Bergman’s Turkey Brown

Bergman’s Turkey Brown

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Brown Turkey, another fly from the Ray Bergman collection. Since Thursday is Thanksgiving, the Brown Turkey was an obvious choice to highlight as this week’s TBT fly. For some reason, I just like the elegance and simplicity of a Bergman wet fly. You can find the Turkey Brown…

Grouse Hackle | www.johnkreft.com

The Grouse Hackle

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Grouse Hackle, a fly from the mid-1800’s. I’m always searching for the next Throw Back Thursday Fly, using a variety of sources for inspiration. I’ve used Mike Valla’s The Founding Flies (2013). The first chapter is about Thaddeus Norris (1811-1878) and the Grouse Hackle fly is mentioned….

Peeking Caddis | www.johnkreft.com

George Anderson’s Peeking Caddis

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is George Anderson’s Peeking Caddis. This cased caddis fly pattern was developed in the 1970’s by George Anderson, owner of Yellowstone Angler in Livingston, MT. The fly imitates the Mother’s Day caddis (Brachycentrus) on the Yellowstone River (and other rivers as well). The bright green banding imitates the body…

Bergman's Red Ash | www.johnkreft.com

Ray Bergman’s Red Ash

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Ray Bergman’s Red Ash. I enjoy featuring and tying Ray Bergman flies. While they appear simple to tie, I struggle to set many of the wings. One reason I feature his flies is to force myself to practice tying them. Watson’s Fancy is simple wet fly listed on…

Ray Bergman’s Winters Wet Fly | www.johnkreft.com

Ray Bergman’s Winters Wet Fly

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Ray Bergman’s Winters wet fly. It’s been a while since I featured a classic Ray Bergman fly. Bergman’s Winters is a very simple wet fly that is listed on Plate No.9, page 254 of Bergman’s Trout (1940 – fourth printing). As I’ve mentioned many times, I enjoy highlighting a Bergman…

McGinty | www.johnkreft.com

McGinty Fly

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the McGinty fly. The McGinty is one of the images Wayne Luallen sent me of flies from Buz Buszek’s fly box. Some of the flies in his box were tied by Buz, while others were probably selected from bins in from his fly shop. It’s just a little…

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…

Electric Caddis Flies | www.johnkreft.com

Electric Caddis TBT

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Electric Caddis TBT. I pulled out Greg Thomas’ book Best Flies for Idaho (2000) from my bookshelf and thumbed through it and found the Electric Caddis who attributed the fly to Mike Lawson. It got me to thinking…I wonder if the fly is listed in Lawson’s Spring…

Doc Spratley | www.johnkreft.com

Doc Spratley Wet Fly

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Doc Spratley Wet Fly. This is a fly I used at Pennask Lake in British Columbia back in 2007. We stayed at Pennask Lake Lodge with friends who were members there. Yes, it was a few years ago. According to Flies of the Northwest (1979) by the…

Bergman's Yankee | www.johnkreft.com

Bergman’s Yankee

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is Ray Bergman’s Yankee. It’s been a while since I featured a classic Ray Bergman fly. The Yankee is a very simple soft hackle fly that is listed on Plate No.9, page 234 of Bergman’s Trout (1940 – fourth printing). As I’ve mentioned many times, I enjoy highlighting a Bergman…