Tying Tuesday: Surface, Film, and Open Water

This week’s Tying Tuesday is a water-column master class: four patterns that collectively cover every feeding lane from the surface film to open water, giving you a complete toolkit as hatches begin to fire and predatory fish start pushing into the shallows.

We start at the top with the Dyret, a buoyant Norwegian attractor tied with yearling deer hair that rides high in fast water and draws aggressive strikes when the fish are looking up. Just below the surface, René Harrop’s CDC Spent Midge handles the demanding end of the spectrum—a delicate, minimalist pattern tied on midge hooks that nails selective trout during technical spinner and spent-midge falls on tailwaters and spring creeks. Bridging the gap between surface and mid-column is the Bow Tie Raccoon, an emerger built around raccoon underfur dubbing and a distinctive poly yarn wing that mimics a struggling insect halfway through its escape from the shuck. And for tyers ready to go big, the Andino Trout Deceiver brings a classic saltwater silhouette to freshwater—hollow-tied bucktail, grizzly saddle hackles, and layered Laser Dub create a predatory profile that moves serious water and turns heads on large trout and bass alike.

Dyret
Hook: Ahrex FW500 Dry Fly Hook, sizes 10-14
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 12/0, brown
Tail/Wing: Yearling deer hair, natural
Body: Hare’s ear or squirrel dubbing, natural brown
Hackle: Brown rooster cape

Harrop’s CDC Spent Midge
Hook: Tiemco 101 or 2487, sizes 18-24
Thread: Uni-Thread 12/0 or 8/0, olive or black
Tail/Shuck: Zelon, amber or olive
Body: Stripped peacock quill or fine thread
Wing: Natural dun CDC feathers (2)
Thorax: Fine dry fly dubbing, to match body

Bow Tie Raccoon
Hook: Scud or emerger hook (e.g., Daiichi 1130), sizes 16-20
Thread: Black 8/0 or 70 denier
Trailing Shuck: Amber Zelon or Antron yarn
Body: Raccoon underfur dubbing
Wing: White polypropylene yarn
Thorax: Peacock herl

Andino Trout Deceiver
Hook: Ahrex PR320, size 1/0
Thread: Veevus 140 Power Thread, olive
Tail: Select bucktail, white
Flash: Flashabou, pearl
Hackle: Grizzly saddle hackle, natural
Body/Head: Senyo’s Laser Dub, cream and olive
Accent: Peacock herl
Eyes: 6mm Living Eyes, ice
Finish: Loon UV Clear Finish