The Gossamer Crane Fly Pattern ~ Clint Bova

Photos: Clint Bova

The adult stage of the Cranefly has long been overlooked by the fly fishing world. A pretty bold statement but very true. Crack open any fly fishing catalogue and you will be hard pressed to find an adult stage imitation. As for the larval and nymph stage the range of flys are far more significant. Around the world the Cranefly has a variety of eclectic names and is a significant part of a trouts diet in certain times of the spring and summer. Trout typically “smack” craneflys on the surface for a lack of a better word. It is a hardy morsel of protein and like ants trout will move out of their comfort zone for this insect readily. If you were to connect lines directly from the tips of all six legs splayed it would form a perfect eclipse. That being said the legs are a very important aspect when considering the geometry of your pattern. Craneflys stuck in the surface film splay much like a spider would. The following photos are a result of about a 15 year fascination I’ve had with this fly. Getting the profile, proportion, and dialing in the hook type took a lot of exploration and trial and error. I hope you try it sometime you may be surprised what kind of explosive takes it will evoke.

Gossamer Crane Fly:
Thread: Veevus 14/0 Tan or rust
Hook: Kamasan B160 Short Shank Hook
Abdomen: Micro Chenille dyed tan
Thorax: Beaver Belly dyed rust or tan
Legs: double knotted pheasant tail dyed tan yellow (x6)
Wings: Hen Tips dyed tan
Hackle: Barred Ginger hackle

Tying this fly is much like tying a hen wing spinner but with legs and an extended body.
Quick notes: tie in micro chenille and singe tip | dub in thorax | tie in double knotted legs just in front of thorax | tie in hen tip wings laying them flat and splayed not delta wing style you want to mimic the fluttering insect trying to get out of the surface film not a crane fly at rest | dub in x pattern in front and behind to fix wing | tie in barred ginger hackle behind and in front of hen wings in x pattern

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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