Category: FLY TYING

NBFF Fly Tying Nite this Thursday, May 4th

Come join us this coming Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. at the Westside Community Center, 2932 South Interstate 35 Frontage Road in New Braunfels.  This month we will be tying the Gridle Bug and Pat’s Rubber Legs flies, both are great trout flies on the Guad and other streams.  The club will supply the needed materials for tying.  We also have some Club tying equipment available, if you have none, or you can bring your own.  Tie a few for yourself and a few for the Club raffle that we hold at our monthly Club meetings.  Hope to see you there.
Gary and Jeff
Pat's Rubber Legs

Action Angler and the river are both fully stocked

The fishing is really going good on the Guadalupe right now. The state has been doing regular stockings, and there are some good fish in the water.
Float trip dates are filling up. Go to Actionangler.net to book online.

You can also order online, and remember to sign up for the newsletter, and then you will be the first to know of the next class offerings, and any tournaments.

Action Angler & Outdoor Center- Guadalupe River, New Braunfels, TX
Fully stocked with rod/reel kits, waders, boots, and reels. #flyshopstrong #shoplocal #shopsmallbusiness #playinnewbraunfels #guadaluperiver #flyfishtexas

Smithermans Fry Candy

Smitherman’s Fry Candy

When I asked Josh to describe the Fry Candy, his response was simply,
“It’s very good.” 

He’s not wrong. Many, if not most, bass streamers are designed with added weight for deep, fast moving water. The Fry Candy on the other hand was specifically designed to imitate the schooling juvenile baitfish found in the upper portion of water columns.
It’s a perfect choice for small or shallow water, like we have here on Brushy Creek and ideal for late-summer bassin’, when the water levels drop.
The short-shank hook creates an articulated-tail effect without the effort and
it’s friendly for casting on lighter weight rods.
Fish it for just about anything with short, quick strips for maximum side-to-side swish.
Simply vary the color scheme to match the baitfish you find wherever you’re angling!

Smitherman’s Fry Candy
Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S Short, #4/0-06
Thread: Veevus 8/0, Black
Tail: Craft Fur, White/Gray
Head: Craft Fur, White/Gray/Black
Flash: Ice Dub, Holographic Silver
Eyes: Plastic Eyes, Pearl (match to hook)
Barring: Sharpie, Black

Copyright © 2020 Living Waters Fly Fishing, All rights reserved.

Makeshift Muddler
Makeshift Muddler

This week, fly shop manager, Melody Herron, challenged Josh Smitherman to put his creativity to the test by building a fly recipe using primarily materials from our sale bins – currently we have a ton of awesome materials on sale!
Unsurprisingly, Josh rose to the occasion and whipped up this Makeshift Muddler.

The original Muddler Fly was created by Don Gapen in the 1930’s and is still produced today. His sculpin imitation features a loosely stacked head designed to push water and create erratic movement in the fly. In the 1950’s Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop began producing a more densely packed version for their mail-order fly subscribers, eventually swapping the turkey quill for marabou, resulting in the Marabou Muddler,
the version on which tonight’s tutorial is loosely based.
Other modern iterations include the Kiwi Muddler and Kelly Galloup’s Zoo Cougar.
Charlie Craven includes a recipe in his new book, Tying Streamers, which pays homage to the original with mottled turkey quill but with a spun deer head and collar.

Part of what makes the Muddler so versatile is that it can imitate terrestrials or streamers and target trout and bass alike. Stack it tight to fish dry or tie it loose and pair with a sinking line for some killer stillwater action. However you stack it, a muddler is worthy of your attention and deserving of a spot in your fly box!

Makeshift Muddler

Hook: Ahrex NS122, #02
Thread: UTC 140D, Brown and GSP 100D, White
Tail: Strung Marabou, Lemon Yellow and Sculpin Tan
Wing: Strung Marabou, Sculpin Tan
Flash/Dubbing: Ripple Ice Fiber, Orange
Body: EP Foxy Brush, Yellow, 1.5″
Head: Spinning Deer Hair, Brown