Field Manual

Articulating Shanks

What in the world is an articulating shank? 3-Wire Articulating Shanks by Tumbleweed Fly and Tackle for tying big articulated flies for fresh and saltwater species who want the beef! The 3-Wire shank comes in packs of six with three lengths to choose from. They are also very reasonable. Made in the USA of ultra lightweight wire, the three shanks are bonded together with tying thread to help maintain strength while shedding unnecessary casting weight. I can see using these shanks for SOOOO m

6/15/2017Nome Buckman

Tippet Rings

It’s been an overlooked helper for years. These tiny rings enable you to switch out tippet quickly and productively without burning through dozens of leaders in a season, because tippet rings give you a well-defined break off point. I recommend installing them in the comfort of your favorite reading or fly tying spot where lighting is good and you can see the little buggers. Tippet rings usually come packaged on a snap swivel for on-stream or off-stream ease. I suggest you tie onto the close

4/5/2017Nome Buckman

Whip Finisher

A whip finisher is a knot tying tool for a fly tier. This tool is very easy to use but still seems to mystify many out there. To learn how to use a whip finisher click here. A whip finish is a great way to finish a fly with a knot and not need to add head cement to the fly. Unlike a series of half hitch knots, a properly executed whip finish should not come apart. Although a whip finish knot can be accomplished by using fingers, in some cases the tool comes in handy; for example, when tryin

2/1/2017Dun Magazine

Fly Line Tapers

In this edition’s Firming Your Foundation, we are going to talk about line weights. Now, remember this is a brief overview, and by no means a comprehensive package. For the sake of time and sanity, we will be talking about weight forward, double taper, shooting head and level lines. For the most part, the name of the line already explains a bit about it, but just to firm your foundation a bit more, we will go into detail below. Weight-Forward taper: As the name suggests, the weight forward (

2/1/2017Dun Magazine

Latest

American Brown Trout

What is an American Brown Trout? The species first came to the U.S. in 1883, when a New York fish farmer named Fred Mather imported brown trout eggs from Baron Lucius von Behr, president of the German Fishing Society. (That’s why many folks refer to the fish as German browns.) Two years later, eggs from Scotland’s Loch Leven arrived and were sent to the same three hatcheries and the prevailing theory is that the genetic stocks were mixed to create what Robert Behnke calls the “American generic

2/1/2017Nome Buckman

Cul De Canard (CDC)

Cul De Canard better known as CDC is used primarily for dry flies such as the F Fly and the Moustique. The actual translation of Cul de Canard is duck butt even though these feathers are from the back of a duck directly around the preen gland and not from the butt (that doesn't stop us from calling them duck butt feathers). The preen gland secrets an oil that the duck uses for cleaning and waterproofing. This makes these feathers very buoyant. It is very important to note that using gink or

1/31/2017Dun Magazine

The Bodkin

Spend any time around fly tiers and someone is bound to bring up the term bodkin or ask you if they can borrow yours. At that point, knowing what a bodkin is could be quite helpful. What is a bodkin? A bodkin is basically a needle in a holder for easy use. Bodkins can make many aspects of tying easier. Here are a few ways that we use our bodkins. 1) Applying head cement to a finished fly. 2) Picking out trapped fibers after wrapping or palmering a material. 3) Stabbing your next door

12/1/2016Dun Magazine

The Smallmouth

Everyone on staff at DUN Magazine is in love with Smallmouth. If you have not fished for Smallies on the fly, you should put this predator on your list. A Smallmouth is a popular freshwater game fish which is part of the SUNFISH family. Yes, you read that right! HABITAT Their native habitat is the upper Mississippi, the Ohio, lower Missouri watersheds and most of the Great Lakes. WHEN AND WHERE When fishing for Smallies, water temperature plays a huge role. We start fishing for them when

12/1/2016Dun Magazine

The Fly Reel

We've all been there. Standing in our local fly shop when the associate asks "What style of fly reel do you prefer?" For many freshwater fishing situations, the reel is mainly a line holder, but for hard fighting or big fish the reel becomes one of the most important pieces of equipment. The Arbor The arbor is the center of the reel that the backing and line are tied to and wound around. There are three general sizes of arbor: large, mid and small. The arbor you pick is not just about the

12/1/2016Dun Magazine

The Stripping Guard

No doubt while shopping at your local fly shop, you've seen a stack of these. What is it? Do I need it? A stripping guard is a basically a protective sleeve that goes over your stripping fingers to prevent them from getting cuts and burns while stripping and setting the hook.A stripping guard can really come in handy when you're fishing saltwater, large fish, textured or thin fly lines. In addition, these can be helpful when your hands have seen a lot of time in the water and can also protect

12/1/2016Dun Magazine