Fly of the month
We hope to provide a fly appropriate to fishing during the current month to inspire folks to learn to tie and to get out there and fish! Contact Mike Borba
Fly of the Month for October 2023
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Jay Fair's Translucent Wiggle Tail
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. Our October outing is to Lewiston Lake. Leech patterns are popular there. Here's another one to add to your arsenal from Jay Fair Tying Notes Hook: #12 standard length Nymph hook Thread: black 8/0 Tail: Marabou usually olive or rust Body: micro swimming hackle in olive or rust Weight: .015 or .020 wire |
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Fly of the Month for SEptember 2023
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Cinnamon Toast Ant
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. I asked Daniel Powers what flies he would recommend for our September outing to Webber Lake. He highly recommended a fly I had never heard of before, the Cinnamon Toast Ant. It's a great looking fly that should also work well for stream fishing. Give it a try! Tying Notes Hook: dry fly hook size 12 or 14 Thread: 8/0 tan Underbody: rusty spinner colored hare's ear dubbing Over body: tan 2/0 foam Hackle: dark barred ginger Wing: cream colored sparkle emerge yarn |
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Fly of the Month for July 2023
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Saddleback Hex
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. Our Lake Almanor outing is just around the corner. Here's a hex nymph pattern to try. Tying Notes: The beginning of the video gives a complete materials list, so I won't repeat it here. The only comments I will make are that you could use any coarse tan to yellow colored dubbing available, that you can substitute black plastic damselfly eyes for the bead chain eyes, and you can weight the fly with lead wire. |
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Fly of the Month for june 2023
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Semi Seal Leech
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. Here's a good tying video that shows how to tie a leech pattern that you could use for our Manzanita Lake outing in June. If you watch the video all the way through you will see two different ways to make the dubbed body. I personally like the 2nd method. Materials list Hook: 2xl streamer (TMC 2302) Thread: olive 3/0 Body and tail: Arizona Simi Seal Golden Peacock color Bead: optional 4.8 brass |
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Fly of the Month for MaY 2023
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Hi-Vis Griffith Gnat
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. Here's a good dry fly for our outing to Baum Lake. Other flies for Baum can be found in previous editions fly of the month. Materials list Hook: Tiemco 101 size 16 to 20 Thread: black 8/0 Indicator material: orange or pink poly yarn Body material: peacock herl Hackle: grizzly hackle |
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Fly of the Month for April 2023
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Maholo Midge
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. Our first outing in May is to Pyramid Lake. The Maholo Midge is a favorite pattern there. I will have another fly pattern in our May newsletter for our outing after Pyramid. Get fishing! Materials list Hook: Firehole 315 size 14 Thread: UTC size 60 in red Bead: 5/64" white tungsten Body: Vevus holographic tinsel size small, H15 color Wire: Ultra wire size brassie, color wine Trying note: the fly is coated with thin UV glue |
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Fly of the Month for March 2023
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Weedless Gurgler
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. I had a request to profile a frog pattern. While this fly is not specifically a frog pattern, by changing it's colors from white to green or olive it will work. This pattern has two advantages. First it's easy to tie, and second it is very weedless. I've found that for top water bass flies the best combination of weedlessness and consistent hook ups comes from using a wide gap hook that rides hook point up. |
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Materials list
Hook: extra wide gap worm hook such as Gamakatsu 58415 size 2/0
Thread: 100 denier color to match fly color
Tail: bucktail color to match fly color
Flash material: (optional) matching color flash about
Body: 1/8" sheet foam white for streamer or green/olive for frog
Hook: extra wide gap worm hook such as Gamakatsu 58415 size 2/0
Thread: 100 denier color to match fly color
Tail: bucktail color to match fly color
Flash material: (optional) matching color flash about
Body: 1/8" sheet foam white for streamer or green/olive for frog
Fly of the Month for February 2023
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Half and Half Clouser Minnow
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. A good all around striper and bass fly is the Half and Half Clouser Minnow. The video shows a good color combination, but you can change the colors to suit your needs. |
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Materials list
Hook: Gamakatsu B10S or Ahrex SA280
Thread: white100 denier
Tail and wing materials: white and chartreuse saddle hackle, white and chartreuse bucktail or synthetic streamer fibers, peacock herl
Flash material: pearl flashabou
Eyes: weighted dumbbell eyes
Hook: Gamakatsu B10S or Ahrex SA280
Thread: white100 denier
Tail and wing materials: white and chartreuse saddle hackle, white and chartreuse bucktail or synthetic streamer fibers, peacock herl
Flash material: pearl flashabou
Eyes: weighted dumbbell eyes
Fly of the Month for january 2023
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PARACHUTE ADAMS
CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. It's not too early to start tying for this summer's trout fishing. Here's a video that shows an easy way to tie this pattern. If you have tried tying this pattern and haven't been happy with your results, check out the video. |
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Materials list
Hook: any standard dry fly hook
Thread: grey 8/0
Tail: original pattern calls for grizzly hackle fibers. For a better floating fly use moose body hair
Body: grey muskrat or synthetic dubbing
Wing: white poly yarn
Hackle: grizzly or grizzly and brown
Hook: any standard dry fly hook
Thread: grey 8/0
Tail: original pattern calls for grizzly hackle fibers. For a better floating fly use moose body hair
Body: grey muskrat or synthetic dubbing
Wing: white poly yarn
Hackle: grizzly or grizzly and brown
Fly of the Month for December 2022.
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PAT'S RUBBER LEGS
(tied with skwala nymph colors) CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video. We all need a good stonefly nymph pattern for our trout stream fishing. This pattern can be used to imitate skwala nymphs on the Yuba river. (Our next two outings!). |
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Materials list
Hook: #8 2XL nymph hook
Thread: black 6/0
Weight: lead free wire size .015 or .020
Legs: black or dark olive super floss
Body: dark olive chenille size small
Hook: #8 2XL nymph hook
Thread: black 6/0
Weight: lead free wire size .015 or .020
Legs: black or dark olive super floss
Body: dark olive chenille size small
Fly of the Month for November 2022.
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CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video.
Our upcoming outings to the Yuba river is prime time to fish egg patterns. Here's an easy to tie pattern to imitate eggs. |
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Materials list
Hook: any curved shank nymph hook size 12-14
Thread: 3/0 thread color to match yarn color
Body: egg yarn usually in a peach color
Hook: any curved shank nymph hook size 12-14
Thread: 3/0 thread color to match yarn color
Body: egg yarn usually in a peach color
Fly of the Month for October 2022. WD-40
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CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video.
This month's pattern is very versatile. It can be used to imitate baetis mayfly nymphs in lakes and streams. It can be tied in various colors and with or without a rib or beadhead. |
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Materials list
Hook: curved shank nymph hook sizes 16 to 20
Thread: 8/0 olive
Tail and wing case: dyed mallard thorax
Optional rib: gold or silver wire size small
Optional beadhead: gold or silver size small
Hook: curved shank nymph hook sizes 16 to 20
Thread: 8/0 olive
Tail and wing case: dyed mallard thorax
Optional rib: gold or silver wire size small
Optional beadhead: gold or silver size small
Fly of the Month for summer 2022. Denny's Stillwater nymph
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CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video.
Since our next two outings are to lakes, we decided to pick one of Denny Rickards great patterns for the fly of the month. |
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Materials list
Hook: 2XL nymph hook size 12
Thread: olive 6/0
Tail: olive Marabou
Body: olive Marabou
Rib: fine copper wire
Hackle: burnt orange saddle hackle
For a faster sink rate you can add a beadhead and/or wire underbody
Hook: 2XL nymph hook size 12
Thread: olive 6/0
Tail: olive Marabou
Body: olive Marabou
Rib: fine copper wire
Hackle: burnt orange saddle hackle
For a faster sink rate you can add a beadhead and/or wire underbody
Fly of the Month for summer 2022
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Materials list
Hook: TMC 100 sizes 14-18
Thread: Olive 6/0 or 8/0
Body: pearl crystal flash
Thorax: peacock dubbing
Spent wing: grey zelon
Hackle: grizzly or cree
Wing: bleached elk hair
Tying and fishing notes:
This isn't the easiest pattern to tie. Start by tying it on a #14 hook and work down from there. I will sometimes fish this pattern below a larger dry fly. For example I might tie on a #12 humpy or parachute Adams to my leader, clinch knot 18" of tippet to the bend of that fly, and attach the smaller fly to the tippet. Happy Summer!
Hook: TMC 100 sizes 14-18
Thread: Olive 6/0 or 8/0
Body: pearl crystal flash
Thorax: peacock dubbing
Spent wing: grey zelon
Hackle: grizzly or cree
Wing: bleached elk hair
Tying and fishing notes:
This isn't the easiest pattern to tie. Start by tying it on a #14 hook and work down from there. I will sometimes fish this pattern below a larger dry fly. For example I might tie on a #12 humpy or parachute Adams to my leader, clinch knot 18" of tippet to the bend of that fly, and attach the smaller fly to the tippet. Happy Summer!
Fly of the Month for June 2022
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Callibaetis mayflies should be hatching at Manzanita Lake during the club's June outing. A classic pattern for that hatch is Richard's Callibaetis.
Materials list:
Materials list:
- Hook: Tiempo 3761 size 14 or 16
- Thread: tan 8/0
- Tail and body shell: wood duck died mallard
- Dubbering: hare's ear
- Hackle: Grizzly
Fly of the Month for may
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Zebra Midge:
A standard pattern for our May outing to Baum Lake
is the Zebra Midge. This easy to tie fly can be used in
streams and lakes for trout.
Zebra Midge Materials List:
small flies, tie this pattern on a larger hook, then
gradually move down to smaller hook sizes.
A standard pattern for our May outing to Baum Lake
is the Zebra Midge. This easy to tie fly can be used in
streams and lakes for trout.
Zebra Midge Materials List:
- Hook: Dai-riki 125 or Tiempo 2488 size 16-20
- Thread: black 8/0
- Bead: 1/16" silver
- Rib: small silver wire
small flies, tie this pattern on a larger hook, then
gradually move down to smaller hook sizes.
Fly of the Month for may
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Another standard Baum Lake pattern is an Olive Woolly Bugger. Like the Zebra Midge is can be used just about anywhere you fish for trout.
Materials List
Materials List
- Hook: #10 2XL streamer hook
- Thread: olive 6/0
- Bead: gold 5/32
- Body: medium olive chenille
- Tail: olive Marabou
- Hackle: olive grizzly
Fly of the Month for April
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Our April outing to Clear Lake will be a great opportunity to catch largemouth bass and crappie. The float and fly works for both species.
The best resource for all things float and fly is calbassunion.com. I highly recommend it!
Hogan Brown has a float and fly tying video there.
The best resource for all things float and fly is calbassunion.com. I highly recommend it!
Hogan Brown has a float and fly tying video there.
Materials list
- Hook: Eagle Claw or Strike King jig head 1/32 or 1/16 oz
- Thread: white or red 6/0
- Flash: pearl crystal flash
- Lower body: white Flash n Slinky or Steve Farrar flash blend
- Upper body: olive Flash n Slinky or Steve Farrar flash blend
- Tying notes: Any streamer body material will work. You could also use Marabou.
Fly of the month for March (mike borba)-
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I asked Chris Castellucci, our March outing coordinator, to suggest a fly pattern for Pyramid Lake. He likes a midnight cowboy colored balanced leech. The Reno Fly Shop directed me to their YouTube tying video and mentioned that they have tying kits with all of the materials needed to tie this fly.
Video link: https://youtu.be/xY4w6BzSyZY
Materials list
If you can't find 90 degree jig hooks, 60 degree hooks will work.
If you don't have a dubbing twister, you can use hackle pliers or even half of a paper clip.
Video link: https://youtu.be/xY4w6BzSyZY
Materials list
- Hook: #8 90 degree jig hook (Daiichi 4660 or Mustad 328)
- Thread: 6/0 or 8/0 in black
- Bead: medium size tapered cone head in black or silver
- Pin: balanced leech tying pin
- Tail: black marabouBody: Arizona Simi seal Midnight Cowboy color
If you can't find 90 degree jig hooks, 60 degree hooks will work.
If you don't have a dubbing twister, you can use hackle pliers or even half of a paper clip.
Fly of the Month For February
Yuba River - Simple Foam Skwala
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The club's outing to the Lower Yuba in February coincides with the river's first big meal of the year, the Skwala stonefly. If you're an old hand at fishing the Yuba you probably already have a favorite Skwala pattern. If not here's an easy to tie, flush floating pattern that should do the trick. I would suggest one change to the pattern in the video. Substituting yellow foam for black will more closely match the Yuba skwala's color. Once the fly is finished you can darken the foam head with an olive or black felt pen.
by Mike Borba Material list Hook:. #8 or #10 2XL Thread: black 6/0 Body: olive dubbing and yellow 2mm foam Wing: dark olive or brown deer hair Head: same as body Legs: dark olive or brown rubber hackle |
Here's a link to more information on how to fish this hatch.
jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/mid-season-yuba-river-skwala-hatch.html Note: Jon Baiocchi passed away while fishing the Yuba, his "home river" in April 2021.
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Fly of the month for January
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Steelhead normally begin to enter the Russian River in December depending on the rain and peak in February with the season ending by April 1. A traditional fly used for steelhead in the Russian is the black boss and has been used for the RRFF logo for years. Here is how to tie it along with some interesting info on the history of the Black Boss from Kienes Fly Shop.