Category Archives: Fly Tying Videos

Breaking Skein Glitter Fly steelhead fly tying video

The Breaking Skein Glitter Fly is a Crystal Meth variant created by Joe Montello. I first learned of the fly in John Nagy’s book Steelhead Guide. If you haven’t read it, Steelhead Guide is loaded with productive steelhead fly patterns. Although its focus is on Erie tribs, I can tell you that the Ontario steelhead like the Erie flies just fine.

I’ve changed a few things from the original recipe; you can see what I use in the video. Here are Joe’s original specs:

Hook: Mustad 3366 size 12

Thread: UNI peach 6/0.

Tail: 3 strands pearl Krystal Flash

Body: Fluorescent orange or pearl sparkle braid ribbed with regular white Estaz between each loop of sparkle braid

Breaking Skein Glitter Fly Rogues’ Gallery:

Salmon River November 2107

The Countermeasure Fly Tying Video

You’re now at Countermeasure Central on currentseams! Here you can watch the tying video (below); see the original post/recipe; and read the Guide Flies feature piece from On The Water magazine. In case you’re new to this pattern, the Countermeasure is a riff on several proven streamer designs (like the Zoo Cougar and Zonker). It’s loaded with bite triggers, and it’s one of my favorite smallmouth bass bugs. Oh! Big trout love it, too.

Hackled March Brown Tying Video

The Hackled March Brown is one of my favorite big fish wet flies. Long time readers may recall the first time I wrote about it — you can read that piece here. I don’t have much to add, other than this has become a supremely reliable pattern for me when the Isonychia are flying. (Next time you’re fishing sulphurs, and you hear a rise that sounds like someone threw a bowling ball into the river, betcha your lunch money it was a trout eating an Iso.) The Hackled March Brown is almost always my point fly on a three fly team. Fish it this summer and you’ll see why I recommend you tie it on a 2x strong hook.

 

Partridge and Light Cahill Tying Video

Patterned after a classic North Country spider, the Partridge and Light Cahill is another example of a fly that is ridiculously simple and devastatingly effective. The first time I tied this fly, it sat in my box, unused, for the better part of four years. Then came a late May evening on the lower Farmington. Creamy mayfly duns were out in force. Trout were slashing at the flies, their feeding frenzy creating a cauldron effect on the river’s surface. I tied my experiment onto my team of three wets, and the trout overwhelmingly showed their approval. To the vise, good angler, then fish the Light Cahill and Sulphur hatches with confidence. The vote will surely be yes for you, too.

 

Orange Ruthless Single-Feather Flatwing Tying Video

The Orange Ruthless has long been one of my favorite striper flies. It’s a simple pattern, and a good place to start if you’re just getting into flatwings. I like this fly about 2 1/2″ long, but I’ll tie it even smaller if the bait size warrants. The Orange Ruthless gets a lot of swim time as part of a three-fly team; I tend to place it in the point position. Although it’s a clam or cinder worm, it does double duty as a grass shrimp (or at the very least something that looks alive and good to eat.)

The SC15 hook does not sharpen well, but it is sticky sharp out of the pack and holds its point for a long time. I chose it because it’s easy to find and very light. You can get away with strung hackle for both the tail and the body, but make sure the feathers have plenty of web.

If you have Ken Abrames’ A Perfect Fish, you’ll find a fly called the “R.L.S. Ruthless” in the chapter on single-feather flatwings. This is a variant of that pattern, taught to me by Ken himself at a Tuesday night tying session many years ago. It was the first striper fly I ever tied, and I had the good fortune to be seated next to the artist, lashing bucktail, flash, and feather to hook under his watchful eye.

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Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 sz 2
Thread: UNI 6/0 white
Platform: 30 hairs orange bucktail
Tail: 2 strands green Flashabou under a red saddle tied in flat, curve side down
Body: Webby orange hackle palmered over gold braid

 

 

 

A Winged Wet Fly Video Sampler

This selection of winged wets will be part of my “Wet Flies 101” presentation. It includes barred feather, quill, and jungle cock wings; English and American patterns; match-the-hatch and attractors like the Bergman-style flies from the color plates of Trout.

 

Wingless Wet Fly Video Sampler

A short tour through the art form that features classic wingless wet fly patterns developed by James Leisenring and others. This clip will be part of my revamped “Wet Flies 101” presentation.

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The sulphur hatch seems a long way off on this frigid January day. Still, an angler can dream…

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Fly Tying Video: Frenchie Nymph Variant

Totally different but the same. Howzat? Curved shank instead of straight. Copper instead of gold. Brass instead of tungsten. Pheasant tail tail and no red thread collar. I like this bug as the bottom fly on my drop-shot nymph rig. What do you know? The trout like it there, too.

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FrenchieOrange
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Hook: TMC2499SP-BL size 10-18
Bead: Copper (brass)
Thread: UNI 6/0 red
Tail/Abdomen: Pheasant tail fibers
Rib: Small copper wire
Thorax: Orange Ice Dub
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Frenchie Variant Rogues’ Gallery:

Farmington River wild brown, 12/28/16:

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Farmington River wild brown 3/20/17:

DCIM100GOPROG0013788.

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20+” Farmington River Survivor Strain, April 2020:

DCIM100GOPROG0013613.

 

Tying video: Snipe and Purple North Country Spider

The Snipe and Purple (sometimes called the Dark Snipe) is a classic North Country spider. North Country spiders aren’t particularly hard to tie, but there are some techniques you can use to help create the classic umbrella shape of the hackle fibers and keep the body neat and trim. This Snipe and Purple is often referred to as a good match for the Iron Blue Dun. The Iron Blue is frequently mentioned in older texts, from numerous Yorkshire anglers to Pennsylvania’s  James Leisenring,  but you hardly ever hear about it today. I like the Snipe and Purple for small, dark stoneflies and especially midges. I also tie this fly on a 1x short, 2x stout hook, add a gold rib, and fish it for steelhead.