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Rich Osthoff *** Signature Flies Innovative Flies for Trout, Warmwater, and Steelhead Innovative Patterns: I offer my own innovative fly designs, plus my high-performance variations on some standard patterns that belong in every fly box. Look for more on fishing and tying my flies in my books and articles in Flyfishing & Tying Journal, Fly Tyer, American Angler, Outdoor Life, and other magazines. Individually: Every fly I offer is a proven performer. If a fly is on this list it’s a staple in my fly boxes and has plenty of application for fishing your favorite waters, home or away. I have established fly customers in more than 40 states, Canada, and overseas. As a System: You’ll find outstanding attractor flies for working trout water between hatches, plus the key imitative flies for cracking mayfly, caddis and midge hatches. My high-performance surface and subsurface flies for warmwater fish, including smallmouth bass, walleyes, and pike, are among my most popular patterns. I also offer Soft-hackle Steelhead/Salmon Flies specifically designed for Great Lakes tributaries. Top Hooks & Materials: I personally tie every fly I sell from materials I personally select (including the best genetic hackle). All flies are tied on chemically sharpened hooks (primarily Tiemco) that have sharp points, excellent temper, and micro-barbs you can easily flatten for fishing barbless. Competitive Pricing: The vast majority of the flies sold in the U.S. are tied overseas by tiers who don’t fish. Even if you buy from the best shops and catalogs, you’re probably fishing mostly import flies. By marketing my flies directly to anglers I keep my pricing competitive with the imports. You can even cut your fly costs with my VOLUME DISCOUNTS (see the Order Form for details). NOTE: The primary hook size for each pattern is underlined. Example – sz. 12, 14. (size 14 is primary size). For more on tying and fishing some of Rich Osthoff’s most popular fly designs, see these recent articles in Flyfishing & Tying Journal: The Pheasant Tail Midge by Rich Osthoff The Right Stuff, Minus AppendagesFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Fall 2004. The Fast-sinking Scud by Rich Osthoff Custom-built for cruising troutFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Summer 2004. The Bullet-Nose Diver by Rich Osthoff Topwater Performance to BurnFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Spring 2004. The Upland Caddis by Rich Osthoff Infinitely variable coloration and mottling in a nifty silhouetteFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Summer 2003. The Bobbing Baitfish by Rich Osthoff Buoyant Bottom FlyFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Winter 2002. The Duck Shoulder Dun No-Hackle (DSD) by Rich Osthoff Simple to tie, tough to shred, and downright convincingFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Fall 2002. The Soft-hackle Woolly by Rich Osthoff A bread-and-butter prospecting flyFLYFISHING & TYING JOURNAL, Winter 2001.
DRY FLIES
Duck Shoulder Duns (DSD’s) I fish many spring creeks and tailwaters where trout see a parade of convincing mayfly dun imitations, and the DSD no-hackle consistently fools selective trout. It sits low on the water to imitate a freshly emerged and very vulnerable mayfly dun. A pair of duck shoulder feathers create a convincing wing silhouette and are much tougher than the wings on other no-hackles. DSD’s listed below match most hatches. I’ll custom tie DSD’s to match any hatch down to size 20. DSD Blue-wing Olive – sz. 16, 18, 20. DSD Pale Morning Dun (PMD) – sz. 14, 16. DSD Mahogany Dun – sz. 16. DSD Sulphur – sz. 18, 20. DSD Blue Dun – sz. 14, 16, 18. DSD Cahill – sz. 14, 16. DSD Trico – sz. 18, 20. DSD March Brown – sz. 12. DSD Green Drake – sz. 12. DSD Small Green Drake (Flav) – sz. 14....................... ea. $1.75 Classic Wood Duck Duns
Traditional hackled duns can still be the hot ticket. On windy days hackled duns skitter or blow across the water much like the naturals. I also like these duns for prospecting dry on spring creeks – they’re readily visible to fish and angler, yet they fool spring creek trout that are feeding opportunistically. All have split wings of natural wood duck flank. I’ll tie other shades to match any natural dun down to size 18. Wood Duck Adams – sz. 12, 14, 16. Wood Duck Cahill – sz. 14. Wood Duck Blue Dun – sz. 14, 16. Wood Duck March Brown – sz. 12....................... ea. $1.85 Industrial-Strength Duns
I.S. Duns combine the toughness and visibility of a Wulff with a more realistic mayfly wing silhouette (I bond 2 hen saddle hackle tips into a single, rounded upright wing). Well-hackled for durability and a high, visible float. Great for matching large mayfly drakes or for prospecting freestone rivers. I.S. Adams – sz. 12, 14. I.S. Green Drake – sz. 12. I.S. Blue Dun – sz. 14. I.S. Royal – sz. 14........................ ea. $1.85 I.S. Hex – sz. 8....................... ea. $2.25 Wulffs
Wulffs are tough, visible dries that shine on swift currents and jumbled pocket water. I always pack a few primary color schemes. My Hare’s Ear Wulff has a hare’s ear body and grizzly hackle – a winning combination. Small, size 16 Wulffs are great for late evening when even educated tailwater trout often take them confidently. I’ll tie other shades and sizes. Royal Wulff – sz. 12, 16. Gray Wulff – sz. 12. Hare’s Ear Wulff – sz. 14, 16........................ ea. $1.85 Antron Spinners
The Rusty Spinner in a range of sizes equips you to cover most important mayfly spinner falls. Even when there isn’t an obvious spinner fall, fishing a spinner into darkness often produces a few bonus hookups as rising activity to midges and other small naturals dwindles (apparently the spent-wing silhouette of a small spinner remains visible and alluring to trout even against a darkening sky). Antron wings have the translucency of live spinner wings and are lightly reinforced with clear cement to maintain their spent-wing attitude. I’ll tie any size or shade. Rusty Spinner – sz. 14, 16, 18. Trico Spinner – sz. 20........................ ea. $1.75 Floating NymphsDuring mayfly hatches trout often key on ascending nymphs as they struggle to break through the surface film and emerge as winged duns. The floating nymph with its pronounced foam wing case suspends in the surface film imitating this highly vulnerable emergent stage and often out fishes dun imitations during hatches. Most mature mayfly nymphs are dark olive to brown with dark gray wing pads so toting the Rusty Floating Nymph in a range of sizes equips you to match most emergences. I’ll tie the pattern in any size or shade. Floating Nymph, Rusty – sz. 14, 16, 18........................ ea. $1.75 Upland CaddisMy Upland Caddis are extremely lifelike in both color and silhouette. I use a range of game bird feathers to precisely match the wing color and mottling of many adult caddis, and I’ve refined a nifty technique for bonding two feathers into a perfect tent-wing, complete with prominent antennae. These are the adult caddis to have for flat water and wary trout. I’ll tie other colors. Upland Caddis, Gray – sz. 12, 14, 16. Upland Caddis, Brown – sz. 12, 14, 16. Upland Caddis, Tan – sz. 12, 14, 16. Upland Caddis, Black – sz. 12, 14, 16......................... ea. $1.85 Elk CaddisThe Elk Caddis is my favorite prospecting dry. It’s tough and easy to track, and suggests a range of insects including adult caddis, craneflies, large midges, small stoneflies, and small hoppers. I wing these caddis with carefully selected cow elk hair for excellent buoyancy. Tied with brown hackle and body or grizzly hackle and gray body. I’ll tie other shades and sizes. Elk Caddis, Brown – sz. 12, 14, 16, 18. Elk Caddis, Grizzly – sz. 12, 14, 16, 18......................... ea. $1.75 Emerging CaddisDuring most caddis hatches the winged adults get off the water so quickly that trout primarily ingest emergers. This fly with its stubby hairwing and trailing shuck represents a half-emerged and vulnerable caddis. If you’ve been fishing adult caddis patterns during hatches and seeing a lot of refusals, try fishing this emerger in the film or subsurface. I’ll tie other colors and sizes. Emerging Caddis, Olive – sz. 14, 16, 18. Emerging Caddis, Gray – sz. 14, 16, 18......................... ea. $1.75 Pass LakeThis longtime Wisconsin favorite with downwing profile and Royal Wulff color scheme is a superb attractor dry. Brown body and hackle, white calf-body wing, and wood duck flank tail. Pass Lake – sz. 14, 16....................... ea. $1.75 Snowshoe Dancer
I designed this downwing attractor dry to be fished actively. I often skitter it at the end of a downstream swing or skate it on glassy surfaces, including lakes. The wing is a non-absorbent tuft from the foot of a snowshoe hare. Two hackles provide a high, dancing float. I palmer matching hackle over a dun or brown body, and I add stiff grizzly hackle behind the head. A tail of stiff hackle fibers helps skate the fly. Snowshoe Dancer, Dun/Grizzly – sz. 14, 16. Snowshoe Dancer, Brown/Grizzly – sz. 14, 16……........................ ea. $1.85 Grizzly GnatThe Grizzly Gnat belongs in every fly vest. It imitates large midges and mating clusters of small midges. Grizzly hackle palmered over a peacock body is irresistible to trout. Grizzly Gnat – sz. 16, 18, 20....................... ea. $1.75 Topwater MidgesWhen the water is blanketed with adult midges you may need to pound a specific fish with a convincing imitation until it selects your fly from the flotilla of naturals. The Topwater Midge is a good one. It has a few turns of thorax hackle trimmed flush with the bottom of the body for a low float. Slender Antron wings are locked low along the body so they contact the surface – a key element in imitating adult midges. The Pheasant/Grizzly version has the same color scheme as the Grizzly Gnat, but is much sleeker to better imitate small midges. I’ll tie other sizes and colors. TW Midge, Dun – sz. 20. TW Midge, Cream – sz. 20. TW Midge, Pheasant/Grizzly – sz. 20........................ ea. $1.75
Terrestrials
Foam AntAnts abound in streamside brush and grasses from early summer on, and trout relish them. Tied from buoyant foam with distinct head, thorax and abdomen, plus 6 unbreakable monocord legs. I’ll tie other sizes. Foam Ant – sz. 16....................... ea. $1.75 Shine BeetleBeetles can be fished more subtly than hoppers, and I often hook multiple trout on a beetle before stirring up a run. There are many beetle species, and in addition to the characteristic humped beetle profile, most have a hard, metallic sheen. An iridescent peacock underbody reinforced with copper wire, and a glossy black shellback of stretched fly foam give this imitation that metallic beetle sheen. Shine Beetle – sz. 14....................... ea. $1.85 Distress Hopper
Many “realistic’ hopper patterns look neat sitting in fly boxes, but natural hoppers knocked down by wind are rarely neat and composed on the water. The Distress Hopper has an oversized, flared collar of hollow cow elk hair to suggest half-open hopper wings in disarray. The flared collar and tightly packed elk hair head float the fly superbly making it easy to track on wind-buffeted runs under glaring sun. From the small spring creeks of the Midwest to the big freestone rivers of the West, this hopper brings the snouts up. Distress Hopper – sz. 8, 10, 12........................ ea. $2.25
Micro-Nymphs
On fertile spring creeks and tailwaters, presenting tiny nymph imitations is often the ticket to steady action between hatches. I fish Micro-Nymphs in some unorthodox ways with impressive results, but the primary tactic is an absolute dead drift at the exact depth fish are holding. Use a small buoyant indicator to precisely regulate fly depth and pinch just enough tiny # 8 or #9 split shot on a 5X or 6X tippet to suspend the fly vertically (it should drift directly beneath the indicator). Micro-nymphing can be deadly on slow, crystalline refuge runs where pods of inactive trout stack up. I often stand in plain view of wild browns and micro-nymph numerous fish from a pod. Given some time to acclimate to your presence, trout typically don’t associate tiny nymphs with danger. For more detail see the chapter Micronymphing for Inactive Trout in No Hatch to Match. The Pheasant Tail Midge, Chocolate Emerger, and Peacock & Copper are all unweighted (use tiny shot on the tippet about 8” above the fly). I’ll tie other sizes. Pheasant Tail MidgeThe PT Midge uses the same proven materials as the famed Pheasant Tail Nymph (pheasant tail and fine copper wire) but is tied without appendages to imitate small midge larvae. It’s my most versatile micro-nymph and has produced banner days from the San Juan and Green Rivers to local spring creeks. PT Midge – sz. 18....................... ea. $1.65 Chocolate EmergerI first fished this fly during blue-wing olive hatches on the San Juan River and quickly adopted it for other waters. Drifted just above bottom or weed beds with the aid of split shot, it often produces more and bigger fish than dun imitations, even when plenty of fish are rising. If you encounter daily blue-wing hatches at predictable times, try bracketing the hatch by probing deep with this nymph before and after. Chocolate Emerger – sz. 18....................... ea. $1.75 Peacock & CopperAn abdomen of copper wire, and a peacock thorax, give this micro-nymph excellent flash and attraction. Peacock & Copper – sz. 16....................... ea. $1.75
Nymphs
Soft-Hackle Woolly Worms
Far and away my most productive prospecting fly. Its buggy silhouette and lifelike materials make it a big-trout slayer on all water types. Fish the Soft-hackle Woolly on an upstream dead-drift, a downstream swing, or strip it through slack water – there’s no wrong way to fish it and no water type it can’t handle (see the chapter Long-line Nymphing for Active Trout in No Hatch to Match for innovative ways to fish this fly). The rabbit fur tail and soft, webby hen hackle pulsate beautifully. The dubbed rabbit body is raked with a nylon brush to marry guard hairs with hackle for a super-buggy look. Black & Grizzly in size 12 is my bread-and-butter version (size 16 is great for low water and light line rods). The black version with hot orange tail moves big fish, especially as spawning approaches. On western rivers I fish the Soft-hackle Woolly in sizes 4 thru 8 as my primary stonefly nymph imitation in lieu of stiff, ‘realistic’ stonefly patterns that are lifeless in the water. Moderately weighted. I’ll tie other colors and sizes. S-H W Worm, Black & Grizzly – sz. 12, 16. S-H W Worm, Black w/ orange tail – sz. 12, 14……ea. $1.85 S-H W Worm, Black & Grizzly – sz. 4, 6, 8....................... ………ea. $2.25 Fuzzy Hare’s Ear
The Hare’s Ear has probably taken more trout than any other nymph, which is amazing considering that most Hare’s Ears are poorly tied. I tie this one to fish up to the pattern’s potential. My dubbing mix has a high percentage of spiky guard hairs, plus chopped Antron for added sheen. The finished fly is raked with a nylon brush for a super-buggy look. Canada goose wing slips match the dark gray wing pads of mature mayfly nymphs. Most mature mayfly nymphs are olive to brown, and the Chocolate Hare’s Ear is a close match. Moderately weighted. Fuzzy HE, Natural – sz. 12, 14, 16. Fuzzy HE, Chocolate– sz. 12, 14, 16....................... ea. $1.75 Pheasant Tail Nymph
The PT Nymph is a highly workable imitation of most mayfly nymphs. I fish it anywhere from on bottom (when prospecting) to right in the surface film (during mayfly emergences), so I tie it unweighted for versatility. PT Nymph – sz. 14, 16, 18........................ ea. $1.75 Squirrel Nymphs
Squirrel hair is loaded with stiff guard hairs that produce an exceptionally spiky nymph which approximates a wide range of nymphs, larvae, and scuds. The Fox Squirrel version has an abdomen of orange/tan belly fur ribbed with gold flash, and a grizzled reddish/brown thorax. The Gray Squirrel version has a medium gray abdomen ribbed with silver flash, and dark gray thorax. Moderately weighted. I’ll tie other sizes. Gray Squirrel Nymph – sz. 14, 16. Fox Squirrel Nymph – sz. 14, 16....................... ea. $1.75 Fox Squirrel Beadhead
If you like to prospect with beadhead nymphs give this one a go. A copper bead, copper ribbing, and short tail of dark Krystal Flash provide plenty of flash, while the fox squirrel body (reddish/brown abdomen and orange/tan thorax) are vigorously brushed for a rough, spiky look. I often fish it deep as an emerging caddis pupa imitation during caddis hatches. Unweighted (except for the bead). I’ll tie other sizes. Fox Squirrel Beadhead – sz. 12, 16....................... ea. $1.85 Bead CaddisI carry the Bead Caddis in a range of colors for imitating various emerging caddis pupa. Tied on a curved hook with copper bead and ribbing, and lightly brushed for a roughened ‘emerger’ look. Fish it deep. Or try casting it just above rise forms during caddis hatches – trout will often inhale it just subsurface. Unweighted (except for the bead). I’ll tie other sizes and colors. Bead Caddis, Olive – sz. 12, 16. Bead Caddis, Cream – sz. 12, 16 Bead Caddis, Hare’s Ear – sz. 12, 16....................... ea. $1.85 Chamois LeechSimilar to the San Juan Worm but tied from supple tanned chamois that writhes enticingly during the drift (the head and tail extend freely). Tan imitates aquatic worms that live in the beds of many tailwater rivers. Black imitates the common leech. Lashed to a size 14 hook at the thorax, the chamois body is actually about 1¼” long. Unweighted. Chamois Leech, Tan – sz. 14. Chamois Leech, Black – sz. 14........................ ea. $1.75 Fast-Sinking Scuds
One of my passions is backpack fishing the High Rockies. The Fast-sinking Scud has accounted for so many of my trophy high-lake trout (golden brook, and cutthroat) that I jokingly refer to my early, less fruitful backpacking summers as BS (Before Scud). I designed this fly specifically for sight-fishing to cruising trout on clear mountain lakes. Scuds or fairy shrimp are the forage base in many trophy lakes, and this fly imitates both. Size 12 casts like a bullet on a 5-foot, 4X tippet then flips onto its friction-free back to drop quickly to the level of cruising fish. The Natural version (Olive/Gray) is also a good imitation for the scuds and sowbugs that abound on many spring creeks and tailwaters. The Orange/Flashback attractor version is candy to brook trout. FS Scud, Natural – sz. 12, 16. FS Scud, Orange/Flashback – sz. 12,....................... ea. $1.85 Mega ScudThe same design as the Fast-Sinking Scud above, but tied larger (size 8). I can work a Mega Scud as deep as 15 feet without switching to a sinking line. The chunky orange body and silver flashback get noticed in low light or when wind roils bottom silts decreasing visibility in lakes. Moderately weighted; I normally fish it on a 3-foot 3X tippet. The Mega Scud has been the difference between boom and bust on more than one trip. I’ll never hike 30 miles into a high lake without a supply. Mega Scud, Orange/Flashback – sz. 8,....................... ea. $2.25 Streamers, Baitfish, Hair Bugs
Soft-Hackle Buggers
Tied in the same innovative style as my Soft-Hackle Woolly Worms with soft, seductive hen hackle and dubbed rabbit bodies that are brushed to marry hair and hackle. The long, webby hen hackle pulsates beautifully on a dead drift or when actively stripped. Marabou tails have flash for added attraction (silver on Black Bugger; gold on Bi-Bugger). Black is my primary color for dirty water. The Bi-Bugger has a unique crayfish/sculpin color scheme (olive/grizzly/black) that drives big trout and smallmouths wild (it’s also my best steelhead fly). Moderately weighted. I’ll tie other sizes and colors (white with silver flash is popular). I fish size 8 for trout, steelhead and river smallies, and size 4 on lake bass. S-H Bugger, Black – sz. 4, 8. S-H Bugger, Bi-Bugger – sz. 4, 8. Size 8....................... ea. $2.25 Size 4....................... ea. $2.50 Lead Eye Soft-Hackle Buggers I’ve long used Soft-Hackle Buggers with Lead Eyes for specific applications. Lead Eye Buggers are nose-heavy so they plummet swiftly in current or lakes. They also ‘hop’ on the retrieve – an action that smallmouth relish. Dumbell eyes are red with black pupils. Size 4 has 1/32 oz. eyes. Size 8 has 1/50-oz. eyes. Lead Eye S-H Bugger, Black – sz. 4, 8. Lead Eye S-H Bugger, Bi-Bugger – sz. 4, 8. Size 8....................... ea. $2.75 Size 4....................... ea. $2.95 Soft-Hackle Mini-Buggers The Soft-Hackle Mini-Bugger is my top small-stream streamer by a runaway margin. Fish it on a dead drift or strip it. It performs upstream, across, or down and the webby profile is visible to fish from any angle . It may be ‘mini’, but most seasons it entices my largest spring creek browns. It’s my stock fly for big bluegills and a great ‘crossover’ fly for picking up bass when targeting panfish. Moderately weighted. S-H Mini-Bugger, Black – sz. 12, 14 S-H Mini-Bugger, Bi-Bugger – sz. 12, 14....................... ea. $1.95 Classic Muddler Minnow
There are many variations on the Muddler, but the classic turkey-wing Muddler remains my favorite for prospecting freestone rivers. Cast the fly down and across current and let it swing back on a tight line as you probe around rocks and other structure. Trout love to launch on a Muddler as it hangs in front of them (many fish hit just as the upstream retrieve begins). I omit lead and wrap a stout, sculpin-like, neutral density body with gold DMC thread. I often swing the fly at mid depths. To fish near bottom I add split shot to the tippet at the hook eye, or use a sink-tip line. Well-tied commercial Muddlers are scarce. I charge a premium because tying them takes time, and I use prime materials including matched left/right quills from wild turkey wings. I like size 6 for rivers and size 12 for streams. I’ll tie other sizes. Muddler Minnow – sz. 6, 12....................... ea. $3.50 Bobbing Baitfish
A meat fly if there ever was one. If you enjoy probing lake depths, learn to fish it! Big smallies, northerns, walleye, and lake trout slam this realistic baitfish imitation. Mylar tubing is stretched over a buoyant foam underbody. I belly a sinking line below the fly and often fish it near bottom in 10 to 30 feet of water. I retrieve it with arm-length strips and 3-second pauses. With each strip the fly dives following the path of the bellied line. With each pause the fly buoys upward. It’s a remarkably snag-free method of staying in the critical bottom zone. Tubing is coated with clear epoxy. Doll Eyes. Short marabou tail. Size 2 (2 ¾” long) is my primary Baitfish for bass, walleye, northerns, and lakers. Size 6 is great for panfish (especially crappies) and trout in spring ponds and alpine lakes (especially big brook trout). Bobbing Baitfish, Silver – sz. 2, 6 Bobbing Baitfish, Gold – sz. 2, 6....................... ea. $3.50 Bullet-Nose Deerhair Divers
The Bullet-Nose Diver is tied with several modifications to boost diving power. Rather than tying a skimpy diving head, I spin and pack deerhair tightly over the entire hook shank and trim a pronounced bullet-nose backed by an exceptionally thick diving collar. When the fly is stripped forcefully a high volume of water surges over the long nose and deflects off the stiff collar forcing the fly into a radical dive. It pierces the surface with an audible pop and trails a long bubble plume attracting fish from a wide radius. Dives deep and pops back to the surface quickly – an erratic action that triggers vicious hits. When bass and pike are aggressive I strip the diver aggressively and cover a lot of water. When fish are sluggish it can be worked as subtly as any other surface bug. Divers have Doll Eyes and fur-strip tails topped with flash (I’ll also tie marabou tails). Tied on superb Tiemco 8089 Bass Bug Hooks. Size 2 churns a lot of water for pike and big largemouths. Size 6 is an all-around bug for pike, largemouths, and big smallies. Size 10 in Crawfish color is my primary smallmouth bug for lakes. Size 12 is ideal for intermediate rods, river smallies, and brown trout after dark. I’ll tie other colors. BN Diver, Crawfish – sz. 2, 6, 10, 12. BN Diver, Chartreuse – sz. 2, 6, 10, 12. BN Diver, Frog – sz. 2, 6, 10, 12. Sizes 10 and 12 ....................... ea. $4.95 Sizes 2 and 6 ....................... ea. $5.95 NOTE: for mono weedguard, add 50 cents per fly. Soft-Hackle Steelhead/Salmon Flies
Classy, high-performance flies priced to fish. All are tied with soft, webby genetic hen hackle that ‘breathes’ like spey hackle. Hot-Butt Bugger and Chartreuse Hot Spot are my designs. Lantern bodies are Edge Bright vinyl over tinsel for exceptional ‘glow’. Other flies are established hairwing and egg patterns. Tied on black Tiemco 7999 hooks. Available in sizes 2, 4, and 6. Size 6 is popular for steelhead. Size 2 and 4 are primarily for king salmon. Hot-Butt Bugger Green-Butt Skunk Chartreuse Hot-Spot Hot-Butt Sunrise Orange Lantern Polar Shrimp Chartreuse Lantern Purple Peril Black Boss Babine Special Size 6....................... ea. $2.25 Sizes 2 and 4....................... ea. $2.75
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