Product Spotlight: Singlebarbed’s Sixth Finger Scissors

Hatches is pleased to announce the arrival of Singlebarbed’s Sixth Finger Scissors to the Hatches Store!  These surgical-grade stainless steel fly tying scissors are designed to remain in the hand for the duration of the tying session. One over-sized finger hole allows the scissor to be worn like a wedding ring at the base of [...]

Product Spotlight: Fish Skulls

Flymen Fishing Company today announced the launch of the Fish-Skull™ range of weighted heads for streamer flies. Quick-and-simple to tie, this latest innovation in fly tying offers fly fishermen an exciting alternative to using old-style dumbbells or cones to weight their flies. The Fish-Skull’s unique design features, sizes and colors make it a very versatile [...]

Tying the MK Stone by Aileen Ellis

At Hatches Magazine, we’re always on the lookout for unique or innovative fly tying techniques, but especially, new talent. We found Aileen Ellis via the Fly Flinger’s Pattern Swap group on Facebook. While it was Aileen’s tying ability that first attracted us to her, we have also learned that she is a very talented artist as well. In the article below, Aillen shares how she ties her MK Stonefly Nymph.

Count Chocula Mouse by Michael Rowland

Growing up in Michigan, I learned to love fishing at night with mice patterns. It wasn’t until I moved out west that I realized how versatile these flies can be. Now, I always carry a few just in case- or if I have too much to drink and need something to keep my attention during [...]

Tying Grubs by Fred Hannie

Here is a simple yet realistic looking pattern that should be equally effective for trout as well as bluegills. With this pattern my attempt was to create a fly that would mimic in appearance the larval stage of any number of beetle species . Commonly called grubs , these beetles in their larval stage , [...]

Tangled Up in Blue by LeVern “Vern-O” Burm

As a fly tier and a devoted steelheader, I encounter many new trends and “must have” flies. I am not one of those guys who have two different patterns in a couple of colors and sizes in his fly boxes. I have at best, two of each pattern, a multitude of colors, shapes and sizes, [...]

The Irresistable Stimulator by Charlie Dickson

The thermometer outside my window reads 13 degrees Fahrenheit as I write this. And winter has been harder than usual this year, wind, cold, ice and snow. It has all been heavier than the norm. More and more, I look upon weather like this and say to myself that it’s fly tying season in my [...]

Wet Fly Heads by Mike Schmidt

Through the years I’ve spent fly fishing and fly tying, I have seen a whole lot of flies. Having an art background I have found that I tend to look at all of them with a critical eye; noting each small hard fought victory at the vise as well as their imperfections. Over time I [...]

Widow Angel Variant by John Driscoll

This fly is a variation of a pike fly pattern tied by Simon Graham called a Widow Angel.  As you will see, the body of the fly is created by using a split-string dubbing technique.  It is for this reason that I like to go with Danville’s 210 denier Flat Waxed Nylon thread when tying [...]

Tying the Adams Irresistable

The Chubby Muffin by Nick Granato

The Chubby Muffin is a sculpin imitation which uses a craft fur dubbing brush for the head. Craft fur is inexpensive, comes in a large variety of colors, and takes markers well. But more importantly, it has a neutral buoyancy after being soaked through.

The Dirty Rat by Jackie Treehorn

A few summers ago, I noticed a small mouse swimming in my pool. He struggled and fought for dear life, nose barely breaking the surface, legs churning like it was on a hamster wheel. I was inspired by his heroic efforts and chose to create a fly that mimicked his final death dance. Most mouse [...]

Tying the Stud by Loren Williams

What’s the saying? Necessity is the mother of invention? This little bug fits in there somewhere. I had been searching my creative place for a very simple to tie, light colored nymph that offered just a bit of that “ooohhhh yyyeah!” look when wet. The typical light colored dubbings, quills, biots, and threads just weren’t doing what I had in my mind. I wanted sexy, not cute.

Pressured fish see lots of cute!

The Ragin’ Craven by Charlie Craven

The Ragin’ Craven was originally developed as a permit fly that could be fished both on the drop and the retrieve. See, most permit flies are to be dropped in front of the fish, and act like a crab as they drop, but lack the movement and profile to entice a grab after the fly hits the bottom. I have never had a permit eat a fly once it touched the bottom, although they generally will eyeball the hell out if it and it gets a bit frustrating. Therefore, I went to work to come up with a fly that would drop like a crab pattern, but then have the movement and profile to morph into a shrimp or other flats critter once on the bottom, allowing the angler a chance to move the fly without blowing his cover. The Ragin’ is my answer.

Tying the Parks Shrimp by Davie Mcphail