Mark
Dysinger
aka: Dble Haul - Maine
I suppose that I'm one
of the fortunate few who can honestly say that I've been fishing for as long as
I can remember. Growing up in the state of Maine
afforded me multiple opportunities to pursue many species of fish in fresh and
salt water. I'm told that my first fish was a catfish caught from a small pond
in New Hampshire, and that it scared the daylights out of me. Fortunately, the
experience didn't scar me enough to keep me from developing a great love for the
sport.
My fascination grew by leaps and bounds a few years later when I received a fly rod for my birthday. While most kids were playing kickball, I was busy trying to fool anything that swims into biting a fly. Although I did participate in baseball and basketball in the upcoming years, the die had already been cast. I continued to fish as often as possible. I still enjoy conventional fishing, but when conditions are right my preferred method of angling is with the fly rod.
I'll never cease to be amazed at the variety that the New England states have to offer in the way of angling opportunities. One could spend a few lifetimes sampling them. Although most of my years have been spent in Maine, I have also been fortunate enough to live and fish in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I have spent the past four years in Connecticut with my wife, and continue to be impressed by the fishing this state has to offer. The saltwater fishing in Long Island Sound is very reliable, and the proximity to the rocky coast of Rhode Island is appealing. The lakes, ponds, and rivers also provide nearly year-round action.
My favorite fish to chase are northern pike and smallmouth bass in freshwater,
and striped bass, bluefish, and hickory shad in saltwater. I also fish for
trout, panfish, and the like, but my love for the aforementioned species tends
to occupy most of my fishing time.
Tying flies keeps me sane, particularly during the colder months. My wife also likes to occasionally tie flies, which is a direct result of her relationship with me. She is turning into quite the angler herself, and sometimes I just like to sit back and watch her catch fish. It’s the least I can do, since she tolerates my obsession so well.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
Mustad 3366, size 2/0.
Thread: Red, 3/0.
Eyes: Dumbell Real Eyes.
Tail: Magnum zonker strip, white.
Collar: Alternating bands of white and red marabou.
Head: Thread with 5 minute epoxy, followed by Hard as Nails.
This is a wrinkle on John Barr's famous pike pattern, which is usually tied
without weight or with a bead head. It helps to reinforce the thread wraps
securing the zonker strip with Zap-a-Gap or equivalent. I tie these with only
three or four layers of marabou for the collar. Additional layers slow the
descent of the fly in the water (which sometimes isn't too bad a thing), but
they also tend to get snarled in pike teeth. I think that this is a case of less
being more.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook: Mustad 3366, size 2/0.
Thread: White, 3/0.
Tail support: Red bucktail.
Tail flash: Pearl Flashabou.
Tail: One pair red grizzly hackle over one pair white
hackle.
Cheeks: Red marabou.
Underwing: Red bucktail.
Wing flash: Pearl Flashabou.
Wing: White bucktail.
Overwing: Peacock swords.
Throat: Red over white marabou.
Eyes: Red 3D Prismatic.
Head: 5 minute epoxy followed by Hard as Nails.
This fly is tied with very full marabou cheeks to create more water movement
than a typical deceiver. This fly style is a staple in many saltwater boxes, and
has become a staple in my pike box as well in this color pattern.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
9034 saltwater or equivalent, size 2.
Thread: 3/0, chartruese.
Tail: Olive over sparse yellow bucktail.
Tail flash: Pearl Flashabou.
Body: Olive Ice Chenille.
Wing: Olive over yellow bucktail.
Wing flash: Pearl Flashabou.
Eyes: Red Mirage Eyes.
Head: Epoxy, Softex, or equivalent.
This fly slicks down really nice in the water, offering a nice baitfish profile. If the wing doesn't lay down enough in the water to conform to the desired profile, just trim the stiff barbs of ice chenille right behind the wing that support it. Various baitfish can be imitated by altering material colors.
Note: It is very difficult to capture the glimmer with a digital camera so this picture doesn't do it justice. It is an outstanding fly in real life.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
Mustad 3366, size 2/0.
Thread: Chartreuse, 3/0.
Inner tail: Chartreuse bucktail.
Tail flash: 6 strands each of peacock and copper Krystal flash.
Tail: Two pairs of hackle, one yellow and one grizzly chartreuse,
tied in with the dull sides to the outside; grizzly hackles furthest out.
Head/beak: Thread.
Eyes: 3D prismatic.
Head finish: 5 minute epoxy followed by Hard as Nails.
This fly is a tarpon style pattern tied in colors to match yellow perch, a
favorite food item for the pike in my neck of the woods. Although I haven't
fished it yet in other color combinations, I'm sure that they would work. The
splayed feathers move plenty of water and get attention.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
Mustad 3366, size 2/0.
Thread: 3/0, red.
Eyes: Dumbbell.
Tail guard: Wire loop.
Tail: Magnum zonker strip.
Underbody: Sparkle braid.
Head/Overbody: 5 minute epoxy followed by Hard as Nails.
This is a very durable and effective pike fly. I always use red thread when
tying this pattern because I believe that a little bit of red in pike flies goes
a long way. In addition, I always use pearl sparkle braid. After it’s tied in
and prior to epoxy application, I can color it with sharpies or highlighters to
match or contrast with the color of the zonker tail, or leave it as is to match
a white tail. Other effective colors are yellow and/or chartreuse.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
Dai-Riki #810 or equivalent, size 3/0.
Thread: Mono.
Belly: Larva Lace body material over flat tinsel.
Underwing: Super Hair.
Wing flash: Krystal Flash.
Wing: Super Hair.
Overwing: Icelandic sheep hair.
Eyes: Prismatic.
Head: 5 minute epoxy followed by Hard as Nails.
Note:
This a durable pike fly that performs well in shallow waters. The tying method
mimics that of the Prince of Tides (hence the name), a famous saltwater
pattern. Because it rides through the water with the hook point up, it’s a good
fly to fish in weedy areas.
It’s a good idea to keep a small comb handy when fishing this fly. The fibers
can become tangled after being taken by a fish, and a small comb brushes them
back into shape quite easily. In order to reduce fouling and tangles from
repeated casting, the pattern is not tied heavily.
Other effective color combos are red over yellow, red over white, chartreuse
over white, and blue over white.
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Tier: Mark Dysinger
Hook:
9034 saltwater or equivalent, size 4.
Thread: color to match pattern, here 6/0 rust.
Eyes: bead chain.
Antennae: Copper Krystal Flash and tan marabou.
Ribbing: Copper wire.
Body: Tan dubbing.
Shellback: Scud Back, orange.
Legs: Dubbing picked out with a bobbin.
This
shrimp pattern gets its name from the material that I use for the shell. Some
people use plastic baggies, but I use Scud Back, a pliable material made for
scud flies.
The only tricky part is attaching the scud back. It's tied in at the eye and
pulled down to the bend over the eyes, and then secured in place with the copper
wire. Wrapping the wire is the last thing that's done, securing it at the eye of
the hook with the thread that's there waiting for it.
Another color combo that works well with this is olive. And when the shrimp are
high in the water column or just in the surface film, the bead eyes can be
replaced with mono eyes like those used for damsel nymphs and the wire can be
replaced with 3/0 thread of the appropriate color.
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Be sure to visit our on-line store at
http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.