That time of year again

[Derik]

Well the hunting season is over, and I've got snow on the ground again. Time to start tying more flies to get me through to hunting season next year. Tied me up some parachute ants, and wooly buggers, thinking about tieing up some tandem streamers, anyone have favorite tandem streamer patterns they like to tie? I'm a fan of tandem streamers for trolling, usually use smelt patterns and bucktail streamers.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Derik,

I'm mostly filling my boxes right now to replace the flies hung in trees, laurel/rhododendron bushes and all those underwater snags. One of the popular writers once said that if you aren't snagging the bottom and losing flies occasionally, you aren't fishing your nymph correctly. By that criterion, I must be fishing my nymphs superbly. Right now, I'm tying up some very small GRHEs. My next project is a bunch of Cricket Nymphs as featured in Winter 2010 Fly Tyer Magazine. Then who knows. 8T

[MSD53X]

Hi Derik;
I'm a little south of you, I troll very little, but I have a lot of friends that I tie for. They fish Sebago mostly and some Moosehead. I'll give you what they always ask for in the most popular to least popular. Hope this helps you.

Arnold
King Smelt
Govenor Aiken
Nine Three
Black Ghost
Mickey Finn
Sneaker

When I tie these I tie the rear hook up, and always paint eyes on them. And it appears #4 Mustad 9672 is the ticket.
Good luck fishing and have fun.

[fishdog54]

Derik,

Not over yet, here in Pa. I do a lot of grouse & pheasant hunting, along with some late season archery for deer. It is also the time I try to catch up on tying flies. I also tie a lot of streamer patterns. Streamers are probably my favorite to tie. The Nine-Three and Black Ghost being a few of my favorites. I have a few Carrie Stevens streamer hooks that I want to tie some trolling flies on. Have fun!!

8Ts - Got my chainsaw ready, plus my mask/fins and snorkle! Now, I just need directions to these fly-laden trees and underwater snags you eluded to! LOL!!!

Best regards, Dave S.

[Derik]

Well good luck fishdog, I was able to keep myself out of the muzzle loading season this year, shot a nice spikehorn about a month ago. Wish we had more pheasant in Maine, i've seen them in a few places but never in an area I could hunt. I see you're from Shamokin, a friend of mine from college is from there.

MSD That's the same way I learned to tie tandem streamers. We use alot of white bucktail or marabou streamers usually do pretty good. I've always wanted to fish sebago haven't got myself down there yet. If you get the chance to get out on Cathance lake in Cooper it's worth it me and a buddy of mine last year one day caught 19 salmon all around 18'' or better. We couldn't catch any of the nice brookies people have been pulling out of there, but if you decide to go out there and troll a smelt on your fly does wonders.

Eightthumbs I got to tie myself up some nymphs as well didn't fish with the fly rod as much as I wanted to last year, but hopefully this coming year will be a little different, we'll see after ice fishing ends.

p.s. I've actually taken to using size 10 aberdeen style hooks by eagle claw. They are a cheaper and work just as well if you are trolling the fly. I haven't painted eyes on mine but I may have to try that, what do you use for paint?

[MSD53X]

Hi Derik;

For paint I just went to the hardware store and got some white and black enamel (half pints). I apply eyes with the head of finish nails, obviously you have to let the white dry then dab the black, paint actually dries quickly.
Not sure if the fish care about the eyes, but the fisherman sure do lol lol

[fishdog54]

Hi MSD53X,

I use the finish nails also. I don't put eyes on too many pattens. I definitely do on the Thunder Creek style streamers. I use those little bottles of Testers model enamel paints. No particular reason except the stuff works and they don't take up too much space. I like to use yellow and black mostly. Red and yellow might be interesting. I should try some other color combos. The yellow/black combo is kind of borrowed from the Original Rapala minnow lures that are so effective.

Best regards, Dave S.

[Lake Erie High Ball]

Hi Derik,

I'm mostly filling my boxes right now to replace the flies hung in trees, laurel/rhododendron bushes and all those underwater snags. One of the popular writers once said that if you aren't snagging the bottom and losing flies occasionally, you aren't fishing your nymph correctly. By that criterion, I must be fishing my nymphs superbly. Right now, I'm tying up some very small GRHEs. My next project is a bunch of Cricket Nymphs as featured in Winter 2010 Fly Tyer Magazine. Then who knows. 8T

There is one more way to loose a fly "thebuckandahalfcast" that were you start your forward cast when your back cats hasn't gotten all the way back and you punch it forward and it sounds like a bull whip. You just spent A BUCK AND A HALF.

I missed the fall run for steelhead and hunting this season but I did get some flies tied up and have a bunch more to make. The following ties are not in order of importance.

Clouser Minnow
Black, white and olive woolly buggers
Woolly skulpin
Egg patterns (different colors and sucker)
Egg sucking leaches (bunny leach)
Bugs (ant, cricket, grass hopper)
San Won Worms

Man this list is getting longer the more I think about it......my own bait fish pattern.
I better start tying