Activity Meeting with Casting & Featured Tyer Spencer Vanderhoof

Hook: Tiemco 2302 #12 (DE, 2XL, Standard Wire, Slightly rounded shank)

Thread: Danville Yellow 3/0 Monochord

Body: Yellow Poly (Other colors Tim uses, Olive or Black)

Rib: Dark Ginger Hackle

Legs: Medium round rubber Centpede Legs (Speckled Yellow/Black/Red)

Down wing: Non-flaring deer hair

Top wing: Need compressible deer hair here.

I picked this fly with our summertime Montana bound members in mind. The club’s weeks out west can be prime terrestrial time. Why not a fly with a little Michigan flavor to trick those Lamar Valley Cutthroat?

It is only appropriate that when we return to our old stomping ground at Clarenceville that our first guest speaker will be a great friend of our club Jerry Reagan. The fly that I will demonstrate at our activity meeting was created by a longtime friend of Jerry’s, Tim Neal.

Tim, like Jerry grew up in Grayling. They have been longtime fishing friends and they both tie the classic flies of the Au Sable River valley. They even order their materials for their commercial tying together. Their flies are go-to flies throughout the fishing season and are sold in the fly shops of the area.

I think for your first attempt with this fly I can supply everything save your tying thread. As we have learned over the years of listening to guys like Jerry and Tim, and Chris Helm, all deer hair is not the same. I will have the appropriate deer hair with me for you to use.

A few years back Tim Neal started a YouTube site where he demos his flies. It is a great resource if you have an interest in Michigan patterns. It is called “Michigan’s Best Trout Flies.” This particular pattern’s video can be found here.

It isn’t really a difficult fly to tie, though getting the rubber legs out of your way while you are attaching that second wing can take a little practice. So, visit Tim’s videos and tie a few. If time permits perhaps we can sneak in a second fly?

See you all January 25th, 2023.

Spence