Galloup's Compara Spinner in Fly Box | www.johnkreft.com

My Top Twelve Dry Flies

I’m in a period of transition from fishing a lot to the fly tying vise. It’s a few days earlier than most years. I say someone throws the weather switch on November 1 and dry fly fishing changes dramatically. This year, the weather changed in two days and daytime highs of mid-70’s have been replaced…

Thorax Dun | www.riverkeeperflies.com

Thorax Dun

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Thorax Dun. I found this fly while paging through Vince Marinaro’s book In the Ring of the Rise (1976). Vincent Marinaro (1911-1986) was born in Reynoldsville, PA. He started fly fishing during his high school years in the area’s local waters. In later years, he lived in…

Harvey’s Spruce Creek Dry Fly

Harvey’s Spruce Creek Dry Fly

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is George Harvey’s Spruce Creek Dry Fly. George Harvey (1911-2008) was born in DuBois, PA and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ornamental horticulture from Penn State University in 1935. As an undergraduate student in 1934, he organized and taught Penn State’s angling and fly tying class, the first…

Spring Buds on Metolius | www.johnkreft.com

Spring on the River

Spring is here, the middle of April. What that tells me is some of my favorite insects will begin hatching in less than a month. We went to the river recently, once with fly rods in hand and another day to enjoy the river on a 5 mile hike. Both days were enjoyable and perhaps…

BWO Pulsating Emerger - Size 22 | www.johnkreft.com

Tying Very Small Flies

I finished a fly order recently, tying very small flies which challenged my fly tying skills. The order was for flies in sizes 18 to 22. Tying small flies is difficult if you don’t tie a lot. You feel like you’re tying with two thumbs! Trust me, I’ve been there! I remember a statement I…