Author Archives: wellerfish

Hippie Stomper – 01/12/2024

Hippie Stomper 01/12/2024 Photo Album

I opened my dry fly tying season with a hippie stomper, and why not? This fly is hands down my top producing dry fly, and I cannot even tell you what it imitates. I suppose that is the beauty of it; it looks like any number of natural food items, and most importantly it is simply buggy. I suggest that you read my last post from 01/11/203, as it has excellent background information and a link to an older post with even more explanation. My 2023 post is especially effective at explaining how and when I deploy the hippie stomper.

I began last year with twenty-five hippie stompers in stock containing my favorite body color, peacock; and I determined that my supply was severely diminished. In fact, toward the end of the 2023 season I began to worry that my valued stock of hippie stompers would be fully depleted. This level of shrinkage is a testament to heavy usage of an extremely effective fly. For this reason I approached my vise and tied twenty-eight new versions. I made three for my friend, Nate, and the remainder replenished my fly boxes. Of the twenty-five for me, twenty contained a peacock dubbed body and five contained an olive ice dub body. I was able to recover quite a few hooks by stripping old hippie stompers that were damaged through a season of heavy usage.

 

Sunk Ant – 01/02/2024

Sunk Ant 01/02/2024 Photo Album

You are able to read the story of my burgeoning romance with the sunk ant in my post of 12/21/2020. It contains a materials table and a mention of my favored fly tying video. An informative update is available on my 01/03/2023 post.

Sunk ants have earned a more prominent place in my fleece wallet after experiencing solid results on high country streams. I tried them a few times on the large down valley rivers, but I was not able to replicate similar results, although admittedly the amount of time on the line in these situations was not comparable. It does stand to reason, however, that small high mountain creeks are closer to bushes and trees bearing ants on both banks of the stream. I am a huge fan of sunk ants, and I only question why it took so long to become a proponent.

I made four size 14 sunk ants and two size 16’s, and I gave one of each size to my friend, Nate. My supplies of these flies should be adequate for 2024. Bring on the army of ants.

Pat’s Rubber Legs – 12/29/2023

Pat’s Rubber Legs 12/29/2023 Photo Album

If you are thinking about fishing Pat’s rubber legs during the upcoming season, but you are not convinced of its effectiveness, check out this post from 06/27/2022. Effective would be an understatement. This day on the Arkansas River convinced me to never overlook my stocks of Pat’s rubber legs. Additional useful information is available from my post of 12/22/2022.

I used my better judgement to count my rubber legs, and I concluded that I maintained an adequate supply, but I tied up two additional weighted nymphs in coffee/black and two in the olive/black color. One of each color was donated to my exercise specialist friend.

Scuds – 12/27/2023

Scuds 12/27/2023 Photo Album

Solid background information on scuds and descriptions of some modifications that I added are contained in my post of 12/20/2019. My post of 12/18/2020 adds additional guidance on scud usage. Since I fished more lakes in 2023, I plan to do the same in the coming year, and scuds are a main stillwater food source.

With this intention in mind, I counted my scud inventory, and I determined that I needed to tie seven additions. Actually my supplies were relatively adequate, but I was looking for an excuse to refresh my memory on tying steps; and in addition, I produced three for my friend, Nate. I maintain three colors; orange, medium olive and gray. I used olive ice dub for the olive versions, and I must say, they look very attractive, although I am not a fish.

 

Zebra Midge – 12/20/2023

Zebra Midge 12/20/2023 Photo Album

If you are new to fly tying, and you desire a confidence boost, tie some zebra midges. These flies require only four materials, and that includes the hook and thread. You will also fancy yourself a production tier, as you churn out these simple flies in a matter of a few minutes.

Simplicity may be one favorable characteristic, but they also happen to be effective fish catchers. I do not often resort to a midge fly, but when I do, a zebra midge is often an early choice. These tiny gems are present in trout streams throughout all seasons, and trout rely on them for calories during the winter.

If you would like to learn more about the zebra midge click on this post from 01/24/2014. I counted my supply of black and olive zebra midges, and determined that I had adequate quantities in my various fly storage containers. Nevertheless, I approached my vise and produced eight new ones in order to remain in practice. I made two blacks with a copper rib, two blacks with a red rib, and four olive with a silver rib. Bring on the midge sippers in2024.

Salad Spinner – 12/19/2023

Salad Spinner 12/19/2023 Photo Album

The salad spinner is a midge pupa fly, and it has an interesting history. I recommend reviewing my posts of 12/17/2019 and 12/12/2015. The 2019 post contains a materials table, and the 2015 post provides the tying steps. I have experienced reasonable success with this unconventional fly, and it is often my first choice when I see a plentiful amount of midge adults buzzing about near the stream. I am not a trout, but I love the fine red wire rib and the emerging antron wing.

My shrinkage of this fly was not very significant, so I tied four additions, and I gave a couple to my fly fishing friend. Midge season lasts all year, so I could knot one of these on my line in the not too distant future.

Soft Hackle Emerger – 12/19/2023

Soft Hackle Emerger 12/19/2023 Photo Album

I strongly suggest checking out my last previous post on the soft hackle emerger on 12/16/2022. This short narrative explains my latest stance on this fly. If you read the report, it notes a day when the soft hackle emerger saved the day when fished as a dry fly in the surface film. 2023 produced several additional days, when the soft hackle emerger was a game changer during blue winged olive hatches.

Because of the fly’s continued effectiveness I tied seven new imitations. I covered sizes 20 through 24, but 22 was the sweet spot. Hopefully I will be testing out the effectiveness of this fly shortly, as spring blue winged olive time is just around the corner.

 

Sparkle Wing RS2 – 12/13/2023

Sparkle Wing RS2 12/13/2023 Photo Album

Once again I made a modification to the sparkle wing RS2 pattern. I replaced the antron wing with fluoro fiber, and this resulted in a narrower wing than that which resulted from using antron. I’m not sure if the narrower profile will be more to the liking of wild trout, but I plan to find out in the upcoming season.

On previous posts on the sparkle wing, I noted that my reliance on this synthetic version of the classic RS2 was increasing with each season. During 2023 I felt that the trend leveled off, and I caught just as many fish on the classic RS2 as the sparkle wing version. Nevertheless, I settled down at my vise and churned out four new sparkle wings with two going to my friend Nate.

For excellent background information and a materials table click on this link to my 1/21/2011 post.

Classic RS2 – 12/13/2023

Classic RS2 12/13/2023 Photo Album

Review my post of 12/05/2022 for additional background information on this fly as well as a link to older posts. RS2’s are a must have in Colorado due to the preponderance of baetis and small mayfly hatches. This fly is a model of simplicity, and the classic version contains nearly one hundred percent natural materials.

After I counted my supply, I decided to manufacture six additions, and I gave two to my friend. Blue winged olive hatches are around the corner, and I am prepared and can hardly wait.

Super Nova PMD – 12/12/2023

Super Nova PMD 12/12/2023 Photo Album

My post of 12/02/2022 will point you toward additional information on this fly. It was designed by Juan Ramirez, and I have mostly replaced the pheasant tail nymph with this easier to tie and more durable fly.

Ramirez offers a tying video on YouTube, but it is for the super nova baetis. To make the pale morning dun nymph replica simply adjust the color of the thread and thorax materials.

I pumped out five new super novas, and I donated two to my friend, Nate. I should be adequately supplied for 2024.