This week’s post will highlight a few flies coming off my vise AND include a comment about how to fish them. I hope it will help you determine what flies to include in your fly box when we can start fishing again.
I recognize not all readers of my RiverKeeper Flies weekly posts tie flies. But that’s about all I’m doing as I continue to stay at home and follow the stay home, stay safe coronovirus directive. I encourage you to do the same.
The image above is from the archives, as I haven’t fished for awhile. This is what “virtual fly fishing” looks like these days…enjoying a few memories.
You can see from the image below I spent a little time hoping to fish the March Brown hatch. Well, that didn’t happen! These soft hackle flies work really well at the beginning of a hatch. And they’re easy to tie! I’ll save them for next year.
The classic Partridge & Orange – It’s a simple fly tied with orange silk and Hungarian Partridge. Cast this fly about 45 degrees downstream and let it continue to swing in the current until it is directly downstream from you. Strip the fly in, make another cast or two then take a step downstream and try it again.
Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle – Another great, old standby to use during a March Brown hatch. Fish it the same way as mentioned above with the Partridge & Orange.
Quigley Film Critic BWO – This fly was for a customer and I ended up tying a few extra for us. It’s a dry fly and the black wing can be easily seen while fishing. Fish the fly dead-drift in the seam or back-eddy where fish are sipping real bugs.
Stalcup’s CDC Loop Wing Emerger – This fly imitates a Blue Wing Olive mayfly emerging from the nymphal shuck. The loop wing imitates the wings unfolding. Again, fish the fly dead-drift in seams and back eddies where you’ll find noses coming out of the water.
I continue to add flies as I fill up my Tacky fly box with Blue Wing Olives. I’ve added the Quigley Film Critic, Stalcup’s CDC Loop Wing Emerger and IOBO Humpies. I still have a few empty slots remaining.
And a close-up of recent additions…IOBO Humpies.
In my continued effort to provide “virtual fly fishing”, here is a wonderful video from Todd Moen at Catch Magazine to help get you through another week. If you enjoy fishing dry flies like me, I hope it brings a smile to your face. (Consider subscribing to Catch Magazine. It’s only $12/year.)
Enjoy…stay home, stay safe!
