TIER 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2019 If this post reaches 20 replies I will show you the 20 best flies for Alaska (Trout, pike, grayling, burbot, sheefish, whitefish, dolly varden, salmon, and saltwater.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chugbug27 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2019 CDC & Elk. Best bang for the buck, by far. Two natural materials both readily available, fast easy tie in any coloration you want, lands gently, and it works well both low in the surface and also just under the surface. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 CDC & Elk. Best bang for the buck, by far. Two natural materials both readily available, fast easy tie in any coloration you want, lands gently, and it works well both low in the surface and also just under the surface. I'll second that. I've been tying it since the mid-90's when I was introduced to it on the FF@ list. It's the only dry caddis pattern I carry in my trout box. It was a bit frustrating at first, but I spoke with Hans W. a few times at various shows and learned some of his tricks to tie it. It can also be used as a wet fly and the style can be varied to tie mayflies, stoneflies and if you push it grasshoppers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishnPhil 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 Favorite flies to tie at the moment... WD40 Chironomid Pheasant tails I try different materials and colors for variation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 Favorite to tie ... not necessarily best to fish nor best for my area: Foam spider Braided tube minnow UV resin Punk Minnow Fluffy flip flop foam popper My go-to fishing fly and favorite tie ... Chell's Panfish attractor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 I love tying and fishing all of the classic soft hackles and winged wets. A few of my favorites are Stewart's Black Spider, Royal Coachman wet and Greenwell's Glory dry. All three are good producers on our Massachusetts Brook Trout. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 pick one Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualAngler 0 Report post Posted July 10, 2019 Killer Bugs & Shetland Killers. They're easy to tie, catch fish, & I tie them because I'm pretty lazy @ the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TIER 0 Report post Posted July 11, 2019 Mikechell, How do you tie the UV resin Punk Minnow? Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 11, 2019 hook: Eagle Claw, size 6 Aberdeen (Walmart) eyes: your favorite color "stick on" jewels for fingernails. They come on a sheet in three or four different colors. (Dollar Tree) body: Very fine, mylar tinsel/easter basket grass. I used clear/pearl and green strands. It doesn't take a lot of them. (Dollar Tree) body 2: two strands of dark thread body 3: UV resin tail: Congo Hair (FTD) dorsal fin/tail: dyed hackle 1. Start thread at the hook eye and wrap back to bend. Tie in tail, dark thread and several strands of tinsel, then wrap thread back to hook eye. Trim tail to desired length. 2. Keeping the strands of tinsel tight, wrap forward and back until desired "minnow body" shape is attained. Remember to make the body slightly smaller than you want the finished product. Tie in tinsel slightly behind hook eye. 3. Wrap thread forward creating stripes, tie off and whip finish. 4. Place eyes, then coat body with UV and cure. Keep applying layers of UV until final body shape is achieved. Note: You have a basic UV minnow at this time. It can be a finished fly. 5: Align the tip of the hackle with the end of the tail. Strip off all feather barbs forward of the hook eye, and all barbs on one side from hook eye to tail. (same length as body. 6: This is easier to do than it is to explain. Insert the stripped quill down through the hook eye. Have a pair of hackle pliers and the UV curing light ready. Run a "bead" of UV resin along the back of the minnow body. Holding the hackle tip in your "materials" hand, clip the hackle pliers to the quill to weight it down, leaving your "thread" hand free . You can now pull the hackle down into the resin, hold it, and apply the light with the thread hand. If needed, you can apply more resin with a needle tip to further secure the hackle. Done. It's a slow sinking minnow, but it looks pretty good in the water. The Crappie and "Gills have approved. These were done without the stripes, and with painted eyes. The eyes were done between the first and second layers of UV. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites