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Videos by Big R Fly Shop

Yellow Articulated Streamer Pattern

Denver is behind the vise tying an articulated streamer pattern in one of his favorite spring colors. Yellow lends itself well to low- vis and high water. The articulation allows for more lifelike movement of the fly while the big head pushes lots of water.

Green Drake

This is a green drake pattern that can be fished either dry or as an emerger. Fish this on size 10 or 12 during the early summer. This is a GREAT pattern for early season on the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene river or the St. Joe

Worm Pattern

Denver, from the Big R fly shop in Great Falls, is behind the vise today tying a variation of a worm pattern.

Bise's B Bug - Skwala Pattern

Dustin Bise is behind the vise today tying a skwala pattern he calls Bise's B Bug. This is a early season attractor stone fly that is a hybrid Pat's Rubber Legs and Chubby Chernobyl. It rides low in the water and is a good fly choice for selective fish.

Skiddish Smolt streamer fly

Fred, from the Big R Fly Shop in Great Falls, is behind the vise today tying a slight variation of Jeff Hickman's Skiddish Smolt. The Skiddish Smolt was designed as an Alaskan smolt, but it has found much favor on many trout waters and has been a big producer on the Missouri River for several years now. You can adjust the color scheme to suit your needs, but the keys are the heavy cone head with lots of flash. A great trigger streamer when fish are aggressively feeding on smaller fish. Materials: Dai-Riki #700 streamer hook - size 4 210 Ultra Thread - white brass cone head - large - nickel Lead wire .035 v-rib - small - red Flashabou tinsel flash - white + silver ostrich hurl Ice Dub UV pearl We hope you enjoyed the video! For more information subscribe to our YouTube Channel, follow us on social, and visit our website at: http://www.bigrflyshop.com/

Red Serendipity

Denver Rathbun is back behind the vise this week tying the Red Serendipity. This Midge variation with a tuft of deer hair for the wing case to create the profile of an emerging midge. This pattern works well on the Missouri River and is a good producer. MATERIALS: Dai-Riki #135 Size 18 UTC 70 - Red UTC Ultra Wire BR - Silver Dyed Deer Body Hair - Natural Music Track: Sweet Wave Audio http://audiojungle.net/user/sweetwaveaudio

Purple Lightning Bug

Denver Rathbun from the Great Falls Big R Fly Shop is behind the vise this week tying the Purple Lightning Bug. This pattern fishes well most months of the year, but especially in the Fall and Winter months, and makes for a great mayfly or midge imitation. MATERIALS: • Dai-Riki #135, Size 18 • Purple Haze Holo Flash Fibers • Peacock Herl • Medium Holo Tinsel - Purple • Ultra Thread 70 - Black • Ultra Wire SM - Black • 5/64" Bead - Black Track: "Rock Bottom Riser" by Rock Bottom Risers http://www.facebook.com/rockbottomrisers https://soundcloud.com/rock-bottom-risers

Red Headed Stepchild

Hogan Brown designed the Red Headed Stepchild to take the place of two general attractor nymphs; the Red Copper John and Red Headed

Red Headed Stepchild

Hogan Brown designed the Red Headed Stepchild to take the place of two general attractor nymphs; the Red Copper John and Red Headed Prince. The Red Headed Stepchild employs proven fish attracting elements like the color red and a flash back. Most important to the success of this fly is its accurate silhouette of a mayfly or small stonefly. He fishes this fly as a dropper behind bigger stoneflies or caddis pupae. The Stepchild has also worked well for steelhead when dropped off an egg pattern. He has had consistent success on rivers where fish get a lot of pressure from Pheasant Tail Flash Back, Red Copper Johns, and Red Head Princes. The Stepchild will perform in just about any fishing conditions, but it shines most at times where fish are not keyed on a specific hatch and are in an opportunistic feeding mode. Hogan Brown - Stepchild Designer (from Idylwilde website) MATERIALS: • Dai-Riki #070 - Size 16 • 1/16" MFC Lucent Bead - Tungsten Red • Ringneck Pheasant Center Tails - Natural • UTC Ultra Thread 70 - Brown • UTC Small Ultra Wire - Red • UTC Medium Tinsel - Pearl • Grizzly Krystal Flash - Black/Red

Zebra Midge

The Zebra Midge is a simple pattern to tie and is a staple pattern here on the Missouri River all year. This bug has an added wing of Krystal Flash MATERIALS: • Dai-Riki #135 Scud/Pupa Hook - Size 18 • UTC Ultra Wire - SM Silver • UTC Ultra Thread 70 - Brown • 5/64" Bead - Black • Krystal Flash - Medium Brown Music Track: Rock Instrumental by Hyde

Ray Charles Sow Bug

Denver Rathbun at the Great Falls Big R Fly Shop is behind the vise tying the Ray Charles, which is a must-have for the Missouri River. It works all year round and is a key sow bug or scud imitation. Tie it in pink, tan, gray, and white. Materials: • Dai-Riki #135 Scud Hook - Size 16 • Small Silver Wire • Medium Pearl Tinsel • 70 Ultra Thread - Burnt Orange • Ostrich Plume - Shrimp Track: "What I'd Say" - Ray Charles (Josh One Remix) https://soundcloud.com/joshone/ray-charles-what-id-say-josh-one-remix http://www.facebook.com/djjoshone

Telleen's Foxy Jig Minnow

Fred at the Great Falls Shop ties his Foxy Jig Minnow. This Clouser-style, jig pattern utilizes arctic fox fur, a bit of flash, and some UV materials which are great for triggering fish. When tied at the end of a floating line, the eyes allow for convincing movement in the water column. MATERIALS: • Daiichi 4660 90˚ Jig Hook - Size 4 • Spirit River Real Eyes Plus - Size 3/16" • UTC 140 Ultra Thread - Olive • UV Krystal Flash - Pearl • UV Large Eye Guinea Feather - Chartreuse • Arctic Fox Body - Olive • UV Ice Dub - Red

Denver's Dead Drift Sculpin

Denver at the Great Falls Big R Fly Shop ties his Dead Drift Sculpin. Wake up big lethargic fish with this fun, quick-to-tie pattern. The use of a jig hook allows this fly to ride flat in the water and skip and bounce off structure. MATERIALS: • Spirit River Real Eyes Plus 5/32" - Nickel Pearl • UV Polar Chenille - Copper + Olive • Magnum Rabbit Strips - Black • Daiichi 4660 Jig Hook - Size 4 Music: "No More Fighting" + "Give me a Sign" by: Drunk Souls

Denver's Sookitdown Skater

Denver Rathbun from the Great Falls Fly Shop has had recent success using his Sookitdown Skater west of the divide. This highly visible pattern rides high on the water and creates a wake that triggers a predatory response in fish; large fish. Materials: • #8 Gamakatsu Salmon Hook • Dyed blue deer hair • Brown Crystal Flash • 2mm Sheet Foam Music by Lorenzo's Music

Hobo Spey

Sam Wike is on the vise this week to tie the Hobo Spey, commercially tied by Solitude Fly Co. This fly's purpose is to crush Steelhead, but Sam has also swung this fly with great success on the Missouri River for Rainbow and Brown trout. Materials: • 20mm Waddington Shank • 30lb Fire Line • #4 Octopus Hook • Blue Angel Hair • Guinea Feather • Black Marabou • Lady Amherst Feather Music tracks: 1.) Charlie Puth 2.) Ryan Monahan

Disco Dolly Parton

Greg Bennett from the Big R Fly Shop in Omak, WA is behind the vise tying his Disco Dolly Parton, a pattern he developed and has been fishing for years. He ties it in sizes 6 to 2 and says that any color combination will work. The incorporation of 3/8" foam window insulation gives this fly an attractive wobble in the water. Materials: • Size 6 Dai-Riki #200 • 3/8" Window Insulating Foam • New Age Chenille - Any Color • UV Polar Chenille - Any Color

Goddard Caddis

For October's Creature Feature, Denver Rathbun is back behind the vise tying a Purple Guinea Steelhead fly that has been quite productive on the Ronde, Clearwater and Snake Rivers. Materials: • Gamakatsu T10-3H Steelhead Hook - Size 8 • Fluorescent Purple Guinea Hackle • Purple 140 Ultra Thread • Purple UV Ice Dub Purple • Pearl Tinsel Track: Rattling Bones by Iron & Wine

Purple Guinea Steelhead Fly

For October's Creature Feature, Denver Rathbun is back behind the vise tying a Purple Guinea Steelhead fly that has been quite productive on the Ronde, Clearwater and Snake Rivers. Materials: • Gamakatsu T10-3H Steelhead Hook - Size 8 • Fluorescent Purple Guinea Hackle • Purple 140 Ultra Thread • Purple UV Ice Dub Purple • Pearl Tinsel Track: Rattling Bones by Iron & Wine

Bennett's Crawdad

This week Greg Bennett, fly shop lead at the Big R Fly Shop in Omak, WA, is behind the vise tying his Crawdad. Incorporating Fish Skull's Crawbodies, Greg puts together a unique, versatile, easily customizable fly that can be either swung, drifted, or striped, depending on your own personal application. MATERIALS: • Size 6 Gamakatsu Steelhead Hook • Orange and Black Centipede Legs • Bloody Black Saddle Feather • Fish Skull Crawbodies • UV Ice Dub in Orange • UV Ice Dub in Black • .025 Lead Wire • Olive Thread Music Track: "Wicked" by Chris Thomas King

Articulated Craft Fur Streamer

Denver Rathbun at the Big R Fly Shop in Great Falls, MT is on the vise tying his articulated craft fur streamer. Both hooks in this fly are weighted with lead wire to get it deep, fast. The version he is tying for the video is in yellow and gray, but colors can be substituted for any application or species representation. Materials: • Craft fur in any two colors • Gamakatsu B10S Stinger Hook Size #2 • MFC Medium Fish Eyes • 210 Ultra Thread • .035 Lead Wire • 30# Fire Line • Medium Brass Cone Head • Medium Size Bead Track: "Carousel" - Mr. Bungle

Cone Head JJ Special

This week, Denver at the Big R Fly Shop in Great Falls ties a Cone Head JJ Special, a tried and true bug popular all over the world. This pattern, which replicated a small bait fish or crayfish can be stripped like a streamer or dead drifted.

Double Uni Knot

Matt at the Big R Fly Shop, in Great Falls, teaches us how to tie the double uni knot (aka the uni to uni knot). The double uni knot can be used to connect two different sections of leader together.

Nail Knot

Matt at the Big R Fly Shop, in Great Falls, teaches us how to tie the nail knot. We recommend using this to connect your fly line to your leader. The Nail knot is a little tougher knot to tie, so we recommend using one of the many tools available to assist in tying this knot.

Perfection Loop and Loop to Loop Connection

Matt at the Big R Fly Shop, in Great Falls, teaches us how to tie the perfection loop. The perfection loop can be used to connect line to your leader if you have an integrated loop in your leader (or a second loop knot). We recommend the perfection loop knot(s) because of how quick it is to switch out leaders with loop system.

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