Friday, December 20, 2013

Easy Two Minute Egg

Egg pattern. I didn't invent this pattern by any means. It's been around. It does catch fish and it is easy to tie. 

While doing my Christmas shopping last evening I noticed these. I have bought them many times before at the local craft stores. These were at a 'big box'. Hint starts with 'W'. They were $1.75 a pack. Can't beat that. Also love the colors.

This pattern catches fish. Some argue it ethical place. I believe it's a fly. Your welcome to your own opinion :)

Not long ago at a show I was showing a friend all the different ways to tie a egg pattern. This by far is the easiest.












Recipe
Hook: #10 Mustad Egg 
Body: Pom Pom
Thread: 6/0 Pink



Comments welcome :)


Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Friday, December 13, 2013

San Juan Trash Worm

I found 4 spools of yarn while 'picking' one day. White, red, green, and yellow. The lady had had her fill of yard selling. I got them cheap. She didn't want to carry them back home I think.. Here's a take on a really reliable pattern with a Trash Fly twist.



Recipe
Hook: #14 Nymph
Body: Red Yarn Fiber



Comments appreciated.


Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Cat Toy Flashback Hares Ear (CTFHE)

I was walking through the local dollar store looking for some snack and sodas. trying to avoid the grocery store. I never seem to get in and out very quickly at the grocery or on budget. As I walked to the end of a isle with my sodas and sweets I glanced at the pet supply rack. Noticed a really odd looking cat toy with the coloring and texture of a real rabbit. Now that caught my eye. (pun intended). after picking it up and I noticed it was made of strips of wide rabbit skin. Couldn't beat the price. After adding it to my treasures headed on home.

Figured that I could cut the hair from it and then pitch the hairless carcass. After inspection I noticed it was glued to a plastic mouse like form and some of the skin was loss at the seams. A little tug and it peeled off like a orange. For some reason I felt better not saving a a fake mouse to make flies.

The fur was a lot of guard hairs and a fluffy under fur. Likely not one of our local field rabbit. I was still enthusiastic about my cheap stash of material. So then I tried some Hares Ears as pictured below.

Cat Toy Flash-Back Hares Ear
.

Recipe

Hook: Mustad #14 2x Nymph Hook
Tail, thorax and abdomen: Hair from a Hare cover cat toy.
Bead: med brass
Wing-case: Chip bag silver side showing








I like it and am going to tie more. What do you all think? Comments welcome.

Dedicated to my son. I love you :)

Friday, October 25, 2013

Simple Gray Mayfly



I was making some simple tutorials for my Drafting students and decided to try this. The site 'Trashflies.com' has been lacked videos. Several have ask me to do them. Here we go! Baby step. I am going to get a better camera and lighting situation.

This fly 'Simple Gray Mayfly' slays wild fish here in Western North Carolina, USA. I'm sure it would work else where. It's easy. Cheap to tie. A skein of gray knitting yarn and grizzly dry-fly hackle. It works like a charm. It is a simplification of the Adams, Thunderhead, and Mr Rapidan styled flies. Tiny creeks are it's best arena for me.

Dedicated to my son. I love you.

As always share your thoughts. I like to hear from you all :)

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Chammy Worm and Nymphs

http://vivariumguide.com/building-a-mealworm-insectarium/
One of the students in our weekly tying class at the high school I teach at ask, "can you tie something that looks like a meal worm." I replied probably. So with that I started looking at what I had committed to. As I scanned my stock of materials and looked at what was it I needed to imitate.

The reliable and very effective Chammy Worm and all it's off shoots,
http://grolarbear.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/chamois-vs-hiking-towel-too-exciting/
Chamois leather (/ˈʃæmi/ or /ʃæmˈwɑː/), sometimes known as a shammy or also as wash-leather, is a type of porous leather that is favored for its gentle, non-abrasive composition and absorption properties. It has a range of uses: 

Step 1 secure the hook. #14 200r
Step 2 thread the hook.
Step 3 tie in the narrow curt piece of chamois cloth.
Step 4 either wrap in mid hook or tie straight depending on the profile desired.

Note: To increase the segmented look use a darker brown thread.

This is a simple one or two material fly. Catch loads of fish.


Hook: #14 200R
Thread: Olive 8/0
Body: Chamois Leather

Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Some Extra Terresterials






Top left Headphone Inch worm, Top right foam inch worm, Bottom right Black Beetle with wing showing, and Bottom left Black Beetle

The above flies are from a Erichment Class at school.

Top Left
Hook: #14 Dryfly
Body: Green Headphone insulation.
Thread: Black 8/0

Top Right
Hook: #14 Dryfly
Body: Green closed cell craft foam.
Thread: Black 8/0

Bottom Left
Hook: #14 Dryfly
Body: Black closed cell foam cut into strips.
Thread: Black 8/0

Bottom Right
Hook: #14 Dryfly
Body: Black closed cell foam cut into strips.
Wing: Dyed amber mallard flank
Thread: Black 8/0


Dedicated to my son. I love you.


Friday, August 23, 2013

Foam Spiders and bluegill will enrich your fly fishing life.





Recently I had the opportunity to start a enrichment class at the high school where I teach during the 'Smart Lunch' ie free period time.I thought this would be a good way to share the sport of fly-fishing as well as pay forward a lot of folks who have helped me along the journey.

As I planned out the first class I looked around at all the great classic fly patterns and then at the 'Trash Flies' and thought what would be a good choice? Then my eye wandered to something left on the bench from this summers adventures. Bluegill flies were on the bench and I smiled to myself thinking of all the great fun. Why not? Lets teach them about locally common fish that in my opinion will teach them the fundamentals of fly fishing.

Bluegill are common around the United States, they fight, the eat flies, and they hone the skills. If you think they are just for kids and bobber you haven't hooked a big one on a 3 weight rod.


Top
Hook: #10 Kink Shank
Body: Foam spider (bought
Legs: medium rubber white

Middle
Hook: #10 Kink Shank
Body: Foam sheets Under black and Shell white
Indicator. Yellow
Legs: medium rubber white

Bottom
Hook: #10 Kink Shank
Body: Foam sheets Under black and Shell white
Legs: medium rubber white


Tips. make the legs longer. Can trim on the water as need be. Indicator piece helps visibility.
Use the technique mentioned in a previous article here 

Herb Scissors Can Spice Up the Tying Bench


Comments welcome.

Dedicated to my son. I love you.




Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Herb Scissors Can Spice Up the Tying Bench




Herb Scissor
The other day while on a 'Picking' adventure to the local yard sales, flea market, and thrift shop I came across a pair of these curious scissors. My first time seeing a pair. I ask a price just for the curiosity. Fifty cents later I had them in my treasure back pack. I originally thought them for a crafting application. A little internet research later I found what they were really designed for. Good to know, but you know me that wasn't where they would end up ;) 
Herb Scissors www.fig1.co.uk
They will cut closed cell foam as in the pictures. So here's what I think they will be good for: indicator strips, small terrestrials, 'strike indicators', and any thing else a small uniform piece of foam is needed for. Cut quickly and fairly precisely through the material.

They also cut well through Mylar, holographic sheets, potato chip bags, and similar materials.

I believe I got my two bit worth. Hope this helps someone on their tying journey. As always tell what you think in some feedback comments. Good idea or bad? Where else could it go?


Dedicated to my son. I love you.




Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day 2013

Happy Earth Day 2013 everyone.

Suggestion for the day: Save some cool material from the trash. Take that material and tie awesome fly.

Remember "Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse".

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Fly Caddy


Paper Towel holder. Cheap and a common yard sale item.
Paint roller cover for smooth surfaces. Also cheap

I was looking for a way to organize flies as I finished them on the vise.

Comments?


Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Streamer Thought



Thinking about a Slump Buster (Great pattern thanks John Barr) and saw some guys online had added beads to different streamers. This in a size #10. The beads to give a lot of color to a wider flat profile.

What do you all think? Reply and speak your mind :)

Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wire Tip (Ease Material Organizer)

Recycled  electrical wire from a lamp. Cut the ends off the cord. Be sure the power is NOT connected :)


Knife or wire striper.


From a 12" piece strip off one end.

Strip off the other end. Leave the insulation in the middle. Leave 1 to 2 inches of insulation.


Now you can pull out one 12" piece of wire at a time. It keeps the wire neat and easily organized till ready to use.

Cost $0.00


Simple Copper John.
Hook: #16 2x Nymph
Tail: Biot
Thorax: Copper wire
Abdomen: Peacock dubbing
Wingcase: Biot
Flash: Holograhic Krystal flash
Legs: Flexy floss
Bead: Brass bead 

Dedicated to my son. I love you.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Caddis Pupae (Easy)


Hook: #16 Nymph 2x
Body: Glass seed beads
(Black and Iradecent Green)
Thread: White 6/0
Drop of head cement, laquer, or superglue



Dedicated to my son. I Love You.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Possum Jig

This tied with common Western North Carolina possum. (The old guy that hits the composte bin is glad I don't get my own pelts :) If you would like a pelt i have a student who traps and does a excellent job with the. Shot me email.

Old railroad wall on the French Broad River

Feedback and follow me at Trash Flies.
Dedicated to Bailey. I love my son.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Wrap It Up Nympth by Guest Tyer Joshua Garris

Josh Garris the featured fly tyer this article. Josh is a very skilled tyer as well as a accomplished fly fishing guide. Josh can be found at Curtis Wright Outfitters. I really appreciate his contribution to the Trash Flies blog.





Hook: Tiemco 3761 sz 14

Thread: Brown Uni 8/0

Abdomen: Brown Ostrich Herl

Thorax: Brn/Tan Ostrich Herl

Wing Case: Wrapping Paper

Rib: Copper x-small

Bead: Multi Hue Brass

Hackle: Starling

Tail: Pheasant Tail








1.Slide on bead and anchor thread.


2.Tie in Pheasant tail for the tail. Allow the tail to extend 1/3 of the hook shank off the back.


3.Tie in copper wiring for the rib.


4.Cut a 1" x 3" section of the wrapping paper. Fold the paper in half length wise (3") and press crease. Repeat the process again and tie in paper right above tail.


5.Tie in 2 brown Ostrich Herl tips forward (toward the eye of hook). Wrap back to the end of the hook.


6.Twist the 2 ostrich Herls together for added durability and wrap forward . Brush fibers back before the next wrap for a fuller body. Wrap forward until 1/3 of hook is exposed and tie off material and clip


7.Pull up wrapping paper and pull tight. Tie off. Rib up the fly leaving even spacing between each wrap. Make to make wraps firm to show of segmentation. Tie off wire.


8. Tie in 1 brown and 1 tan ostrich herl.


9.Twist Herls together and wrap forward to right behind the bead and tie off.


10.Tie in Starling feather and wrap around collar of fly right behind bead. Brush fibers back with each turn of hackle. Tie off and trim excess.


11.Pull up wing case and tie off. Clip excess material and whip finish!
      Dedicated to my son. I love you.