Rainy's CF Baitfish - The New Woolly Bugger?

OK, so maybe that's a stretch, but we all know that the woolly bugger has been used to catch just about everything in just about every type of water, it is without a doubt, the most versatile fly in the box. A relative newcomer to the scene, the CF Baitfish from Rainy's has to be considered one of the most versatile baitfish patterns out there. Outside of catching panfish or small trout like on a woolly bugger the CF Baitfish is proving its ability to catch just about anything, anytime, anywhere! Large trout, bass, steelhead on the swing, and early season salmon have all fallen to the CF (CF stands for Craft Fur). It has become a "go to" pike pattern. Fishing the Great Lakes surf and river mouths with the CF Baitfish is very effective for lake trout, browns, and steelhead. In the salt, it will catch just about anything that eats little fish (which of course, is just about everything). One of the keys to its effectiveness is the soft, easy moving craft fur body, it's very lifelike. Another attractive feature is that there is a ultra fine flash material mixed in with the craft fur that gives the fly just enough sparkle. Although it it super soft, it still maintains a nice fishy profile in the water. Being synthetic, it doesn't suck up and hold a ton of water either so it is easy to cast all day long. Another great aspect of the fly is the fact that it is tied in so many different colors, so whatever the species or water conditions, the CF Baitfish comes in a color that will work. Some color options include: rainbow trout, chartruse/white, gray/white, perch, olive/white, and more. At The Northern Angler, we stock more colors than anyone that I've found (yet), check 'em out!

Thanks,
The Northern Angler

The Northern Angler Featured Fly 3-9-09

We are going to feature one of our better selling streamers this time around, Clarke's Rat.

It is definitely not a streamer for the faint of heart, at nearly 5" long and with a conehead that could be used as a weapon in the wrong hands it is a monster fly for big trout, pike, and bass. It gets down, has nice motion with the two rabbit strips, and some good flash without overdoing it. It can be very easily tied in countless color combinations to suit conditions/preferences too. Over the years we have had numerous requests for the cones (they are much bigger than the standard conehead) and we now have them in stock in the shop. They are called cross-eyed cones and in addition to coming in an extra large size, they come with circles drilled out on the sides to put stick on eyes into for a really sweet look. So here it is:

Hook: TMC 8089 #2
Tail: Two magnum rabbit strips in contrasting colors
Body: Medium Pearl Chenille
Wing: Flashabou (a dozen or so strands)
Head: Cross-eyed cone in extra large size with stick on eyes (3.5mm) to fit

1. Thread cone onto the hook
2. Tie in rabbit strips at bend and leave approx 2 1/2-3" long tail
3. The bottom strip can be cut off, the top strip needs to have 1" left to pull over the top
4. Tie in pearl chenille
5. Take thread forward and then wrap chenille forward and tie off but leave enough of a tag for a couple of wraps for a collar.
6. Pull remaining piece of top rabbit strip over the top of the fly and tie off.
7. Tie in flashabou.
8. Finish the fly by wrapping remaining chenille around behind the cone and tie off.

There it is, Clarke's Rat. Make sure to watch your backcast!

The Northern Angler

The Northern Angler Featured Fly 2-24-09

This week's Saturday Fly Tying Class at The Northern Angler is on Hex flies so we are featuring Mercer’s Poxy Back Hex Emerger.







Hook: TMC 200R #6
Tail: Gray Ostrich
Shuck: Gray “Fluff” found on base of Hackles
Brown Z-Lon
Pearl Wing N’ Flash
Body: Turkey Biot
Gills: Same as Shuck
Wingcase:Treated Turkey Tail
Wingcase Finish: 5-minute Epoxy
Legs: Hen Saddle
Thorax: Dubbing to match biot color. Ice dub preferred.
Hackle: Rooster Hackle
Wing: Yellow Deer Hair
Post: Yellow Foam


1. Tie in Ostrich at tail so it is one hook gape in length.
2. Tie in Gray Fluff from the base of a hackle feather
3. Tie in Z-lon and Wing N‘ Flash
4. Tie in Turkey Biot by tip with notch facing forward and wrap half way up hook, tie off.
5. Tie in gills
6. Tie in wing case. Dub thorax and tie in legs “V”-style and pull wing case over. Tie off.
7. Tie in small strip of foam so it goes forward and over the hook eye.
8. Tie in Hackle and a stacked/evened pinch of deer hair with tips extending over and beyond foam Tips should extend two hook gapes in length beyond hook eye/
9. Advance thread wraps over deer hair to just behind hook eye, then wrap nice heavy hackle to thread and tie off, whip finish.
10.Cut foam about an 1/8” beyond hook eye.
11. Put enough epoxy on wingcase to cover.
12. Depending on color of biot used for the body, it is optional to mark the quill with a marker to achieve a mottled look.

Not brave/crazy enough to tackle this one? They are available online at the Northern Angler's website or at the shop.

Thanks,
The Northern Angler

The Northern Angler Featured Fly 2-17-09

I hope to make this a regular post (every 10 days or so) featuring a different fly with full recipe and tying instructions. This week at The Northern Angler, our Saturday tying class is on terrestrials so we are featuring a very effective hopper pattern, the Kingfisher Red Legged Hopper. The foam body keeps it floating high and the parachute post makes it very easy to see and track in the water.

Hook: TMC 5212 4-10
Body: Foam - Tan or Khaki
Underwing: Z-Lon
Wing: Web Wing
Legs: Red/Black Rubber Legs
Hackle: Grizzly
Post: Hi-Vis - white


1.Cut strip of foam for body and push hook through foam with some foam extending behind the hook and majority of it under and in front of the hook.
2. Wrap thread base along shank and take thread back to above hook barb.Pull Foam up and tie in foam creating a segmented body.
3. Advance thread along shank (not along foam)and then tie foam down again creating a even segmented body. Repeat this process
4. Before tying foam off, tie in a underwing on top of the hook so it extends backward about the same length as the foam.
5. Tie in web wing so it lays in flat above underwing.
6. Tie in Parachute Post, then hackle.
7. Tie an overhand knot in rubber legs and tie them along each side of fly and just behind the parachute forming an “x”
8. Wrap hackle around parachute post and tie off.
9. Bring foam body under body to just behind eye and tie off, whip finish.

There it is! Not up for tying it or need a pattern? We have it available for sale at The Northern Angler online store or in the shop.

Thanks and happy tying.
The Northern Angler