SHOP NOTES | C.J. BOVA RODS

photos: Clint Bova Many Mayfly hatches in the spring are slightly darker shades like the Hendricksons. The small Olive Mayfly comes off the water in a darker value than its counterparts during the midsummer months. Tying Mayfly micropatterns can be challenging not because of the specific techniques involved but because of proportion and uniform scale. If you don't already have the book by Darrel Martin “Micropatterns” get a copy it is a wealth of informative insights and creative tying techniques in extremely small packages. Using waterproofed Antron in a cream color lightly singe a tag end on your spool card (only a few fibers) less is more length should be around half the length of your hook shank or  slightly less, tie in a olive dyed peacock quill dark leading edge  to the rear shiny side facing up Varnish length of quill and set aside to dry (I use Holley Hansen Topcoat) I do not use UV resin anymore for the simple reason that it does not  stay shiny and clear for th...

 This adult fly pattern is a fly I use all the time especially in the late summer and fall. Like many caddis patterns during the fall season adult midges take on a rusty tan color on the Mad River. The Ginger Smudge is tied on a fine wire short shank hook. It is a relatively simple pattern to tie other than the fact that it is very small and keeping the bulk down is very important so I count my wraps, use fine beaver belly dubbing, and minimize the amount of CDC I use. The TMC 531 #20 is first wrapped with a ginger dyed quill and varnished Micro knotted ginger pheasant tail legs, do this with tweezers  and a high powered magnifier Tie in knotted pheasant tail three hook eyes back, four legs are  enough two on either side Underwing use Tiemco Aero Dry Wing or waterproof Antron  a hook eyes distance short of the hook bend Dub in a sparse collar of ginger beaver belly Tie in Ginger CDC (over wing) make sure it does not extend  beyond end of quill at hook bend Use y...

Because I live literally a stones throw from a trout stream I am able to constant acquaint myself with actual water born specimens. I keep them in test tubes filled with a formalin solution which is the safer version of formaldehyde. Season after season I see changes that occur based on global warming, winter damage, summer drought, and increases in dioxin levels in the watershed. Midges are however somewhat resistant to a lot of natural and human biological hazards. Lets break it down once again with the adult midge and its most discernible attributes. Abdomen: Extends to the rear beyond its wings, waxy and segmented, tapered like a carrot Thorax: The darkest value body part (two hook eye distances down the shank) Wings: Transparent, lay in a delta geometry, connected to thorax near “the business end” Legs: Three pairs connected at thorax extend to the total  length of the abdomen and forward Figure 1. CB's Adult Smudge Hook: TMC 531 Dry Fly Hook Thread: Veevus 16/0 dun Body: (a...

Vincent Marinaro is the man who really inspired me to look very closely at nature through a creative lense. Vincent distilled nature down to its simplest form, he immersed himself in it like a mad man. As a craftsman this is of utmost importance. Making bamboo fly rods, fly tying, drawing, and painting are all part of my daily routine which is a reason I connect to this man deeply. Fly fishing to Vincent wasn't just a pastime it was a way of problem solving, coping, and working, it became a lifelong ritual. Noise in the world today has a way of pulling you away from nature, it secretly robs you in many different ways. To stay grounded I often channel a handful of men that have managed to live a quieter existence focused upon what matters most, craftsmanship. These books I hold closely to my heart as I move through my life and often refer to them for comfort and affirmation. His books speak volumes about his seemingly maniacal observations, and work ethic. His obsession in understan...

“Bushwhacker” Midge Emerger in a size #18 The venerable TMC 212Y has proved itself in the emerger family of great hooks. Fine wire and a well designed gape and shank slope make it my most favorite hooks next to the TMC 531. The Bush Whacker as I call it is the go to fly in my short list of midges when stealth and a delicate delivery are needed in slow brushy waters. A relatively simple CDC wing with an underwing of Aero Dry Wing in a medium dun paired with Beaver Belly thorax and a natural peacock quill running the length of the shank.                                       Hook: TMC 212Y in sizes 16-22                                       Body: Natural Peacock on black thread base                                   ...

An early season adult midge specimen  collected from the Mad River March 25th 2025 Adult midges are probably one of the most misunderstood insects in the fly tying world. They are prolific waterborne insects that habitate ponds, rivers, lakes, and bogs. Literally anywhere there is standing water the possibility of midges hatching is pretty high. Midges are NOT mosquitoes! An adult midge is alive for 3-4 days. Typically their lifespan is much shorter than that based on the fact that many other creatures such as Dragonflies, birds, bats, and yes trout seek them out with a number one food target on their back, or wing case, as is the case (double pun).  The adult midge has NO TAIL (they do however have trailing shucks in the emergent phase) only an extended abdomen that actually stretches beyond the length of the wing. The abdomen is finely segmented, it is NOT hairy and buggy. The abdomen is waxy and has a fairly strict geometry when it comes to various specimens. Lets break i...

We often see pictures of midges with their wings pulled together and resting on the back of their abdomen. The wings often splay when they are stuck in the surface film along creeks, rivers, and pond edges. Typically the pictures do not capture that struggle that the insect experiences. The wings of a midge are proportionately shorter than their abdomens and angle out and back like the delta wing on a fighter jet. The following pattern is one that I've developed myself over the years and really has saved me on the stream from getting skunked especially in the late fall (click on photos below to enlarge) This is a relatively easy pattern to tie and master in a few hours. Pay close attention to proportions and you will find it is a very useful pattern year round. Delta Wing Midge~ Hook: TMC 531sizes #18-22 Thread: Veevus 16/0 black Body:   SLF Spikey Squirrel black, clear Uni Mylar stretched thin Legs: Knotted pheasant tail black (double knotted segmentation) Wing: Me...

  #20 Fore & Aft Midge The Griffiths Gnat is a pattern that has been around for a very long time. For the most part this pattern mimics a midge cluster using hackle spun around a full shank of peacock herl. It quite honestly looks like a tiny round ball of dust. It has been a popular staple fly for many many decades. The main problem I have with the Griffiths Gnat is that it represents a very specific profile that imitates multiple insects latched together. It does not necessarily represent the single midge in its shedding pupal stage, which in my opinion, is one of the most important life stages of the insect.  Selective trout will often be zeroing in on individual insects shucking in the surface film. The Fore and Aft Midge represents the insect in an impressionistic manner giving it the profile of the pupal stage breaking out with legs (fore) emerging and a trailing shuck (aft) trailing behind. This pattern is very easy to tie and has been my go to f...

CB's Essential Emerger size #14-20 The first fly of this challenge goes to an emerger pattern that can be used throughout the season tied in smaller sizes. I typically use knotted pheasant tail for legs on this particular pattern but because it can easily mimic a midge emerger I opted out of any additional bulk on its profile.                                          Hook ~ TMC 212 Y #14 - #20                                          Body ~ Stripped peacock quill (olive, natural, tan, lt. gray)                                          Dubbing ~ SLF Spikey Squirrel (gray, tan, olive)                           ...

I'm well on my way to take on the challenge of  using only one tiny fly box all season long. So I've been challenged by a buddy of mine to create one tiny fly box utilizing dry flies, emergers, and a few terrestrials to last me from March through November. The fly box measures only 3"x 5" and has a leaf for both sides. The fly selections will be for Rainbow, Brook, and Brown trout. For many this would be an impossibility but I'm convinced there is something more to this challenge when it comes to catching lots of fish! There is a comforting confidence that one achieves decade after decade of both success and failure that makes us possessed by our craft. It is a hunger to always tinker and improvise patterns. Distilling down what's most essential and discarding anything that quite honestly doesn't fit the bill. That being said this is a very real challenge but also for me personally very doable. I will be posting paired down patterns as I move through “the ...

  3SE (Three Season Emerger) Somebody asked me last week if I had only three fly patterns I could use (end of days scenario) what three patterns would it be? Well it would have to be the Fore and Aft Midge probably a size 18, the Down Wing Caddis again size 18, and what I call my 3SE or Three Season Emerger sizes 14-20. All three of these patterns can be used all season long. The color variations are limitless ie. quills, underwing, CDC variants, and dubbing mixtures.  The above and below photos show a simple yet very effective pattern that has payed dividends on rivers  on both coasts as well as midwestern waters. The 3SE as I call it can be tied from sizes 12-22 and primarily is comprised of an emerger hook dressed with a quill body underwing of Aero Dry Fly yarn, primary wing is CDC, and dubbed with beaver belly, and guard hairs. This pattern and its variants can be found peppered around in my blog for at least the last decade so there is no need for me to elaborate ...

     A very simple Fore and Aft size #22 quilled midge pattern with green quilled body Tying with dyed quills from bleached rooster hackle can be challenging if not downright frustrating if you use production quills that are already bleached and dyed. Here are some reasons NOT to buy quills from the major manufacturers. First the bleaching process burns the shiny coating on the quill  itself if it is left in the bleach bath for too long. Second quills that have been left in bleach baths for too long also inherently crack no matter how long you soak them. Third you have no control whatsoever of your color ways.  So what's the solution? Well you need to bleach them yourself. By bleaching quills yourself you are saving a ton of money and potential wasted time at your bench. If you do not have a copy of A.K. Bests “Production Fly Tying” get a copy! I started writing to A.K. almost 30 years ago and have a stack of letters from him explaining some of the intricacies o...

Wandering through the woods of Logan and Champaign Counties in Ohio I often carry a pochade box on a tripod looking for subjects to paint. Packing in a rod wherever I go also is helpful during hatch times and depending upon the time of year can be anytime of the day especially on the Mad River. I carry a tiny tin with around a half dozen flies that I know will get me into a brown off the cuff. Often whenever I'm planning on painting I end up fishing and vice versa. It's the simplicity of just being there with no expectations that makes the outdoors a wonderful way to find peace. "Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify!" ~Henry Thoreau  

 Twenty five years ago I packed up my Volvo 240 and headed to Maine to learn a mysterious craft that involved more steps than making a violin a somewhat intimidating pursuit. It then took me three years to build various jigs put some rods behind me and find my hands. Then I was off to the races and learning new things along the way, this is what made it so special. Materials were hard to find, good materials like the perfect nickel alloy, the most flawless cork, or the best cane for the job. It has become exponentially more difficult to source these materials at a reasonable price. This is why my rods are so seemingly expensive. The materials alone for a single rod can exceed 400.00 US dollars that's some serious investment into a rod that only has a 50% down payment on it. On the average it takes me between 60 and 120 hours to make a single rod. Do the math and you will quickly figure out why my rods are between 2,400.00 and 4,000.00 as of 2025. These are rods to fish but they are...