55 on the fly

Korn's Spent-wing Apple Caddis my materials list: Hook: vintage Mustad Limerick #16 std. wet fly or current Mustad 9063 Thread: Serafil tan 200/2 or Uni-8/0 Body & Thorax: DK#3 Apple Caddis dubbing for 1/3rd of body, 1/3rd DK#27 tan dubbing for thorax. Hackle: light ginger hackle over thorax only and trimmed flat on top. Wing & Head: 2 light ginger hen feathers tied on flat and folded back to form head.

Wishing all of you a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My thanks for taking the time to look in on my blog.  I appreciate all your comments and well wishes.  I hope to continue to bring you new and innovative flies and tying techniques as well as other interesting topics throughout the next year. Peace and Love, Doug.

This fly is one of a series of variations of my original Korn’s SCHWARPF fly.  (Swept Custom Hackle Winged All Revised Purpose Fly) I did this step-by-step for Paul over at Franken Fly you can checkout his blog here: http://www.frankenfly.com/ Korn’s Green Lantern is a caddis pupa imitation that has been a very effective fly both here in the NY and out West in the Yellowstone National Park area.   my materials list: Hook: vintage Mustad Limerick #16 std. wet fly or current Mustad 9063 Thread: Serafil tan 200/2 or Uni-8/0 Bead: 11/0 green glass seed bead Rib: small copper wire Tail/shuck, Shellback and Wing: red fox squirrel tail tied in by the tips, divided 1/3 for tail, 2/3's for shellback and wing Body and Collar: DK#28 Green Lantern dubbing or bright emerald green dubbing of choice Step 1. Place a hook with a bead in the vise. Step 2. Start thread at bead. Tie in copper wire at the eye with wraps back to the bend of ...

A simple fly to tie with a sighting post making it more visible to the angler.  Wings are tied in on top of shank, with the back portion divided forming the wings. The front portion is used to then form the post. Rear view of post and wings.

A great "all purpose fly" and a good winter nymph.  Tied with a black phase gray squirrel tail, if you can get some.  If not use red fox squirrel instead using the darkest material on the tail.  My buddy Ben gave me a black squirrel tail from one he had shot and I tied up a bunch of these for him.  With or without a bead or wire head it's a great searching pattern on those dark and dreary winter days.  Fish it as a wet fly dead drifted and then swung downstream. Black and Tan APF (all purpose fly) Nymph tied and photographed by Doug Korn This fly is one of a series of variations of my Korn’s SCHWARPF fly.  (Swept Custom Hackle Winged All Revised Purpose Fly) materials list: Hook: vintage Mustad #16 wet Thread: Serafil tan 200/2 Wire Head and rib: gold 28 ga. craft wire 2 layers 4 and 3 turns Tail, Shellback and Wing: black squirrel tail tied in by the tips, divided 1/3 for tail, 2/3's for shellback and wing Bo...

Continuing with my winter fly pattern series I offer up the Griffith's Gnat as my go-to dry fly. Many people overlook the old Griffith's Gnat and think of it as a pattern of days gone by.  But for me, it's a great searching pattern.  An effective fly throughout the year that excels in winter when the midges are about.  When there's a break in the winter weather and the midges are on the water I fish the G-Gnat.  It's an easy pattern to tie and it only requires a couple of materials.  It makes an excellent indicator fly as well, team it up with a Wire Head Pheasant Tail and have at it. my #1 winter dry fly the Griffith's Gnat materials list: Hook: dry #14-18 Thread: Danville 70 denier in red Body: peacock herl Hackle: grizzly

Here's another good winter fly. I like it as a trailer. Tied here as a "Wire Head" with an orange "Hot Spot".  It can also be tied with pink, red and chartreuse thread.  It doesn't get much simpler than that, but don't let that fool you, this fly takes fish in all seasons but really shines in the winter. Materials list: Hook: wet size #16-18 Thread and Hot Spot: Flo. Orange 6/0 Wire Head: gold 28 ga. craft wire or gold bead Tail and Body: Pheasant Tail Note: I like to add a dab of super glue to the wire head and the hot spot.

Fire Fly variations... Just playing around while watching the football games getting my winter fly boxes filled.

Since my knee surgery I've been slowly striving to get back in shape. For six months, prior to my surgery, I was sitting around with a very sore knee.  My knee hurt 24-7 and the sitting around put on some 22 pounds.  Having had the surgery at the end of October I have put on a few more pounds sitting around healing up and doing my PT but not much more. Well I set a goal to be back on my feet in time for the start of the NY deer season that started Saturday the 17th.  I walked into my tree stand (about 500 yards, the farthest I have walked so far) on "Opening Day" and managed to climb up into it without any problems.  I enjoyed watching the sun rise and at 7:20 I had a nice buck come by that I put a good shot on and that was that.  A very nice 9 point buck to fill the freezer and provide lean red meat for the winter.  I was sore all day Sunday.  After hunting all day plus the long drive home and getting the deer hung I was done-for.  ...

I enjoyed a relaxed fishing trip yesterday... It was warm with temp's in the 60's, perfect for the first outing of my new bamboo fly rod.  The fishing was slow, but the rod performed like a champ... I got in a lot of casting practice with it; drys, nymphs and even some some small streamers. The rod did everything I asked and looked good doing it.  It's going to get a lot of use in the coming year both here in NY and MT.  My thanks Winston for making such a wonderful fly rod... W. Binney Para 15 --- 8' 5wt., 2/2 (2 piece with 2 tips) My W. Binney fitted with a vintage Hardy Featherweight took it's first fish, a 12 inch brown trout... But my fumbling didn't allow for a photo.

An Apple Caddis Emerger for the Delaware in early spring fished as a dropper... Materials List: Hook: #16-18 Wire Head: Gold 28 ga. wire two layers 3 over 4. wire run on top of back to bend. Body: 1/3rd DK#3 apple green, 1/3rd olive GSS, 1/3rd fox squirrel dubbing Teardrop Wing: light tan hen feather, cut out tip tied tips down then folded back, trim butt. Collar: fox squirrel dubbing. A step by step: make thread base for wire head tie in wire add drop of super glue then wrap head 3 over 4 turns 2 layers run wire down top of hook shank to bend, cover with thread wraps dub 1/3 of shank with apple green dubbing add GSS olive dubbing to 1/3rd of hook add fox squirrel dubbing to 1/3rd of hook prep light tan  or ginger hen feather as shown tie in feather "V" notch down behind wire head fold feather back to form the "Teardrop Wing" add more fox squirrel dubbing in front of wing turns of dubbi...

I'm sitting at my fly tying desk this morning with my leg up.  Today is the first day I have moved around a bit after my knee surgery and I'm starting to feel better.  My knee is healing up nicely, Michelle had the bandage off yesterday and it looks good.  She put fresh bandages on and I'm good for another couple of days. Anyway, I had to get off the couch and tie a few flies today.  So, I'm tying up some GSS Emergers. How about you?  Tying anything lately? Simple and fun to tie the GSS Emerger, tied and photographed by Doug Korn... ready to fish... Gold Wire Head GSS Emerger

Jim Misiura ties a series of flies he calls his "Garbage Bag Series".  These are a group of flies featuring wings made of various plastic bags.  The bags are those of which I get my groceries in and other big box store purchases.  I saw his videos and was intrigued and decided to give them a try.  In the end, as you can see below, I think the wings worked very well.  Easy to do and I have grey, tan, white and green bags to try... I like 'em! See Jim's "how to" video's on YouTube here:  Garbage Bag Flies by Jim Misiura I tied three variations of Sulphurs using tan garbage bags as wings on size #16 scud hooks. PT tail, dubbed body and thorax and garbage bag wings - no hackle. Same tie as the first fly only with a PT body as well as the tail. Here I added a light ginger hackle...