 | Flycraft Fullback
Fly fishers worldwide have favored searching or “go to” patterns. In England it might be the Diawl Bach for many in North America a Hare’s Ear Nymph could be the pattern of choice. When fishing is tough or there is little in the way of a hatch to focus feeding trout generic suggestive patterns work best.
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 | Believing What You See
Too often fly fishers wait until the undeniable tug that signals a fish. However, many times trout leisurely inhale the fly as they do the natural food source leaving the angler with only visible clues to signal the strike.
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| Paint Brush Collars
With the proliferation of detailed get up off the table and walk fly patterns the suggestive patterns appear to have fallen out of the limelight. Yet when it comes to hooking fish there is little doubt that suggestive patterns coupled with proper presentation techniques remain a lethal combination.
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 | The Popsicle Leech
John knotted on a pattern first shown to him by Cariboo Fly and Tackle’s Jason Brautigam the Popsicle Leech. During previous trips to Quesnel Lake Jason had experienced fantastic fishing using this pattern.
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 | Non-Slip Loop Knots
For the majority of my presentations I favor the Non-Slip Loop knot. Unlike other loop knots such as the Duncan Loop the Non-Slip Loop knot does not close tight when a fish strikes.
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| Synthetics for Chironomids
By Brian Chan
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 | Quick Release Indicators
Duping challenging fish is one the most rewarding tests in fly fishing. There are times however when even a creeping slug paced retrieve is too fast.
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 | Choosing Chironomids
Figuring out exactly what pattern to tie onto the leader is one of the constant challenges facing fly fishers. For the stillwater angler chironomid pupa take this challenge to new heights.
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 | Weighted or Not?
The first argument might be a focus upon organization by placing weighted flies in their own fly box but this has been a personal demon for years.
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 | Foam Sprawler
Foam Sprawler. Commonly referred to as “sprawlers” these spider like nymphs are ambush feeders and prefer to lay in wait amongst the bottom vegetation and debris. Chara beds are favorite haunts.
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| Working With Frostbite
Without a doubt the most frequent line of questioning I receive surrounds Midge Braid and Frostbite. Where to get it and how to use it?
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 | The Herl May
This fly includes video step by step tying instructions for Fly Craft Angling members.
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| The Road Not Taken Part 3: Streamer Philosophy
by Robert J. Matheson
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| Knotted Pheasant Tail Legs
Fly fishers have always been attracted to lifelike get off the table and walk patterns. It seems if a pattern has legs, eyes and other realistic features it has to fish well. While this is not always the case patterns appealing to the fly fishers natural sense of order inspire confidence.
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 | Large Hooks Small Flies
The late Gary LaFontaine once told me that trout are instinctively conditioned to look for traits and characteristics that suggest food. This wisdom from Gary made sense to me for if trout looked for negative cues our hooks would never pass muster.
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| The Road Not Taken Part 2: Reading the Water
by Robert J. Matheson
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 | The Bead Worm
A simple but deadly pattern for imitating chironomid larva or bloodworm as they are referred to by many. Works well throughout the season, especially during the summer months in deeper water.
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| Doubling Materials
One of the challenges with writing “how to” articles and books is articulating what is clear in my mind but perhaps not so clear in the mind of the reader. This became painfully apparent when describing the various tying steps in my book, Fly Patterns for Stillwaters.
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 | Theory of Attraction
As most of us are painfully aware trout do not feed all of the time. Some might argue that they never seem to feed when they are on the water!
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 | Indicator Colors
Despite the protests of some strike indicators are a key component within many fly fishers kit bags or vests. During the early season pre turnover fishery when trout are trapped in shallow water due to winter stratification strike indicators are critical to success.
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| The Road Not Taken Part I: Introduction
by Robert J. Matheson
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 | Basic Nymphing
The solution is simple, if the trout won’t come up to eat, go down and get them by bouncing nymphs on or near the bottom.
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 | The Alberta Stone
VIDEO STEP BY STEP...There are times when the "matching the hatch" philosophy is not working or perhaps even not recommended.
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| Maximize Your Effort
For many fly fishers winter is a time to reflect on the past season while trying to turn dreams into future plans for next year.
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 | Turkey Quill Callibaetis
Callibaetis nymphs are slender almost anorexic in appearance and patterns designed to imitate them need to be too.
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 | Frostbite Bloodworm
Larval or bloodworm patterns are an important stillwater staple and tend to be ignored by many fly fishers
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 | Collaborator (Clear Water Style)
The Collaborator traces its roots to a creative tying session between friends amongst the breakfast dishes on White Lake near the town of Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
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 | Chromie
Perhaps the most important feature of a chironomid pupa is the radiant glimmer caused by the trapped air and gases the pupa uses to aid their pupal ascent and emergence process.
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 | Water Floatman
After the first frosts off the fall fly fishers can expect the first boatman falls of the season.
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 | Rabbit Damsel
Amongst many stillwater fly fishers damsel nymph patterns are the starting point to a day’s fly-fishing.
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 | Pearl Shrimp
Scuds are arguably the number one food source for trout in productive stillwaters through out the entire year and can be considered the premier stillwater staple.
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 | Draggin
All dragon fly nymphs have the ability to absorb water and eject it in afterburner type fashion out of their posterior.
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 | Worth Their Weight
It’s early July and for many lower mainland fly fishers it is time to exorcise the dry fly demons that have accumulated since this time last season.
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 | Early Season Fly Strategies
It’s always darkest before the dawn, at least that’s the way it seems as a new stillwater season approaches.
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 | Early Season Bomber
Typical size ranges run from 3/8ths of an inch to an inch. The pupae and adults from the larger species have been christened "bombers" by local anglers.
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 | Fly Patterns for Clarity
Unencumbered by currents, suspended matter and debris stillwater trout inspect patterns with ruthless scrutiny.
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 | Wind: Friend or Foe?
Granted, strong wind is unwelcome even unsafe but in most circumstances wind is an appreciated visitor to the seasoned stillwater angler.
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 | It’s Just a Little Algae!
Algae is one of a number of key cover components for stillwater trout.
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 | Dealing with Change
Fishing deteriorates and the plucks and grabs to the fly cease. How can anglers cope with this change?
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 | Getting the Drop
Fly fishers visiting a lake for the first time wonder where they should start. Where are the most likely interception points for a close encounter of a trout kind?
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 | Firmly Planted
Fly anglers must have total control over how their offering appears to the trout. This means fishing from a firmly anchored platform be it boat, float tube or pontoon boat.
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 | Don't Forget the Little Guys
It was bound to happen sooner or later and it did, lack of attention to my fly box finally caught up with me earlier this spring.
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 | Aftershaft Leech
Despite their near blindness state leeches are confident swimmers moving through the water in a ribbon like manner.
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