If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I talk about Craig Mathews and Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana. Craig and the rest of the guys in the shop are responsible for many of the flies I fish. The flies they develop fit my description for success – simple to…
What flies do you carry in your fall fly box? Fall is a wonderful time of year and in my opinion, one of the best times to catch some great fish. Here’s one of them. There are still bugs that need to hatch and only so many warm days left for them to complete their…
Are you new to fly fishing? If so, you may be like some of my friends who ask “what flies should I use?” I enjoy teaching people things. Maybe that’s why I volunteer for fly fishing related activities. I like to make things simple so people can enjoy the activity. When you are new to…
Pale Morning Duns, otherwise known as PMDs, are an important hatch for fly fishers. These flies are a size 16 -18. The hatch begins in late May and will continue through September. Generally, they will hatch in the afternoon. Mayflies in general spend much of their life as a nymph, rummaging around the rocky stream…
This is a size 16 Pale Morning Dun Sparkle Dun Mayfly or PMD for short. One of my favorite flies. It’s in the top 5 of many fishermen in the know. The Sparkle Dun is a Craig Matthews pattern from Blue Ribbon Flies. I tie this simple, yet effective fly in size 22 Blue Wing Olive…
OK, I know it might be a little early to think about fishing Rusty Spinners, but I taught a fly tying session that included a couple of great patterns for you to use later this year. Spinners are the final mayfly stage, after a nymph molts into a dun. It’s amazing to me that another…
