Like many fly anglers, I have been spending more time behind my vise as of late. It’s easy to take an abundance of time at home for granted but very soon we will be busy again with picked over fly boxes. When that happens, time behind the vise will be hard to come by. For that reason, I wanted to share a few quick patterns to help re-stock your boxes and put fish in the net. All of these patterns can be tied in under two minutes with minimal practice, making them great last-minute ties.
1.McCannel’s Neon Nightmare MidgeÂ
3. Mercury Black BeautyÂ
Next up is the Mercury Bead Black Beauty a tailwater favorite throughout the west. The glass bead is representative of the gas bubble trapped inside midge pupae prior to emergence and offers a different look from many standard midge patterns. The black dubbing collar adds just the right touch of buggy-ness to get the job done. Add a little flashabou under the ribbing and you have a Flashback Black Beauty or remove the bead for Pat Dorsey’s classic Black Beauty. Instructions on tying this classic trout fly pattern can be found in the video below from In The Riffle.
As you can see, the foundation of the Zebra Midge, Chocolate Thunder, and the Mercury Black Beauty are all similar, relatively simple, and open the door to hundreds of variations. In half an hour you can twist up a variety of midge larvae and pupae to cover your bases to fool the pickiest of trout.
4. Enhanced Squirmy Wormy
You can put away your magnifying glasses for the next few patterns. Â Runoff is affecting rivers and streams across the country. With the rising water comes an abundance of worms throughout the ecosystem. There are a variety of worm patterns from the classic San Juan Worm to the Pig Sticker, but I prefer the infamous Squirmy Worm.
My go-to worm pattern variation, also a quick tie, comes from Cheech at Fly Fish Food. His enhanced version is more durable than a standard Squirmy Wormy and has a bead head that I love. It never hurts to have a few worms in different colors (red, pink, and tan) when flows bump. Cheech’s original video is over 8 minutes long but includes a lot of explanation. Watch it once and you’ll be a worm tying master!
5. Mop Fly
Time to Hit the Vise
These 5 trout fly patterns will be familiar to many, but are classics and instant-classics for one reason, they work. If your boxes are still looking sparse, maybe it’s time to twist up a few of these bugs. With any sort of practice, these 5 trout flies can easily be tied in under two minutes, making them great choices to twist up late at night or while your last cup of coffee is brewing before hitting the water. We would love to hear some of your favorite quick-tie patterns in the comments!
Article by Evan Garda, he is on the Content Team here at Fly Lords. He can be found chasing trout throughout the west with his trusty fly rod. Check out his adventures at @evangarda.