Mull Dover

Actually the "wing" of the pattern would sugest the dun emerging through a break in the nymphs' exoskeleton as the nymph floats in the meniscus or surface film of the water.

Here in Wisconsin this fly would generally be used at night for big brown trout. I have a few anglers coming to fish the hex hatch in a little over a week. I think I'll add this one to my arsenal. Nicely tied! Thanks for the idea!!

VERY nice sniksoh! That bug will definately take bass.

Guys, Those are both awesome patterns!! I'll be trying to replicate them very shortly. The hex hatch starts about mid June here and I've been searching for some hex nymph patterns to try! Thank you! Any favorite hex drys? I've been using a Wulff style but wonder what else is out there. Thanks, Don

Hello all, Now that my warmwater and standard trout boxes are near completion. I'm working on flies I'll need later in the season. The pattern I really need help with is the hex. I need thoughts/recipes for nymphs, duns and spinners. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Don

Very Nice!!! That looks like a killer!

Black/purple. My absolute favorite smallmouth color!

South Dakota! There are too many people everywhere else, there are Lots of feathers available for tying if you happen to be a wingshooter, Trout in the hills, Many Many unspoiled lakes for warmwater fishing, Tremendous opportunities for big game hunting, and the friendliest people I've ever met. I rue the day I left it!

I often like to add another color for contrast. Chartruese is a good choice as was mentioned. My go to color for bass is black with purple in almost every water color. The flies you have will certainly take fish but a dark fly on a dark day is hard to beat! Cheers! BTW, Look up Barrs Bouface for bass try that in olive/yellow!

Big E, Welcome, I'm pretty new here as well. You have a bunch of good water close to you! Rapid creek ain't all bad and Deerfield Resevoir has some fish in it. There are many other less well known waters that will give you opportunity to fish trout as well. I used to live in Mitchell and would occasionally take the drive to the hills to fish. Gorgeous country!

I picked up a 6'6" Cabelas LST last season. For a rod that costs under $200 it is a real sweetheart. I cast several other more expensive rods that I didn't feel were a bit better. This is my panfish and spring creek trout rod of choice now. But as was mentioned above if I'm on open water in a float tube I often fish my 8'6" Scott for a 5 line.

Oh man, :yahoo: Congratulations your life is about to become better than you ever thought. Even through all the diapers and sleepless nights. There is real magic in everything your son will see, all things that have grown old and common in your eyes are wonders to his. Think of all the firsts you can revisit with him. Take your time because time goes so fast. Lots of pictures are a good Idea, it's impossible to take too many. Wishing your new family all the best!

I use two rods both are quite fast one is a 9' 6wt diamondback VSR (pre Courtland) and probably my favorite. The other is a 9' 7 wt Scierra IC3. I use these rod interchangeably on mid to large sized rivers here in Wisconsin. Giving the 7 wt the nod in windy conditions. *I have no doubt that a 5wt rod can handle smallmouth in excess of 5 pounds but it just won't throw a heavy #2 bunny strip clouser well for me. All around I'd hazard to say you would be pleased with a fast 9' 6.

Welcome Grayson! I'm pretty new 'round these parts myself. Awesome to see a young guy involved in flyfishing.

The prestige plus flyline is an SA mastery line, However it is a trout taper rather than a GPX. (The GPX is a half line wieght heavier.) It does have AST however and is a hell of a deal in the realm of performance vs cost. The prestige line is made by Courtland. It is still a decent line but without the AST so it must periodically have a product applied to remain slick. I agree with the philosophy of not caring who crafts a particular rod. The rod is either brilliant or fails miserably of its own accord. The same is not true regarding cane rods where the artists soul lends its own flavor to the finished rod. I have fished few rods as nice as the LST and will not hesitate to add another to the stable should the chair person of expendatures and acquisitions give her approval. The Loomis rumor has been around forever. Most of Cabelas rods are crafted in the orient. Once upon a time the were made by a company called Hagens. The quality of the rods is still extremely good and there are some real sleepers in the line. I think one would be hard pressed to beat the three forks or clear creek rods in thier respective price points. Best regards, Don

Sorry, Not at all the same line. I worked as a product specialist for a number of years for Cabelas' before being forced to grow up and raise a family. Nor are Cabelas' brand rods made by Gary Loomis. The prestige series of lines are indeed nice enough lines and I truly love Cabelas FT and LST fly rods. Regards, Don

Steelslayer, I tie a hares ear nymph using caddis green UV dubbing on a #14 or #12 mustad 9671 (If I recall correctly) a gold bead head and midge crystal flash for the wingcase and tail. This is a bonafied killer! It has taken tons of gills, LM bass, trout, wipers, crappie, perch and even a walleye for me.

I spend a considerable amount of time fishing smallmouth bass with heavy flies (clousers etc.) My most used smallmouth rods are a Diamondback VSR 9' 6wt and an old style St Croix Avid 9' 6wt. Both of these rods do an admirable job of handling the flies and the fish. However, I have the opportunity to pick up a Scierra IC3 9' 7wt 4 piece at a very good price. I have not cast this rod and am unfamiliar with it. I am hoping someone who has fished this model can give me a thought on its characteristics as well as its quality. It is a given that this rod will also see use fishing winter and spring steelhead in the lake Michigan tribs as well as perhaps a bit of fall salmon action. Regards, Don

I agree with both thoughts SA and double taper. There is no benefit to a wieght forward line on small streams while a DT will help you roll cast. Besides you can always swap the line end for end after a season or two and for all intents and purposes you'll be fishing a new line.

Nah, It's sorta against my belief to use live bait. That said I will admit that he has become a model for a pattern to be used at night this summer on a certain Wisconsin stream!

I grew up in North East Iowa. My wife and I still have family there so I get over there often to fish while the Wisconsin season is closed. I made a trip in January and got to my chosen strean. As I was stringing my rod I noticed this little fella scampering around and thought I'd try to get a few pics of him. He was quite obliging. I ran back to my truck to grab a piece of my breakfast burrito to see if he would eat it. He seemed pretty hungry and willing to share my breakfast. After breakfast with my new friend I decided to hit the water. This particular stream is pretty high gradient, I'm not far from the pair of springs that give it life. I really think this is one of the prettiest pieces of water I fish. I was reluctant to take fish pics until it warmed, I waited until the ice melted from my guides before shooting any fish pics. Though I had a ball catching the rainbows and occasional brookie. Eventually I made it to the very head of this water. The two springs that birth all this wonder. I had an amazing outting made all the more special by the company.

Hello to all, Ive been wandering around this site, kickin the tires for a while. I have been pretty amazed by the collective wisdom, not to mention the talent of so many tyers. I live in South Central Wisconsin in a small town nestled between the driftless area and the Sand Counties of Aldo Leupold fame. I have been an addict of the long rod for nearly 20 years and tying for the last 10. I count myself fortunate to live in an area repleat with gorgeous smallmouth bass rivers and trout waters ranging from large freestones to intimate spring creeks. I fish rods ranging from classic cane to fast graphite and love the asthetics and abilities of each. 15 years ago I met a beautiful young lady who was able to tolerate such things as muddy labrador tracks occasionally appearing on her clean kitchen floor, a stray shred of marabou sometimes appearing where it ought not and a fella who has the strange compulsion to stop on nearly every bridge he crosses to look at the water flowing beneath. We have a 2 going on three year old son who seems to share his fathers facination with moving water. (last week I caught him dunking his arm in the family aquarium, wet to the shoulder and clutching a new $60 fly line in his submerged hand while chanting "c'mon fish!") :yahoo: Last summer we made a family trip to a Sand county stream where he caught his first fish, an 8 inch brookie while fishing with his superman rod and a redworm. I have never been so proud of any fish I've ever been fortunate to catch. We released the fish and my boy cried all the way home because he wanted his trout. It has gotten to the point that if I want to fish alone ort with someone else I have to sneak out of the house for fear he'll see my rod tubes etc. But honestly I'd rather fish with him anyway. I look forward to learning from so many here. Regards, Don