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!

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
Link to tying recipe, youtube video and flies from previous months

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
Link to tying recipe, youtube video and flies from previous months
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
  • The Cast Newsletter
  • Store
  • Club Calendar and Trip Signups
    • RRFF Outing Signup Sheets Access
  • Fly of the Month
  • Meetings & Casting Clinics
  • Facebook
  • Fishing Reports & River Maps
  • River Flows
  • FFI Monthly News Summary and Website
  • 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
  • Membership Application & Payment
  • RRFF Board Suggestion Box
  • RRFF Club History and Founders
    • Founders and Life Members
  • Board Documents
    • Link to Membership, Financial and Raffle Spreadsheets and Reimbursement request
    • Reference Documents
    • BOD Meeting Minutes