
  • Blue-Winged Olive
  • Morgan’s Midge
  • RS2

I think the lucky winner(s) of this package will have great success with these flies!