The Songo Smelt is a sweet little bucktail perfect for casting out in search of cruising landlocked salmon, brook trout and bass.
As far as flies for salmon go, this one isn't too tricky to tackle. The fly is designed by Barry Thornton and tied specifically for fishing Vancouver Island's Black Creek area.
I like to fish these early in the day and use a little bit of floatant to help the fly sit in the surface film. the splayed tails and wing help the fly stay in the zone longer.
The Tungsten Goldie is a trout fly pattern from Umpqua Fly Manager Brian Schmidt. The fly is heavily weighted with a tungsten bead and some lead wire.
Hey Threadheads! This fly pattern is the design of Joe Johnson. It's a quick and dirty caddis pattern with a ton of weight to get the fly down quickly.
It's arguably New Zealand's official nymph and a popular choice for many anglers targeting the legendary trout of Middle Earth. It's a straightforward fly and ideal for the beginner fly tyer.
This chironomid pattern was inspired by Chan's Chironomid with its dual set of breathers.
The Zebra Midge is a classic and can be used in a variety of situations. It's not the sexiest of fly patterns, but it sure does pick up fish.
Love it or loathe it, Perdigon patterns are simple and effective fly patterns.
Likely the most popular fly for trout in the past couple of years, the Squirmy flies have had a big impact on fly anglers and tyers alike.
The Black Death tarpon fly is a true classic. It’s been around for many decades and has been a goto for anglers and guides targeting tarpon.
The Lunar Warrior was inspired by the famous Rainbow Warrior designed by Lance Egan. This version is tied on a Firehole 516 jig hook, but could also be tied on a standard nymph hook as well.
The Blue Assassin is a fly created by Atlanta fly fishing guide Chris Scalley. It is a local pattern and a favorite for fishing the delayed harvest (DH) season on the Chattahoochee River.
The Howard Norton Special is a fly from the popular series of Comet patterns. This Comet pattern was originated by Howard Norton of Sebastopol, CA.
Hey Thread Heads! This is something a little different than I usually offer, a Quick Spin of the fly.
The Brassie is a long-lived pattern and has found a home in many fly boxes. I can remember using the brassie in a stillwater pond when I first started fly fishing.
This is a simple little caddis pupa tied in the classic green/black combination.
This little midge fly pattern comes from Tyler Boroff (https://www.instagram.com/tysbff/).
This leech fly pattern was designed by John Kent and was influenced by Denny Rickards Stillwater Nymph.
This pattern comes from Pat Dorsey's Colorado Guide Flies (https://amzn.to/2DlrCcx) and was designed by Blue Quill Angler co-owner Steve Parrott
The Thunder Egg is a simple fly pattern to add to your arsenal of steelhead flies. It's also great for salmon and trout.
Tying small flies can be a daunting task, but starting out with some simple flies and larger sizes can make the journey a little easier to handle.
During the spring and fall, you can find an abundance of water boatman and backswimmers habituating in still water fisheries oblivious to the trout.
I recently went out for a good long walk in the cool winter air of Southern Ontario and decided to listen to Dave Stewart and Pat Dorsey on the Wet Fly Swing podcast.
