Page 204 - Blog
Denver Rathbun, the newest face at North 40 Fly Shop in Great Falls is behind the vise this month in our new fly tying segment called Creature Classic. This week he's tying the Keith's Partridge soft hackle. Materials: Dai-Riki #070 Size 14 Fl Orange Ultra Thread 70 Brown Squirrel Spikey Dubbing Natural Partridge
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Posted: January 01, 2015
Calvin ties his Turducken emerger at the North 40 Fly Shop in Ponderay. So called due to its use of turkey, duck, and chicken materials. This fly can be used as a pale morning dun or baetis depending on the thread colors you choose. Materials: Hook: TMC 102Y size 17 or 19 Thread: UTC 70 chartreuse Tan CDC Small amber Ultra Wire Turkey feather Mallard flank Cream dry fly hackle
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Posted: January 01, 2015
The D-Duck Caddis is a new pattern to North 40 Flyshop this year and has quickly become one of our favorites for picky risers. The D-Duck features contrasting colors of CDC worked in with spikey dubbing to give it a really buggy look on the water. Much like it's messier cousin the Cornfed Caddis, the D-Duck fishes well riding high or slightly submerged to mimick crippled emergers. Give the D-Duck a try next time you're in a pod of finicky fish. You won't be disappointed. Materials: Dai-Riki #305 size 14 hook 8/0 Iron Grey Uni-thread SLF Squirrel Bleached Ginger Dub SLF Whitlock Squirrel Natural Dub Premium CDC Natural Tan Premium CDC Natural Dun
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Posted: January 01, 2015
I created the Day-saver at the beginning of this year in hopes to find a transition pattern between two popular caddis patterns; the translucent pupa and the cornfed caddis. Each of these patterns are messy cdc patterns that down right wreck fish on tailwaters. The Day-saver incorporates two different cdc materials which keeps the messy profile, but has a dubbed body which adds some profile to the fly. I was surprised how well the Day-saver fished in comparison to both patterns while fishing the mother's day hatch this year. You can tie it in a variety of sizes and colors to match the hatch. Gink it and fish it high, or spit on it and suspend it in the column; either way you'll be surprised by it's effectiveness. Materials: Mustad RSo 94840 #14 MT Fly Co 8/0 Brown Opal Tinsel Tan Dubbing CDC Dubbing Light Gray Premium CDC Natural Brown ...
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Posted: January 01, 2015
Kelly’s Brown Drake is one of the best drakes out there but you’ll have to tie it because you won’t find it in the bins. Most big bugs don’t get techy but Kelly does and all the materials in this fly shows off his fishiness. The realistic wood duck tail, biot body, and CDC wing gives anglers with this pattern an advantage over standard "in the bin" patterns. Materials: Size 8 Hook Wood Duck Turkey biot Brown Thread UTC 70 Angora Goat Dubbing CDC Tan & Dark Brown Partridge Hackle
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Posted: January 01, 2015
Kris ties his October Caddis. The incorporation of fish dope and CDC gives this fly a good pulsation in the water. The good amount of elk hair, trimmed at the front to a bullet head makes this fly skate the surface of the water nicely. Materials: Mustad Size 8 Nymph 2XL 140 Thread Brown Goldern Brown Primo Deer Hair Fish Dope- Golddigger Rust Brown and Tan CDC Elk Hair
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Posted: January 01, 2015
With the emergence of the world's largest mayfly upon us, it's time to tie your stock of duns and spinners. The Hex is one of the most underrated hatches of the year because of the location it takes place (skunky, non-moving muddy flats). What it lacks in location it makes up for in the number and types of fish it brings to the surface. So much biomass is brought to the surface during the hatch that bottom dwelling fish such as carp, catfish, walleye, sauger, etc. will rise to the occasion to eat on top. In the Midwest the hatch is so dense that it can be recorded via Doppler radar. Focus on areas along the lower Missouri (below Cascade through Fort Benton), lower Sun River, and lower Belt Creek to have shots at fish eating this monstrous mayfly. Materials: Size 6 Streamer Hook Hopper yellow thread Tailing Fibers Dyed Yellow Pheasant Ta...
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Posted: January 01, 2015
Probably one of the best hopper patterns to ever come out of our shop. Cornfed pulled out all the stops to make sure that this foamy was a level above what you can buy out of the bins. Red legs we have found out are a trigger (at least in our minds). The segmented foam on the back is a little extra that most people don’t take the time to make sure is done well. Materials: mustad c49s size 6 segmented 2mm tan foam dark brown 1mm foam red montana fly hopper legs mt fly widow's web - polar bear or white antron small speckled rubberlegs tan senyo's dubbing or UV Tan Ice Dub stacked 1mm tan foam
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Posted: January 01, 2015
The Donatello Cripple is low profile cripple that is still very visible on the water. It is designed as a attractor baetis cripple and profiles really well on the water. The olive/purple contrast isn't overly realistic, and is actually the third of three colors I've messed around with on this pattern but has become my favorite of the three. The trimmed hackle on the bottom makes the fly float higher than a hackle stacker design but still very low to the water and the CDC post below the purple antron looks like a realistic dead wing. Wood duck is preferable for the tail but can be sub'd for dyed mallard flank. Fish it during baetis soup on the Mo. Recipe Tiemco 100 Dun CDC Purple Antron BWO Biot Wood Duck Purple Fish Dope Hackle: Grizzly Purple or Olive
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Posted: January 01, 2015
Tom Anderson from North 40 Ponderay's archery department is behind the vise this week tying his green drake pattern. His variation incorporates a detached body and a parachute post and is one of his favorite dry fly patterns. Recipe Size 12 dry fly hook White Widows Web Grizzly Hackle 15 lb. Monofilament Fly-Rite Olive Dubbing
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