Fly Tying - Truttablog

You name it

There are so many flies out there, that everything one invents has invariably been done before. There was this one inspired by a friend of Fran Better’s Dad….one Eddie Lawrence of the Green Drake Club, who gave it to him, and which he passed on to Fran who refined it and named it as the “Haystack”. (Info from HERE) . Then it was sort of copied in Al Caucci’s Compara Dun, and Bob Wyatt used a similar concept when he did his DHE (Deer Hair Emerger). I like and use the DHE. (also called the Berg Emerger as created

26 November 2019

Adult Caddis

Every now and then I develop a minor obsession with some or other pattern, or rig, or method. Lately it has been adult caddis patterns. Here is a sample from my vice:

26 March 2019

A case for the caddis

I am keyed into these little house builders at the moment. I guess I am just seeing a lot of them around in our stillwaters. Almost without exception, they have built their houses of either weed fragments, or small pieces of grass stem. In his book “Presentation”, Gary Borger says that he “has had superb lake fishing” with caddis larva patterns, but amongst the American literature in my library there doesn’t seem to be more than a passing references to these caddis dwelling in pieces of weed fibre and grass. In “The nymph fly tyers manual” by Randall Kaufman, one

9 October 2018

Photo of the moment (91)

28 December 2017

You really have to watch yourself

I read somewhere recently that the character trait in which one favours nostalgia, is in direct contrast to to the trait in which one seeks new adventure. Put another way: If you spend your time in fond reminiscence, you are less likely to be trying new fly patterns, and new tippet rigs and heading out to new fishing destinations. It had me thinking. I have to watch myself! I am a nostalgic. By that very definition, I am at risk of being an old fart. So to comfort myself I stay abreast with things and keep my mind open to

1 July 2017

Midge emergers

Which way up? CDC vs Deer Hair? Roy Christie style vs Bob Wyatt style? Grip hook vs Hanak? Tail breather vs none? I am leaning towards the reverse fly, which puts the tippet below the surface, and I like the CDC for its delicacy and movement. The Hanak hook has a wider gape, which I like. The hackle on the CDC fly should help float it, but I am thinking I could go with more sparse and longer hackle. There are worse ways to occupy an evening…..

2 June 2017

The Troglodyte

While I have previously written about the “Honey Troglodyte”, it is the black one that is my real go-to pattern on a swiftly flowing stream. My son James did a photo session recently, while I tied up some samples for an article on the fly. See this LINK for the full story and tying instructions. Photos by James Fowler

6 November 2016

Stolen flies (4)

24 October 2016

Stolen flies (3)

4 October 2016

Bill Miller’s flies

My Friend Jay Smit recently returned from the States, bearing gifts from his host in Boise, a week or two earlier. The ever generous Jay, invited me to put my paws in the cookie jar, and take a look at what I pulled out!……. Wow! Thank you Jay, and thank you Bill!

23 September 2016