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The most recent and requested articles at Fly Fishers' Republic (*). If you're after something different, try the main site navigation, or use the dedicated search facility:

Black and Peacock Spider Peacock herl body: * A simple tying step-by-step from the editor, with sequences for both left-handed and right-handed tyers. How to build a robust and consistent peacock herl body for classic patterns both old and new. For a solid Coachman, Diawl Bach, Red Tag and more... read on »
Beautiful New Zealand Rainbow. New Zealand Lake Runners: * As the first showers send a good flush of fresh water down New Zealand lake feeder streams the resident brown and rainbow trout start their spawning migrations. When many anglers are gearing down for winter this is just the time to seize on a prime opportunity... more »
Muddled perch Muddled Perch: * A baitfish pattern developed specially for still water trout. With a nod to saltwater traditions and bass fly tying. This page includes step-by-step tying sequences for both left-handed and right-handed tyers. With notes on how to fish, tying variations... read more »
A Patagonian landscape Chile on the cheap: * You don't have to sell an arm and a leg to make a destination like Chile. Norm Crisp, a guide who suffers no fools, offers here the distilled facts on affordable fishing Patagonia. Pampas rivers, mountain streams, fish, flies, transport and accomodation. It's all here... read more »
Net spinning caddis larva. Caddisflies: * The free-living caddis belong to the genus Rhyacophila of the family Rhyacophilidae. They are mostly green in colour, though some are brown or grey, and generally between 6 and 18mm in length. There are several fly patterns dressed to imitate this group. Often fished in the Czech nymph style more »
Elk Hair Caddis fly pattern palmer hackling Tying the Elk Hair Caddis: Al Troth's Elk Hair Caddis first hit the scene in 1978. Now one of the most popular dry flies in the world, alongside patterns like the Adams and the Wulff, this pattern is found in most fly boxes. Follow this step-by-step guide to dressing your own Elk Hair Caddis more »
Redington CPX Zip-front wader detail. CPX Zip-front Wader: Redington bring a new and contemporary styled zip-front breathable wader to a competitive market. Taking a serious shot at the mid market, will they hit the spot? Site editor, Raif Killips, has tried and tested Redington's new offering and reports his findings in this review »
Dick Nelson's Aztec fly in steelhead red and white. Dick Nelson's Aztec: One of the first all man-made material patterns, Dick Nelson's matuka style streamer was designed to maintain its profile in the water while incorporating life like action as it's fished. This durable pattern is the precursor to todays classics like Enrico Puglesi's baitfish... more »
Matthew Crampton with a fine South Uist trout. Losing It: No fish were making their presence known on the loch, certainly not near my fly, and I sensed nothing to support Billy's claim of big fish. But then again, you seldom see Uist fish before catching them. And then, quite out of the blue, I hooked the largest trout I'd ever seen alive... read this tale »
A bronze scaled common carp. Fly fishing for carp: They eat the same stuff as other fish do, including mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, minnows, tadpoles, small frogs, crayfish... carp will hit all parts of an aquatic insect's life cycle... Ian Colin James looks at the no-chumming approach to carp on the fly. more »
Brian Chan with a nice rainbow trout. Chironomid Tactics: From the master of stillwaters, Brian Chan, an excellent guide to fishing midge pupa imitations for trout. Outlining hatches, fishing techniques, fly selection and essential knots like the duncan loop and the non-slip loop knot. You'll find a number of useful links and references more »
Tim Holschlag with a nice fall smallmouth bass. Super-Sized Smallies: An article by Tim Holschlag. "I was only ten and the fish barely 10 inches ....that little smallmouth bass was great, but when I started catching bigger ones I was stunned. Such spectacular jumps, such incredible power and stamina". From the writer of Smallmouth Fly Fishing... more »
Charles Rangeley-Wilson releases a bonefish. Bonefish: a fishing odyssey: "Bonefish country is like a drug for me now", confides Charles to camera, and it's easy to see why. Grittily far from lifestylish tourist resorts, the reflective, opalescent beauty of evening on Eleuthera is enough to make me want to pack my own bags right away... more »
Angler in action on the stream. Dry Fly Tips: Angling writer and professional guide Norm Crisp offers some insight to the ways of the dry fly. Perhaps most useful for people new to fishing the dry fly there are nonetheless tips that serve those more established in the art. Presentation techniques, gear setup are just a couple of topics here... more »
William Joseph Equinox sling-pack. William Joseph Equinox: Gear like this produces love at first sight but is there any longevity in the relationship. There's no mistaking the beauty and craftsmanship bound up in the Equinox, but is this the whole package? Theo Pike pours it out in this essential review... more »
Frame from the Mojo cartoon. Mojo's Big Catch: 'As I entered my teenage years, the desire to catch fish was replaced by the desire to catch girls, girls being (theoretically) warmer to the touch, and able to walk on land. Though my goals were quite different, I was still able to apply a lot of those same fishing principles'... more »
The monomaster waste mono storage device. Monomaster: Could this be the answer to our woes? Endorsed by the Federation of Fly Fishers and stocked by Orvis, this has got to be a worthwhile addition to our kit. Fly Fishers' Republic got hold of a Monomaster and report their findings in this review. In short, we think you'll like it... more »
A fine cutthroat trout. Cutthroat Slam: 'While having a relatively wide distribution in Utah, the Bear River Cuttthroat's range in Wyoming is restricted, making this subspecies probably the most difficult in the Wyoming Cutt Slam.' Read Norm Crisp's account of the Wyoming Cutthroat Slam... more »
Overboard Backpack OverBoard Backpack: Fully loaded the pack remains comfortable throughout the day. Heavy rain and gear grinding sands are kept at bay. And if you should be so unlucky as to take an unplanned dip you can be assured your gear will remain safe and dry more »
Antron body and CDC winged emerger pattern. Mayfly Emerger: Hatches of the largest mayflies come and go in just a few weeks. To make the most of your opportunities in a hex or drake hatch make sure to include an emerger pattern in your box. Having proved successful over a number of seasons you'd be mad to hit the water without this one more »
Hawthorn fly on tree blossom Hawthorn Flies: The Hawthorn fly is one of the first terrestrials of the year to feature on the trout's menu. From the archives, an article by Today's Flyfisher [Total Flyfisher] founding editor, Andy Petherick, takes a look at how to make the most of a Hawthorn hatch. Techniques, tackle and flies more »
Deep emerald green rod blank of the Snowbee Diamond. Snowbee Diamond: In fact, from dredging heavy bugs, to hefting big mayfly patterns across wide reaches of the Salisbury Avon, and floating little spiders way out onto the mirrored surface of a Scottish upland lochan, the Diamond stealthily turned itself into my go-to rod for the 2008 season... more »
Antron body and CDC winged emerger pattern. Wiggle It!: Andy Petherick looks at deceiving the more wily fish during 'Duffer's Fortnight'. Concentrating on presentation, his focus falls squarely on leader construction. Read how he conquers turning over those big bushy patterns at long range using 12 and 15 foot leaders more »
Thorax dun fly pattern. Thorax Dun: The contemporary dressing of a famous fly originated by Vincent Marinaro. With recipe and step-by-step tying sequence in both left and right hand tying versions. Just follow the page links for each version and click the small images for close-up detail... more »
Trout Fry in bowl. Trout in the Classroom: Ideally, the mother and father of your eggs will have been chosen to represent a good genetic fit for the river where they'll eventually end up. The Wandle Trust's eggs come from Sparsholt College in Hampshire, which is located on a sufficiently similar southern chalkstream... more »
The editor with a fry feeding Rutland rainbow trout. Trout, Fry, & Stillwater: Shoals of young fish attract the attention of many a monster. That's why fry feeding fish can be intercepted right in close to the shoreline. So don't just march straight up to the water's edge. Consider your patterns and tactics carefully, and make your first casts right in the margins... more »
Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail Nymph. Classic Nymphs: The patterns section now includes two modern classics, the Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph and the Pheasant Tail Nymph. Features include recipes and step-by-step tying instructions. The tying sequences include high resolution macro photography... more »
Klinkhamer Special fly pattern with polpropylene wing post. Klinkhåmer Special: From the pattern index, one of the most successful patterns around today. It was designed and first tied by Hans van Klinken in 1984. The L T Caddis however, was given the now recognised name 'Klinkhåmer Special' by Klinken's colleague Hans de Groot. A great emerging caddis... more »
Tying the booby Buoyant Eyes: An illustrated guide to the modern and fastest technique for tying buoyant booby eyes. Using plugs of closed cell foam to dress a range of modern classics, including versions of the Minkie, Viva, Woolly Bugger, and Sparkler. Bringing durability to Frazer's original pattern... more »
Phil Rowley's bead head Chromie deep chironomid pattern Chromie: Phil Rowley, fishing companion to Brian Chan, is one of North America's leading stillwater protagonists. He has written extensively on the subject and has designed many new fly patterns. Learn to tie one of his most successful flies with this step-by-step guide more »
Redington Waders. Chena wader & boots: Sue Macniven has been testing out the new women's chena river waders and boots from Redington. After a cold winter with rivers running high, Sue took some time out her guiding schedule to record her thoughts on these light weight breathables... more »
Tying a feather slip wing. Feather-slip wings: Used for tails and wings on patterns including the Butcher, Muddler Minnow, and March Brown. Paired feathers come from various birds including, turkey, mallard, starling, grouse to name a few. The following illustrated guide will work for wings or tails... more »
Sage VT2 Review: Tony Edwards considers the Sage 590-4 VT2 excellent for river fishing. With short crisp strokes it delivers great accuracy. It's a dream to roll cast, delivering twenty yards plus with ease. In able hands the rods power and backbone make light work of dispensing the full line... more »
Good Friends: That prolific angling writer and carp angler, Richard Walker, once announced that the friends he fished with were at least as important as the fish he caught. While I wouldn't quite go that far, I would claim that they are vitally important on a slow day! more »
Redington Waders Review: Thirty guides in Alaska were enlisted to help develop and test these new waders. Only when the guides were satisfied did Redington offer the waders for retail. Bearing in mind how demanding guides are of their equipment, you can be sure the waders will stand the test of time. more »
Partridge & Orange: This is one of the most popular and well known of all the north country spider patterns. Fished by anglers like Thomas Evan Pritt from the North Country School. Not always presented in using traditional techniques the P&O is great in an October Caddis hatch... more »