Fly of The Week - Week 5 March 4 thru March 10 - Skwala Dry

Got to start somewhere ....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...018_edited.jpg

.... and then get lucky to catch a live one ....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...031_edited.jpg

.... to use for a model ....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/P2020001.jpg

.... with the fishies' point of view in mind ....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/P2020003.jpg

A lot of folks will never have the opportunity to fish this hatch, which makes its appearance any day now on a good number of freestone creeks and rivers in the West. It is the first good size stonefly of the year ( with the adult measuring around .65 to .75 inches ) and brings out a hatch of rafts and drift boats to rival the hatch of skwalas.

Because the skwala has a somewhat limited range and is a stranger to many fly anglers, it is a bigger challenge, perhaps, than most FOTWs. Thus the models. It will be interesting to see what you all will do with this one.

John

P.S. I haven't fished the FEB Skwala yet, but I do have a high level of confidence in this yet unproven pattern since it is based on several other FEB flies which have been very productive.

Bullet Head Skwala

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...n/IMG_8661.jpg

• Hook: Dai Riki 280 #8
• Thread: Danville Flat Wax Yellow
• Egg Sac: 2mm foam black (folded)
• Body: Furry Foam olive
• Rib: tying thread
• Underwing: landscape fabric (trimmed to shape)
• Head/wing: Deer Hair olive (tied bullethead style; trimmed underneath)
• Legs: Sili Legs Olive/black flake
• Indicator: 2mm foam yellow

No first hand experience with this fly, but John was kind enough to test drive it with some success. Thanks to Larry (sagefisher) and John for some photos of flies and actual bugs; helped a lot.


Regards,
Scott

Oh, yeah .... about that recipe thing.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/P2020003.jpg

Hook - TMC 2312 size 14
Body - one strand olive and one strand stone brown antron furled
Legs - Montana Fly Co. small speckled brown centipede legs
Wing - deer hair died dark brown
Head - dark brown deer hair tied bullethead style

John

Nothing like making it a challenging insect!!!!
I like both of the ones above.

Here is Scott's bullethead skwala in action - on the Lochsa on 5-23-11 during runoff a couple weeks before the runoff peaked and when the river was really ripping. I think it got taken as a golden stone, but it did get taken.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...021_edited.jpg

John

P.S. This is what "really ripping" looks like ...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...030_edited.jpg

I think I should have just passed on this week but I researched the bug and came up with a fly that would probably catch at least some fish. I don't think I would ever tie another like it. The dubbed body is definitely too slender and the yellow hackle dominates instead of suggesting the yellow markings on the insect. Some kind of yarn is probably what's needed. The grey antron underwing is supposed to suggest the transparency of the real wing. The overwing appears to be too heavy. The moose mane tails can be omitted. They disappear in the wing. The only thing that came out about as I intended was the black antron egg sack. I decided against trying for an improved version as I don't need a box full of flies for a hatch that I'll never fish.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMGP0673.jpghttp://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/IMGP0674.jpg

Here's the Skwala I like to use over on the Owyhee. I know I could have brushed out the underfur better and still need some trimming, plus you can always get out your black sharpie and turn that into a female. :p

Attachment 10033

Hook: 2312
Under Body: Spirit River Fine and Dry
Over Body: 2mm Foam tan
Under wing1: Screen Door
Under wing2: Black Crystal Flash
Wing: Elk
Legs: Centi legs brown
Head: Grizz hackle
Thread: Uni 6/0 Camel

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Byron haugh

Nothing like making it a challenging insect!!!!....

---

Thought you would be up to the challenge of creating a skwala dry of your own, Byron, especially since this weekly FOTW thing was your idea.

You do still have a couple days.

John

Never seen the particular hatch (at least that I am aware of) and never tried to tie one. But, tried one this morning. Sometimes, you just don't tie what you want to tie - I looked at examples on the web and they were all over the place on material, color, etc.
Anyway, enjoy chuckling at this:


http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...h/IMG_2762.jpg

Skwalla pattern

Use this http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying...090400fotw.php with yellow-green antron for the underwing and a black seed bead tied in at the butt...

about the easiest stonefly you can tie...different yarn for different stones, with or without seed bead

Skates really well too!!

Works on the Yuba R.

Mao -

The Clark's stonefly pattern is a real classic. The first adult salmonfly pattern I tied was a Clark's, and I recall a very good day fishing it on the Henry's Fork. The first adult golden stone pattern I tied was also a Clark's, and there was an evening fishing it on the Salmon River not too far downstream of Stanley ID that is very memorable.

The basic Clark's stonefly pattern was the basis for the first couple successful FEB flies I came up with - another golden stone and an October caddis. Since then, my approach has evolved - kept the FEB but developed a preference for rubber legs over hackle, and went to foam and deer hair for floatation.

If my FEB skwala adult doesn't produce, I may have to return to the roots, and tie up one of those "seed bead" Clark's.

John

Would this pattern work for the Skwala?

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...h/IMG_2763.jpg

Byron -

In the proper size, that fly should have a pretty decent chance of hooking up a trout or two. If it didn't, I'd suggest tying it a bit darker.

Conversely, my FEB skwala may prove to be a bit on the dark side. It it doesn't catch trouts as tied, the first thing I am going to do is go to natural deer hair for the wing, then to lighter hair for the bullethead, and then to lighter colors for the FEB, if necessary.

John

P.S. Scott will post the new weekly FOTW sometime later today.

Gave it another go. Used bucktail for the overwing; deer hair and web hair for the underwing. It looks more like this insect (based on photos I've seen posted about the internet).

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...h/IMG_2764.jpg