Monthly Archives: July 2022

July 29, 2022 · 8:08 am

Grizzly Jay Wet Fly by Fred Klein

Grizzly Jay Wet Fly

Anglers that browse through classic fly fishing literature will quickly notice the ever present attractor wet fly. These flies were quite popular for centuries with elaborate stories of
successful days on the rivers, lakes and streams catching trout.

The popular flies such as the Silver Doctor, Alexandra, Professor, and Royal Coachman were a few flies of choice consistently bringing trout to the anglers net.

Two flies often spoken of as “popular taking” trout flies were the Grizzly King with its scarlet tail, green tinseled body and grizzly hackle as well as the ever present Blue Jay winged flies.
Many stories in the volumes of classic literature speak of the effectiveness of both of these flies.

I put together a fly combining the Grizzly King with its timeless attractor qualities with Blue Jay wings of blue and black stripes over dun gray.

The Grizzly King in its many versatile forms and the Jay winged flies have proven to be excellent for brown trout, brook trout as well as salmon in New England. I plan to fish this fly
this coming fall for wild trout in Pennsylvania as well as the Rangeley Region of Maine.

For brown trout choose a long feather with more gray dun qualities in the wing with a sparse red tail. Brook trout and salmon will take the full dressed version with heavy grizzly hackle and
full blue wing. A Sproat Bend or Streamer hook in size 6 would be my choice for trout.

Freestyle Dressing:
Hook: Partridge Adlington & Hutchinson Blind Eye
Tail: Scarlet
Tag Silver Tinsel
Body: Forest Green Silk
Ribbing: Gold Tinsel
Hackle: Grizzly Rooster Collar Style
Wing: Eurasian Blue Jay Wing Primaries
Eye: Vintage Twisted Silk Gut
Vise: HMH Vises Standard

Literature resources:
Blacker’s Art of Flymaking 1855 & Mary Orvis Marbury’s Favorite Flies 1892

You can follow Fred on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/grizzlykingfly/ or visit his website at grizzlykingfly.com

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Filed under Classic, Streamers

July 25, 2022 · 12:34 pm

Talking Carp with Brad Befus and Brian Flechsig

Brian Flechsig of Mad River Outfitters sits down to discuss one of his favorite Carp fishing books of all time: Carp on the Fly, A Fly Fishing Guide when a special guest (one of the authors) Brad Befus joins him to discuss the fun of fly fishing for carp!

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Filed under Fly Fishing

July 22, 2022 · 11:06 am

Saving the Eggie

Matt O’Neal of Savage Flies did a YouTube video of a fly that is near and dear to me, the Eggie Special. I have posted here about the Eggie Special before, but Matt put it in video form and does a fantastic job tying it. Here is the exert from the post on YouTube from Matt.

“Created by Egbert Earl “Eggie” Bugby of Grayling, Michigan sometime between 1920-1950, the Eggie Special was once a popular fly in the area. Researched by Paul Beel of Frankenfly, the pattern here is tied with the original dressing Eggie used.”

Materials list:
Hook: #10-12 dry fly
Thread: Black
Tail: 3-4 turkey tail fibers
Rib: Brown dry fly hackle
Body: Yellow wool
Wings: Barred ginger hackle tips
Hackle: Brown and grizzly

2 Comments

Filed under Dry Fly, Michigan, Trout flies

July 21, 2022 · 9:21 am

Articulated Whitefish – by Niklaus Bauer

In this episode of Tie TV, Niklaus Bauer is tying an articulated foot-long (30 cm) pike/musky fly, imitating a whitefish/grayling or any other large baitfish.

Materials list:
Hook: Ahrex TP610 #6/0 main, Ahrex TP610 #4/0 Tail
Glue: Zap a gap brush on, Gulff UV resin – thinman, Flexman
Eyes: Predator Eyes 8mm Fl. Orange
Thread: Power tread 100D – White
Connection: Partridge Bauer Pike leader wire 40LB, Articulation Beads 6mm – Silver and Sparkle Fl. Orange
Tail: Saddle tails in XXL silver and XL Copper
Rear hook: Bucktail – White, NMF Flashy Craft Fur White, Magnum Flashabou in Silver, Mirage and Holo Silver, Palmer Chenille medium – Pearl Gray, Saddle tails in XXL silver
Front Hook: Bucktail – Shad Gray, Magnum Flashabou in Silver, Mirage and Holo Silver, Long hair Holo Uv / Silver. Bauer’s Premium Nayat in Shad Gray and Gandalf Gray,
Head: NMF Flashy Craft Fur Gray and Extra Select Craft fur in gray olive,

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Filed under Muskie, Pike, Streamers

July 19, 2022 · 9:47 am

Umpqua – Soulful Beginnings – the early 60’s

Umpqua has posted an interesting read about their beginnings on their website. I found it to be a fun read and I figured you would too. Below is a small exert from the story with a link to the entire post. There is also more to come on this story, so stay tuned.

Dennis Black (left) and Carlos Urtabae (right)

Umpqua has built an empire in our industry, and it started with an A Frame Cabin on the banks of the North Umpqua River. Based on all accounts, it should not have happened. It was such an improbable story you could have never come up with most of it. Doing things that no one had ever done before, and yet, it happened.

In the process, Umpqua changed the way the fly fishing industry was able to scale and grow through the production and delivery of fly tackle and the highest quality flies, designed by Royalty Tyers. Umpqua is built on a legacy of innovation and has encouraged innovation at pivotal moments.

This is the Umpqua Story told by some of the people who were witness to the events.

Soulful Beginnings – the early 60’s

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Filed under Fly Fishing, fly tying materials

July 18, 2022 · 12:56 pm

Flip Flop Bonefish – Charlie Craven

Charlie designed this fly for Bonefish in the Bahamas.

Materials list:
Hook: #04 Tiemco 811S
Thread: Shell Pink UTC 140
Weight: Large Silver Beadchain
Eyes: 15LB Hard Mono and Pink Solarez
Tail: Tan Craft Fur
Flash: Copper and Black Krystal Flash
Body: Tan Craft Fur
Legs: Pink Superfloss

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Filed under Bonefish, Saltwater

July 13, 2022 · 11:58 am

Jay Smit is auctioning off his 2000th Vice for Charity

Jay Smith of JVice is auctioning off his 2000th vice with proceeds going to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. You can see this beautiful vice in the photos below. For all of the details, go to my previous post of The Mission magazine and go to page 94. It tells you everything you need to know there.