Juvenile Steelhead and Atlantic salmon parr are skilled surface hunters that have their attention fixed to the surface as soon as insects start swarming at the river bank.

Millions of years of training have made them what they are, and it is when conditions are perfect they take full advantage of the food on the surface…The temperature in the river and the air is a critical element of their surface activity – something we, as anglers, will experience when we target the adult fish entering the river.

Traditionally anglers target steelhead on the river’s surface during summer and into late autumn. Many different wake fly patterns have been designed for this highly specialized sport that draws anglers deep into the wilderness of Oregon and British Columbia. Many fly patterns are designed to wake subtly. Others are made to be fished more actively.

Rivers are turbulent, and the light is low – Spotting the fly on the river surface can be challenging, so we decided to make some visible wake flies.

Anglers have been fishing this new steelhead wake fly pattern on different rivers in British Columbia and Oregon season 2014 – 15 –  and the results have been great. We call this tube fly The FlashBack Bug.

We have tied the fly in 3 sizes similar to flies tied on # 1 – 4 – 8 hooks
It features our Riffling Hitch tube system, and the fly wakes perfectly in the rough and calm water.

Photo: Mr Loren Irving

We have combined some of the favoured steelhead wake fly patterns in the design of the FlashBack Bug and used some of the best fly tying material available to create a wake fly that would perform perfectly.

The iridescent foam used as back on the fly reflects the light and makes the fly glow upon the river even in poor light conditions.

Photo © of iridescent snake Mr Marc A. Spataro

Iridescent: Opalescent, shimmering, luminous, glittering, sparkling, dazzling, shining, gleaming, kaleidoscopic, rainbow-coloured –

We have many words for this highly attractive-looking material that we find with animals on land and in water –

Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the property of certain surfaces that appear to change colour as the angle of view or illumination changes. It is often created by structural colouration.

We have combined the iridescent colors with soft 2-millimeter sheets of black EVA foam to create this great looking fly tying material

Fishmadman Newsletter is a publication on surface fishing for Atlantic salmon steelhead and various trout, read by many 100 ́s anglers across the Northern Hemisphere, Tierra del Fuego, Novaya Zemlya – Australia and Japan… We try to make a letter worth your time – and our interest in topwater fishing is what determines the editorial tendency`s
Our newsletter will arrive in your mailbox 3 – 6 times during the season depending much on what interesting stuff we can find for you…

Join our Newsletter

See some previous issues of the newsletter here… or go to the entire newsletter library here

Dear Flyfisher: Welcome to yet another newsletter from Fishmadman – We have come to the beginning of a new season for Atlantic Salmon – and steelhead

Season 2014 was not a very god year for the Atlantic salmon – and many concerning words has been written about the problems this fantastic fish is facing.

We hope for a better year in 2015 and recommend that you follow the great achievements of NASF (North Atlantic Salmon Fund) and Native Fish Society that work to help Atlantic Salmon and steelhead.

We do also hope that you in 2015 might take the opportunity to make someone  interested in fishing  – We need more people to be passionate about our sport and the fish we fish for – we believe that passionate people will help to preserve our fantastic rivers and the fish that run them.
  
This time we have a winner for the annual Fishmadman competition – Stories about a good-bug that made the day – and a wooden card that will keep bad-bugs away.

Tight lines from Per and Jesper

FISHMADMAN COMPETITION 2014

One of several Taimen (Hucho taimen) that Rasmus Ovesen caught on Mice flies – was waked on the surface.

 The 2014 winner

Danish sports journalist Mr Rasmus Ovesen took our Tube Rat deep into Mongolia to catch big Taimen (Hucho taimen) – Mr Ovesen and friends caught some fine fish on our Tube-rodents with the biggest topwater fish at 90 centimetres (35.4 inches) and 15 lb – Rasmus also caught a monster fish of 125 centimetres (50 inches) on a Craft Fur Streamer… Rasmus is this year’s winner of the Fishmadman competition.

Congratulation from Fishmadman

See our NEW TUBE RATS

Top angler and photographer, The late Mr Ian Martin, wrote us: from the Gaspé rivers with a nice fish caught on the Monster Tube Caddis See more from Mr Ian Martin

Dedicated salmon angler and director of the famous Oresund Aquarium: Mr Jens Peder Jeppesen with an 85 centimetres September salmon from the Swedish Morrum River

Low-water specialist Mr Jerry Rothman with one of many October fish from Scotland – caught on a small Red Frances flies.

Photo with a curtsy of Tom Derry, Director of Wild Steelhead Funding Native Fish Society – Steelhead caught on the Flashback Bug

The Flashback Bug

Steelhead anglers have been fishing this new steelhead bug on different rivers in BC and Oregon this summer, and the results have been great. It was named The FlashBack Bug by steelheader Loren Irving from Oregon. We have tied it in 3 sizes like flies on 1 – 4 – 8 hooks. It features our Riffling Hitch tube system and wakes perfectly in rough and calm water.

Please take the opportunity now and get 2 of each size FlashBack Bugs + 6 hooks in our tube fly box.

NB. Offer last until the 5 of February 2015

Juniperus Virginiana, or Red Cedar, has been used for centuries as a product to keep moths away from your clothing – It is the strong smell of the Red Cedar that helps to cover up the smell of the things that the moth wants to lay their eggs on like fur and feathers –

A report from the University of California at Davis suggests that, over time, Red Cedar will kill the moth larvae that may have found their way to your cloth or fly-tying material.

Do what you can to keep the moth´s away… and keep our Red Cedar Bug-Cards alongside your fly-tying equipment – Keep things in plastic bags and change the Red Cedar Bug-Cards every  3 – 4 years.

We at Fishmadman have done so for decades and have (knock on wood) not had any problems with the moths.

Dear Flyfisher: Welcome to yet another newsletter from us at Fishmadman.
Summers salmon season is right at the door and already river temperatures here in Denmark and southern Sweden is up and above 12 degrees Celsius or 53.6 degrees Fahrenheit A magical moment in the world of Atlantic salmon and the time to get your riffling hitch flies ready…

This time we have the true pleasure of showing you one famous top water fly from Derek Knowles one of the men who pioneered the world of tiny wake flies tied on tube – Some newly designed “Scandinavian” colors of John Rohmer´s Semi Seal dubbing. A superior fly tying book from Italy + a special Newsletter bonus to take you into summer salmon fishing

Very tight lines from Jesper & Per

The wake-tube pioneer Mr Derek Knowles

In 1987 UK angler and author Derek Knowles wrote a fascinating book on his salmon fishing with dry flies and small tube flies. The book Salmon on a Dry Fly showed a generation of anglers new ways to make efficient patterns for surface fishing.

Mr Knowles did most of his fishing in highland rivers in Scotland, where he was co-owner of the Mallart, a tributary to the famous Naver River.
Highland rivers like the Naver and the neighbouring Helmsdale are known for their surface-oriented salmon, and fishing techniques like dibbling and dabbling have long been favoured in these waters.

Derek Knowles’s book from 1987 gives a refined look into a world of stealthy salmon fishing with thin leaders and small surface flies in Highland rivers.

In these perfect surroundings, Mr Knowles formed the small surface tube fly named the Yellow Dolly, which some of the riffling hitch tubes we used today properly are formulated from.

With a flare of stiff yellow and black hairs, the fly has a profile that resembles a tiny doll with a skirt. Derek Knowles tells his readers how the Yellow Dolly can be fished either at dead drift or on the swing across the river – Derek recommends bringing various sizes to the river – and changing to a smaller size if the fish rise to the fly without connecting – Tie the Yellow Dolly in ⅝, ½ and ⅜ inch.

Today many European anglers would not think twice when putting on a tiny riffling hitch tube pattern. Still, in the heydays when Derek Knowles designed his small waking flies – few European anglers would ever think of going on the surface with their tube flies.

If you want to read Derek Knowles’s fine book on his experience with tiny wake flies, we recommend you buy: Salmon on a Dry Fly (ISBN 854931558) on amazon.co.uk, where it sometimes can be purchased second-hand.

Above: The Yellow Dolly from the Hands of Derek Knowles. Tied on a ⅝ inch piece of red electrical cord. Best fitted with a small Partridge Outpoint Treble Hook # 16

Special thanks to Mr Derek Knowles and Mrs Susan Howe, Digital Director at orionbooks.co.uk

NEW John Rohmer dubbing – made for Euro salmon

John Rohmer from Arizona, USA, supplies all of our dubbing simply because his products are the best material available – This time, John has made us 5 NEW colours of Arizona Seal Dubbing – Suited for European salmon patterns…Generous bags of excellent material that has proven to be just the right formula for finicky steelhead in North America as well as sea trout and salmon here in Europe – see the 17 colours we have in our shop

A NEW batch of tails – is here!

Traps have been set for squirrels all spring * and we now have the perfect selection of small tails from Grey Squirrel, Soft, thin hair just right for your riffling hitch flies. Get it here

* caught as part of legal pest control in the UK

The perfect Riffling Hitch tube

We have had this tube produced for years now – It is an unbeaten secret plastic formula that makes the best riffling hitch tubes available: Low memory – Very versatile and will support a range of hooks – Works perfectly in cold climates and won’t split like most other tubes will do in cold water… Get it here

Your new Riffling Hitch tube flies for this summer are a: Fishmadman Newsletter offers.

Through the years, many of you have asked us to select flies for you – so we decided to set a selection of Riffling Hitch flies on the menu this time. 12 super flies in the company with a small range of suitable OWNER hooks
The set comes in two versions: Either with single hooks or a box with treble hooks, and they are available with a very favourable Newsletter discount.

Get your promotion code here – Use it when you buy in our shop

Discount will last to the end of June 2014

As in the earlier years, we are proud to invite you to the annual worldwide Fishmadman competition – We will have a nice host of prizes for those who take part – and something extra special for the 2014 winner – Join us here

Fly Tying in Italy

Fly tying is often described as a form of art and fly tiers as artists but fly tying is foremost a craft, and as so, fly tiers have to learn the skills, techniques, tools and materials to get a result.
Once in a while, talented craftsmen write a book on the finesse and details of fly tying  – and this is precisely such a book. Italian angler and fly tier Armando Quazzo has made an excellent book on fly tying… So filled with practical and intuitive tricks, I and fellow fly tiers agreed that this book was one of the best we had seen for decades…
An extensive chapter on fly-tying material is succeeded by an even larger chapter on practical details. The book is finished off with a line of fly patterns from anglers from many countries.

Fly Tying il grande libro del costruttore di mosche artificiali By Armando Quazzo is written in Italian and is printed by Edizioni Gea. At 59 € and can be bought from Sedge & Mayfly

How to tie The Surffilauta as a tube fly
Heat the tube at the rear end – Position the Hook guard over the rear of the tube

Tie in the foam pointing backwards

We have tried to shape the foam-top to get a fish-shaped silhouette

Tie down the hook-guard – And a tail of tinsel

(The green nylon sticking out in the front is fixed on the head of the tube fly needle to wedge the tube)

Wind a body of tinsel – Take the layer of foam forward and tie it down as seen on photo

Finish of with the eye – Make sure to glue the eye on with super-glue – Find suitable short shank carp hook. See our range of tube fly hooks

The Pompero salmon dry fly

The Pompero fly is a classic in the world of Scandinavian salmon dry flies. It was designed in 1976 by Finnish angler Heikki Anttonen – who is known as a superior fly tier and salmon dry fly angler. Here two Pompero flies in attractive colors – Note the wide solid – cut – fan-wing.

This spring Fishmadman had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Anttonen in Finland – Read the story about the world of Mr. Anttonen here on Fishmadman…

Grey, olive, greenish colors, a dens hackle, a cigar-shaped body made of polypropylene yarn and wing and tail made from calf tail makes this floating classic a top choice for the angler pursuing salmon in the rivers of Northern Norway. Mr. Anttonen ties the Pompero fly in several sizes but favor the smaller versions during the Nordic summer…

Visit Mr. Heikki Anttonen on his own page here

Salmon season has just started in Denmark

Some of the best salmon fishing available in early spring and long into the summer can be found in Denmark.

Salmon from the month of May from the Danish Skjern River – Caught on A polar bear General Practitioner

On the west coast of Denmark – In Jutland, rivers like the Skjern River, Stor Åen and the Guden Åen give anglers an opportunity to start the salmon season early.

As the spring and winter has been cold and dry in 2012-13 – salmon is just starting to run the rivers of western Denmark..

NEW STUFF IN THE FISHMADMAN SHOP

We did what many of you asked us to do and made a selection of High-end General Practitioner flies. Using polar bear hair * seals fur and Whiting Spey hackle. Tied on superior Japan and Mustad hook, in two sizes # 4 and 6

Buy while stock last

Sunray Zebra Shadow

We have topped-up our stock with Sunray Zebra Shadow and made New colors – Check out the Sunray Zebra Shadow here

Zebra Shadow tube fly

We did what our Newsletter readers asked for and made a series of Zebra Shadow flies in big and small – Buy while stock last..

NEXT TIME IN OUR NEWSLETTER

We will try to sort out the size puzzle of tube fly inch versus hook # size

Sudden appearance

We, as anglers, can benefit from the knowledge of Snell`s Widow and place the fly as close to the window as possible. The sudden appearance of the fly in the area of decision may often be followed by an immediate strike… The edge or rim of Snell`s Window seems to be a hot area to put a fly – something worth calling to mind next time you see a salmon or trout on the river bed or visit a place where you usually would expect to find them.

Fishmadman angler Per Fischer precisely positioned the dry fly in Snell`s Window – on Atlantic salmon lying in shallow water. At this spot, the cone of Snell`s Window is tiny

Get into the groove!

Salmon dry fly pioneer: George M.L. La Branche wrote in his book The Salmon And The Dry Fly (1924) about his observations and thoughts on where in the river to hook up with dry fly salmon.

La Branche saw the salmon pools with the eye of a trout fisherman and advocated that the angler should seek out places in the river that would be similar to the area where the resident trout would take a position to intercept the flow of food. He named these places where the current would deliver the insects: grooves and was sure that one would only connect with salmon if one could accurately cast the fly in these grooves.

Years of fishing have shown me and other anglers that it is not merely down to a perfect cast to Snell’s Window ... to hook up with salmon on a dry fly – The salmon is not online all the time – as I would like to explain it.

Sometimes he will rise to a well-presented dry fly within a few casts – another day, he might rise unexpectedly to the fly presented in Snell`s Window the 50`th times…with the attitude of a starved trout rushing for the only meal of the day.

_{Read more about La Branche and his ideas and fishing here}

Pushing the fly in Snell`s Window

Rarely caught on film – The take of an Atlantic salmon on a dry fly – I was lucky to get it in the box last season and am happy to show you this particular video concerning our newsletter on Snell`s Window… The salmon in the film does not bite over the fly – it merely pushes the fly. You will see the fly surfing in front of the fish. Many of the dry fly caught I had this summer was hooked on the nose or forehead, as seen on some of the pictures in the slide section: Why? – Can`t tell you…some years, they work like that .. the spot I film: 3-foot leader out of guides…Wham!

What do fish see?

How do salmon and trout detect and see things underwater and in Snell`s Window? As regular anglers, we know very little about this. We often look at the roaring river and wonder if the fish will have any chance of seeing a tiny fly on the surface – Salmon and trout have no problems detecting prey sitting or moving on the surface; they have trained these skills for 100 million years and have become true experts.

Things like: contrast, light and colours will probably reveal the insect to the fish, and it will gather this information in its tiny brain and decide if it wants to move for the prey.

When the insect enters the Area of Snell`s Window, the fish will automatically know how much, or how little, it has to turn its fins to eclipse with the drifting insect… But the fish would often have noticed the insect or fly before it entered Snell`s Window – and one must assume that this information also will be part of the decisions on whether it should use precious energy to rise to the fly.

Salmon and trout have no problems detecting prey on the surface; they have trained these skills for 100 ↑ million years. Here absurdly small dry flies and flymf’s tied for selective trout in the Montana River system

Back to Basics with guide Bill Bryden

It has been said that dry fly Atlantic salmon fishing is the pinnacle of freshwater fly fishing. The shocks and warm rushes of adrenaline it provides are not easily had in any other form of fishing. The skill and patience required often prove too much for even seasoned fly anglers, but the rewards are truly breathtaking for those who persevere. I hope that some of this discourse will encourage those who have not tried this pursuit to pick up the torch while also helping to enlighten the way for those stumbling on the first hurdles. Perhaps even the most advanced dry fly salmon angling masters may find a morsel in these pages, as may the trout purist.

Stealth & Accuracy

We could summon it up this way: Leaders are part of the presentation, and one wants to present the fly with stealth and accuracy, especially near Snell`s Window – A leader that can transform the movement from the fly line to the fly is important.

Correcting the fly – and Snell’s Window.

Novice anglers can accomplish fundamental wet fly presentations by correcting a presentation after the fly lands. Similarly, correcting an inaccurately positioned dry fly can be done by dragging it to the exact inch it needs to be on to allow for the correct drift into Snell`s Window. However, this dragging of the fly must be done very slowly and ideally outside of Snell’s Window except in particular circumstances. Once the fly is near Snell’s Window, no quick movements should be done when attempting to coax a salmon from its lair. We d not want to convince our quarry that the fly could move quickly and thus escape any attempt it may make to capture it. We want to make a nice easy target.

Fish are experts at being fish.

Fish rarely “miss” anything they genuinely want to eat. Often they inspect a dry fly several times before committing to taking it into their mouth, engage further by closing their mouth completely, and finally abandon all worry while holding it for submersion to their lay. This bodes well for the dry fly neophyte as the most solid take is often the second to fourth rise when the adrenaline has the angler cocked and ready like a rattlesnake.

Accuracy required

The roughly 45-degree angle from the fish to the edge of Snell’s Window makes it relatively easy to work out where the edge of Snell’s Window is situated. For example, at a water depth of 6 feet, the edge is 6 feet upstream of where the fish is lying. One always wants to ensure one’s leader is long enough to keep the end of the fly line out of Snell`s Window, so fishing deep lays requires longer leaders.

Once some skill in casting accuracy is acquired, the first target is the edge of Snell’s window. Even in the rippled water, many salmon hide under, the fish will see larger dry flies travelling through the air and land precisely in their drift line for feeding. This is why many Newfoundland dry fly anglers make lazy, gentle casts. The fly is cast to have it flying along very close to the surface once in Snell’s window. Most Newfoundland dry fly anglers use an underpowered, slightly sidearm cast, with the fly within a foot or two or the surface for its entire travel within Snell’s window.

Keep Pushing the button.

This is the bog-standard approach for dry fly angling and has the best chance of working on all fish in any condition. Patience is the name of the game, and 20 minutes is not too long to work a fish. Imagine regularly catching a salmon every 20 minutes. The dry fly salmon angler often catches more salmon than a wet fly angler (by far).

Consistency

If casting accurately is the most critical part of dry fly fishing for Atlantic salmon, then consistency is the second.

Often, in deep water with variable current speeds between the river bottom and the surface, a lazy relaxed salmon will rise towards Snell’s Window before the fly even touches the surface. Consistently timed presentations accomplish this. If an angler convinces a salmon that a hatch has started by repeated casting, they have a much better chance of inducing a feeding response. Timing the presentations consistently will allow fish to get excited about anticipating the next offering. Those inlays with faster surface currents must rise up closer to the surface and stay suspended or use their tail power to reach the fast-moving target in Snell`s Window. This is because the water speed they are lying in is not enough to naturally lift them to the surface by using only their pectoral fins. An angle that presents their dry fly consistently will take more of these fish than one that makes inconsistently timed casts. This can be observed in clear rivers with fish laying in the slack water behind ledges, rocks, and quickly deepening pools.

Often, these two reasons, accuracy and consistency, hamper the beginner’s effort.

Low water on the Majestic Repparfjord River in the far North of Norway, 1000’s of opportunity on Snell’s Window waits below.

Delivery to the door

Lazy fish such as stale fish, large fish, and those in warm water will want the fly to drift to where the current will naturally lift them without any sideways body movement or trusting from their tail. They will want to bob up like a waterlogged deadhead to take the fly with a lazy head and tail rise in Snell’s Window. With this approach of super-accurate casting and perfectly lined-up dead drifting, the angler tries to induce a natural, relaxed feeding response.

Tight lines Bill Bryden: To contact Bill Bryden, Click here.

Chernobyl Ant !

Neither ant – nor beast

Tube Chernobyl Ant from Fishmadman. Obviously we tie our big Chernobyl Ant wake flies on tube.. Buy tube & an extra long tube fly needle to tie them on here

Chernobyl Ant One of the greatest wake fly patterns in the world of fly tying. Designed in 1995 By Allan Woolley and Mark Forslund, from the Green River system in Utah…The Chernobyl Ant was intended as an imitation of a Mormon cricket

“Often the salmon will just grab the Chernobyl Ant and hook it self …Wham bam! — Bend rod and all is well. But just as often we see the salmon rises to the Chernobyl Ant without taking it. They can pursue the fly for many meters, roll over it, go right under it or jump high in the air — but without touching the fly. Then it becomes really exciting. It is important to keep the “pot boiling”. Try the same fly 1 or 2 more times. Swing it at different speeds. If the fish comes back without taking it, try switching to a different colour, size or shape. Jerking the fly back can some times be the trick Sometimes you may succeed tying on a completely different fly like Sunray Shadow, or a small sunken fly – But getting the fish on the surface is what’s really interesting”

Tight lines Anders

Top water angler Mr. Jansson from Sweden wrote us in November 2011

“In the rivers where I do my fishing, dry-fly fishing is almost unknown. My regular Norwegian River is the Surna River that always is very cold, even in the hottest summer the river temperature never rises above ten degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit)

In July summer of 2011 we had a week of fine sunny weather, so I thought I would give the Chernobyl Ant a go. One of the pools on our beat: the Talgöy pool almost always hold fish. It is a grand pool to fish that ends in a long smooth glide, I thought it could be a suitable place to test a stripped Chernobyl Ant.

The Chernobyl Ant striped perfect with a nice v-plow — and on my way down the pool a salmon tried to grab the fly on several occasions – When it finally got hold of the fly I let it turn and the fish was hooked instantaneously. Ten minutes later I could  beach my first “dry fly salmon” about 6.5 kilo- Later in the week, I did more experiments with The Chernobyl Ant. – Connected with one big salmon and lost two grills as well. Flooding and high water started and we had to change tactics…

I will certainly be back to the Surna River this summer with more Chernobyl Ant`s and Tube Bombers in my box – Tight lines Pär

Mr.  Pär Jansson from Gothenburg with a beautiful fresh Surna fish caught on double hand rod and a Chernobyl Ant waked across the river

See new barbless tube-fly hooks  – for the Chernobyl Ant and our other foam flies  Go to shop

See our new series of Tube Chernobyl Ant

Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies

Book review on: Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies

Book by Mr. Paul C. Marriner Read more on Paul

Every year we see a number of books on fly fishing and the flies we use. Some will be remembered others won`t. Here is a book you definitely will enjoy throughout your life as salmon angler.

As the name suggests, the book Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies, is a book about salmon flies – But it’s not quite a book as we know them here in Scandinavia.

Most of the flies in this book are of Canadian origin – more precise the East coast of Canada. It is particularly interesting to read about and not least to see these fly patterns, because Canadians do not fish in exactly the same way as we do, and will be looking at salmon flies in a slightly different way. Most Canadians fishing is done with single hooks without barbs. This obviously makes Canadian anglers connoisseurs in this chapter of fly design, and this book is on single hook flies more than anything els – you will find a wealth of fly patterns and ideas for the single hook angler.

Here in Scandinavia we have almost forgotten the single hook fly – and we seems to have traded all the single hook salmon flies for flies tied on tube – A little unfortunate as the single hook fly patterns allows the salmon fisherman to be, fishing in unique ways and places.

Their is not many tube-flies to be found in Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies – But we may (with some pride) add that flies from Fishmadman is part of this volume – hopefully it will spur more Canadians to try tube flies…… Last but not least I will recommend this book just to see the many wonderful salmon dry flies…like all other flies in this book they are tied by the guides and anglers using them – This gives the reader a valuable insight into the styling and design.

Good reading Jesper Fohrmann 2012

Buy book from Paul Marriner

☛ Support Mr. Orri Vigfússon and NASF in rescuing the Atlantic salmon – Go to NASF page ! ☚

A squirrel in Western Europa could very well look like this guy …very bright red in its colouration – Here is one from my garden in Denmark, where this colour of the squirrel is the dominant genetic line of the Sciurus vulgaris (Eurasian red squirrel) – once black squirrels were the dominant genetic version in Denmark …now it is rare to see all black squirrels in my part of Scandinavia.

Finding the right material for Riffling Hitch flies is important. The wake of the Riffling Hitch fly might be the key point – But the fly and the way it is built is what generate the wake.

Take time to select the perfect squirrel tail

We buy many tails to select the best possible tails for our V-FLY; we want a squirrel tail with thin hair, as we have found that flies tied from this hair have superior fishing abilities when hitching for Atlantic salmon…

We are proud to offer specially selected Silver tip squirrel tails (Eastern Grey squirrel)

We have been scouting for a supplier of silver tip tails that we could trust to harvest the tails when the hairs had the right texture.

We managed to find a Game Warden in the UK that knew what we were looking for –

Richard, a salmon and trout angler, promised to help us with our extraordinary project.

Setting traps for squirrels is part of Richards’s daytime job – and by doing so at the right time of year, we have secured a small stock of these first-rate Riffling Hitch tails.

Buy tails from us

Barred Brown Squirrel tail – Small Pine Squirrel

We occasionally carry these tiny Pine Squirrel tails in our shop – Take the rare opportunity to buy a perfect squirrel tail for your riffling hitch and other micro tube flies.

Find them here

Russian Flying Squirrel

A tiny squirrel tail – and very hard to find – Some of the finest fly-tying material we have ever seen.

Siberian Pygmy Squirrel

The smallest squirrel we have ever seen – and some of the finest hair we have ever come across – Most  likely not your everyday roadkill fly-tying material

Himalayan  Squirrel

Rare squirrel material quite close to its cousin, the small pine squirrel

Chinese Pine Squirrel

Similar to its US cousin but much softer – A nice tail for small and medium salmon flies

Eurasian red squirrel – the black version

Eurasian red squirrel, as they formally are known (Scientific Name: Sciurus vulgaris), is a squirrel species widespread across Northern Europa and the vast forest land of Russia where some squirrels are caught in traps and their pelt is used for various garments – Truly great material. Super quality and perfect for miniature patterns like riffling hitch flies and any other fly pattern designed to lure trout, salmon and char. The Eurasian red squirrel is found in colour variations ranging from jet-black to almost ginger red Buy it from us

Eurasian red squirrel

Here in a black coloured version

– Buy it from us

Eurasian red squirrel

Here is a browner coloured version

– Buy it from us

Fox squirrel

The fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), the eastern fox squirrel or Bryant’s fox squirrel, is the largest tree squirrel native to North America. Great material for bigger or very bushy flies – less efficient for smaller patterns.

Salmon easily get bored

Salmon entering the river only have a very limited attention span and the angler may easily drain their sparse awareness. Obviously, it is important to manage ones fishing with some prudence. If the river becomes low, slow or warm the angler will have to make the down & across fly work absolutely perfectly to deceive the salmon. This is actually such a difficult job that even the old hand at the river will have to work hard to accomplish. In such cases, alternative tools will come in handy. Tools like; Rifling Hitch, Skating, Dibbling, Dapping; all names for techniques where the fly is moving in the surface.

The surface hunter

The surface is an all-important hunting ground to the salmon parr, who more than any other salmonids will focus on surface hunting as soon as insects start to fly

The insect will try to leave the treacherous surface as quickly as possible, but 100 million years of practice have made salmon specialists, and they know what to look for. It is these fantastic hunting abilities that we will try to tap into when fishing the Riffling Hitch

Salmon flies are not equally good to use for Riffling Hitch. To the left, our favourite Riffling Hitch fly: V-FLY ™  Read more  Buy fly  

Surface fishing tricks

All salmon flies are not equally good to use as Riffling Hitch flies – There will be fly patterns that work much better than other

Use thin hair – We have through the years noticed how Riffling Hitch flies tied with squirrels hair has a special alluring ability… The best hairs seem to be fine hair found on tails from small squirrels. Therefore we recommend you hand-pick the squirrel tails for the purpose.

Buy riffling hitch squirrel tails from us

If you tie your Riffling Hitch patterns on a single or double hook you should leave enough room in front of the hook so you will be able to fit in the hitch knots

Riffling Hitch flies will fish difficult waters. The Riffling Hitch fly will more or less fish the places you normally would want to fish with the sub-surface fly – But a small hitched fly will also fish slow water which could be otherwise very difficult to fish with a sub-surface fly.

Time to use the Riffling Hitch

Through summer there will be days when the Riffling Hitch fly will out-fish

all other methods. Some years the Riffling Hitch will work excellent during intervals of days or weeks. Exactly what period works best can vary from season to season…. In Norway, the technique may work well from the first day to the last day of the season… but the weeks of mid-August could be the top weeks… In Scotland, the hitched fly could work at it´s best in the last weeks of June – and be less effective in August.

High & brown river

Fishing a tiny Riffling Hitch fly during periods with a rising river – going muddy – might not be the first thing that comes into mind… never the less… Riffling Hitch can be an extremely efficient technique under such circumstances. Salmon will be travelling close to shore and the surface… keep the fly on a short line  – working downstream with short casting and a high rod. Be ready for a pounding heart when Mr. salmon comes hammering out of the surface. In case you hook up on such a fish strike immediately

See our range of small Riffling Hitch flies 

A bright head

When fishing Riffling Hitch it is important to be able to follow your fly on the river. When it gets dark or grey this can sometimes become an impossible task. Use a Riffling Hitch fly with a fluorescent green head – this way the fly will be slightly more visible

Too thick a leader!

Try to avoid the use of too thick tippet material when fishing Riffling Hitch. The thick leader will quickly take out the magic of your fly. Use a thinner tippet like 0.30 mm (12 lb..) and a long soft rod that can absorb some of the fast movements of the hooked salmon

The Portland Hitch – Riffle hitch knot

The Portland Hitch populated by fly fishing icon Lee Wulff is the traditional way of fishing Riffling Hitch, done by tying on a single or double fly so it will drag sideways in the surface.

See how to tie on a conventional single hook fly with a hitch knot Buy single hook Riffling Hitch flies 

The Caddisfly and riffle hitch and waking fly

We would like to think that the adult caddisfly and the ways of this insect is closely linked with the effect the Riffling Hitch fly has on salmon

Above: The much erratic behaviour of the adult caddisfly – could very well be an element in the effect that Riffling Hitch flies has on Atlantic salmon

In fishing literature, the Caddisfly live in the shadow of the more exquisite May fly – and in much the same way it also plays a less interesting part in the fly box of salmon anglers – who often fancy more elaborate and colourful patterns than dull caddisfly imitations.

The caddisfly is in fact well represent in salmon rivers both as – adult, pupae, and larva – and the salmon parr might encounter it every day from the beginning to the end of the season.

As an adult insect, the caddisfly lives 6 – 14 days. Staying close to the edge of the river. They come out from their place of hiding and flutter around the river with erratic movements…. hitting – diving straight into – or scooting on top of the water, to lay their eggs…or to get to shore.

We believe that understanding and learning about the way of the caddisfly is part of the overall understanding of the Riffling Hitch fishing technique

Read more about the life circle of the caddisfly

Fine tune your Riffling Hitch – tube

Most Scandinavians tie their Riffling Hitch fly on a tube. It is a simple and very effective way to make small and very light surface flies. It is important to use a type of tube that will support the hook. Chose a flexible type of tube that will be able to keep your hook in place. If hook and tube fit perfect you should be able to adjust the position of the hook – thereby changing the movements of the fly – a bit like the Rapala-angler that fine-tune his bait with a set of pliers.

When using a small treble hook, we would have one hook pointing down with the remaining hooks in a horizontal position. If we use a single hook we keep this pointing straight down or up.

If you tie your own Riffling Hitch flies and would like to buy perfect tubes for the job – we make them !… We could not find any tubes that were good enough to suit our Riffling Hitch system so we designed the right tube and made a production – The tube comes in two dimensions to suit either small or bigger hooks Go to the shop 

New stuff in the Fishmadman shop

Smart design

Over the years we have happily used normal sowing needles for our tube fly tying – we have also promoted this inexpensive solution through our shop but we have had a problem getting the right sowing needles for the tubing we sell, so we decided to produce our own design of tube fly tying needles. See the smart designs in our shop here

Superior fly lines for riffling hitch fishing

We are happy to tell you that we from 2011 have been able to sell the two best riffling hitch and dry fly lines on the market…

It is the famed Triangle Taper from Lee Wulff (Royal Wulff Products) – The fly line that is the most copied line in the world…We only carry the Lee Wulff lines it in a few # weights that we think is suitable for hitch and dry fly fishing – All lines are with the fantastic J3 surface coating – that just makes these lines so much better than the competitor line.

We have the Classic Triangle taper in 7 – 8 – 9 It is 90 foot (27.4 meters) long – A 40 foot (12.2 meters) progressive taper – A 50  foot (15.25 meter)  shooting line…the line is ivory-white (the absolute best colour for surface fishing)

See the line at a good price in our shop 

the ‘2 line is the extremely long casting TTSTF

The favourite distance line with us at FISHMADMAN – developed by Steelhead Pro, Al Buhr, The TTSTF is 105 foot long (32 meters)  – It has a 55 foot (16.7 meters) running line  – A 50 foot (15.25 meter) progressive taper The TTSTF also has the super J3 coating. It is of course ivory coloured and has a lightly green shooting line

See the line at a good price in the shop 

☛ Support NASF in rescuing the Atlantic salmon – Go to NASF page! ☚