Serendipity

Photo Credit :http://stevenojai.tripod.com/seren.ht

Hook: TMC 2457 #14-20

Thread: Uni-thread 6/0-8/0 to match body

Body: Z-Lon twisted into a cord color to match the hatch

Thorax: White or natural deer hair

Spring! Trust me, even though it still looks like winter in the Northwest, its coming. Spring is an exciting time for the Northwest angler. The search for the elusive chum fry hatch begins, rivers and lakes start to come alive and bygone-it you can still feel your fingers after a couple hours of fishing.The big meaty dragonfly and damselfly nymphs are contemplating their suicide mission towards the lakeshore and that is definitely something to look forward to, but we cannot forget what has kept us sane through the winter. Ah, the ever so unappreciated midge/chironomid, blasphemy in some circles, godlike in others.  Whichever circle you hang your rod in; imitating chironomids doesn’t necessarily have to involve drowning 18 feet of leader.

The Serendipity is a pattern designed to imitate a midge or chironomid emerging from its pupa. It was developed by Ross Marigold in the 1980’s. There are many variations to this pattern, including a bead head version, but it is mainly the Z-Lon twisted and then wrapped that is the common “thread” of all these patterns.

This pattern is definitely a must have in your lake and stream fishing box. Happy tying.

Sorry, this month’s FOTM will be short and sweet.

Basically, if you are not aware of the fly the Keta Rose, you should be. Especially for the next few months.

Here is the recipe, but I will leave it to the creator Doug Rose to tell you the thinking behind the fly.

Keta Rose Time -from Doug’s Blog

Photo and fly by: Doug Rose

Hook: Gamakatsu SC15, size 6-8

Thread: monofilament, medium

Body: Holographic tinsel, silver

Wing: bucktail, bule over white, with touches of chartreuse Angelhair and blue Falshabou

Throat: Hareline EV Minnow Belly

Hook: Tiemco 206, Mustad 37160, Gamakatsu C12U, size 10

Thread: Dark

Body: Pink Edge Brite

Tail: Golden pheasant crest

Hackle: Golden pheasant crest, 3-4 turns. Pink Dyed Guinea, 1-2 turns

Wing: Pink Crystal Flash, 3-6 strands

It was midday, but the fog was still resting on the water.  This late fall day was pretty typical for the Northwest. Gray, wet, the kind of day where it could be any hour. As I treaded across the matted grasses, careful not to step in the hidden channels carved out by the tide, I could see them. They were just under the surface, disturbing the water in that way old salty fishermen seem to be able to spot from a mile out. But these fish we not a mile out, they were close, just a few yards from the beach. I lay my cast out across their path and counted. My fly was light and small. The intermediate line carried my fly down and then came tight.

This little scene was brought to you by Gary Oberbillig…sort of. At the October 2011 SSFF general meeting the club had a tie-in. It was a chance for everyone to get together and tie flies, share ideas and tell stories. I took the chance to tie a few of my favorite Chum patterns. As I walked around after tying a couple Chum Candy, Gary Oberbillig’s vice caught my attention. Well, honestly it might have been his Dremel and peculiar way of de-barbing a hook. Gary was tying a modified version of his Guinea and Gold Sea-Run Spider, a fly that Les Johnson published in his book, Fly-Fishing Coastal Cutthroat Trout. I handed him one of my Chum Candy in hopes he would do the same with what he was tying. Thankfully he did, what I nice guy!

A couple of weeks later I was on the water with Gary’s Guinea and Gold “Chum” Spider. The previously mentioned scene played out and a 15 pound Chum buck was lying at my feet. As I sent him back on his way, I thought to myself, “gee, I would have never guessed that would have worked.” To me, the fly just doesn’t look like your typical Chum fly. But who am I to argue with results. In fact, I fished that pattern for the rest of the season.

Instead of orange as in the book version, Gary uses a deep pink Guinea hackle and a pink Edge Brite for the body. Also, the fly is tied without dumbbell eyes.  I’m sure you could tie it with the eyes for certain situations, but I like my Chum flies to be light. I feel like a light fly is less likely to get lodged into the back of a fish. Edge Brite can be hard to come by. If you don’t know what it is, it is a semi-stretchy plastic film that collects light from its broad side and emits it from its edges. The edge of this stuff literally glows. It comes in sheets, and you can just cut strips off the sheet with a razor knife. Strips about 1/8” work well for this fly.

Now is the time to tie a few of these beauties up and put them in front of fish.

Spring, spring, spring, lakes, lakes, lakes. Hmmm, please,
please, please do not forget about our beloved South
Sound! Springtime doesn’t just have to be lake season, or
fighting crowds while batting away giant salmonflies on
the Deschutes.
The South Sound is also “waking up”, with feisty cutthroat
turning their attention to eating rather than fornicating, it is
an opportunity any fly angler should not dismiss.
Fortunately for us one of the oldest tricks in the book, or
should I say fly box still works. The Clouser minnow.
Granted the Clouser that I am featuring here has a different
spin on it, but the concept is still the same. The Clouser is
one of those flies that can be effective as an exact copy of
the original, or as varied as you can make it. It has been
tied in every color, and with a multitude of materials from
marabou to polar bear.
Here in the sound I like to keep it simple, bucktail, flash,
bucktail. Using a tube in the Sound has several advantages.
It keeps your hook small, places it at the back of the fly,
and is easily changed when it gets dull.
Sometimes fishing top water, or just below the surface can
be very exciting. Using plastic or foam eyes can transform
your Clouser, into an effective topwater fly.
The Clouser is a must have fly in any saltwater (and lake)
anglers fly box. It is also the go to fly for many anglers. In
my opinion you can never have enough!

Tube Clouser
Tube: HMH plastic 3/32” tube
Body: White Bucktail or Yak
Wing: Dyed Bucktail or Yak
Eyes: Medium Dumbell eyes or plastic eyes
Flash: flashabou or krystal flash (pearl)
Thread: White 3/0

Fly of the Month:

January 2012

Purple Peril

Hook: Daiichi Tiemco 7999 size 6

Body: Gold Flat Mylar Tinsel

Body: Purple Angora Goat

Rib: Gold Oval Tinsel

Hackle: Dark Hen Hackle (or Purple)

Wing: Squirrel, brown bucktail or woodchuck

This month South Sound Fly Fishers has declared it to be Steelhead month. We have provided opportunities for steelhead education, steelhead fly tying and best of all steelhead fishing.

It only stands to reason that the fly of the month be a steelhead fly, and a good one at that. The Purple Peril is a fly that has stood the test of time. It was originated by a man named Ken McLeod in the 30’s on our very own Northwest rivers.

The Purple Peril is a rather simple fly, and has the same style as many other northwest hair wing patters. It is also a smallish fly with a sleek profile. Sometimes when the water is low and clear a big gaudy, bright colored fly will actually scare fish away. This is when you break out your small dark flies.

To tie the Purple Peril, start by giving the fly a wrap of gold tinsel a slight way past the tip of the hook. Here you can add a tail or do without. Now tie in the oval tinsel and start dubbing your goat hair. The classic profile is a cigar shape but a tapered profile looks good as well. All that is left is the wing and a couple wraps of hackle. Keep your wing sparse because it is easy to go overboard here. Also be sure to trim the wing butts at an angle to make it easier to form the head. That is one way to make sure you get a nice small even head.

Again, this fly is pretty easy to tie, but can be effective at the right times. Put a few in your box for those occasions and have fun.