Saturday, December 24, 2022

Seasons Greetings!

 


Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from all of us at Mad River Outfitters.



We hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you all, and fishing with you all in 2023!

Thanks again for your support of a small, family owned business like Mad River Outfitters. We truly appreciate it.


Brian, Andy, Pat, Linda, Ryan, Katie, Paul, Dev, Ben, Steve, Sam, Patrick, Cristina, Roger, Judy, Josh, Bella and Rogue



Mad River Outfitters/Midwest Fly Fishing Schools/Ohio Fly Fishing Guides/Mad River Travel

833 Bethel Rd.

Columubs, Ohio 43221

www.madriveroutfitters.com

Friday, December 23, 2022

Friday Flies: Soft Hackle

Friday Flies: Soft Hackle



Soft Hackle tied by Ryan Ratliff

Soft hackles, swinging, and trout keep me mentally stable in the winter time.  I would love to be fishing for bass, but when the water temps drop into the 30’s this can be a lost cause.  My second love is the simple, methodical, and mentally relaxing act of swinging a fly.  Although we would all love to be fishing…shorter days and icy guides often lead me to more time sitting at the vise than standing in the river.  There is something about tying a simple soft hackle fly that I have always enjoyed.  I am not sure if it is the ability to replenish the box quickly or that it does not take much prep or thinking.  Maybe it is my admiration of classic looking flies also.  

Color has long been something that has intrigued my curiosity.  Light spectrums are way over my understanding, but it is hard to deny that fluorescent colors get the attention of Rainbows and anadromous fish.  I guess you could swing a bright colored egg, but that does not set well with the fly tyer in me.  Typical or classic soft hackles do not usually contain the bright colors to trigger the response that I am looking for from the fish.  Why not go beyond just adding a hot spot?  Why not add contrasting fluorescent colors to a classic pattern?  Take all of this into account and thus a colorful take on an old standby came to life.  Play around with different fluorescent materials and colors to give this pattern your own flair.  Let us know what you come up with and how it is fishing on your home waters!

Below is our step-by-step on how to tie the Soft Hackle pictured above. The full list of materials can be found below.

Step 1: Place the Daiichi 1530 size 6 in the vise.


Step 2: Start your chartreuse thread back on the bend of the hook and wrap forward to where the flat part of the shank starts.  Whip finish and cut thread.


Step 3: Coat chartreuse thread with a UV resin of your choice. Cure the resin making sure that it fully cures.


Step 4: Start Fl. Fire Orange thread where the chartreuse stops.  Wrap thread all the way up to the hook eye and back to the chartreuse thread.



Step 5: Tie in a strand of Saltwater Flashabou in Pearl.  Make sure to lay a smooth base of thread wraps forward almost to the hook eye. Place a half hitch on the hook and put the thread over the bobbin cradle.



Step 6: Wrap the Flashabou forward to the half hitch and tie off at that point.  


Step 7: Coat Flashabou evenly in UV resin. Cure UV resin thoroughly.



Step 8: Apply a thin noodle of dubbing to the thread. Wrap dubbing into a tight ball. Make sure to leave a hook eye length of space by the eye.




Step 9: Select, prep, and tie in a hen saddle feather of the appropriate size. Wrap feather forward with tight side by side wraps. Continue with wraps until the collar is slightly denser than a usual soft hackle. Tie feather off, whip finish, and trim thread.






Step 10: Apply Z-Ment and your done!



Friday, December 16, 2022

Friday Flies Monthly Giveaway

Friday Flies Monthly Giveaway



Tying season is here and we WANT to see what everyone is tying up! There is a strong fly tying community on Instagram and we thought organizing monthly giveaways would be a great way to stay connected. We hope these giveaways continue to grow the community and bring inspiration to your tying!

On the first Friday of the month, we will announce the giveaway prizes. You have until the last Monday of the month to submit the flies you tied during that time period. The winner will be announced on the last Friday of the month. Below are the rules and guidelines for the giveaway:
  1. Post your fly/flies (no limit to number of submissions)
  2. Tag us in your post (must be following our account)
  3. Use #mroflies
The shop crew will determine the winner each month. This month’s winner will be announced on Friday, December 30th.

This giveaway is open to fly tyers of all skill levels. Happy tying and have fun!

Follow us on Instagram for more updates!

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Staff Holiday Gear Gift Guide

MRO Staff Holiday Gear Gift Guide!



Well it’s that time of year again and Christmas is fast approaching. Shopping for the fly angler in your life can be a little overwhelming as there are so many different things to choose from. So to help give you some ideas, we asked everyone at the shop to name one of their favorite pieces of gear and how it helps them make the most of their time on the water. Here is what everyone came up with!

Pat: Fishpond Dakota Rod & Reel Case

For me, success on the water begins and ends with good organization. The Dakota Rod/Reel Case from Fishpond allows me to carry all the rods, reels, and spools I need. Whether guiding day to day or on a week long fishing excursion, this bag has been one of my most used and trusted pieces of gear for 15 years. I can’t imagine doing what I do without it! Check it out here.

Ryan: Tenkara USA Rhodo Rod

Some of my favorite places to fish are also not the easiest to get too. The Rhodo from the folks at Tenkara USA allows me to pack a rod into those hard to get to spots without worry. This rod is a ton of fun, whether targeting big panfish on flies or introducing a first timer to fly fishing. Check it out here.

Andy: Loon Trout Pliers

I chose the Loon Trout Pliers because they are small and well built. These pliers will cut small trout material as well as larger braid and bite tippet. The wide opening jaws make it easy to crimp barbs as well as some light rigging. The main selling point for me was the price, a great pair of pliers that don't break the bank. Check out the Loon Trout Pliers here.

Katie: FisheWear Kaleido King Dry Bag Backpack


The FisheWear Dry Bag Backpack is my go to whether I am personal fishing or guiding for Smallmouth. The straps on this pack are heavy duty and have a lot of padding. This helps for those long days walking the river chasing Smallmouth. When I am guiding out of my raft, it fits perfectly under my seat and holds the gear and fly boxes that I need for the day. It's a very functional bag, with the bonus of having a fun fish pattern! Check out the bag here.

Steve: Sage Spectrum LT


The Sage Spectrum LT is my reel of choice for any situation. This reel is amazingly durable because of its machined aluminum frame, so I have complete confidence in its performance for years to come. If you are looking for a workhorse reel with a fantastic design, look no further than the Sage Spectrum LT. Check it out here.

Paul: Echo Boost Fresh


The reason I picked the Echo Boost Fresh is because I have the capability of throwing smaller dry flies while also having the capability of fishing with larger terrestrials. I like a rod that can do several tasks on the water. Its overall look is amazing and you get a high performance rod without breaking the bank! Check out the Echo Boost Fresh here.

Ben: Fishpond Thunderhead Submersible Sling Pack


For me, the top priority when it comes to solo fishing trips is maximizing my mobility on the water as well as accessibility to all my gear. This pack is the best that I have used for both of those priorities. The Thunderhead Submersible Sling Pack has excellent capacity, is lightweight, and totally waterproof. This is THE bag for day trips. Check it out here.



The Simms Pro Nippers feel great in the hand, stay super sharp, have a magnetic fly threader and a built in split shot pincher. These are my most used piece of equipment on the water second only to my rod and reel. I just wish I got them sooner! Check it out here. 










Mad River Outfitters

833 Bethel Rd.

Columbus, Ohio 43214

614-451-0363

admin@madriveroutfitters.com

Friday, December 9, 2022

Friday Flies: Leggy Boi

"Leggy Boi" 


Big shout out and thank you to Mike Schultz and the crew at Schultz Outfitters for developing this pattern and continually pushing the boundaries of warmwater fishing and the patterns we use. 

The Leggy Boi can be tied in a limitless amount of color variations and color combos. Try not to get caught in the generic white colorway. Often times the more adventurous you get with different color combos, the more fun the outcome. With nearly endless colors available in feathers, brushes, props, and rubber legs, you are only limited by your imagination. 

Mike has a great video tutorial on his YouTube channel for this fly (as well as countless others that I highly recommend watching). It is full of great tips and tricks as it pertains to both how he ties and fishes this incredible fly. 

Below is our step-by-step on how to tie the Leggy Boi. The full list of materials can be found below.

1. Select one or two marabou plumes and tie off the back. Try to keep the length generous as you want this fly to move and swim as much as possible.


2. Take one full strand of legs and fold around thread creating a pair and tie in on either side of hook. Repeat on other side of hook.


3. Select two hen saddles near the top of the saddle where you will find the smaller feathers. Tie the feathers in and wrap up the remainder of the shank as you would on a Feather Changer (see Feather Changer tutorial video here) and tie off.


4. Insert second 15mm shank into your vise and tie in the prop material. Here we happen to be using the 1" Translucy Brush trimmed down slightly. Wrap the brush forward until you are a little past half way on the shank and tie off.


5. At this stage we will select two full length strands of rubber legs. Fold in half as we did previously and tie down. Repeat this step on the far side of the fly as well. 


6. Finish the remaining shank by selecting two more hen saddles and wrap forward to the eye. This time you want to make sure you grab feathers that are a little bigger than the previous pair as to begin building shape and taper to the fly.


7. Insert hook and attach the two shanks, either with a shank or by using articulation wire. 


8. Repeat the same steps as we did on the previous section. Tie in 1" Translucy Brush, wrap forward a little beyond half way and tie off. Trim down a little so that the prop is not at full length but bigger than the previous shank. After this tie in two legs folded in half on both the near and far side of the hook. 


9. Once the legs are tied in, you will select two more hen saddles, slightly larger than before. Tie in and wrap forward covering the remainder of the shank.


10. After the first hook is completed you will insert the 25mm shank into the vise and repeat the steps exactly as we did in previous sections. Only difference here is you will be building two stations on this shank instead of one. The prop on the first station will be the 1" Translucy Brush but left at full length. The second station you will switch to the 2" Translucy Brush but trimmed down to be a little longer than the previous station.


11. Insert the Ahrex SA280 hook and before attaching the previous section, slide the Slotted Tungsten Bead up onto the hook then proceed to attach the previous section. 


12. As we did on previous shanks, attach the 2" Translucy Brush and wrap 3/4 of the way up to the bead and tie off. Select three large hen saddles. If you do not have anything wide or big enough for the task, feel free to use bigger schlappen feathers as a substitute here. After this step you can go right to the EP Crustaceous Brush or add an accent color first, totally up to you.


13. Tie in the EP Crustaceous Brush and wrap forward all the way up to the eye of the hook. The amount of wraps and density is completely up to you and what you want out of the fly. Comb fibers out as much as possible. Begin to trim down and shape the head to your likening.  





Have any questions on tying this fly? Give us a call at 614-451-0363!