May tying contest and April results

[Billy]

The winner this month for the caddis April contest is...... @MillCreekMinnow and his killer cased caddis:
For May @MillCreekMinnow has selected Green Drakes in either nymphs or adults.

Let's hear it for @MillCreekMinnow! Post May entries and discussion on Green Drakes below

 

[mcswny]

The winner this month for the caddis April contest is...... @MillCreekMinnow and his killer cased caddis:View attachment 63849View attachment 63850
For May @MillCreekMinnow has selected Green Drakes in either nymphs or adults.

Let's hear it for @MillCreekMinnow! View attachment 63851Post May entries and discussion on Green Drakes below

Yeah I expected this @MillCreekMinnow

 

[PhilR]

Yeah, MCM can tie a fly. Quite the comedian as well.

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

THANK YOU, BUT MY SON CALEB IS THE WHOLE REASON I COULD DO THISS, YOU SHOULD GIVE HIM MONEY

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

THANK YOU, BUT MY SON CALEB IS THE WHOLE REASON I COULD DO THISS, YOU SHOULD GIVE HIM MONEY

Note to self. Log off while your 13-year-old is home!

 

[mcswny]

Note to self. Log off while your 13-year-old is home!

Holy shit

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

He thinks that if I have money then it's his paper to burn. He will learn the true value of the dollar soon enough! Kids these days.

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

It's all crickets over here.... I will post a few from over the years.

 

[clarkman]

It's all crickets over here.... I will post a few from over the years.

View attachment 64482View attachment 64483View attachment 64484View attachment 64485

I'm surprised you could tie those without my presence.


Nice work!!!!

 

[mcswny]

I’ve honestly never had the pleasure of fishing a green drake hatch. I’ve usually avoided the metolius during June (yes I know they’re on other rivers too). And yes, I know they hatch in September too.

 

[PhilR]

I’ve honestly never had the pleasure of fishing a green drake hatch. I’ve usually avoided the metolius during June (yes I know they’re on other rivers too). And yes, I know they hatch in September too.

I hit a green drake hatch on the d about this time of year. It was pretty awesome

 

[mcswny]

I hit a green drake hatch on the d about this time of year. It was pretty awesome

My favorite time to fish the salmon fly hatch is on cold grey days—so basically fishing a mayfly hatch in May .

Everyone stays home.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Congrats. First time I saw it posted, I thought, what is that ? Then it hit me, I saw this same thing as a kid kicking over stones

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

I'm surprised you could tie those without my presence.


Nice work!!!!

Thanks Uncle Randall!

 

[James St. Clair]

I absolutely love Green Drakes. My locals have a really good hatch, and if you know where to go you can find hatches if them for most of the summer. They start at low elevation in mid - late June (depending on weather and flows), and then they start hatching up the tributaries in early - late July. If you get up real high elevation, you can find them hatching through most of August. I've actually spent the last couple years kind of chasing them "up the mountain", as you can find larger fish that key on them in creeks where you might usually only find 6 - 12" fish.

This first fly I created to solve some problems (at least problems that I was having). The problem was that most hook shanks aren't long enough to accurately imitate the size of the Green Drake body. This had been solved with extended deer hair bodies, but I found after a fish or two, or too many drifts without a fish, those flies rode too low in the water and often sunk. So, I swapped out the extended deer body for an extended foam body. So, this fly solved my problems. It floats well even after a few fish, and forever if you don't catch any, haha! It's easy to see, and you can even throw a little soft hackle or small beadhead behind it if you want to fish dry dropper. Additionally, it is super durable. This is the only dry Green Drake I tie and carry in my boxes, as I've never had a situation where a different pattern was needed, or was able to fool fish that this one wasn't.





For nymphs, I really like the Brooks Green Drake. You can add a beadhead if needed to help get it down, and I've done really well with that pattern. Mercer's poxyback Green Drake has also worked pretty well for me. But, I like to play at the vice, and after some success with a small Golden Stone nymph I tied in what I like to call "scorpion style", I thought I would try a Green Drake Nymph in the same style. It has produced very well for me. I don't know if it does any better or worse than the other two bugs I mentioned, but I like fishing my own patterns, so it sees a good amount of water time.




Heading to Fernie, BC in August, so happened to be tying these up right now. Some of the rivers I fish at higher elevation have pretty awesome Green Drake hatches that time of year. Haven't been since just before Covid, so really looking forward to getting back up there and throwing some of these bugs!

 

[Billy]

Got good odds this month if you enter. Just sayin

 

[MillCreekMinnow]

Sorry that I broke the monthly tying contest. Let's just go with post whatever you are proud of.

 

[Tom Butler]

Sorry that I broke the monthly tying contest. Let's just go with post whatever you are proud of.

I have not submitted just because I have never seen them, never tied them or fished one. I was following along hoping to learn something.

 

[Jake Watrous]

Sorry that I broke the monthly tying contest. Let's just go with post whatever you are proud of.

I think the weather may have broken it. I certainly haven’t been tying much. And I’ve even got a trip next month targeting a green drake hatch.

 

[Jake Watrous]

I have not submitted just because I have never seen them, never tied them or fished one. I was following along hoping to learn something.

I’ll post a couple, then. Not that I’d win, but for the morale support.