55 on the fly

Tying some of my Korn's Holiday Stone Fly Nymph's today... When I designed this fly for Parks Fly Shop I wanted to produce a more realistic stone fly nymph pattern that has lots of flash.  It was designed for visibility in high muddy water conditions sometimes found in the early fishing season on the Yellowstone River.   Materials List: Hook:  Eagle Claw Aberdeen #6   Bead: 4 mm black bead  Thread: Serafil 120 dark olive brown  Tail/Legs: black biots or natural split by ball of dubbing  Rib: nylon quilting clear thread Wingcase/shellback: pearl Easter basket mylar folded twice  Abdomen: black yarn, 3 ply.  Thorax: black dubbing  Collar: loose black dubbing  #6 Korn's Holiday Stone Fly Nymph

Hey folks - I know summer is coming when the shop has me tying 30 dozen flying Cinnamon Ants. That's a lot of ants.... but hey, they work and the fish love them. If a hopper is the cheeseburger in a Happy Meal then Cinnamon Ants are the french fries...... Fished as a dropper off the hopper it's a great combo for those dog days of summer. Here is the PFS version. side view bottom view - what the fish see... PATTERN:  Hook: #16 MFC 7000 Thread: 8/0 Uni Rusty Brown  Front hump: small ball rusty brown DK dub  Rear hump: rusty brown DK dub  Wing: white MFC Widow Web, fairly thick, split.  Hackle: 5-6 turns brown or furnace Whiting saddle.  Use high-end hackle, we want this sucker to float on the Yellowstone!

Well hi there folks... It's been a while. I hope all is well and that your busy tying flies. I haven't posted recently because, even though I have been tying lots of flies they have all been one's that I have blogged about before. But today, I started tying these neat little pink caddis larva and I thought I'd share it with you. Materia;s List: hook: #16 scud bead: 5/64" gold (1x undersized) thread: 8/0 pink abdomen: light pink DK#30 dubbing rib: pearl midge krystal flash hackle: gray partridge collar: Hareline HD4 dubbing

Early last year Bruce Staples contacted me and asked if I would be willing to contribute some of my original fly patterns to his new book.  Needless to say I was flattered, and said yes.  I sent off to Bruce examples of eight flies, a materials list and a short description for each.  I just recently received my copy and I was very impressed with both the content and quality of this publication... My "Korn's Marabou Caddis" even made the cover! My flies included in this book are: Korn's; Spruce Moth, CDC Spent-wing Parachute Caddis, Green Lantern, Holiday Golden Stone, Marabou Caddis, TNT Golden Stone, TNT Green Drake and my Wrapped Foam Hopper. It is truly an honor to have my flies listed alongside some great fly tiers like: Bob Jacklin, Hans Weilenmann, Walter Wiese, Craig Mathews as-well-as many others... If you get a chance please give this book a look especially if you plan on fishing in Yellowstone Country!  Thanks Bruce...

Walter Wiese, head guide at Parks Fly Shop in Gardiner, MT has announced the release of his new book: Yellowstone Country Flies -The fly patterns of Parks Fly Shop. Wally's book should be a big hit so order your copies soon as only 125 copies will be printed in this first printing.  The book contains flies from current and past fly tiers for the shop including yours-truly. I highly recommend it, Doug. Heres a couple of links for more information:  http://www.parksflyshop.com/  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OorbsLwSWe4

Folks, summer is breaking out all over the place and as I hurry to finish up the few remaining flies for PFS, I was asked for a picture... Photo for Walter Wiese's new book... Walter Wiese our head guide at Parks Fly Shop in Gardiner, MT asked me to provide a black and white photo of myself at my fly tying desk for his new book that will be coming out very soon.  The book has several of my original fly designs included as-well-as a short bio and photo of each fly tier featured.  It should be a great book.  I'll be sure to let you know when it will be available, stay tuned! the black and white version...

I've been sitting here tying a bunch of these white buggers as the rain continues to pour down outside.  It's been raining almost non-stop for two full days with more rain on the way for tomorrow.  Needless to say the rivers are blown out and will be un-fishable for a while...  But, when those creeks start to fall and the water is just starting to clear, that's when I like to fish this fly for the big boys.  With days of high water, fast current and the poor visibility the fish are going to be hungry, can you say;  "Happy Meal". tied and photographed by Doug Korn materials list: hook: 3xl streamer size #8  thread: Uni white 6/0 tail: white marabou plume  body: Hareline speckled chenille pearl/white over marabou to build body. hackle: white bugger

Korn's EMT Loop Wing Emerger is my version of a foam loop emerger tied by several other people,  l ike Blue Ribbon Flies Craig Mathews and the late Dave Lewis, to name a couple. EMT stands for "Emerging Mayfly for Trout".  I tie this fly in three drake colors as-well-as several other colors like this March Brown and smaller sizes for BWO's and PMD's.  To fish the fly properly only grease the front hackle and foam loop.  This allows the rear of the hook to penetrate the surface film. You can also see my video on YouTube (see the side bar) to tie this very effective fly pattern. tied and photographed by Doug Korn Hook: MFC #7000 in size 12 Thread: Danville 6/0 brown/olive Shuck: brown zelon  Rib: brown floss  Abdomen: hares ear tan dubbing Wing: gray razor foam  Hackle: light bronze grizzly

I was having a little fun today, practicing some fly tying with Davie McPhail , even though Davie is in Scotland.  Isn't the internet wonderful? My tie of Davie McPhail's most recent creation, the Quilled River Diawl-Bach. see McPhail tie it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0R4vOQQj3g&feature=g-high-u The Web It's still amazing to me that I can sit at home and tie flies along with some of the very best fly-tiers in the world with just the push of a button.  Fly-tiers like; Davie McPhail, Matt Grobert, Tim Flagler, Oliver Edwards, Bob Jacklin, Craig Mathews as-well-as many other guides and fly-tiers from around the world sharing their skills and their favorite flies.  Most have freely given of their time and talents to produce these videos for us to enjoy and to learn from and ask nothing in return, hoping for only some kind comments as payment for their efforts.  Others are produced to try and sell us something like; new products, fl...

If your going to fish out West - Don't leave home without them! As always my video's are a little rough around the edges but, I hope you find it "good enough". Hook: Dai-Riki #305 14 Thread: Serafil 200 tan or Uni 6/0-8/0  Rib: tag end of thread  Abdomen: DK #14 Spruce Moth dubbing or light tan Palmered hackle: honey or light ginger rooster, palmered front to back, trapped with tag end thread ribbed to eye, clipped short on top and bottom. Wing: 2 Salmon Favorelle hen chicken feathers (very light ginger), or buff pheasant feathers, tied in flat one on top of the other, 1 gape length longer than hook, tied behind eye then folded over to form the head and whip finished.  Varnish the head and 1/3 of the wing. Special Note: My "Korn's Spent Wing Caddis" is tied the same way as the Spruce Moth see it here:  http://55onthefly.blogspot.com/2010/05/55-on-fly-fly.html

...  folks have asked to see some variations so here's a few; My WHPT size #16  WHPT standard pattern size #18 WH Copper John (Stone) size #14  WH Copper John size #16 Note: all flies tied and photographed by Doug Korn

Wire Heads - try 'em you'll like 'em. I've been making these "Wire Heads" here in NY for many years.  A friend asked me to share them with you, so here they are.  I'm sure others have made similar heads in the past, but if so, I've never seen them. Please check out my "how to" video's below, enjoy. These videos are a bit rough and unedited.  I hope you find them "good enough" for this demo... Doug. Part 1: "How to" make wire heads on hooks instead of using beads:  Part 2: features two flies tied with "Wire Heads":  Note: I also tie; PT, GRHE, RS2's and several other nymphs like my version of the Copper John with wire heads.  Korn"s Wire Head Scud Hook: Allen, size 14 scud hook Thread: Danville 6/0 dark olive Scud Back: Uni-Mylar #13 3/64" Pearl Rib and Wire Head: copper wire - med. Body: Red Fox Squirrel dubbing  Korn's Wire Head Stone Fly Nymph Ho...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks'_Fly_Shop Parks Salmon Fly:   Created in 1954 by Merton Parks, this is the original version of the Improved Sofa Pillow.  Fish it damp as often as floating high, especially at the tail end of the salmonfly hatch.  Richard Parks, Merton's son is the owner of Parks Fly Shop located in Gardiner, MT at the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park.   http://www.parksflyshop.com/ This is my favorite Salmon fly   pattern, highly effective and a Yellowstone area classic. See Richard tying the Parks Salmon Fly here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HkEP8eub-o Hook : Mustad 9671 2xl nymph, #2-8 with 6 most common Thread : Heavy and black: Gudebrod G, flat waxed mono, Kevlar or 3/0 Uni Tail: natural brown bucktail, long length of body Body: tangerine orange Red Heart Acrylic yarn wound over Duco cement for durability  Palmer hackle:  Brown or furnace saddle, clipped even with the ga...

I have been busy at the bench lately tying Green Drake EMT Loop Wing Emergers.  EMT stands for "Emerging Mayfly for Trout".   This fly is tied by several others including Craig Mathews and the late Dave Lewis.   I'm not sure who originated it, but this is my version. I also did a little "practice" video with my new camera that I've attached.  This is raw un-edited video so keep that in mind.    http://youtu.be/wKG7Mc4ov_o Enjoy tying some up, fish them with just some floatant on the hackle and foam. Loop Wing in process... A great fly anywhere you have drakes.  I tie them in green, brown and gray.  I even tie smaller versions for PMD's, BWO's, Hendrickson's, etc.. Materials List: Hook: MFC 7026 or 7076 #12-14 Thread: Danville 6/0 - olive Shuck: Needloft yarn - amber Rib: Krystal Flash - rootbeer Loop Wing: 2mm craft foam - gray Hackle: Olive Grizzly, trimmed and v-cut on the bottom. Completed EMT Loop Wing Emerge...

Here's my version of an old fly that I still tie for Parks Fly Shop in Gardiner, MT located just outside the North entrance to the park.  It's a simple wet fly to tie.  Use it as a dropper or swing a pair of them through a nice run.  The brook trout in the park really like this fly, fished behind a Coachman Trude makes for a deadly combination. Hook: MFC 7076, size 14-16 Thread: red danville Tail: red yarn, needloft  Body: peacock Rib: gold wire Hackle: grizzly hen soft hackle Photographed and tied by Doug Korn

tied and photographed by Doug Korn Materials List: Hook: MFC 7000 #14 Thread: Uni-8/0 Camel Body: tan CDC feather wrapped forward Wing: 2 hen pheasant feathers tied flat and notched at tip, with a drop of head cement spread on top Thorax: fox squirrel dubbing