Squan-a-Tissit Trout Unlimited Chapter

Fly

Materials

Comments

Adams Parachute

Hook	Dry fly, size 10 - 16
Thread	Gray
Tail	Brown and grizzle hackle
Wing/Post	White Antron or calf tail
Body	Gray dubbing or muskrat fur
Hackle	Brown and grizzle hackle
Head	Gray thread

The Adams is the most popular dry fly in North America. It imitates a broad range of mayflies and should be in every fly box.

The Ant

Hook	Dry fly size 14-20
Thread	Black
Abdomen	Black fur
Legs	One or two turns of black hackle
Thorax	Black fur

A tuft of fluorescent synthetic hair tied as an upright wing can be added to the thorax to aid visibility. Closed cell foam can be substituted instead of fur for better floatation.
Ant patterns work very well in autumn!

Barr Emerger

Hook	TMC 2487, size 16 to 24
Thread	Gray
Tail	Brown hackle fibers
Abdomen	Olive/brown dubbing fur
Wingcase	Dark dun hackle fibers
Thorax	Gray beaver dubbing

This fly imitates BWOs and PMDs. These insects are available to trout throughout the season making this fly a must in your arsenal. You can vary the colors depending on location and stream conditions.

Bead Head Bi-Color

Hook	Tiemco #3761, size 16 - 20
Rib	Thin gold wire (over abdomen only)
Abdomen	Green (light & med), tan, or brown dubbing. (Charlie’s favorite is green)
Thorax	Muskrat gray dubbing
Head	3/32 gold bead
Tail	Dark brown hackle (1/2 body length)

Deadly on the Squannacook!

Black Stonefly

Hook	#14 or #16 Dry
Body	Stripped Black Hackle Quill
Wing	Black Deer or Elk Hair tied flat
Hackle	Dark Dun or Grizzly

Excellent early spring pattern for the Nissitissit. Easy to tie. You can substitute hackle fibers for the wing but the deer/elk floats better. This should be one of the first flies we see in the late winter, not that far away.
This pattern was in the newsletter a few times because it is so effective. This should be one of the first flies you tie on your tippet each season.

Blue Wing Olive (BWO)

Hook	Standard dry size 14 to 24
Thread	Olive
Tail	Dark blue dun hackle fibers
Body	Olive dubbing fur
Wing	Dark blue dun hackle tips
Hackle	Dark blue dun

This fly imitates a number of Mayfly species. BWOs emerge throughout the season and are found in many sizes. Body color changes from dark olive when they emerges to light olive when they leave the water.

Black & Gray Midge Emerger

Hook	Scud hook size 18-24
Thread	Black
Body	Black thread
Rib	Fine silver wire
Thorax	Grey superfine dubbing
Wing	Three stands of pearl Krystal Flash
Head	Black thread

Charlie's Orange

Hook	Scud size 18 - 26
Thread	Orange
Body	Orange - even wraps of thread
Rib	Fine Gold Wire
Thorax	Fine Orange Dubbing
Head	Orange Thread

This fly was developed by Charles Shadan and is not officially named but is know as Charlie’s Orange. I’ve had fishermen on the Rapid River in Maine beg me to give them one of these flies.

Clouser Deep Minnow

Hook	Mustad 3665A size 10 streamer hook tied with point facing up
Thread	Olive
Eyes	3/32 dumbbell eyes
Wing	Brown bucktail over 2-3 strands of root beer Krystal Flash over olive bucktail.

The Clouser Minnow can be sized to represent a wide variety of species. The above version is effective on smaller streams like the Nissitissit and the Squannacook.

Cream Variant

Hook	Dry Size 12
Thread	Yellow
Tail	Long Cream Hackle Fibers
Body	Stripped Cream Hackle Quill
Hackle	Cream
Head	Yellow Thread

This is the last large mayfly on our local streams. It is fished in the evening throughout the late season.

Desert Storm

Hook	Scud #18 - #26
Thread	Fluorescent Fire Orange
Body	Fluorescent Fire Orange - even wraps of thread
Rib	Pearl Krystal Flash or Flashabou
Thorax	Fine Black Dubbing
Head	Fluorescent Fire Orange Thread

This pattern is a favorite on the San Juan River in New Mexico but it is also very effective on our streams. Usually fished as a dropper fly.

Gray RS2

Hook	Curved Nymph - Size 18 to 24
Thread	Gray
Tail	Two Dun Microfibbets - Tied in a "V" Shape
Body	Gray Superfine Dubbing
Wing	Closed Cell Foam - Small Rectangular Shape
Thorax	Gray Superfine Dubbing

This is an excellent imitation of a BWO emerger. It can also be tied in black, brown, tan, cream, olive or even combinations to match local naturals.

The Hendrickson

Hook	Mustad 94840 Size 12-16
Thread	Yellow
Tail	A few wisps of blue dun barb feathers
Body	Pink fur from vixen of red fox (color comes from urine burns)
Wing	Flank feather from wood duck drake
Hackle	Natural blue dun

This is Art Flick’s imitation.

Hornburg

Hook	Streamer Size 10
Thread	Black
Tail	Long Cream Hackle Fibers
Body	Flat silver tinsel
Hackle	Brown and Grizzly
Wing	Yellow calf tail and Mallard flank feathers

Resembles a caddis when fished dry, or a small minnow if fished wet.

The Inchworm

Hook	Dry Fly # 14-16
Thread	Green
Body	Long bunch (20-25 strands) Deer/Elk hair dyed yellow/chartreuse
Alternate Body	Chartreuse chenille

Inchworms can appear in great numbers on the Nissitissit in the middle of fall. The latter (chenille) pattern is very fragile and 2 or 3 takes can destroy the fly, but you can make a dozen in 5 minutes. Chenille doesn’t float very well so use a lot of floatant.

Lime Pupa

Hook	Curved Scud Size 18-26
Thread	Fluorescent Green
Body	Fluorescent Green Thread
Rib	Pearl Krystal Flash or Flashabou
Thorax	Black Superfine Dubbing or Peacock Herl

This fly represents a caddis pupa. It’s great to fish when trout are picky and larger patterns are not productive

Updated 01/16/2009