Porcupine Damsel ~ Part 2

Tying a convincing Damselfly can be a little difficult given the range of materials that we can get our hands on. Some damselfly patterns look muddled and overworked with markers, others appear so synthetic that they look like they came off sprue in a model airplane kit. A pattern that I came up with after a roadkill epiphany many years ago has payed dividends on the water especially with difficult trout. Extended bodies keep many fly tyers up at night. Many revert to what is available in online catalogs and local fly shops. What you may not see often are porcupine quills. Porcupine quills have changed the way I tie many patterns. This material is very very bouyant and has the tensile strength of a soft drink straw. It IS FLEXIBLE and it easily accepts liquid dyes and marker.

Clint's Porcupine Damsel:
Hook: TMC 212Y
Thread: Aquamarine 8/0, Veevus Black 14/0
Wire: Fine French Silver wire
Wings: Light Dun hackle tips
Thorax: Beaver Belly dyed with Ritt or Veniards aquamarine
Extended Abdomen: Small porcupine quill dyed aquamarine
Wing Case: Blue Razor Foam .5mm
Legs: Black knotted Pheasant tail
Eyes: Singed 20lb. monofilament painted with Loon Soft head cement

(for a larger image of instructions click on image below)

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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 else seems to work. Rise

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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