Fly tying is a craft, and like any craft, you don’t start out an expert. It takes plenty of trial and error to improve your skills. And while most of us may never earn the title Master Tyer, there are a few things you can do today to become more proficient. Here are six […]
6 Tips for Tying Better Flies Read More »
The arrival of my first fly tying kit opened up a world of possibilities for me. Not only did I get to feel the joy associated with catching trout on flies that I had tied, but it allowed me to experiment with new creations, make modifications to old patterns and make them my own.
Fly Tying: Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Started Read More »
Last week, I posed this question on the Dark Skies Fly Fishing Facebook page: If you were to give someone new to fly fishing one piece of advice to get them started, what would it be? And then, just to poke the bear a little bit and get a wide range of responses, I shared
5 Tips for New Fly Fishers Read More »
Caddisflies are perhaps the most abundant and prolific fly hatches found on Pennsylvania trout streams. They come in a vast variety of colors and sizes, and certain species hatch virtually year-round. Unlike traditional mayflies, which have “upright” wings that give them a sailboat appearance as they float on the surface, caddisflies are “downwings.” In fact,
Caddisflies Top to Bottom Read More »
Note: I’ve written about Neshannock Creek in the past here on Dark Skies Fly Fishing. That original entry focused around my first trip to this stream. I’ve fished it quite a bit since then, and I’ve learned a lot about this stream and its hatches. This particular article can be found in the Jan/Feb
Neshannock Creek Revisited Read More »
Megaloptera sounds more like the name of a prehistoric flying dinosaur than a modern day insect, but if you’re a fisherman, you probably encounter plenty of these insects along your favorite waters. If fact, if you grew up as I did, flipping rocks along stream banks or seining for minnows, you were always delighted to
Dobsonflies and the Fly Fisher Read More »
Stoneflies are one of the most common aquatic insects found in trout waters throughout North America. They come in a variety of colors and sizes and they’re some of the first hatches to appear each spring. In fact, their tendency to emerge in cold weather has garnered them the nickname “the snowflake hatch.” Many
Gettin’ Stoned: An Introduction to Stoneflies Read More »
After I’d been tying flies for about a year or so, I wanted to upgrade my vise. I remember walking into the local fly shop with a little bit of money in my pocket as the owner showed me a few that might be in my price range. I bought the most expensive one,
Old Vise, New Vise: Upgrading to the Renzetti Presentation 2000 Series Read More »
I think everyone probably has a Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear story. Here’s mine: I used to fish with an excellent spin-guy who’d never touched a fly rod but wanted to learn more about it. We met at a local stream one day and I tied on one of my personal innovations, which was really just
Ye Olde Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph Read More »
As evening settled in, the stream’s smooth surface became dotted with the rings of feeding trout. Seemingly gnat-sized mayflies fluttered in the air, one even landing on the back of my hand. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen, with a white body, brownish thorax, and tiny, cellophane-like wings. The closest I came to
Upper West Branch Susquehanna River Read More »