Conover

Been tying quite a few flies lately. Mostly traditional Catskill flies. I've also been reading a lot on the subject regarding the old famous and not so famous tiers. One fly that had my interest since I first started fly fishing and tying 38 years ago was the Conover. As many of you know, it was created by Scotty Conover and tied for him by the Dette's many years ago.

I caught my first trout on it while fishing the Beaver Kill decades ago and it still is one of my favorite. I've been trying to tie the perfect one since I have aquired a nice Golden Badger cape. Here are a few I tied today.

Leif

Hook : size 14
Hackle : Golden Badger
Body : Red Wool and Muskrat with Seal
Tail :  Cream/Lt Ginger
Thread: 6/0 tan

Catskill Quill

Given my renewed interest in tying, particularly in the traditional Catskill flies, I decided to try a few with quill bodies. I wanted to tie a Quill Gordon but lacked the stiff dun tail fibers. Instead I used brown hackle and created a "brown quill." This is a size 12. I found it interesting how certain quills from a larger peacock eye can give that segmented look. I varnished the body to give it a little more durability.

Leif

Stimulator

I am not used to tying different types of flies other than the Catskill flies and a few emergers. I guess the reason is, I have had success with the basics but this one caught my eye a while back. Since I really have a non-existent caddis fly collection, I decided to tie a few of these since they are general attractors and imitate the caddis. They can be tied in different sizes and colors. Here are a couple in size 12 and 14.

Leif

Hook 12-14
Tail Elk Hair
Body Yellow fur
Palmer Brown Hackle
Wing Elk Hair
Thorax Yellow fur/dubbing
Thorax Palmer Grizzly
Thread Orange 6/0

  

March Browns

The March Brown was one if the first flies I learned to tie. It is also one of my favorites because I have caught so many fish on it as well as my biggest Beaverkill Brown, a 24in fish back in 1986. My friend Adam, not too long ago had a 22 incher on a size 12 on the East Branch. Those fish were both caught around 11:30am in full sunshine. I generally fish it the first week in June through Fathers day.

The fly seems to immitate so many insects and you can tie it sparse or bushy. I have had the most success with sparser versions that sit in the surface film.

Here are a few I have tied using varying materials. Natural Woodduck, Mallard flank, natural and synthetic tails.

I prefer to use all "natural materials" but have uses everything available to make this fly. There are quite a few variations on the fly but I perfer it using Mallard flank, red fox cream fur and brown spade barbules for the tail. Size 12 does the trick for me.

Hook: size 12
Hackle: Grizzly and brown mixed (2 turns in front and 2 in back of the wing)
Cream fox fur dubbing
Stiff brown tailing fibers from spade hackles
Tread 8/0 tan

Leif

The Classic Cahill

I never get tired of tying these classic flies. Sometimes I'll tie something different but always go back to the classics.

Here is a Cahill I tied. A little darker than what is called for but I like the light ginger with the slightly darker center. This type of hackle seems to make the fly look more buggy. I also tilted the wings back slightly and used a hook with an upturned shank.

Hook size 14
Thread 6/0 tan
Body tanish yellow with seal
Wing Woodduck or Mallard
Tail Ginger Spade
Hackle Light Ginger

Leif