Dear topwater anglers…We have much to write about this time as I have been postponing the newsletter due to repetitive strain injuries in my hands and arms. Luckily it has not kept me from fishing or engineering in the fly-tying department.  and we are sure you will like some of the flies and ideas we have for you this time.
Tight lines from us at Fishmadman – Jesper & Per

Newsletter this time

• A great riffling hitch fly pattern – the Hitchman Series
• The birth success of a tube caddisfly imitation for steelhead
• Tiny hitch/tube flies and how to set them up
• Rescue & reuse …we will redo your favourite fly
• One neat foam caddisfly imitation from Finland
• Best wishes for season 2020 – with a small quest

Over the + 40 years I have tied flies for salmon fishing, I have only made one or two flies that I would call unique – so it is with joy and a sense of achievement that we now can disclose a new series of riffling hitch tube flies that fits the bill as a fantastic fly.

Here is one of many summer salmon that fancied the Hitchman fly

What’s the point of such a small tube fly?

In the description above, we feature a tiny hitch tube fly with a length of 1 centimetre or 0.39 inches tied on a thin 1.1-millimetre tubing. It is a tiny salmon fly, and anglers not acquainted with tube flies for their surface fishing would wonder if a similar small fly tied on a single hook would not be a better solution. Why do these intricate ways of the tube fly, you may ask? – There are many answers to this question, and one answer is that such a tiny tube fly works in ways differently than a similar fly tied on a single or double hook, and in that way, it is interesting. The skittering and unpredictable behaviours of such a light tube fly are significant, both under and on the surface, and such small tube flies can make a dull and uninteresting warm summer’s day into a great sporting event…

Read much more about how to prepare for catching big fish on small tube flies here

Riffling hitch anglers benefit from some consistency in the flies ability to stay on the surface  – and at the same time we want a fly that looks lively at the end of the leader – so obviously we can’t solely focus on the hitch fly´s ability to stay on the surface – we must compromise.

Fine details could be; make or break, and I could illustrate this by comparing the art of Riffling Hitch fly design with that of building miniature boats or aeroplanes… Make a minor alteration to your design – and it could have a big impact on the ability and potential of your construction…

We can’t solely focus on the hitch fly´s ability to stay on the surface – we must compromise.

To move unpredictably is a hallmark of superior lures

One specific riffling hitch fly can be particularly good compared to other seemingly identical riffling hitch flies

It may sound like a bunch of hocus-pocus and mumbo jumbo, but the fact is that Atlantic salmon is the final judge, and they seem to pay a lot of attention to details in RH flies – and probably also in many other artificial flies for that matter

Atlantic salmon will be the final judge and they seem to pay a lot of attention to details in RH flies. Riffling hitch is one of the diseplines in salmon fishing where the questions about flies and fishing – expose the fact that we know just about nothing when it comes details in salmon flies.

The V-FLY is one of the most simple and yet effective riffling hitch fly patterns you can get. Used by 100´s anglers every season it consistently produces fish on the bank – You will be surprised to see how this seemingly neutral pattern will bring fish to the surface

If you follow our outlining on this specific pattern closely – You will get one of the best salmon Riffling Hitch flies you can carry in your box.
The V-Fly ™ that you find tying instructions for below is cut into proportion to make a fly with all the right abilities.

The position of the hole for insertion of the leader makes this fly equally good from both banks. The dimension of the tube causes the Riffling Hitch fly to leave a delicate and highly attractive wake behind.
Construction of the V-shaped wing and the soft squirrel hair will work wonders on difficult fish.
The inner diameter of the tube supports the hook, thus allowing you to leave the hook in your favoured position – Using a single double or treble hook.

The perfect tube! – Low-memory tubing

The tube that we use for our riffling hitch flies is made specifically for this purpose – Produced from a unique compound that gives us a tube that won’t split – but will support your hook (keeping it in place) The tube will eventually fall back into place after you ended fishing and have removed the hook.

Hair from young squirrels works wonders.

Hair from silver tippet squirrel is a unique material to lure salmon, steelhead and other kinds of trout. These hairs can be quite diverse depending on where you cut them on the actual tail, and many different flies, from tiny Smuts to big # 2/0 single hook flies, could essentially come from one single tail – But squirrel tails also differ much in appearance and quality depending upon the age of the squirrel – and hair from young squirrels have the texture and quality that we have found to be prime stuff.

We have such tails from young squirrels in our shop 

Tube to use for this Riffling Hitch V-FLY: Fishmadman Riffling Hitch Tube

Outer diameter 3,2 mm. Inner: 2 mm. Length 12 mm. (0,47 inch)

Fly in the photo has caught more than 20 salmon – Full of teeth marks it is still fully functional.

The position of the hole from the front of the head:  4 mm. Make the hole in the tube with a hot needle. Fix tube to

Fix the tube to the needle. Make sure to put the entrance hole for the leader right opposite the centre of the wing. The tread I use is 12/0

Tie in a little bundle of silver tippet squirrel app. 40 mm. (1,5 inch.)

Buy perfect squirrel tails 

Tie in a little bundle of Veniards Crystal flash Pearl Blue. A few strands double the length of the fly – The rest in the same length as the tube.

Buy needle to tie Riffling Hitch flies on 

Add cheeks of jungle cock – Whip finish and use a bit of super-glue for the head

Ready spawned Riffling Hitch V-FLY

Small Youtube film on how we do pixel-heads on our Hitchman flies

What’s here on our Youtube channel