Fishing

   When trout are fixated on chironomids, trying to replicate or match the emerging pupa through pattern choice and presentation technique is the standard course of action. But what happens when this “match the hatch” mantra isn’t working? Many fly fishers, myself included, try smaller imitative patterns, shuffle through colour...

English stillwater dry flies differ from most of their North American counterparts. Many North American dry flies tend to rest on the water rather than in it. Simple and impressionistic, English stillwater dries are designed to sit low on the surface or in many instances damp, lying within the surface...

From Phil Rowley's Fly-Tying Column I divide fly patterns into three basic categories, suggestive, imitative and attractor. Each pattern category has a set of conditions when I am most likely to use them. Imitative patterns work best when a match the hatch philosophy is required, a common occurrence during the spring...

I have long been a fan of Randall Kaufmann’s patterns and tying techniques. His stonefly nymph is one of my favourites. A Kaufmann Stone is one of my go-to patterns when imitating larger stonefly nymphs for both trout and steelhead. Stonefly nymphs make excellent searching patterns as the larger species...