Once in awhile there is a material that flies under the radar. It is certainly  not by design or oversight, it just doesn't have the glitz and glitter of many  other materials. I tend to be attracted to these bottom shelf type of materials, bringing  them out of the corners of the material bin and giving  them life in fly  creation. Many times these materials go back to the dark corners to become  tangled with the other rejects but this would not be the case for Hareline  Dubbin's Woolly Chenille. I have been tying with it for years and feel I have only scratched  the surface of it's usefulness. (Click on the picture for the full article)

No fly in my arsenal has produced such a variety of large fish for me as has the Sniper. The Snipers resemble Woolly Buggers, but  with the added benefit of great reathing action in the water and a variety of  different shades built into each variation. A black marabou tail anchors most of them, followed by the appropriately colored variegated chenille and dyed guinea hackle to sweep back the length of the hook. Among my favorite variations are black sparkle chenille/orange guinea (Halloween Sniper), variegated green sparkle chenille/chartreuse guinea, and deep-blue sparkle chenille/deep-purple guinea. The combinations are endless, and the myriad colors of the available materials fuel the imagination. I prefer the fly to ride horizontally in the water, so I wrap lead wire on the hook rather than using a bead head. A bead tied in at mid-hook will also work.

If you have visited this website often you have  noticed that I am always changing things up. We all appreciate a fresh look and  I will continue to throw something new on this site. I want to send my deepest  gratitude to John Shewey and Jeff Wimer for providing that fresh look with some  of their excellent photography. I have concentrated on providing more fly  pictures  and will be adding recipes to these patterns as well as more tying  step photography. My first step has been to give you a little eye candy and now  it's time to back-fill the information. Remember, I consider this a website for  all those that love stillwater flyfishing or want to learn more about it. Please  visit often and I would love to hear more ideas!

Many of the articles that appear here were first printed in these beautiful magazines. If you don't already subscribe I would encourage you to do so and find something in your neck of the woods, regardless of where you live!