GREENS AND STREAMS BLOG
Austin Ties! - DuPage Fly Tying Class
I make no apologies for promoting Austin Adduci whenever and wherever possible. He is not only a good man but a hell of fisherman and fly tier. I do however like to bug him with my camera because he’s one of those honestly humble guys and isn’t big on being in the spotlight. Even though I like putting him in it.
He is doing a series of tying sessions at DuPage Fly Co. and Brad and I went to visit (bug) him on the 17th of February.
Austin doesn’t do the “you sit and watch me tie then you tie” type of lecture. He hands out the materials and you tie as he ties. It fits in with my philosophy of tying, that is, if you tie while the instructor ties, you will learn faster. Muscle memory and small motor skills go hand in hand. Although if you’re tying a big stuffed animal fly-small motor skills aren’t a problem. He also ties more than one fly. Also a good thing.
Austin and the group tied up a couple of interesting and what I’d call guide flies: minimal materials, quick to tie, catch fish flies. So the first one was a damsel/dragon fly type of pattern. Tied on a streamer hook. X-large or large bead chain eyes, marabou tail, excess marabou wrapped up the shank and tied off behind the bead chain eyes, then a schlappen feather is wrapped like a collar behind the bead chain, tied off, add a whip finish and you’re done. About a size 6 hook, so you could tie it on a 4-8 sized 2x streamer hook and you could tie up a dozen in about an hour. Maybe more.
The second fly was quite unique and Austin was looking for a way to solve the problem of getting a weighted fly to sit horizontally on the bottom, weighted flies often sit up and there are times when you want the fly to sit flat and move along the bottom of the lake bed. The solution, tie on bead chain eyes in the front and x-small lead eyes above the hook point. Add a small amount of pearl crystal flash, Marabou tail, dubbing for the body, add a pinch of rabbit hair for a wing and a single strand of rubber for legs and you’re good to go. Also tied on a 4-8 sized streamer hook. This makes for a small but bottom hugging fly with a lot of action from the rabbit hair and marabou.
These flies can be tied in olive, black, white, rusty brown, or brown and you’ll have effective patterns for smallmouth bass or your local carp.
Austin ties guide flies, he’ll go through a lot of them during the season, that is his clients will go through them and so when he designs or comes up with a fly his patterns remind of Bob Wyatt patterns, sparse, quick to tie and catch fish. So if you felt compelled to add a rib, sure, you could, or more flash, maybe or an extra rubber leg, but if you don’t need them, don’t add them as the more you add to the fly, the more time it takes to craft it and the more money you spend on it. Now if he’d just name the things.
Bob Wyatt said that he liked fishing more than fly tying so he’d made his flies as simple as possible. Austin loves to take people fishing, and so his job is to put you on fish. You do that by knowing the river, lake, the area, and the best places to fish. If you tie beautiful complicated flies, do you really want to fish them or think that the pea-sized brain of a fish is discerning about whether or not you have six versus eight hairs?
So check out DuPage Fly Co. at: http://www.dupagefly.com/
And check out Austin at: http://www.grabyourflycharters.com/
And then come and tie with Austin or any of the tiers coming to DuPage Fly Co.
Stuart Van Dorn
Bass Bugs!
My buddy Cory Gale is going to be hosting a deer hair clinic at Corens Rod and Reel this month. So mark your calendar for March 26th. This event starts at 9:30 and runs until 4:00 or whenever Cory puts his head on the table and says, "That's it, I'm done."
If you have never tied deer hair, or have had trouble with stacking, spinning and keeping hair on the hook, this is an event for you.
I have known Cory since he first showed up at Fly & Field and thought maybe he'd watch people tie flies. But I have a rule "NO WATCHING!" You must sit and tie. And so that night he sat and tied, faced all the same problems we all face when we first start. As he improved he found his passion in deer hair flies and in his pursuit, studied under the master, the late Chris Helms, an acknowledged master of deer hair.
If you asked me, when Chris passed, the mantle was handed off to Cory. His flies are not only aesthetically pleasing, but durable. So the techniques used to tie a hair bug that make it float like a cork, hold together after numerous fish chew on it and make it too pretty to fish with...you can learn from Cory.
He teaches the techniques and methods to tying a better deer hair popper, frog, diver or any fly where deer hair is spun stacked or strapped to a hook.
You'll learn about proportions, best practices for keeping deer hair on hook, and methods of handling the material that will improve not just your deer hair but any hair that you use whether it's elk for caddis, or you're having trouble with the head of your muddler minnow.
What you should bring: a package of double edged razor blades, an adjustable bobbin like the Rite Bobbin, while not a necessity, it does make tying easier because you're putting a bit of muscle into stacking the hair, a strong vise, good scissors- curved ones if you have them, while there is GSP thread at the shop, it sells out quickly, so bring a spool or two of GSP. Cory usually brings a good supply of deer hair but if you're looking to buy deer hair, Corens' has a good supply or you can check with the good folks at Whitetail Fly tying materials: http://whitetailflytieing.com.
And come to have some fun and plan for a few hours. Deer hair is as much sculpture as it is strapping hair to a hook. So first you have to get the hair on the hook. Then you have to carve, cut and shape it. This is not a two minute fly. So plan accordingly.
I plan on being there to assist where I can. Cory is an excellent teacher, demonstrator and all around good guy. The last flies he donated to an event brought fifteen dollars apiece. A collection will be taken up to help defray the cost of the materials as Cory graciously shares with those who don't have either good materials or few materials.
So mark your calendar for March 26th, the event starts at 9:30am, seating is limited, that is, there ain't a lot of seats, so if you were to put a folding chair in your car, you might or might not have to use it. And watching shouldn't be an option.
So see you there, I promise if you follow Cory's instructions, you'll have a deer hair fly you can either fish with, or put in a frame.
Stuart Van Dorn
Nick Volk - DuPage Fly Fishing Co.
As some of you may know, this Saturday (March 5th), Jeremy will be opening up DuPage Fly a bit early for one of their new Open Tying events. The plan is to focus on patterns for the Driftless. The Open Tying will be followed by a presentation by our buddy, Nick Volk of Streamside Fly Fishing Co., based in the Driftless.
I'll be running through a few patterns, or you're welcome to tie up any other bugs you'd like. We'll have supplies for the flies ready, and you're able to take anything you tie. It's likely going to be a streamer, dry and nymph, covering some of the more effective patterns in the area.
Nick's got a great presentation on his guiding business, and the new lodge he's helping out with, formerly known as Mayfly Lodge. Tucked back in the valleys of the Driftless, it's a beautiful cabin within walking distance of the Bad Axe.
Coffee and donuts will be there, and the chance to whip up some flies and get some details on where best to use them.
OPEN TIE (Driftless)- 8AM - 10AM
Nick Volk Presentation- 10AM - 11AM