Airhead

Here ya' go! Shoes Sculpin

I found some Hard to find feathers, Orange dry fly cape for $10, and some dyed goose shoulder feathers. I'm ready to try a couple new patterns. Also got some grouse and starling for wets. The best part was the personal attention we got from a couple of the tiers, namely Dennis Potter and John McClain, they were great! Showed us a couple patterns and techniques that significantly shortened the learning curve.

Brachycentrus (American Grannom) is a tube case maker, with an elongated 4 sided grey-black case. More likely it was Rhyacophila (Green Sedge) They are the most common free living Caddis. The adults range up to 16mm in length, The wings are mottled shades of green and brown, the bodies are shades of olive (darker, early season, lighter as summer progresses.), Legs are various shades of brown. Free living caddis larvae must have relatively fast moving, well oxygenated water, being the least advanced, they lack highly developed gills. In most cases the Pupae will emerge in May or June, Adults may live for weeks. Adult dry imitations may be less effective than adult wets or emergers. The pupae emerge from the larval habitat (riffles), rise to the surface quickly and break through the film to take flight almost immediately. Rises to emergers are violent splashes and often take fish airborn in the pursuit. Egg-laying females crawl or dive to the bottom of riffle areas, paste eggs on the rocks and then simply let go and drift with the current until they reach the surface film and then break through slowly if at all, sometimes drifting for long distances, making a fine target for trout holding below riffle areas.

Marty, give me a call. We can ride together, save some $2 gas.

Irish, any tips for smallies on this fly? Colors, presentation? Pray tell!

Thanks, I was thinking maybe you layed the hackle alongside the hook, parallel to the tag of thread and whipped over both. That might work too! I'll try your way.

"Only" $5 in Michigan. Still, one helluva Rod! Save for a year, buy a driftboat!

Great thread! Shoe recently turn me on to whip finishing, 1/2 hitched prior to that. a.a. (tn), do you take a turn or two over the soft hackle first, or just whip it down?

It's not my pattern Darin, it's Gary LaFontaines. I picked my screen name after the fly, not visa-versa.

Thanks Will. Grease up the Hair and body and it darn near "hovers". Don't grease it and it still floats well. Makes a good indicator for a dropper too!

I missed a step! Trim foam strips, 3 on top to hook bend. 1 on bottom trim right off. 2 on bottom/sides to hook point. Can a moderator add that to the end of the tying instructions?

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by Airhead: Airhead

I think it's very cool, probably very effective too! I'm no purist, I catch fish with many different techniques, but I find it difficult to classify this as a "fly". Seems to me "lure" is a more appropriate. With that said, how does it cast? What rod would it take to turn it over?

Welcome! It's about time, those damn Pa. boys are about to outnumber us!

If you have any members who are guides or resort owners down there, an auction for a days guided float or accomidations for a weekend might go a long ways if you can swing it.

Looking forward to the rest of the story...

Spawning fish will also grab an egg simply as a way of eliminating competition for their offspring (if it's coming from upstream It's not their egg).

I just came in from cleaning up a little (1 1/2 HR). Drifts around 2 feet between the houses, thank God it's cold, snows really fluffy. Already 2 inches blown back in some spots!

QUOTE I Have had great success with this fly. Don't change a thing then. I'll be sure to twist up a few. Hopefully before the central Pa. trip. I'll be sure to carry dessicant!

Hmmm... How about substituting the wire with Larva Lace or a stripped hackle to cut down on the weight? I think the pattern looks great, just wondering about the flotation problem. I have yet to fish the Halo patterns, but the Airhead is my favorite fly to date. Went back and read the recipe, maybe Larva lace isn't an option on #20!

Have you tried figure 8'ing a small strip of foam as a "halo" as in LaFontaines pattern? I think it would help with floatation. I tied a few Halo Midge Emergers in #18, When I get the time I'll post it with a recipe.

Give me a call Marty. I'll PM my # in case you don't have it. I have your old Cell # I can hook you up with a bunch of material and give you a few pointers! I'll be tying, watching football and drinking beer Sunday.

The Hex in the western basin of Erie number in the 100's of millions. If conditions are right and they hatch en masse, the fish gorge on nymphs subsurface and fishing is pretty much shut down for a week or more. When hatchs are drawn out over weeks, fishing stays pretty consistent on slow trolled fat body baits. (A Walleye fanatic friend swears they think Hot-N-Tots are wigglers headed for the surface, maybe). The slicks of discarded Exo-Skeletons on Erie can be a 1/2 mile long and a couple hundred feet wide. I have talked to a couple guys who claim to catch Walleye and Smallies on the surface, during spinner falls early in the hatch. They use small Pop R's and Skitter Bugs. I would bet on your end of the lake (deep water) they are coming from marshy shoreline areas, bays and coves. Evening trips during spinner falls might be a bonanza, let us know if you try it. On a side note, on my buddies lake, Largemouth, Crappie, Bluegill and small Pike can all be taken on the fly during spinnerfalls.

I have read and reread Gary L's work and his claim of the emergent pupae patterns effectiveness are based on using the "blended" fibres (dyed and clear). I have yet to find this "blended" yarn at flyshops or craft stores. I use the The readily available "sparkle yarn" as a dubbing blend, wrap it as a body for soft hackles (works great for larger sizes) and have had success with emergers tied with it also. I'd like to try the right stuff for comparison. Greycliffe Publishers (on the sponsor banner) claims to have the blended yarn for the emerger patterns. I've been avoiding it because its pricey, I guess I'll order some and check it out.

Don't know about the Canadian side, but theres a couple over here. Fly shops near detroit