Category Archives: Favorite Patterns

The Moose Knuckle routinely attends fly tying courses with commercial tiers. The patters we learn will be featured from time to time on this blog along with links to the original pattern creators. If the team is traveling around and notices a previously unknown to us pattern we will feature it. Here you will see updates of new patterns, hot flys and all the info you need to land a hog.

Favorite Patterns, Fly Tying, Saltwater

Surf Candy

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Surf Candy

This is Bob Popovics’s latest addition to his fly fishing resume. Bob is a renowned saltwater fly fisherman and tier. This is the newest version of the Surf Candy. Bob has designed a holographic sticker called “Fleye Foils” that adds great detail to this fly. Surf Candies can be tied up to mimic any small baitfish for fresh or saltwater; however, they were designed for the bait that is most important to saltwater fly fishers on the Northeast Coast: bay anchovies, silversides, and sand eels.  These baitfish are the staples of any striped bass’s diet.

At the last Fly Fishing Convention in Somerset, NJ, Bob was giving a demonstration and stated something that drives his fly tying. For larger bait, such as peanut bunker, silhouette is more important than detail. If you look at his Hollow Fleyes, it is pretty apparent that bigger is better. But for small bait, such as sand eels, the detail of the fly is the most important feature of the fly. Fleye Foils add this dimension that other fly patterns cannot achieve.

The most popular combinations are tan and white for Bay Anchovies, olive and white for Sand Eels, and grey and white for Silversides.  However, you are only limited by your own imagination.

Hook: 4-8

Thread: White 210 Danville

Body: Bucktail or your favorite synthetic material ( I used EP Fibers)

Flash: Krystal Flash, Flashabou, or your favorite material ( I used Flashabou)

Head: Fleye Foils with a head of epoxy or light-cured acrylic

Step 1:

Lay down a thread base down the hook shank.

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Step 2:

Turn the entire hook upside down and tie in the bottom body of your Surf Candy using the material you have chosen.

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Step 3:

Rotate the hook back to right side up and tie in your flash material.

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Step 4:

Tie in the material for the top of the fly.  Use a color that will contrast with the bottom body color.

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Step 5:

Tie in your adhesive Fleye Foils.

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Step 6:

Use your epoxy or light-cured acrylic to create a slender profile for your Surf Candy.  Apply the epoxy or acrylic to almost the end of the adhesive Fleye Foil.

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Finished Surf Candy

 

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Finished Sand Eel Surf Candies

Tips: If you are using epoxy take your time, you can apply the epoxy in two settings.  Clear Cure Goo is optimal for this fly.  Also, keep the material sparse for this fly.

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Silverside Surf Candy

 

Favorite Patterns, Fly Tying, Midge, Trout Fishing, Utah

Midge magic with the “Bob”

In the early spring, little bugs are king in the diet of trout in Utah.  When you fish a river as heavily fished as the Provo it pays to be different from the crowds.  Not only do you catch more fish than the masses, you also catch more fish. I’ve mainly been nymphing small midge patterns, beatis patterns, and other bugs in the 18 through 24 range even while fish are rising all around, but sometimes it’s fun to join the masses and be a dry fly enthusiast.  However, I still like catching and not aimlessly waiving a stick in the air, untying knots, and looking through my fly box pretending to “match the hatch”, looking for a mother shucker even though I have no idea what that fly is supposed to represent.

The Bob
The Bob

This fly is super easy to tie, you might already have the materials to make it, and fish will take this fly down when they are eating off the surface or when they are tailing and eating in the film.  What you will need to mimic this fly is;

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I've been using this thread lately, because I think it is stronger, but you can use any gray 8/0 thread
I’ve been using this thread lately, because I think it is stronger, but you can use any gray 8/0 thread
Super Hair in black and white. This is a lot easier to work with then making an actual biot body
Super Hair in black and white. This is a lot easier to work with then making an actual biot body
Foam to make the fly sit perpendicular to the water
Foam to make the fly sit perpendicular to the water
For the thorax. Any dubbing you have will work, I am just a fan of extra flash
For the thorax. Any dubbing you have will work, I am just a fan of extra flash
I just bought a uv lamp so I'm stoked on it, but you don't have to add this to the fly. It will work just fine without this addition
I just bought a uv lamp so I’m stoked on it, but you don’t have to add this to the fly. It will work just fine without this addition

Now comes the actual tying.

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Wrap in a strand of black and white super hair
Wrap in a strand of black and white super hair

Wrap the white strand around first, then trim
Wrap the white strand around first, then trim

Next wrap in the black
Next wrap in the black

You can skip these steps if you don't have a UV lamp
You can skip these steps if you don’t have a UV lamp

If you do, coat the fly with a little bit of the goo
If you do, coat the fly with a little bit of the goo

Cure it for 5 to 10 seconds
Cure it for 5 to 10 seconds

Cut out a small piece of the foam
Cut out a small piece of the foam

Twist it onto the fly
Twist it onto the fly

Take your dubbing
Take your dubbing

Twist a little bit onto your thread
Twist a little bit onto your thread

Wrap it up
Wrap it up

Pull foam over thorax, whip finish, and enjoy catching those picky eaters.
Pull foam over thorax, whip finish, and enjoy catching those picky eaters.

Favorite Patterns

The Half & Half

2 Comments
A classic Half & Half
A classic Half & Half

The Half & Half fly is a must fly for any saltwater angler. This fly combines two of the most popular and deadly flies: Bob Clouser’s Clouser Minnow and Lefty Kreh’s Deciever.  The fly has great movement from both the hackle in the back and the lead eyes in the front.  The position of the lead dumbell eyes allow the hook to ride pointing up.

If I could only have one saltwater fly, this would be it.  This fly can be fished in the salt or in fresh water.  Last memorial day at Brant Lake, NY, I hooked up with pickerel, small and large mouth bass, trout, and crappie with a small all grey Half & Half.  Many version exist and once you get the hang of it you can create your own to suit local baitfish conditions.

Here is a recipe for a simple Half & Half

Hook: Any Size

Thread: White Danville 210 Denier

Eyes: Red Lead Dumbbell

Tail: White Saddle Hackle

Body: White and Pink Bucktail

Step 1:

Start your tying thread at the eye of the hook and work to the half way point of the shank, then come back half way to the 3/4 position on the hook shank.  Build up a small thread bump to put your dumbbell eyes.

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Step 2:

Tie in your dumbbell eyes using figure eight wraps.

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Step 3:

Work you tying thread to the back of the hook shank and tie in your saddle hackle.  I used two saddle hackles but most used up to six.  After you tie in and clip your saddle hackles, take your tying thread back up to the front of the hook shank.

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Step 4:

Clip off a clump of white bucktail that is just a little less then the length from the hook eye to the end of the saddle hackles.  Tie in the buck tail in front of the dumbbell eyes.  Then bring your tying thread behind the dumbbell eyes and take a few wraps to bring down the bucktail behind the dumbbell eyes.

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Step 5:

Take the fly out of the vise and put it back into the vise upside down.  Clip a  clump of colored bucktail that is same length as the first bunch.  Tie in the clump in front of the dumbbell eyes.  You don’t need to bring the tying thread all the way against the eyes.  You want the space for the epoxy that will hold it all together and make it more durable in the salt.

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Step 6:

Whip finish and apply epoxy in front and around the dumbbell eyes and then go fishing!

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Finished Half & Half

Once you get the basic Half & Half down you can add flash and create different variations.  This is a great saltwater and freshwater fly that has taken over 20 species of fish for me.

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Baitfish Variation:
Thread: White 210 Danville
Eyes: Medium Red Dumbbell
Tail: White Bucktail under white EP Fiber mixed with Krystal Flash and Flashabou
Collar: White Bucktail under Blue Bucktail
Topping: Peacock Herl
Head: 30 minute Epoxy
Another Baitfish Variation:
Another Baitfish Variation:
Thread: White 210 Danville
Eyes: Medium Red Dumbbell
Tail: White Bucktail under white EP Fiber under 3 Grizzle and White Saddle Hackles mixed with Krystal Flash and Flashabou
Collar: Mixed Green EP Fibers
Topping: Peacock Herl
Throat: Red Krystal Flash
Head: 30 minute Epoxy
The original riding the way it will when it is in the water
Baitfish Variation:
Thread: White 210 Danville
Eyes: Medium Red Dumbbell
Tail: Chartreuse Bucktail under Chartreuse Saddle Hackle mixed with Krystal Flash and Flashabou
Collar: White Bucktail and Chartreuse Bucktail
Head: 30 minute Epoxy
A skinny sand eel version:
A skinny sand eel version:
Thread: White 210 Danville
Eyes: Medium Red Dumbbell
Tail: White Bucktail under white EP Fiber mixed with Krystal Flash
Collar: Red Bucktail with Chartreuse Bucktail
Head: 30 minute Epoxy