The Gossamer Comparadun

The Gossamer Comparadun photos Clint Bova

Shown above #18-22 Comparaduns using TMC 531 hooks

The basic design of the Comparadun is very simple. The difficulty people have tying it stems from proportion and the bulk of materials added to the hook. This is a thorax fly by this I mean it is meant to sit very low in the water not on its tippy toes. Its thorax needs to be in the surface film for it to imitate the natural insect. Using a treated dubbing such as Beaver Belly will ensure proper floatation for a longer period of time. Using coastal deer hair meant for comparadun flies is always preferable as well. The flies shown above are #18's on TMC 531 wide gape hooks. The typical comparadun uses only deer hair for its wing profile but I include a couple of turns of medium or light dun hackle to imitate the splaying legs in the surface film which the insect is prone to simply because it is desperately trying to escape from the water. The result of this simple combination of materials is you get a longer floating comparadun with a more realistic silhouette.

Thread: Veevus 16/0 Medium dun

Tail: Coq de Leon Medium Dun

Body: Medium dun Beaver Belly

Wing: Coastal Deer Hair

(length of shank only not including hook eye)

Hackle: Medium or light dun

Note: Cut V below fly on last three turns of hackle

This is a simple fly to tie and is essential for any flybox all season. The colors may vary from BWO colors to a PMD or PED color way. Be creative and even try a really dark pattern using a trailing shuck of Zelon, Antron, or poly yarn.

~thanks for letting me share ~ Clint

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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