Fly of the Month 2020

November 2020 - Mercury Midge (and Bonus
Unsinkabeetle from June)

Mercury Midge
Hook: Size #20 - #18 -  Curved Nymph hook
Thread/Body: white, tan, or cream- UTC 70 denier 
Rib: Fine brass wire
Bead: Small, clear/silver glass bead

September 2020 - Elk Hair Caddis & Bunny Leech

Elk Hair Caddis
Hook: Size #20 - #8 -  Dry fly hook.  
Thread: white, tan, or cream- UTC 70 denier 
Rib: Fine brass wire
Hackle: Brown, ginger, or black rooster saddle or cape
Body: Yellow, olive, ginger, or black dry fly dubbing.
Wing: Natural or bleached elk hair or deer hair, tips stacked.
  

Simple Bunny Leech
Hook: Standard streamer or nymph hook - Size 10 through 1/0
Thread: Black 140 denier UTC
Tail: Black bunny strip
Body: Black bunny strip palmered (wrapped) over hook shank.

August 2020- The Moorish Hopper

Craft up this realistic grasshopper pattern and throw it for just about any fish that swims this time of year! From Brown Trout to Grass Carp!!! Pattern instructions HERE

 

Hook: Size 12 through 8 Tiemco 5212
Thread: Tan70 Denier UTC
Body: Tan and Yellow Foam
Legs: Barred rubber legs

Special Equipment: Super Glue/Zap a Gap

 

 

July 2020- The Phantom Roo

Soft hackle flies are one of the best weapons to target carp.  Small soft hackle flies imitate all sorts of forage depending on how they're presented (including, but not limited to emerging nymphs, midge clusters, spent mayflies, swimming nymphs, tiny bait fish, etc).  No fly lands as softly as an unweighted soft hackle, another great perk for targeting spooky carp. 

This fly is named after the ancient beast that is rumored to haunt the Nebraska Sand Hills (The Phantom Kangaroo).  All I can say is don't catch yourself wondering alone on a dark night anywhere west of Highway 81....

Detailed Tying Instructions Here

The Phantom Roo
Hook: Size 12 through 8 Glo-Bug/Steelhead style hook (Tiemco 105 or equivalent)
Thread: Olive or Black 70 Denier UTC
Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibers (about 6 to 10 fibers)
Body: Black color Mr. Peacock Dubbing (Fly Tyers Dungeon).
Collar: Grizzly hen saddle hackle. 

June 2020 
An "Unsinkable" terrestrial, made from lots of foam.What's not to love? Tie in natural olive or brown to imitate a hopper.  Or tie in all black or green and white to mimic a cicada!

The Unsinkabeetle

Hook: Size 8-12 Nymph hook

Thread: UTC 140 denier

Underbody: 1mm foam

Overbody: 2 to 3mm craft foam

Head: Same foam as overbody

Wing: Poly Yarn or EP Fiber:
Indicator: parachute post or 2mm craft foam
Dubbing: Olive brown Ice Dub
Legs: Cream round rubber, grizzly micro legs, or speckled centipede legs

 Tying Instructions from Fly Fish Food


May 2020 
A scaled down version of the salt water topwater fly, the Gurgler.  This is a high floating, durable, and easy to tie pattern that will catch bluegill all day!

The Bluegill Gurgler
Hook: #12-6 heavy nymph or jig hook

Thread: Chartreuse - 140 denier
Tail:Chartreuse calf tail
Body: Palmered foam strip or ultra chenille
Legs: Chartreuse silicone
Back: 2mm Chartreuse foam strip.

 Tying Instructions from Fly Fish Food

February 2020
A super effective nymph that gets deep fast.  A sparse and heavily weighted version of a pheasant tail nymph, this fly is a a modern catch-all fly.
The Skinny Nelson
Hook: #22 - #16 nymph hook
Tungsten or Brass bead for weight
Thread: Black - 70 denier
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Rib: Small gold or brass wire
Thorax: Peacock herl
Wing Case: Pearl flashabou or flashback
Click HERE for tying instructions, Courtesy of Charlies Fly Box


January 2020

Stoneflies inhabit cool and cold-water streams and are a trout diet staple. There are many stonefly nymph imitations... Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, Beadheads, Golden Stones... but one of the simplest and most effective is Pat's Rubbberlegs nymph.
Pat's Rubber Leg(Simple Stonefly Nymph)
Hook: #16 - #4  2XL nymph hook
Lead Wraps
Thread: Red- 70 denier or 8/0
Legs: Black or Gold Silicone Legs
Rib/Body: Black Chenille or Variegated (gold/black)