Fitting Veevus Spools to Your Fly Tying Bobbins

Many people lately have asked me what kind of bobbin I use for Veevus threads. Some have said that the spools rotate too tightly others say that it makes a horrible squeaking noise when the bobbin turns. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, there is a simple solution that I have employed since I started using Veevus threads around eight years ago.

First take the outside cap off of the side of the spool. Then get a drop point pocket knife and run it along the edge of the center hole. You need to knock down the edge and create a slight chamfer on both sides of the spool. This will allow you to adjust the tension of the spool. The more you chamfer the center hole edge the looser the spool becomes. Do not get too aggressive with your blade when you first start. keep popping it back on your bobbin to check the tension you desire.

This operation takes all of a minute or so. (Note: I have tried chamfering the inner hole using a #11 xacto blade but it is too aggressive and leaves a serrated bevel so I have used my EDC drop point for chamfering and the edge is much more consistent) This is well worth the small effort because I have grown to love using Veevus threads for most if not all my trout flies. If you have an adjustable bobbin it’s not really an issue.

above photo: Biot wing midge #20 Tied with 16/0 Black Veevus

I have never found an adjustable bobbin I really like so for the time being this is how I have addressed this dilemma. Hopefully this is a helpful solution that is relatively simple.
~Clint Bova

Slow Water Caddis Emerger

The Caddis emerger is a very important part of the trouts diet. During this life stage the Caddis is especially vulnerable to the elements and is easy prey thus making it very attractive to these very energy conscious fish. The insect is just about ready to break free of its nymphal shuck and the count down for its launch sequence begins with a few wiggles. I have always been looking for a great surface fly that mimics these little beauties. For a few years now I have gotten a lot of use of this little emerger pattern that tends to out fish most of my other emerger patterns even when there is no discernible hatch. This is a great pattern for super finicky Brown trout. I have fooled many fish with this pattern and with the right combination of materials it is a pattern that stays floating even in fast water for a long time. With the use of TMC's Aero Wing material (extended shuck) the fly is a great floater. The fibers are not only fine but hollow keeping the fly float...

CB's Japanese Beetles

above photo: Provided by Debbi T. Walker an Ohio Photographer. Debbi is a talented outdoor photographer who loves to take pictures of insects, animals, and landscapes and often shoots photography around the Mad River and Cedar Bog. In the heat of the summer many fish hunker down during the day and will pass up the occasional Caddis, midge, or ant floating overhead. Often fish conserve energy for a larger more nourishing food item. During the summer months fish want to conserve energy and exert themselves only for the most significant meal. This is called the “Pounds Per Meat Law” again the least amount of energy is expelled for the most nourishment possible. This should be the mid-summer mantra for both fishers and fish! Large ants are another food item that fish will come off of the bottom for during the midday sun and heat. Japanese Beetles are one of those items on the surface menu that will spark a fishes interest when nothing ...

The Four Season Emerger

Fellow fly fishers ask me all the time what kind of “staple” emerger pattern I use so I decided to share my “Four Season Emerger” pattern. The following is a simple emerger pattern that I use season after season. This fly is very durable, very convincing, and the TMC 212Y hook is a perfect canvas for this style fly. The Four Season Emerger Thread: Veevus 14/0 Hook: TMC 212Y 14-22 Wing: CDC natural or desired tint Body: Dyed Peacock quill Dubbing: (Thorax) Beaver Belly w/guard hairs Legs: Knotted dyed Pheasant tail (double knotted) Varnish: SH Hard as Nails You can tie this up as a midge, mayfly, or even caddis imitation depending on your proportions and material selections. First create a body on a TMC 212Y sizes #14-22 by winding a stripped and dyed peacock quill. Varnish with 2 coats of SH Hard as Nails. After your bodies have dried tie in some knotted pheasant tail. Notice the two knotted strands, two legs on both sides of the hook. Dub over your thr...

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