• Clark’s Stonefly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Lee Clark’s Stonefly. Lee Clark developed this wing-style body dressing, which “refers to flies in which the yarn is combed and tied atop the hook shank in a downwing fashion but actually serves as the body.” Fly tying with Poly Yarn – (2000) Lee was a high school…

  • Missing the Salmonfly Hatch

    I’ve heard through the grapevine that fish are rising to adult salmonflies on the Deschutes River. The beginning of the hatch is here. With the lower river boat ramps closed until later this month due to social distancing guidelines, I might be missing the salmonfly hatch this year. I enjoy floating and fishing the Warm…

  • Norm Wood Special TBT

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Norm Wood Special TBT. I’ve fished the Norm Wood Special off and on for many years on the Lower Deschutes River, OR. It’s an effective fly for the Golden Stone hatch. For some reason, it’s always intrigued me, perhaps because of the “odd” color wing, a tangerine…

  • Jacklin’s Salmonfly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is a Bob Jacklin’s Salmonfly. A friend of mine loaned me this fly and told me Bob actually tied the fly. I was grateful to be able to feature one of Bob’s flies as a TBT. Jacklin is a fixture in West Yellowstone, having arrived in 1967. Bob worked…

  • Salmonfly Season

    I’ve heard it’s time. The first few big bugs are just beginning to hatch. Salmonfly season is here! These are the biggest bugs of the season (I tie flies as large as size 4 to imitate them) and this hatch is much anticipated by many fly fishers. The image above is of an adult breaking…

  • LaFontaine EZ2C Stonefly

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the LaFontaine EZ2C Stonefly. The LaFontaine EZ2C Stonefly is a fly found in LaFontaine’s Legacy, a book authored by Al and Gretchen Beatty about 26 fly patterns Gary LaFontaine never finished publishing. 

  • Fluttering Stone

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Fluttering Stone. The Fluttering Stone is a fly found in LaFontaine’s Legacy, a book authored by Al and Gretchen Beatty about 26 fly patterns Gary LaFontaine never finished publishing. 

  • Langtry Special TBT

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Langtry Special TBT. I found this old article from the Bend Bulletin in a box of donated fly tying materials describing the Langtry Special. A friend of mine took his first fly tying lesson many years ago from Judge Virgil Langtry in a Maupin, Oregon church basement. Langtry…