The slippery pupae

I've been playing around wiith the spirit river, squirmy worms. As the name suggests, this fly is extemely slippery. Make sure to hold it by the thorax when tying one on your line.

Recipe:

hook: dia-riki 135

Abdomin: green squirmey worm

Thorax: hare's ear 

Legs: deer hair

Calamus emergent pupae

Ballroom blitz

The Ballroom blitz is a fly which was inspired by those goofy masquerade masks. I've done pretty well with this pattern for largemouth.

Rising trout frame

This unique display features a brown trout rising to a fishable realistic mahogany dun. The trout is carved from foam and hand painted. 

Dan's pupa bou

This is s new pattern I've been working on that is subject to change. The body is marabou tied in by the tips, then pulled forward and ribbed with mono thread. I will have an instuctional video available for this pattern soon.

Calamus green sedge

The calamus green sedge, is the pattern I'm most proud of. It was the first, of the calamus series of flies, and is so far my most  productive dry caddis pattern. This fly as well as several other outstanding calamus patterns have been featured in fly tyer magazine. I have yet to find a synthetic material that can rival the effectiveness of the "calamus" ,  or hollow shaft of a mallard flank feather, for the application of a caddis abdomen.

Calamus October caddis

Dan's midgey merger

McFly Emerger

mallard rainbow

Dan's sac fry

Realistic stonefly nymph

This is a one of a kind, realistic stonefly nymph display. The river rocks in this box are hand carved out of foam and painted. It even has realistic water!

Calamus yellow sally

The Calamus Yellow Sally, from the line up of Calamus series of flies, is a deadly pattern during little yellow sally hatches, as well as sulfurs.

Woven extended body pupae

The woven extended body pupae is as effective as it is creative. This fishable realistic pattern sports an extended body wich is achieved by weaving vinyl rib onto a needle, then pulling it off. The result is a  transparent abdomen with an extremely realistic profile. 

Emerald drake

This fly is very effective during the green Drake hatch, and is a lot of fun to tie. The recipe is as follows:

Hook: dai-riki 700 / or mustad 9672 size 6-8

Wings: burnt mallard flank tied fanwing style

Tail: moose body hair

Rib: mono thread

Abdomen: pale yellow superfine, and pheasant tail

Hackle: pale yellow grizzly 

Calamus flying ant

The Calamus flying ant is an especially deadly terrestrial pattern for spring creeks. In the mid to late summer months when various species of bees and wasps rule the skies, this pattern excels on just about any stream. 

Mugsy the nymph

Mugsy, which featured in the fall 2015 issue of Fly Tyer magazine, is a great attractor pattern; It's rubber legs and pulsating gills drive fish nuts.

Crane fly

This fly was inspired by the English Daddy long legs patterns, as well as fishable  realistic tier William Blades. The segmented body was achieved by  wrapping swiss straw flat, front to back, then twisting the material and working back to front.