Monthly Archives: February 2020

February 28, 2020 · 8:50 am

Bugs tied by Travis Toller

I’ve followed Travis for some time on Instagram and noticed that he is an incredible fly tyer. So I wanted to feature him here on FrankenFly. Read below to get to know Travis and check out a few bugs tied by him. You can follow Travis on Instagram @toller_208.
-Paul

By Travis Toller
“I started fishing with my dad at the young age of 3 in the town of Idaho Falls, ID. My grandfather and my dad were both avid fly tyers, with my dad tending to use the conventional tackle more than anything. My family was mostly brought into fly tying by way of a local figure of ours, Bing Lempke. Lempke was an advanced tyer with some pretty outstanding patterns that kind of shaped a lot of the way I see flies today.

I would probably say that I touched a bobbin the first time at the age of 7. Around 10 I really enjoyed tying flies and would spend most my time when I was at my grandparents house, on my grandpa’s vise. Eventually sports and social life took over, and I didn’t start tying flies again till around the age of 24. It’s been about 8 years now, and still in the town of Idaho Falls, I spend most of my time tying flies once again. My preffered bug to tie is usually a dry fly, mainly because of the area I am in.
I dig all different types of fishing, but with fly tying I love the floating bugs. If you find yourself on my online profile, you will find a general trend of dry bugs, with some nymphs mixed in. Hopefully what you see, you like. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the ties.”

Salmonfly Stimulator

Salmonfly Stimi materials list:

Hook: Tiemco 200R
Thread: Danville 140
Tail: Moose Body Hair
Body: Nature’s Spirit Stimulator Deer Hair (Brown)
Wing: Stimulator Deer Hair (Natural)
Head: Trout Hunter Orange Dub
Hackle: Metz Cree Saddle
Legs: Rainy’s Barred Round Rubber

Extended Body Green Drake

Extended Body Green Drake materials list:

Hook: TMC 2499SP-BL (originally Masu K3)
Tail: Moose Body Hair
Body: Superfine Dubbing (BWO)
Wing: Trigger Point Fiber Blend (Mixed Gray and Black)
Hackle: Whiting Cape Feathers (1 Green and 1 Pale Yellow)
Head: Superfine Dubbing
Thread: Danville 70 (Tobacco Brown)

***Body and tail tied on and spun around a needle using a Nor-Vise.

Catskill Inspired Dry

Catskill Inspired Dry materials list:

Hook: Dai-Riki #300
Thread: Danville 70 (Black)
Tail: Coq De Leon Tailing Pack – Med. Pardo
Rib: Danville 14/16 double sided tinsel
Body: Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Wing: Wood Duck
Hackle: Whiting Cree Saddle

2 Comments

Filed under Dry Fly, Trout flies

February 27, 2020 · 9:57 am

Purple Rain

From Matt Callies at Loon Outdoors:
“The astute fan of 70’s pop music would expect Purple Rain to be a riff on the Prince, but this Pheasant Tail variant won’t disappoint. It can be fished under an indicator, in tight-line rigs, or even swung through shallow runs or at the end of drifts. It comes together quickly, is super buggy, and can be altered to your color of choice.”

Materials list:
Hook: Size 10 J20 jig hook
Bead: 3.8mm tungsten bead
Thread: Veevus 50D
Tail: Pheasant Tail
Body: Pheasant Tail
Rib: Pearl Quill Brown
Collar: SLF Squirrel Brown Partridge Natural
Wing Case: UV Clear Fly Finish – Thin

Comments Off on Purple Rain

Filed under nymphs

February 26, 2020 · 1:41 pm

Drew Chicone’s Midnight Special

From Trident Fly Fishing:
“Chicone’s Midnight Special Fly is a stellar pattern for imitating small baitfish in a saltwater setting. If you’re chasing Stripers, Redfish, Tarpon, and more, this fly is a great floating pattern to entice picky fish. Tune in as Jared provides step-by-step instructions to tie this simple pattern that should be in every saltwater angler’s fly box.”

Materials list:
Gamakatsu SC15 – Size 4
Monofilament Thread
Steve Farrar Blend – Grey
Mylar Flashabou – Pearl
Fettuccini Foam
Wire-Free Synthetic Brush
Fish Skull Living Eyes

Comments Off on Drew Chicone’s Midnight Special

Filed under Saltwater

February 24, 2020 · 1:34 pm

FrankenFly News

Double Mini-Me Poppers

I thought I would write a brief update since we are nearing the end of fly tying season and gearing up for spring. I’ve received several emails about the FrankenFly online store being down. Last year, I decided I should turn it off during show season, because I can’t keep up with the fly orders and still get enough flies tied for shows. I will be turning it back on at the end of March.

It has been a busy winter for me. I worked as the Fishing Lead at the nearest Orvis store for several months, until J.Stockard Fly Fishing gave me more hours and I am now working for them much more. In-between I have done a couple of fly fishing shows and speaking of shows, the big one in Warren, Michigan is coming up in March. The dates are March 14th and 15th. I am honored to be invited back this year to be a guest tyer once again. You can visit https://midwestflyfishingexpo.com/ for more information. This is a terrific fly fishing show and if you want to attend a large, very nice show, this is the one to go to!

I have been tying flies for this show and making materials. I just finished a batch of Double Mini-Me Poppers. A popper fly I designed at the beginning of last season. See the photo above. I use two Rainy’s Mini-Me Poppers for the head of the fly, which provides its name. Werewolf Hair in the back along with some rubber legs, , coyote tail, and ostrich.

I picked up a beautiful, wonderful new net at the Cincinnati show from Chad Fath of CF River Products. He makes super high end nets and you should definitely check them out if you are in need of a new net. Head over to his website to check some of them out. If you need something custom, just contact him.

Please check back here at the website, because coming soon, I will be highlighting some fly tyers who I haven’t highlighted before, but have some skill in streamers and dry flies. I really appreciate all of you who continue to visit the website.

-Paul

Comments Off on FrankenFly News

Filed under FrankenFly

February 21, 2020 · 9:07 am

Cheech’s Mohawk Sculpin

This fly tying video is brought to you by Flymen Fishing Company. Brian Wise is tying.

From Flymen Fishing Company:
“The Mohawk Sculpin, created by Cheech Pierce of Fly Fish Food, is a super fun and easy sculpin pattern to tie.
With its wide profile and short stature, the silhouette of the Mohawk Sculpin is a perfect match to the real thing and is sure to trigger predatory attacks.
The extra-heavy Fish-Skull Sculpin Helmet helps the Mohawk Sculpin drop like a rock to the bottom and this sculpin fly pattern even has a little extra “bling” from the new Hareline Magnum Bling Rabbit Strips.”

Materials list:

Hook: Kona Universal Strong Streamer Hook, size 1/0
Undertail: Marabou
Underbody: Senyo’s Fusion Dub
Pectoral Fins: Sili-Legs
Collar: Schlappen
Wing: Magnum Bling Rabbit Strip
Head: Fish-Skull Sculpin Helmet
Eyes: Fish-Skull Living Eyes

Comments Off on Cheech’s Mohawk Sculpin

Filed under Streamers

February 19, 2020 · 1:20 pm

McFlyfoam Crab – Hans Stephenson

Hans noted this:
“If you’re fishing for Permit, this is a fly that you won’t want to be without! Using Liquid Fusion and McFlyfoam makes for a quick and durable fly. Tie in sizes 2-6 depending on the depth of water and fish preference.”

Visit Hans’ fly shop website, Dakota Angler & Outfitter here.

Comments Off on McFlyfoam Crab – Hans Stephenson

Filed under Saltwater

February 18, 2020 · 9:39 am

Belly Bumper Bunker with Kelly Galloup

I was watching a Mad River Outfitters video where Brian Flechsig was talking about Modern Streamer books by Kelly Galloup. In that video Brian mentioned he possibly has a new favorite streamer and it was the Belly Bumper. So here is a video with Kelly Galloup showing you how to tie the Belly Bumper Bunker streamer. Cool fly with a unique, very functional hook. Check it out!
-Paul

From The Slide Inn:
“The Belly Bumper Bunker is a new streamer series that Kelly has been working on using the new keel style hooks that he developed with Montana Fly Company. The hook he is tying on is very similar to the old Mustad 79666 that went out of production many years ago, but is a little different in two respects: First off, it has a little deeper gap than the original so you have some more room to play with. The second, and probably the most important, is that it features a vertical ring eye so that your flies always track the way you intended them to. This baitfish series is a blast to tie, and the sky is the limit on forage/color combinations.”

Materials list:

Thread: GSP 100
Hook: #2/0 MFC 7055 Belly Bumper
Body: MFC UV Pearl Sparkle Minnow Body Brush
Underwing (in order)
Natural Buck Tail
Yellow Ice Dub Shimmer Fringe
Pearl Dark UV Blue Back Ice Dub Minnow Back Shimmer Fringe

Wing: Olive Whiting American Rooster Saddles
Wing Accent: Olive Grizzly Hackle

Adhesive for Wing: Tear Mender
Bottom Half of Head: Blend of 2/3 White Laser Dub 1/3 Silver Minnow Belly Laser Dub.
Top Half of Head: Olive Laser Dub
Cheek: Lavender Laser Dub
Eyes: 8 mm Gold Deer Creek Gator Eyes

Comments Off on Belly Bumper Bunker with Kelly Galloup

Filed under Streamers

February 17, 2020 · 3:11 pm

Soft Hackle by Karsnaser

Swedish fly tyer Håkan Karsnäser tied this beauty and I ran across it while browsing through Instagram. It was quite accurate and appropriate that he stated this in his post.

“All though I can see the beauty in the colorful and mixture of materials in a fully dressed salmonfly’s wing, I still think that a sparse dressed and delicate softhackle is the most beautiful fly of all.”

You can follow Karsnaser @karsnasan on Instagram. See the recipe below.

Materials list:

Hook: Ahrex FW500 size 16
Tail: Gray Hen
Body: Olive Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Hackle: Gray Hen