Fly Fishing and Fly Tying

Improved Sparkle Dun

2011-08-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

I tried this a long time before. Thought I was the only one doing this. Then, I found a youtube video by Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies and find that he is doing it. They named it the "Improved Sparkle Dun". I like it because it sort of highlights the wing and adds sheen to it.

This one is supposed to be a baetis. My thread color was too light. This one is a size 16.

Scott S4 9'. 5 Wt fly rod for sale -$475

2011-07-24T18:49:00.000-07:00

Fished twice. Plastic wrap still on cork handle. Need $475 plus about $0 for shipping. Have warranty card.
Thanks

Squirrel Hair Caddis

2011-05-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I really like the "buggy" qualities of the Red Fox Squirrel hair. So, I tied a caddis using the guard hair of the back of a squirrel body.

2011-05-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Trying to use subtle differences in dubbing color in an attempt to get a little hint of segmentation on this Pale Evening Dun Sparkle Dun.

Jason Borger's Watercolors

2011-05-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I am making shadow boxes of some of my flies. Jason Borger did 2 watercolors of my "Byron's Soft Hackle" which I am including in the shadow boxes.
I think he did a beautiful job!!
He is a true artist!!!

Hybrid Nymph

2011-05-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I am torn between two of my favorite nymphs: The Red Fox Squirrel and the Pheasant Tail. The Prince Nymph is right up there as well.

Anyway, today, I thought I would tie a couple hybrids between the squirrel and the pheasant tail nymph. This is what I have come up with so far.

Flytyers Dungeon Dubbing

2011-05-15T15:09:00.001-07:00

i ordered a few different dubbings from "The Mad Scientist" at Fly Tyers Dungeon. This particular dubbing is a little different in that it is a little fuzzy. They also sell a dubbing called "Skeeter Fuzz" which is really fine and is NOT fuzzy.

Combo Thread for Tying Midge Patterns

2011-05-13T16:58:00.001-07:00

Hi,
Midges reach a late stage in which they seem to be saturated with hemoglobin and their bodies become red/black or sort of maroon in color. I thought about using two colors of thread: red and black. However, it was not easy to do using two bobbins.

Then, I saw that there is a product called "Combo Thread" which has two colors of very fine thread on the same spool. It is really convenient and I think it looks good.

Dave Whitlock's Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

2011-05-03T23:40:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Thought I would post this famous fly as tied by Dave Whitlock himself:

We all have our own styles and methods which lead to different versions of the same fly. I don't have exact materials that Dave Whitlock uses. These are my interpretation:

Dubbing from The Dungeon

2011-04-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Yesterday, I received my order of dubbing from "The Dungeon". I have heard a lot about these guys on the forums. Their email response comes from "The Mad Scientist". I was told their dubbing blends are the best.

So, this morning, I broke into a batch of it and tied a Blue Winged Olive.

2011-04-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hi,

This drawing and watercolor was done by Jason Borger. Jason is the son of Gary Borger - famous fly fishing author. Jason was the stunt man doing the casting in "A River Runs Through it". He is a tremendous artist, writer, and fly caster.
The drawing above was done as the original in his father's book "Designing Trout Flies". The drawing appears on page 25 of that book. Jason was kind enough to watercolor the drawing for me.

I think he is an awesome artist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Modified Zebra Midge

2011-04-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hi,

While fishing in Southern Missouri a few weeks ago, I found the Zebra Midge to be the fly the trout just loved. The guy I was fishing with wondered if there were some way to get the tuft at the head to be in front of the bead.

After getting home, I decided to try to do this. I did not want the tuft to stick out over the eye.

Anyway, this is what I have come up with so far.

Thanks.

New Jbobbin Arrived

2011-04-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I ordered a Jbobbin from Jay Smit in South Africa and it arrived yesterday. Jay makes the fantastic Jvice which is the most comfortable fly tying vise I have ever used. His website is "jvice.com". He makes the most beautiful things!!!!

Midwest Fishing Trip

2011-04-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Returned from a fly fishing trip to the trout stream near my hometown in Lebanon, Mo. Had a fine fishing trip. The stream is in Bennett Spring State Park. It is less than 2 miles long and is fed by a single spring head which produces 100,000,000 gallons of cold water each day. The stream is spit into 3 "zones". Zone 1 is fly fishing only; Zone 2 is artificial only; and Zone 3 is for bait fishing. All seem to coexist peacefully - though quite crowded on weekends. Luckily, we were there for a full week beginning on a Monday, so it wasn't very crowded. The stream is stocked with rainbows and maintains a number of carry-over fish as well.

The stream ends in the Niangua River which can be great fishing as well - just downstream from the confluence with Bennett Spring.

On one partial day of fishing, I caught and released 14 healthy rainbows. Largest was about 16 inches.

The most productive fly was a size 14 or 16 Zebra Midge. The fish loved them!

This was the "dining table" in our small cabin.

Scud or Sow Bug

2011-03-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Will be fishing a spring creek next week. Thought I might need a scud or sow bug pattern. This is what I came up with - one in a darker color without a bead head and the other in more traditional color with a bead head. Hope they work!!!

I'm using Orvis' ice dubbing with a gold ribbing and shell back of zip lock bag.

Traditional Blue Wing Olive

2011-03-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

Back to basics. Tying a traditional style Blue Wing Olive. Also trying out my new Orvis "Ultimate Dry Fly" hooks. Not quite sure, but they are growing on me.

Multiple Views of Blue Wing Olive Sparkle Dun

2011-03-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hi,

This is a size 16 Blue Wing Olive biot bodied sparkle dun. Thought I would show several views of the fly.

Blue Wing Olive Funnel Dun

2011-03-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Tied a better version of the deer hair funnel dun fly. This one is a biot bodied Blue Winged Olive. The deer hair is a dyed blue/dun color. After tying this fly, I layed it on a table and the wind blew it all over the table. Wherever it came to rest, it rested, as designed, upside down.

Thanks for looking.

Byron

Blue Wing Olive Sparkle Dun

2011-03-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hi,

This is a size 14 BWO Sparkle Dun. I took 3 photos to try to give an idea of what the fly looks like from a couple different angles. This fly is an adaptation of Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone of the original Haystack fly.

In this case, I used deer hair dyed blue.

Thanks for looking,
Byron

Funnel Dun

2011-03-23T20:54:00.001-07:00

This is a Funnel Dun March Brown fly.

Sparkle Dun - Blue Winged Olive

2011-03-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Preparing for April fishing trip. Tying some dry fly patterns for the Blue Winged Olives.

Also tying some BWO soft hackles. This one is a size 16.

Also a March Brown Soft Hackle:

My version of a Pheasant Tail Nymph - Bead Head

2011-03-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Dave Whitlock's Pattern of a Red Fox Squirrel Nymph

2011-03-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Mine is weighted under the thorax and is tied on a size 14 nymph hook.

Red Fox Squirrel Soft Hackle

2011-03-15T00:52:00.000-07:00

I was tying some nymphs (which I rarely tie) and decided to fashion a soft hackle as well.

Serendipity Fly

2011-03-13T13:52:00.001-07:00

This is my version of a Serendipity. It is tied on a short shank size 20 which is equivalent to a size 22 hook.