What are you all tying now in preparing for the upcoming year?
I am tying sunken stones, golden stone version.
The sunken stones are pretty big flies, they are a slow tie for me, and I am tying some for me and some to give away.
This time of year I fill in holes, tie some to give away, and tie a few new patterns to try. Most of the new patterns are got warm water, as that is mostly what I fish.
After the sunken golden stones, maybe the salmonfly version is next but flies that go quicker are tempting, because it feels like more progress is being made. Also there are some other patterns that I am keen to tie, like Fred Bridges IPW.
Traditional loch and sea trout (sea run browns) flies. (The doubles are the sea trout ones.)
The Dunkeld. #14
Invicta. #10
Medicine Fly. #14
Mallard & Claret. #10
Peter Ross. #14
Teal Blue & Silver. #14
Lots of other patterns as well, Things like Soldier Palmer, Kate MacLaren, Loch Ordie.
Cheers,
A.
Taking a break from the warmwater stuff and doing 5 each of 13 New England streamer patterns by Ora Smith.
Fast and easy, especially if you’re not to concerned with aesthetics.
Stillwater trout won’t mind though and that’s about the only way I fish for them these days.
I will have to tie some hoppers and crickets (I lost my terrestrial box on my last day of my last trip last season). Otherwise I am done on preparations.
Currently, I am practicing perfecting my Catskill tying after being inspired by Mike Valla’s books. Saturday morning I tied some Flight’s Fancies with double quill slip wings and a couple of Quacks. Yesterday, I tied up some Red Quills both with wood duck wings and with hackle slips (not on the same fly, of course).
Later today, I might deviate a bit and try to tie a Humpy after being inspired by Hans and ScottP.
I have the good fortune to be able to tie spontaneously and sporadically as the need for a particular fly arises over the course of the season for the outing later that day or the next.
This year, I’ll be mostly tying about a dozen original flies that have proven themselves on my home water and other freestone streams and rivers in the Intermountain West and Northern Rockies over the past few seasons. Here are the ten that I will tie in volume and that will get the most action during 2013.
JARS
Well, I’m warm-water. I’ve been tying some various nymphs, but have not had a chance to use them. I’ve been working some GFA Foam Hoppers in various colors that match the hatch through the season here. Also tied up some Bead Chain Wooly Buggers in Olive, as the local Hybrid Sunnies and LMB’s love them.
I found a new to me pattern for bluegill called a “Itsabug” cheniller underbody, rubber legs, matching foam overbody (I ribbed mine to create segmentation) bright yellow foam head / shellback. Waiting for warmer weather, although a acquaintenance reported picking up some bream & crappie at an area lake last weekend.
Well, I am starting to stock up on a few of my bluegill patterns for spring… started out with micro Clousers yesterday. Not the best pic, but I just took it to text to some friends as I was tying. I need about 2dz of these, a dozen pink over white, then it will be time for pheasant tail variants and wildcat nymphs!
