WWKimba

Hexagenia Limbata - This pattern was first tied at the Backcast Fly Shop in Benzonia, MI in the late '70's/early '80's. Unfortunately, the shop owner could not remember the exact date the fly was designed or the shop's tyer that developed this pattern. Hook - Mustad 94831, 4-8 Thread - black or brown Tail - medium clump of moose mane Rib - tying thread, crisscrossed Body - golden deer hair under natural deer hair, tied parallel to the shank and extended about 1/3rd the tail length and flared at the tail Wing - white calf tail, tied upright and divided Hackle - grizzly, brown, or both

Hex Trude - First tied by Jeff Bonnin in 1987. Jeff was the owner of Steelhead Connection Custom Flies in North Muskegon, MI. It's a tough and easy to tie pattern designed for the Hexagenia hatch. Hook - Mustad 9671 or 9672, 6 Thread - tan monochord Tail - 6-10 lighter moose mane fibers Body - pale yellow or yellow poly yarn, split lengthwise Wing - white calf tail, tied trude Hackle - brown and grizzly, mixed

The only pattern I've come across that uses white peacock is the Michigan Moth. It's not that common a tying material. Kim

Hex Para Spinner - First tied in 1999 by Mark lord from Kingsley, MI for the Hexagenia hatch. Feel free to experiment with any hackle or hackle combination for this pattern. Hook - Mustad 9672,6 Thread - yellow Tail - 2 stripped grizzly hackle stems or peccary hairs Body - deer hair dyed yellow or natural deer hair Wing - white calf tail, tied spent Post - white poly yarn, cut short after hackle tied in Hackle - badger or cree, tied parachute

Grey Drake -Designed in 1980 By John Long from Birmingham, MI. It is to be used as a dun or spinner pattern. Hook - Mustad 94849, 10-12 (Mustad 94831 may be used and was used here) Thread - black Tail - dark blue dun hackle fibers Wings - dark smokey grey hackle tips Hackle - dark dun

Sorry, lost track of time! Flies went out in today's mail - USPS tracking # 9500 1108 4513 2210 4910 22. Included are the Lil Dorothy from Mark Libertone. Sovay, NY (~10 minute drive from me), the Black Bead Eyed Bugger from Dan Gober, Fulton, NY (40 minutes north of me), and the Mirrored Minnow from Jim Guida from Rochester, NY (about 80 minutes west of me). Thanks for hosting a fine swap! Kim

Ephoron - Designed by Al Rockwood and was designed to match the fall Ephoron hatches on several Michigan rivers. Al was a founding member of the Muskegon-White River TU chapter. Al stated that this fly should be tied delicately and he used a dubbing loop to tie the thorax. Try tying this pattern in a size 12 ans 16 as well. Hook - Mustad 94840, 14 Thread - white Tail - white porcupine hairs Abdomen - tying thread Wing - white calf body, tied as a post Thorax - white superfine Hackle - white, tied parachute

Eggie Special - Designed by Eggie Bugby somewhere between 1930 and 1950 and was also known as the Bugby Special. Mr. Bugby was a business owner in Grayling. MI as well as a fishing and river guide as well. This fly can be effective tied all the way down to a size 18 hook and the yarn body could be substituted with light yellow dubbing. It is designed to be used when any light-colored duns or spinners are on the water. Also, any standard dry fly hook can be used, Hook - Mustad 94840, 10-12 Thread - black Tail - 3-4 PT fibers Body - light yellow wool yarn Wing - furnace hackle tips, tied upright and divided Hackle - Rhode Island Red (brown) hackle, palmered the length of the body

Deer Hair Drake - Created by the prolific Michigan fly tyer, Ralph Hanna in the 1960's. It's a general attractor pattern and good for use during most of the fishing season. Hook - Mustad 94840, 14 Thread - black Tail - 2 PT fibers, tied in a "V" Wing - white deer hair, tied as a single clump Rib - tying thread, tied crisscross Body - tan deer hair, tied extended and flared at the tail Hackle - grizzly

Just bring an extra apple for the ponies so they get there on time. Works for me every time!😁

Dark Michigan Mayfly - This fly pre-dates 1950 and its designer's name has been lost to history. Some variations of this pattern include using light grey dubbing and/or using red thread as a rib. The original pattern most likely called for a black silk rib. Hook - standard dry fly, 8 Thread - black Tail - brown bucktail Wing - brown bucktail, tied upright and divided Rib - claret cotton thread Body - natural rabbit dubbing and red fox dubbing, mixed Hackle - very dark bluish grey dun

Cornie's Quill - The design of this fly came from the mind of Cornie Schrems of Grand Rapids in the 1950' or '60's. I said that the design came from Mr. Schrems BUT he was not a fly tyer! His designs were normally tied by his friends Art Neumann or Dan Bailey and Art was the one who named this pattern. Cornie was at George Griffith's home when the first meeting was held to form TU. Hook - Mustad 94833, 14-24 Thread - black Tail - brown hackle fibers Wing - mallard flank fibers, tied upright and divided Body - stripped peacock herl Hackle - grizzly and brown

Big Yellow May - This Michigan pattern's creator's name has been lost to history. It is known that the pattern originated in the mid 1970's. Hook - Mustad 38941, 8 (a Mustad 94831, 8 was used here) Thread - yellow Tail - lemon wood duck flank fibers, tied 1" long Wing - light yellow hackle tips, tied upright and divided Rib - yellow thread Body - yellow yarn with at least 8 crisscrosses in the rib Hackle - yellow and variegated ginger (non-variegated ginger may be substituted and was in the above fly)

Give me a soft art eraser ANY time!

The rubber gasket (or sometimes referred to as a rubber button) was a way to keep your tying thread taught BUT you did not 1/2 hitch the thread. You just slipped it under the rubber and the thread would "lock" into place. You simply pulled it back out to continue your tie. This method of tying was used by Helen Shaw and featured in her book entitled simply Fly-Tying. It is still a wonderful book on handling materials AND this book contains NO fly patterns in it! I would suggest some other older fly tying books because they are LOADED with older patterns as well as older techniques and tools. Another great source would be a fly tying/fly fishing museum. I'm lucky enough to be within a short distance of 3 museums - Catskill Fly Fishing Museum (NY), The American Museum of Fly Fishing (VT), and the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum (PA). And I am aware of similar museums in the states of Montana, Maine, Michigan and North Carolina. For Example, the Catskill museum includes the actual tying desks -as is - for a few famous tyers - materials, books, vices, desks, chairs and all! I hope this helps give you a start on your tour of the history of this fine hobby! Kim

A carefully placed bead of glue? Or maybe glue the whole thing shut a cut in your own slot to your liking? Just a couple ideas and i won't even charge you 2 cents! Kim

Heck, I reply the same when I lose a 2X2! That's why I ALWAYS carry an extra hanky.😩 Kim

All of you are in (and where you wanted as well!). Kim I wish I could have closed this at 25!

In the year 2525 if man is still alive, if woman can survive, they may find... - Zager and Evans, 1969 Those with grey hair (or NO hair!) will know this one hit wonder - those younger - Youtube it! It's the year 2525 and there is no longer any fur or feathers ONLY synthetics to tie with! All patterns must be 100% synthetic materials only. Fresh water patterns only, either wet, dry or terrestrials. Registration for the swap will close on August 20th (or when 12 swappers are registered). Flies are due to me by Monday. September 19th. As always, if you have any problems, please contact me so we can work something out. Do not forget your basic 5 - your flies with toe tags (that include your screen handle and name of your pattern) in a swap box (metal or plastic) enclosed in your sending envelope with SASE return envelope (so I can get your share of the flies back to you!). If this is your first swap please remember to send me a PM with your real name, address, a reach phone number and your E-mail - these are requirements of this site for swaps. I will send you all of my same contact information as well - YEP, another site rule. Also, if anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me on this thread or via PM (just click on my name/icon and follow the pop-ups). Also, if you are new to tying and/or new to swaps, please let me know so I can help make this a fine experience for you! Lastly, HAVE FUN! Fly tying is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby! 1 - fishingbobnelson - Rockworm - recieved 2 - cencalfly 3 - Sandan - Spin Doctor 4 - hiddentalus - ASB Chironomid - received 5 - John1986 - received 6 - Woodenlegs - Root Beer Midge -received 7 - DarryllP 8 - psychoprince 9 - Shmang 10 - stabgnid 11 - Chasing_Tails - Blacknose Dace 2.0 12 - vicrider - received

Yeah, and many consider this his signature pattern. A quick story (well as quick as I can be!). I ran a series of beginner tyer swaps starting in September of COVID Year #1 - I figured that many who had thought about tying as a hobby in the past would finally pull the trigger, being locked at home and all. As we all know that videos (and OLD SCHOOL - books!) can only do so much - each lacks feedback. So, I ran a series of swaps each month - streamers, then nymphs, then .... to dry flies as the last month. When the wet fly part came up one of my participants said they wanted to do the Genessee Jewel and wanted some hints on its tying. Needless to say I had to mention that not only did i know the pattern BUT that I was a neighbor of the designer! Mark was a fine tyer and teacher as well as an EXCELENT family man - loved his wife, proud of his kids and the finest of Grandpas! I miss him. Kim

Please put me down for Lil Dorothy a wonderful pattern from an old neighbor of mine, Mark Libertone of Solvay, NY. If any of you participate in my swaps you'll notice the Solvay postmark on your envelopes. Kim

Did I miss the cake?! Happy Birthday FTF! Kim

The 3 rules of fly tying: 1 - KISS always is best 2 - Less is more. 3 - You can design your best patterns while enjoying a good drink or two (or three!)

I had learned many years ago that if you treat any feather wing material it won't marry together again and have found this to be true. If I fish with a treated wing they may last for six fish, if I don't treat them and rub them to remarry them, they'll usually last for a half dozen fish! Kim OK, so I'm a bit of an optimist!

Try angling the tail slightly upwards. You could use a small dubbing ball under the tail just behind the thread wraps to accomplish this. Hope this helps. Kim