55 on the fly

tied and photographed by Doug Korn This is a simple scud pattern that I developed back when I first stared tying. I used wire wraps to form the heads of flies instead of beads. At the time, I didn't have any beads and it was too expensive to have a wide assortment of different size beads. So, I just used heavy wire on my larger flies and medium wire on the smaller ones. Being able to vary the size of the wire and the number of wraps used to form the head gave me infinite adjustment on head size as-well-as the weight of my flies. I still tie my scuds this way today in; pink, orange, gray and olive as well.  Hook: Allen Scud hook #2457 size 14 Thread: Danville 6/0 dark olive Scud Back: Uni-Mylar  #13 3/64" Pearl Rib and Head: copper wire - med. 28 gauge. Body: Red Fox Squirrel dubbing  Start thread behind eye and build a thread base one eye long. Tie in wire and return thread wraps to starting point. Add a drop of head cement. ...

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.

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...

More trip prep ~ tying of some Vinnie's Iso-nymphs.  I tied some with and without wire heads pictured below.  I'm starting to get excited about this trip in a couple of weeks even though it will be a short one, just two days.  But hey, two days with your son fly fishing, what could be better.  Scott is coming to the house this weekend and we will get all of our final plans made...  Should be fun and we've got to have better weather than last time, right?  So stay tuned... Vinnie's Isonychia Nymph... top view Wire Head Vinnie's Isonychia Nymph Hook:  2x long nymph hook size 12 Thread:  Danville 6/0 black Tail:  3 peacock herls Abdomen: Iso DK#25 dubbing Ribbing (and Wire Head): Copper wire  Thorax:  Iso DK#25 dubbing Wing Case: 3/8 inch section of turkey tail feather, folded so you have two layers. Legs: olive-brown hen back feather “V” cut

...  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

Here are a couple of photos of the Wire Heads using UV resin to coat the head after it has been formed by the wire.  This makes an extremely durable and shinny head. Here I 'm using a UV light for curing the resin on this Wire Head. Finished Wire Heads and a Korn's WH Stone Fly Nymph.