This season we will be meeting on scheduled Tuesday evenings from September through May. One Tuesday each month will be a social tie we call the "Tie One On", which is held at a different local establishment each month. Please see schedule below. Tuesday nights are the opportunity to learn something new! Typically, one of our members will teach us how to tie a new fly pattern...or demonstrate a new technique. Several times a year, "celebrity" fly tyers and other fly fishing experts join us to share their knowledge and expertise. Past guests have included prominent tyers such as A.K. Best, Bob Clouser, Oliver Edwards, April Volkey, Pat Cohen, Gunnar Brammer, and Kelly Galloup.. We also welcome speakers of local interest; in fact, you just might learn how to find Muskies on the Fox River (yes, our Fox River)! If you are interested in joining us, please fill out an application and return to: DRiFT P.O. Box 5028 Wheaton, IL 60189.
One of the best smallmouth flies. It looks nothing like a crayfish sitting in the vise, but moves just like one in the water. A must have pattern if your stream contains crayfish. It will keep Smallmouth bass on your line all day it’s your job to put them in the net. I have tied using lighter weights and lighter dumbbell eyes to allow it to stay up in water column and works great swinging for Browns.
Hook: size 6 3X Long
Thread: 6/0 Olive Uni Thread
Eyes: Medium Yellow Lead Eyes
Underbody: .30 Lead Wire
Tail: Grizzly Olive Marabou
Body: Pearl Orange Krystal Flash Chenille
Legs: Pumpkin Sili Legs
Collar: Grizzley/Olive Marabou
College of Dupage (TEC-1038)
Tonight we're tying two classic styles of nymph, a spider pattern and a wet hackle nymph.
The Brown Owl spider is a classic "North Country" wet hackle fly imitating a stone fly or similar being swept in the current, while the Preston Jennings Nymph comes from the Catskills. Both are very useful on our regional trout waters.
Brown Owl spider pattern
Hook: TMC 3769 #16
Silk: Pearsall’s orange silk, substitute Ephermera Golden Yellow #544 silk
Hackle: under coverts of a Tawny owl, substitute either Moorhen or Starling feather
Head: Peacock herl
Preston Jennings nymph pattern
Hook: TMC 3769 #16
Tail: partridge natural or dyed brown
Dubbing: Jennings Dun Variant from Dette Fly Shop
Tinsel: gold fine
Thorax: Peacock herl
Hackle: Dry fly furnace saddle
College of Dupage (TEC-1038)
More info to come soon!