This pattern was inspired by an idea from my good friend and customer of more than 20 years, Judge Joe Craig of High Point, NC.  When it comes to a keen eye for details and the finer points of fly design, I can think of no one I know that is better at it than Joe.  As an experienced fly fisherman of probably more than 30 years, and someone who's fished all over, locally, regionally, and internationally, and over some of the world's most selective trout, Joe has some great ideas on emerger patterns.  Some of his ideas have profoundly influenced some of the patterns I have developed.  This fly imitates the 50/50 emerger /cripple trout so love.  I tie this in various recipes, and change the materials here and there to match certain insects, but the basic design is the same.  Recently on some of our May trips fishing the heavy South Holston Sulphur hatch this fly really shined.  We caught loads of fish on it.  It is a great early on in the hatch fly, and works well too when the fish get tough.  It represents a half hatched struggling dun that is having great difficulty completing its emergence.  It is simply deadly over rising fish, and particularly those flat water fish that seem to ignore and thwart our best efforts.   Click here for a step by step recipe for this pattern. 

  Tying Jeff's Bunny Dun

I have always been intrigued by certain types of materials and how sometimes a very unusual material can make for some very effective fly patterns.  Such is the case with snowshoe rabbit.  The texture of the hair, the translucence of it, and the floatability all make it a great fly tying material.  This fly is an imitation of a hatched dun still trailing its nymphal shuck, and is an alternative to the effective coastal deer winged flies like the Comparadun and Sparkle Dun.  Those are great flies too, this one is as well.  Plus, it is one of the most visible patterns you can fish.  A great fly on tough tailwater fish as well as small stream fly, in the late spring through mid summer time period this fly can serve double duty on both types of streams.  Click here for a step by step recipe for this pattern.

  Tying Jeff's Biot Body Sulphur Spinner

This fly represents a fully spent spinner.  Incorporating a long, wispy tail, ultra thin biot abdomen, clear wings, and a compact yet robust thorax - -it is an anatomically correct rendition of the ephemerella invaria (sulphur) mayfly spinner.  This pattern is more of a tailwater specific, designed for early to the end of the spinner fall when feeding activity is concentrated heavily into a 20-30 minute period when the flies are coming down.  This  is a great "morning after fly" also, and can be effectively used on bank feeders that are picking up scraps on the edges after a heavy spinner fall the evening before.   Click here for a step by step recipe for this pattern.

  Tying Jeff's Hot Wire/Live Wire Prince Nymph

This fly is a modern rendition of a long time favorite of many anglers.  It is a durable, fast sinking version of one of fly fishing's most popular nymph patterns, the Prince Nymph.  It has a goose biot tail, a double wire body for durability and variegation, a breathing throat hackle, two white biot wings (excellent attraction characteristics), and an Angora dubbing collar.  The bead head gives shine and weight.  Click here  to go to a step by step recipe for this pattern. 

  Tying the Copperhead Streamer

Occasionally there's a fly that can cross over three different areas of fly fishing- - coldwater (trout, salmonids), warmwater (bass, panfish, etc.), and saltwater- - - and
be just as effective in one as another.   Another great fly that is a good crossover fly is a fly called a "Copperhead", designed originally by South Carolina's Randy Hamilton, and used for chasing low water redfish in the SC low country.  It has
been effectively used all over fresh  and saltwater, and has even caught open ocean/pelagics like king and spanish mackerel, and the great false albacore or fat albert.   A great summertime "thunderstorm fly", one to use when the slight runoff from a thunderstorm stains the water slightly.  Effective on brown trout and smallmouth bass, it can be effective in a variety of sizes and colors.   Click here to go to a step by step recipe for this pattern. 

 The Magic Rattle Minnow

 This fly pattern is a hybrid for sure, incorporating a suede tail from Marc Petitjean (France) Fly Fishing, a rattle in the body (for noise, great for low light and murky, deep water), lead eyes, and a chenille body.  It bears resemblance to the ever popular CK Baitfish developed by VA smallmouth guru Chuck Kraft, a fly that for years has been a  reliable fish catcher.  It has a soft chenille body so the fish hold on to it, and the lead eyes at the front give it a dipping, darting action much like Bob Clouser's Deep Minnow.  This fly is effective for any fish that eats baitfish- -which is most fish of course!  Click here  to go to a step by step recipe for this pattern (go to bottom of page you are directed to).

 BONUS PATTERN  - The Meloche by Dan Bailey

A great but little known summer dry fly pattern, devised originally by the late Dan Bailey of the famous Dan Bailey's Fly Shop in Livingston, Montana.  Dan was in the shop one afternoon when good customer Gilbert Meloche came in with a natural mayfly that the fish were feeding on and that he did not have a match for.  Dan whipped up the concoction, gave it to Gilbert, and Gilbert caught the large 4 1/2pound 20 plus inch brown trout that had all afternoon eluded his best efforts.  It is an excellent summer fly here, imitating many sulphurs, sulphur spinners, and light cahills.  A great fly for the last two hours of daylight on a hot summer day.  To download a printable PDF recipe  click  here .

Anthony's new website Hipps Flies should be up and running in the coming weeks,

on it you will find more info about Anthony's flies and unique tying recipes.

Many of Anthony's flies have appeared in Fly Tyer magazine in

2007 and 2008, and he is currently working on a new

article on soft body divers which will be out

really soon....stay tuned!

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