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!

Strung Out MOAL Leech by Loren Williams

The Strung Out movement was created by Pacific Northwest guide Derek Fergus. Articulated flies are nothing new, but this method of tying permits an angler to create very large flies with articulated action yet eliminating a solid, long hook shank. Tube flies can give you large flies and small hooks but they loose the articulation some folks find very appealing, especially on flies intended to be swung and not retrieved. Articulated flies use the long solid hook shank of a front hook to build the fly, but that shank can be used by the fish as leverage to work the fly loose or break the leader. Fergus’ Strung Out philosophy of tying involves tying the fly on section of “string

The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon & Steelhead Flies by Chris Mann

The following is a review and excerpt of The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon & Steelhead Flies, written by Chris Mann (Frank Amato Publications, October 2008,  8.5 x 11 Inches, 448 Pages, Index, All Color- originally published by Melin Unwin Books, 2008) which is available at fine fly shops and booksellers everywhere. Editor’s Note: Two [...]

Color, Spots & Stripes by Wayne Samson

Let’s face it; a lot of our fly tying is not done to impress the fish. From realistic flies that amaze one and all to full dress salmon classics, flies are tied as much as art to hook people as they are to catch fish. I argue the same can be said sometimes for deer [...]

Dressed to Kill by Duane P. Vigue

During the early part of the Twentieth Century in Maine, the featherwing streamer was developed and fished by a dedicated few, mostly in a small, relatively unknown area of Western Maine called the Rangeley Lakes Region. Herb Welch and Carrie Stevens pioneered the movement and both designed, tested and fished hundreds of patterns with much [...]

The Slumpbuster by John Barr

The following is an excerpt from Barr Flies written by John Barr, fly tying photos by Charlie Craven (Stackpole Books, August 2007, 184 pages, 570 color photos, 22 illustrations) which is available at Fly Shops and booksellers everywhere.

An Interview with the Klinkhamer Himself by VERN-O

Hans van Klinken lives in Harskamp, a little village in the center of Holland with his wonderful wife of almost 25 years Ina.  Who has gained her own fame in Canada for spectacular catches of Inconnu (See: http://www.ffinternet.com/html/canada_yukon3.htm) She started fly fishing in 1991. Hans is 53 years old and has worked for 27 years [...]

Red Gold DVD Photo Gallery

Documents the incredible run of sockeye salmon in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. We partnered with Alaska’s Trout Unlimited last summer & spent 68 days in Alaska’s Bristol Bay following the world’s largest run of sockeye salmon as they moved from the tidal waters to their natural spawning grounds within the footprint of the largest proposed gold & copper mine in North America. Photos courtesy of Ben Knight/Felt Soul Media

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Mickey Finn

From what t I have read this traditional streamer was named after the infamous drugged drink (“Mickey Finn” is a drink that is meant to render its drinker unconscious). Having stood the test of time this streamer, like most, is designed to imitate a baitfish, and once the beginner learns to tie this pattern they [...]