Russian River Fly Fishers
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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 MaY 2023     

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
Picture
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for March 2023     

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.
Picture
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
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for February 2023     

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.
Picture
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 

​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for january 2023    

​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.
​
Picture
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
​

​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for December 2022.     

​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!).  
Picture
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
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for November 2022.     

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.
Picture
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

​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for October 2022.     WD-40

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.
Picture
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 
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for summer 2022.     Denny's Stillwater nymph

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.
Picture
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 
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for summer 2022
 mercer's missing link

CLICK on the photo to see a YouTube video.
​
Summer trout steam fishing season is here, so I decided the fly of the month should be my favorite trout stream dry fly.  Mercer's Missing Link is a pattern you may have heard of, but not tied or used.  Give it a try.  You will be happy you did.
Picture
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!
​Contact Mike Borba if questions

Fly of the Month for June 2022
 Callibaetis Mayfly - manzanita lake Outing

Picture
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:
  • 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
​Contact Mike Borba if questions
Contact Mike Borba

Fly of the Month for may
 zebra midge - Baum Lake Outing

Picture
​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:
  • Hook: Dai-riki 125 or Tiempo 2488 size 16-20
  • Thread: black 8/0
  • Bead: 1/16" silver
  • Rib: small silver wire
Tying note: If you don't have much experience tying
small flies, tie this pattern on a larger hook, then
gradually move down to smaller hook sizes.​​
​Contact Mike Borba

Fly of the Month for may
 Olive Wooly bugger - Baum Lake Outing

Picture
​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
  • Hook: #10 2XL streamer hook
  • Thread: olive 6/0
  • Bead: gold 5/32
  • Body: medium olive chenille
  • Tail: olive Marabou
  • Hackle: olive grizzly
​Contact Mike Borba

Fly of the Month for April
 (mike borba)          ​"float and fly"

Picture
​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.  
​
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.


​Contact Mike B

Fly of the month for March (mike borba)-
​Pyramid Lake
midnight cowboy balanced leech

Picture
​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
  • 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
Tying notes: 
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.
Contact Mike Borba

Fly of the Month For February
​Yuba River - ​Simple Foam Skwala

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.

Fly of the month for January
​Russian River steelhead - Black Boss

Picture
​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.  
  • Home
  • Cast Newsletter
  • For Sale
    • Annual Dues July 1 - June 30
    • Outings Payments
  • Active Donation Projects
  • Club Calendar and Trip Signups
    • RRFF Outing Signup Sheets Access
  • Meetings & Casting Clinics
    • Women's Casting Clinics
  • Fly Fishers International
  • Fly of the Month
  • Klamath River Dam Removal announcement March 2023
  • Facebook
  • River Flows
  • Fishing Reports & River Maps
  • Casting, Knot Tying, Fly Tying handouts
  • Mike's Video page
  • Flyfishing Website Videos and Stories
  • Support Local Fly Fishing Businesses
  • Support Our Speakers
  • Photo Galleries
    • Steelhead in the Classroom
  • Board of Directors & Coordinators
  • Membership Application & Payment
  • RRFF Club History and Founders
    • Founders and Life Members
  • Board Documents
    • Link to Membership, Financial and Raffle Spreadsheets
    • Reference Documents
    • BOD Meeting Minutes
    • Bylaws
  • New Page