Thread - - 6/0 Black
Hook - 4X Long, size 8-6
Body - Flat Silver Mylar Tinsel
Tail - Black & White Barred Woodduck
Wing - Sparse White Bucktail over sparse Black Bucktail. Two Badger Saddle Feathers tied one on each side.
Throat - Red Hackle Fibers

It is Hendrickson time here in New Jersey. The hatch is a few weeks early due to the mild winter we have experienced here in the north east. We are all hoping that the bugs stay around long enough for the season opener. If you want to fish this hatch you can still get out on our trout conservation waters which are open year round, though they are likely to be crowded. There have been no real prolific hatches report yet but there have been some sightings which mean the bugs are on the move.

Although I fish a number of emerger and dun patterns, I only fish on nymph pattern for this hatch. I first found this fly in the book Flies for Trout by Dick Stewart and Farrow Allen. I have been fishing the fly since the early nineties when the book first came out and I have never needed another pattern. The grey band of dubbing in the center of the fly is essential to the pattern as the naturals often have a lighter coloration mid-abdomen. I prefer the fly as shown (minus the crazy long guard hard that need to be plucked out!), though you can also add a bead if that's the way you roll.

These nymphs are active swimmers when emerging so subtle twitches and lift techniques are often productive when fishing this pattern.

Hook: 2x long nymph hook size 12 or 14
Thread: Brown 6/0
Tail: Well marked wood duck flank barbs
Abdomen: Reddish brown fur with a band of grey fur behind the thorax or in the mid section (look at your local nymphs)
Ribbing: Copper wire (not in the original pattern)
Thorax: Reddish brown fur
Wing Case: Black section of turkey tail
Legs: Well marked wood duck flank or partridge barbs

This bright orange/yellow caddis larva can be an important food source on some waters in our area during the late winter and early spring months. As far as caddis larva go it is one of the smallest I will bother to imitate. I tie them on a 3x short hook in sizes 16 & 18, but I know folks tie them smaller (typically 18-20). The short shank hook allows me to maintain a good hook gap but still keep the body appropriately sized.

I was able to get out this week and enjoy some of the unseasonable warm weather. This pattern and small patterns with bright orange hot spots produced well. Indicating that the fish may be seeing some of these larva already.

Recipe:

Hook: 3x short larva hook
Thread: 8/0 Hot or Fire Orange for body/Brown for head
Under Body: Orange thread
Markings: Black marker on thread before wrapping floss
Abdomen: Yellow floss spiraled up hook shank allowing the underbody to show
Thorax: Brown thread
Legs: Squirrel dubbing

Tying Instructions:

Cover the hook shank with orange thread wrapping down the bend of the hook, building up a thicker area over the barb of the hook.

Tie in a piece of yellow floss at the bend of the hook and advance the thread to the eye, whip finish and cut off.

Attach brown thread at the hook eye

Dot the back of the fly with a black marker a few times

Advance the floss towards the eye in open spirals allowing the orange underbody to show through and tie off at the hook eye.

Dub a small about of squirrel fur on thread and create the flies legs by making several wraps, pulling the fibers down after each wrap

Create a neat thread head, whip finish and cut off thread.

Apply a small drop of clear cure goo to the top of the thorax and cure with a UV light to keep the fibers pointing downward

Once this pattern gets wet the colors will change closely resembling that of the natural insect.

This is my CE Crayfish (Close Enough) . The Crayfish below was about a size 8. When I design my flies I like to follow the K.I.S.S. rule (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Recipe:
Hook: Mustad 79580 or any Streamer Hook #2 - #12
Head: Dazl-Eyes 5/32" Black
Weight: .32 non-toxic Lead wire
Thread: 8/0 or 6/0 Black
Body: Scintilla Pale Olive Green #3 Dubbing
Claws: Olive Marabou
Rib:.32 gauge Green Parawire or any green wire

1. Mash down barb and and create two thread humps for the dumb bell eyes.

2. Secure your eyes with figure of eight and add your lead to hook shank.

3. Wrap your lead forward and secure with thread.

4. Tie in your green wire.

5. Tie in a dubbing ball at the bend.

6. Tie in a marabou tip to the far side of the hook.

7. Tie in a marabou tip to the near side of the hook.

8. Trim off the waist.

9. Dub in your body.

10. Advance the wire with open turns.

11. Whip finish and your done.