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Jasonh
06-14-2005, 04:13 PM
Getting ready to tie some steelhead flies for this fall and was wondering if anyone had the recipe to a humburg limey and weitchpec witch. These are suppose to be two popular flies on the klamath that i would like to try. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Jason Hartwick

Darian
06-14-2005, 04:53 PM
Yeah :!: :!: A traditional Steelhead pattern mentioned.... I have info about the Weitchpec Witch but nothing about the Limey :? .... the pattern for the version of the Witch that I know 8) :

Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets;
Body: thick, black chenille;
Hackle: black saddle hackle (3 turns max.);
Wing: orange buck tail:
Thread: black;
Optional: Tie with oval silver rib (not on mine 8) ), a heavy hook or weight the body....

The fly I purchased was intended to be fished in the heavy flows around Weitchpec. Thus, a very heavy hook is used. Mine was tied on a Mustad, model 7970, size 4 :shock: .

As with all traditional Steelhead patterns, there'll undoubtedly be several versions of it. Hopefully we'll hear from someone with one of those versions.... :D

Jasonh
06-14-2005, 08:44 PM
Thanks for the help Darian. I am looking forward to trying it this fall.

Jason Hartwick

Darian
06-14-2005, 09:07 PM
Jason,.... If you hear anything about the "Limey", I'd be interested in a description.... 8) 8)

Bruce Slightom
06-15-2005, 03:39 PM
The Limey is a take off on a Brindle Bug with the colors being lime green and green grizzly hackel, brown hackle is a good option. The hum bug is a brown hackle peacock tyed in a Brindle Bug style.

Jasonh
06-15-2005, 04:35 PM
Thanks for your help Bruce. I am looking forward to fishing the klamath this fall for the forst time with my spey rod. Only wish summer would go by a little faster.

Jason Hartwick

David Lee
06-15-2005, 05:31 PM
Jason , not that you asked ..... but I would only take about 5 different patterns to the Klamath if I was lucky 'nuff to get up there ...

Silver Hilton - #6 , #8
Mossback - #6 , #8 , #10
Undertaker (Spey tie) -#7 , #5
Spawning Purple or Purple Peril -#6
Orange Comet - #4 , #8

If they don't eat those on the swing .... they ain't gonna eat at all .

Also , for dead-drifting , #6 Olive/Copper Bugger , #6 woolhead Sculpin , #6 Black Rubberlegs .
For a dry ..... #8 Orange Humpy

Don't forget those fantastic Caddis you tye .... they should get eaten on the swing , as well .

Have a fun trip !!

David

Jasonh
06-15-2005, 08:04 PM
David, do you have any pictures or the recipe for the undertaker. I love tying spey style flies and they usually produce fairly well. Thanks.

Jason Hartwick

David Lee
06-15-2005, 08:45 PM
Let's see if my sorry brain can remember this one ....

The hook - the Alec Jackson Spey one from di- or Dai -something , size 5 or 7 (black or , if ya can find some , BLUED 8) )

Tip -gold mylar
First tag -lime green or Chartruse floss
second tag -Bright red floss
Body - Peacock Herl
Body hackle - burned goose spey , black (strip-off fibers from one side and soak in water before tying)
Rib - small , oval gold
Wing - Black crystal Flash
Head - black thread

I went nuts a few years ago , and tyed a load of Spey-style flies ..... never caught squat on them in the American , though ...

Come to think of it , I didn't catch very many Steelies on anything , because I'm a lame Steelhead fisherman :P

They sure do look nice in the box !! David

Jasonh
06-15-2005, 08:52 PM
David, as far as i am concerned everyone fishign the american for steelhead is a lame fisherman because they do not come easy. I fished it about 20 days last fall and winter and only hooked three adults and landed two. It just isn't like fishing the north coast or oregon. If you want a true steelhead experience give the upper rogue a try in early october. Its AWESOME! Thanks and take care.

Jason Hartwick

Darian
06-15-2005, 09:31 PM
After reading all of the posts on this, thought I might introduce some new/old favorites that still catch fish to the mix 8).

If I'm fishin' the Klamath or Trinity Rivers for Steelhead :D , I'd have, to mention a few:

Green Butt Skunk, sizes 10 thru 6
Green Butt, Bear Paw, sizes 10 thru 6
Coal Car, sizes 8 thru 4
Brindled Rubberlegs, sizes 8 thru 4
Assassin, sizes 10 thru 6
Orange Bucktail Caddis, dry/wet, sizes 10 thru 6
Red Ant, sizes 10 thru 6

All of these patterns are to be fished on the swing using a floating or sink tip line (depending on flows). 8) 8)

OregonSalmon
06-17-2005, 08:01 AM
For Joe Shirshac's sake, let us not forget the Boss. "Ah yeah, and dat Boss fly....dats a good fly"...

Darian
06-17-2005, 09:33 AM
Amen brudda :!: :!: :!: 8)

Bill Kiene semi-retired
06-17-2005, 09:45 AM
I would fish the lower Klamth in September. It is usually warm then so it is more AM and PM fishing with the sun off the water. Bruce Slightom here guides with a jet boat in this area.

Fish the middle river in October. I like this best because the weather is usually cooler. I floated once with guide Bruce Slightom in that nice water between Happy Camp and Somes Bar. All floating lines and it was one of my best days on the river.

The upper river in November but it can be sinking lines if it is cold.

Size 8/10 flies. Some weighted.

Brindle Bug

Moss Back

Assassin

Herniator

Renegade

Silver Hilton

Tie some palmered style too. Maybe ad a red tail?

(Some use #6 Dark stonefly nymphs in the daytime with indicators)


I like a 9.5' rod in a #6 weight on average for the Kalamth River. Have a good WF6F and a 15' type 3/4 sinktip.

I use a 9' 2x leader on the floater and about 6' of leader to 2x on the sinktip.

This is real fly fishing at it's finest if you are there on a good year and on good week and in the right place.

Bruce's email address: mothgils@cox.net

Digger
06-17-2005, 11:08 AM
anyone got the specs on both the assasin and herniator?
can't seem to locate them on-line easily.
Thanks

Darian
06-17-2005, 09:06 PM
Hi Digger,..... Not sure about on-line sources but the Herniator is listed with a picture in the FFF Fly Pattern Encyclopedia 8) .

The Assassins' I've seen are really just a wool yarn or dubbed body in a subdued color palmered with an appropriate color/size saddle hackle. The tail is usually the same color as the saddle hackle and the body is ribbed with silver or gold wire. A wing of sorts consists of sparse, pearl Krystal Flash (2 - 4 strands) tied so it stands up when out of the water..... I've seen this fly tied in black, olive, brown and tan. The hook is usually a traditonal salmon iron in the usual sizes..... Weight is optional.

As with all effective flies, simplicity seems to be the key... :D :D .

Darian
06-20-2005, 10:12 PM
Digger,..... Saw another version of the Assassin, today. 8) 8) This one, a beadhead Assassin. It had a variegated chenille body, palmered with a saddle hackle and Krystal Hair, divided and placed at the tail at about a 30 degree angle to the shank of the hook.... :D This thing was heavy and obviously intended to sink like a stone..... :wink: :wink:

Digger
06-21-2005, 09:35 PM
Thanks D.
So you're saying it was a forked tail of krystal hair?
I'm not familiar w/ krystal hair ?

Darian
06-21-2005, 10:23 PM
WOW :!: :!: :!: Did I blow that one. :roll: :roll: Shoulda been Flashabou 8) 8)

Gotta go to the vet and have my remaining brains cells inventoried :lol: :wink:

Adam Grace
06-21-2005, 11:04 PM
Assassin's usually have a crystal FLASH tail.

Another name would be flashabou ACCENT.

David Lee
06-22-2005, 06:42 AM
Actually .......

Darian was correct , the first time - the original Crystal Flash WAS called Crystal Hair . It was produced (of all places ) in Roseville , if I'm not mistaken .

I still have 4 or 5 original packages left over :D

David

SullyTM
06-22-2005, 08:20 AM
David Lee breaks the 600 post barrier 8) I look forward to his next 600 :!: SullyTM

Darian
06-22-2005, 09:07 AM
You mean I don't have to have my remaining brain cells inventoried :?: :?: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Digger
06-22-2005, 10:51 AM
not today anyway...

David Lee
06-22-2005, 08:36 PM
Thom - I thank you .

Darian - time to slather some Rancid Bear Grease on that boy .... :P

JasonH - We gotta fish next time you're "up-north" .

Digger - The Assassins that I've seen are like the second one Darian described , just cock a small bunch of crystal whatever at a 30 degree angle up AFTER you make the first wrap of chenille over the TOP of the hook shank ..... by the way , its great to see you posting here more !!!

Adam - BOW before your Elders :idea:

:P David :P

Adam Grace
06-23-2005, 12:59 AM
David, only rancid bear grease will make ME bow :P

Bruce Slightom
06-28-2005, 04:38 PM
Digger, the Assasin is a wooly worm. The way I tye it is with chrystal flash tail, wire rib, chenille body and palmered hackle. There are many varaitons but some flash in the body helps. I wind the hackle and then counter rid with the wire, helps make a more durable fly. I think this is taken as a sculpin, there are loads of sculpin in the Klamath.
The Herniator is on a 200r hook. The rear two thirds of the body is Diamond braid, the front is peacock. The hackle is guinea. The most popular colors are copper, green and red. Try useing wire instead of braid, tye in under where the peacock will be wind back toward the hook point then over wrap toward the eye creating a rib with the wiire.
All this talk about which flies to use and no ones has said a Burlap. Great fly when the caddis are on the water. Bruce

Jasonh
06-28-2005, 04:44 PM
Bruce, what is the recipe for the burlap. Or at least which one do you use. I have seen a few different variations.

Jason Hartwick

Bruce Slightom
06-29-2005, 02:01 PM
Jason, for a Burlap I like grizzle hackle tips for a tail, the body is burlap (dua) but I like to take one strand of pearl chrystal flash and twist it with the burlap, grizzle hackle, long with lots of web. Also in the sunny days try one with red chrystal flash for a tail. But the orginal is good also, we have to suport the shops and try new materials. Bruce

Rick J
06-30-2005, 06:27 AM
Another offshoot of the burlap is a fly my friend Brett Jensen came up with called a Klamath Caddis tied on a Tiemco 200. Very fat foam underbody - fatter in the back and tapered to the front - wrap this over tightly with burlap (can use various colors - rust makes a great October Caddis) Tie in an elk hair wing (again you can vary the color) and leave the tips flaired in front then use some sort of duck flank as a throat tied in on both sides.

I rarely fish this right on top but as a damp fly though it is also very effective on a sink tip. I use this and a copper bead head moss back probably 95% of the time - makes the fly boxes lighter!!!

Usually tied on 8's and 6's

Jasonh - what spey rod will you be using? this is a great river for speys. Bruce and I have been playing with them for a number of years now. I hope to get one of Gary Anderson's light speys - he has a 12 foot for a 4 wt I believe that should be an incredible Klamath rod!!

Darian
06-30-2005, 09:23 AM
Rick,.... Interesting pattern (Klamath Caddis). 8) 8) Your description of the fly has the tips of the bucktail wing facing forward (towards) the eye)..... 8) Is that what you intended :?: Also,.... Is the body tied slightly down over the bend of the hook.... :?: :?:

Rick J
06-30-2005, 09:53 AM
Darian,
The wing is just a standard elk hair caddis tie with the butt ends (not the tips) left flaired in front, not wrapped down with thread.

It is tied low water style with the body maybe starting at the half way point or just rearward of the half way point.

Darian
06-30-2005, 12:23 PM
Years ago, while fishing on Putah Creek, I came across another fly guy using a variation of the Burlap that, he said, was designed for that creek. 8) 8) This fly was tied with a Grey Squirrel tail (short), a burlap body and silver badger neck hackle. The fly was finshed with silver beadchain eyes. The size of this fly was 12-14, probably 1X long. 8)

The originator fished the fly on the swing thru tailouts. I fished the fly for several seasons and did quite well with it, there 8) 8) . Haven't used it much anywhere else..... :? :roll:

Digger
07-01-2005, 01:04 PM
Are we talking real 'burlap'?
Or is this a trade/nick name of some sort?

Darian
07-01-2005, 10:35 PM
Yep,.... On all of the flies that I've used and called a Burlap or variation thereof, the body material was made using real burlap strands.... 8) 8) 8)

David Lee
07-01-2005, 11:53 PM
Digger - I've a sack of it ... send a PM w/ your addy and I'll get off a bunch .

David

Rick J
07-02-2005, 09:54 AM
I've got it in various colors. Even the natural burlap varies - some is quite light while others are darker in color. They all work for various patterns

Hairstacker
07-02-2005, 10:18 AM
Burlap?!? Are you kidding me? Yet once again I find my materials collection incomplete. . . . :? :lol:

Adam Grace
07-02-2005, 10:27 AM
Just wait Mike, sometime soon DENIM will become a part of a killer fly and you will have enough material to tie up millions of flies :lol:

Hairstacker
07-02-2005, 10:36 AM
Adam, I am REALLY looking forward to that day. I glanced at my FLy Tying Materials Tracking System a few days ago and noticed that my collection, with almost no duplicates of anything, recently went over the $1000 mark. And yet, I still find myself having to buy materials when I approach a new pattern. IS THERE NO END TO THIS MADNESS?!? It's no wonder I can't afford things like fly rods. . . . :lol:

Darian
07-03-2005, 02:19 PM
It's enough to drive good man to drink :!: :!: Soooo,.... Where's my Bushmills Single Malt :?: :?: :wink:

Digger
07-05-2005, 11:01 AM
Digger - I've a sack of it ... send a PM w/ your addy and I'll get off a bunch .

David

David, thanks for the offer, that's really cool of you.
Though, I don't know that I'll being tying any 'Bur-bugs' yet.

(that is unless someone guarantees me a monster steelie on one of these flies, ha!) :o

Darian
07-05-2005, 05:34 PM
Hey Digger,.... How about using a Burlap that'll catch a number of large Trout :?: :?: :?:

The burlap is used on versions of Trout Flies as well as Steelhead flies. 8) The late Ted Fay and, currently, Joe Kimsey tie a successful version of the burlap (winged and without) for trout on the Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers.... 8) 8) 8) This fly is heavily weighted and designed to be fished using the high stick, short line method. 8)