Get Winterized!

As you fish this winter it is important to focus on your midges, and downsizing your fly selection. As every year passes, it seems like our favorite rivers get more crowded, so fishing smaller flies is one way to combat the extra pressure. Whether you prefer tie, or buy it is time to get winterized!…

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It is now fall, time to go small.

As fall approaches, it’s time to switch up your fishing strategy for the shoulder season. Typically around this time of year, you find many anglers fishing more baetis nymphs and midges than they did in the summer. Most importantly, they are starting to downsize their flies. Below are our three must-have patterns for the fall.…

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Must-have caddis patterns for June

Barr’s Graphic Caddis Caddisflies are one of the most abundant and diverse groups of aquatic insects out there. With three varieties of larvae, fly fisherman should familiarize themselves with free-living, net-spinners and case makers. Today, I want to talk about two of our favorite caddis patterns here at Tailwater Junkie. Barr’s Graphic Caddis is one…

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Spring fishing – Stalcup’s Baetis Nymph

Now that Spring has sprung, you may find there is a lot more angling pressure on your local waters, with this added pressure, it is even more important to make sure you are fishing the right flies. During the winter months, you will often find us fishing tandem nymphing rigs with an attractor and two…

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New Tailwater Junkie Hats!

Let everyone know you are a Tailwater Junkie with one of our new Tailwater Junkie hats. Our hats have a sporty yet casual look with a low-profile. They are adjustable and pre-curved with a snapback closure. In both hats the underbill matches the color of the visor. Tailwater Junkie hats have hand stitched patchwork. The…

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Fly Tying Materials now available!

Tailwater Junkie is now offering a small selection of premium fly tying materials.  The first set of materials available will include Top Secret and Sparkle Wing materials, silver-lined glass beads, and premium peacock.  Please see below for a short description of our new products. Top Secret Wing Material Tailwater Junkie’s Top Secret Wing material a…

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Fall brings smaller flies with big opportunities

Now that fall is upon us, it is time to start thinking about going small once again. Autumn brings excellent dry fly fishing with blue-wing olives and midges.  Blue-winged olives in the fall are referred to as Puesdocleons and are typically one or two sizes smaller than their counterparts in the spring months. Fishing with…

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New flies: Amy’s Ant & Split Case Nymph (BWO & PMD)

We are excited to announce two new flies have been added to Tailwater Junkie’s arsenal of proven flies.  Amy’s Ant and Split Case nymphs (blue winged olive & pale morning dun) will be available immediately.  Please see below for a brief description and fishing strategy for each pattern! Amy’s Ant Amy’s Ant was created by…

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Organizing Your Fly Tying Work Space

In the fourth segment of Tailwater Junkie’s fly tying tips, we are going to explore some options to keep your fly tying bench organized. Keeping your fly tying area neat and tidy is key for an efficient workflow. If your tools, thread, wire, beads, hooks, and other materials are scattered all over, your productivity goes…

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Tools of the Trade

In this segment of Tailwater Junkie’s tips for beginning fly tiers, we’re going to talk about which tools you might want to consider upgrading from the onset. There are certain tools that are worth upgrading, and there are others; that is doesn’t make a big difference. Vise Buying a vise is a lot like buying…

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Practice, Practice, Practice

Welcome to the second week of my tips for beginning fly-tiers! Today’s tip may seem a bit silly, but it never hurts to rehash things that are completely obvious.  The old cliché “practice makes perfect” is what separates a good fly tier from a great one!  The more you practice, the better your fly tying…

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Five Tips for New Fly Tiers

It’s that time again – time for those notorious New Year resolutions. When it comes to resolutions, anglers often want to fish more, go on that bucket list destination trip that they’ve been dreaming about for years, or learn how to tie their own flies. You might ask yourself – why would fly tying make…

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The Manhattan Midge, a Colorado Favorite

The Manhattan Midge is a pattern I developed to fool finicky Rocky Mountain trout, especially those found in tailwater fisheries. As you might imagine, there’s an interesting story behind the Manhattan Midge. The Manhattan Midge, as the name implies, was developed in a small New York City apartment where my close friend, Jay Park was…

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The Black Beauty and its Variations

The Story Behind the Name My father, Pat Dorsey, developed the original Black Beauty in the early 90s. It was designed to imitate the heavy concentrations of midge pupae found below deep, bottom-release western reservoirs such as the South Platte, the Blue, and the Williams Fork River. In its infancy, the Black Beauty had no…

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