Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Brassies!!

Fishing tiny flies is a given when fly fishing. It never ceases to amaze me how small of a fly some fish are willing to go after. It doesn't seem like it would be worth their effort to eat such miniscule flies, especially when there are larger flies right on the water next to them! If it were me and there is a fun-size Snickers bar sitting right next to a little tiny sliver shaved off the corner of the same bar, I would try for the normal-size bar -- it would be much more satisfying and worth my effort to pick it up. On some rivers, the fish do not seem to think the same way. They prefer that tiny sliver of chocolate while the fun size bar floats right on past them. I don't get it, but it happens all the time. So when this happens we have to go small, and when I say small, I mean Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie. When you can fit a dozen flies on top of a dime, you know you are looking at some small flies. For some reason I got the itch to tie a few tiny Brassies. A simple, easy, but very effective midge pattern.

Earlier today I was talking with a friend about Wilco and I cannot think of a better band to listen to while tying up such tiny flies. I haven't listened to their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in a while. This album was my first introduction to Wilco and I have not looked back since. This is a very interesting album to say the least. I love how they intermixed the "radio" and "air wave" sounds throughout the album. You would have to listen to the album to understand what I am talking about, but it adds a very interesting element to each song.

#28 Brassie Close Up

One Dozen Brassies

Brassies

Hook: Mustad 3906 12-28

Thread: Uni 8/0 Black

Body: Copper Wire

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Gartside Sparrow and Son Volt

In the mood to tie something different today.  Lately all I have been tying is flies I will be using for Brooks, Browns and Rainbows.  But what about the Steelies and the Salmon runs we get here in MI?  It got me to thinking about some of the fun we used to have on the Pere Marquette river.  It seems that every fish I ever hooked was on the Gartside Sparrow.  A nice simple straight forward fly that catches fish.  I don't care if they think it is a nymph of a small bait fish, it simply works for me.

While I'm in the mood to tie something different how about a little different music?  Well I have been listening to a lot of Wilco lately but what about the other band that split off of Uncle Tupelo? If you have to ask the other band is Son Volt.  I'm not sure which band I like better.  I guess it depends if I am in the mood for a little Alt Country or some Mid-Tempo Rock.  Either way both bands are fantastic.  Tonight I felt like listening to Son Volt's Trace. In my opinion their best album hands down.  I find myself singing out loud throughout the album. Especially when "Tear Stained Eye" is on.  I just had to go back and play it again while typing this. What an amazing song!!

Well back to the tying. The Gartside Sparrow can be tied in any number of colors depending on you preference. First you will find the aftershaft feather needed for the head behind the pheasant rump feather needed for the collar.  Be careful when wrapping the aftershaft feather.  Believe me it it real easy to break this fragile feather.  Aside from that this is a very easy straight forward fly to tie.

Gartside Sparrow

Gartside Sparrow

Hook: Mustad 9671 #4-14

Thread: Uni 8/0 Color to match body of they fly

Tail: Marabou tied short approximately 1/4 of the shank length

Body: Rabbit and Antron Blend

Hackle: Pheasant rump hackle tied in as a collar, to extend at least to the tip of the tail.

Head: Pheasant aftershaft feather(s) wound around shank just in front of collar.

Wilco and the Spiders. March Brown Spider That Is.

Have you ever run across one of those albums that just really gets you going?  A couple weeks ago I ran across Wilco's Kicking Televison, Live in Chicago while playing on Spotify.  What a fantastic album! From beginning to end this album never disappoints. I really need to see them live. I have been a Wilco fan for a while and I cannot believe I missed there show here in Detroit last month. Oh well hopefully they will be back soon. Last night I planned on tying up some more soft hackles and ran across the pattern for the March Brown Spider and instantly I thought of this album. Of course I don't own it so I had to make room in the closet for my laptop so I can listen to Spotify just to listen to this album. I am so glad I did. I have to get this album. As a matter of fact I am listening to Spiders as I write this.

Well on to the March Brown Spider.  From what I have read this is a great searching pattern that imitates several different mayfly species. I know several spots where I think this fly will come in very handy this year.  There is one spot on the South Branch of the Au Sable that I have tied into a very large brown several times but was never able to land him.  While I know time has passed and he is long gone but this spot should always hold a large fish. A deep hole with an undercut bank and a tangle of old logs.  It couldn't be a better spot. Every time I tied into a fish there it was always on a sunken fly so this should do the trick. I just have to remember to use a heavier tippet this time.

March Brown Spider

March Brown Spider

Hook: Mustad 3906 #12-14

Thread: Uni 8/0 Orange

Hackle: Brown Partridge

Rib: Oval Gold Tinsel

Body: Hare's Mask Fur