Upwing / Downwing

So what is your favourite style of trout fly? I tie a lot of variations on these little numbers with snowshoe hare wings. I still call them Usuals, but these aren't that close to the original Usual pattern. I tie them upwing and downwing in different sizes and colours to match the hatch. Sometimes for the Grand, I tie them with just a little nub of wing. I like crinkled poly material for the shuck, and I like the whole fly tied a little bit buggy, or impressionistic. Sometimes I have good success with a longer shuck too.

tied up a few...

I tied up a few variations on the Usual tonight. Over the next month or so I'll try to tie up a good handful of my 'go-to' patterns + some flies to cover the first good hatches of the season.

Canadian Fly Fishing forum

It's been a while since I have posted here, but then again, it's been a while since there has been any fly fishing happening around these parts. I see the flyer is out for the Canadian Fly Fishing Forum, scheduled for April 14 & 15 at the Holiday Inn in Burlington.

There will be some interesting seminars this year. Two that look particularly appealing to me are Fly Fishing Opportunities in Michigan, given by Ron Barch, and Trout Streams of Alberta, given by Jim McLennan, who has in fact written the book on this topic. The Forum is put on by the Izaac Walton Fly Fishing Club. Follow the link to their website for more info about the club and the Forum.