May tying contest and April results

Tom Butler · May 23, 2023

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

I did some research when the thread started and if I'm correct I may see some in July around here? Like other things that come up now that I'm more aware maybe I'll get onto something new.

Jake Watrous · May 23, 2023

Tom Butler said:
I did some research when the thread started and if I'm correct I may see some in July around here? Like other things that come up now that I'm more aware maybe I'll get onto something new.

Late June-early July on the middle section of the Provo, which is where I’m headed.

Not sure where “here” is for you, but July is a fairly decent time to expect them, and in some places even August/September.

Divad · May 23, 2023

Billy · May 23, 2023

Divad said:
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James St. Clair · May 23, 2023

I feel like there are 2 pretty good submissions...

Divad · May 23, 2023

Thank you James.

In all honesty I’ll try to work on one tomorrow. I have a pair of Simms waders I need to send back for repair and whatever Green Drake I create will get sent with the thank you note.

Divad · May 24, 2023

I read that the wings of Green Drakes uniquely develop while the mayfly is 1-2ft below the surface. Fascinating yet short lived as their emergence cycle is also noted to be fast.

To me that sounds like a unique option for a wetfly with wings. I’m thinking two olive partridge feathers paired outwards.

In the meantime I made a point fly version: 3.8t, some amherst legs, and pheasant tail over Kraken dubbing. Honestly it’s not too GD specific but sort of pairs with my prior skwala submission to make a nice gift. One could even say it’s a peeping caddis

Divad · May 24, 2023

James St. Clair said:
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.
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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.
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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!

I really like the dry fly because not only is it lovely it’s so very practical. Nobody likes to redress dries or change for a dropper, that fly would be a quiver killer during a hatch.