• CDC & Elk TBT

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the CDC & Elk TBT. The CDC & Elk is a fly Hans Weilenmann created in 1992. It combines the proven properties of an Elk Hair Caddis developed by Al Troth with CDC feathers for the body and “hackle”. I tied my first CDC & Elk flies after completing…

  • Lunn’s Particular

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Lunn’s Particular. William J. Lunn was the river keeper for the Houghton Club’s fifteen mile stretch of the river Test in England from 1887 through 1931, a total of 45 years.  Lunn is credited with the first representation of the Rusty Spinner. The fly design incorporates a key component…

  • Fran Better’s Haystack

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Fran Better’s Haystack. This is another fly I found while reading Mike Valla’s book entitled The Founding Flies – 43 American Masters, Their Patterns and Influences. You might recognize this fly because it is very similar to the Sparkle Dun mayflies I tie and fish so much. But the Fran…

  • Theodore Gordon’s Bumblepuppy

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Theodore Gordon’s Bumblepuppy. To be honest, when I heard the name of this fly, I thought it was a joke. After a little research, I think the joke is on me. I’ve been reading Mike Valla’s book entitled The Founding Flies – 43 American Masters, Their Patterns and Influences…

  • Galloup’s Compara Spinner

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Galloup’s Compara Spinner. I stayed at Galloup’s Slide Inn on the Madison River during our 2017 fly fishing road trip and I thought it appropriate to feature a few of Kelly’s flies for my Throw Back Thursday Fly feature. I spent some time with him at the shop…

  • Rio Grande King

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Rio Grande King, another fly from the Ray Bergman collection. I haven’t posted a Ray Bergman fly for awhile, so I thought it was high time I tied another classic wet fly pattern. For some reason, I just like the elegance and simplicity of a Bergman wet…

  • Troutsman Hex

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Troutsman Hex. I stayed at Slide Inn on the Madison River recently during our 2017 fly fishing road trip. One afternoon, I went to the shop and talked with Kelly about my Throw Back Thursday Fly feature and asked him if I could take pictures of a…

  • Galloup’s T & A Leech

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Galloup’s T & A Leech. I stayed at Galloup’s Slide Inn last week during our 2017 fly fishing road trip and had the opportunity to talk with Kelly about a few of his early fly patterns. I told him about my RiverKeeper Flies Throw Back Thursday fly feature and…

  • Galloup’s Zoo Cougar

    This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Galloup’s Zoo Cougar. Since I’m staying at Slide Inn on the Madison River this week, I thought it appropriate to feature a few of Kelly’s flies for my Throw Back Thursday Fly feature. I spent some time with him at the shop taking photos of a few of…