Garry
Needoba
B.C. Canada
I first
started fly fishing with my father when I was 8 or 9 years old on 3 mountain
lakes: Bolean, Arthur, and Spa Lake above Falkland B.C. I consider
these lakes as our family lakes since my great uncles built a cabin on Arthur
Lake prior to any roads being constructed on the mountain. To get there
was a 2 hour grueling hike up the mountain and of course all supplies (windows,
doors, woodstoves) were brought up by horse back.
It was my uncles Alf and Emil who first stocked fish in Spa lake by hauling them
in a cream can on horseback from Arthur lake. My grandfather Charles
Needoba was the first to catch a fish in Spa some two years later. The
fish was claimed to be some 8 lbs., but we all know how that one goes.
Today all that is left of the cabin at Arthur lake are the decaying walls of the
cabin and a plaque remembering Emil and his wife Marge.
My recollection of
going fishing with my father was on the logging road constructed in the late
forties or early fifties, with its many switchbacks, steep grades, shale slides,
washouts, and water running in the ditches and at times across the road.
The running water was an asset, because the vehicles at that time did not have
the advanced cooling systems of today and were constantly overheating on the
steep grades, so one would stop and let the vehicle cool off, add water and
continue on. The shale roadbed was not so kind to tires and a flat tire
was considered part and parcel of getting there.
Fishing with my
father was a quiet affair. Voices, when need be, were just above a
whisper. This left plenty of time for meditating only to be jolted back to
reality when a fish took your fly. It is this Zen act of meditating that
is engrained in me when I go fishing. I do not have to catch large numbers
of fish but merely enjoy the moment.
Later in life, my
work took me north to Smithers and the Bulkley Valley where I was introduced to
magnificent steelhead fishing in the Morice, Bulkley, Babine, and Kispiox
rivers. It was here that I honed my fly tying. To me there is
nothing better than wading the river and casting a fly to a mighty steelhead.
Recommended Books:
Steelhead Paradise, by John Fennelly
Steelhead Flyfishing, by Trey Combs
Select a fly below
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Be sure to visit our on-line store at
http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Originator: Dick Prankard
One of the old
standard trolling flies used in B.C. waters, depending on the size it can
imitate most of the major insects as well as leeches.
Hook: Mustad 9672 6-10.
Thread: Danville's monofilament (smoked).
Tail: Guinea hackle fibers.
Rib: Uni-French #7 oval (silver).
Body: Cotton embroidery floss (black, red, or green).
Hackle: Grizzly hen hackle.
Wing: Ringneck pheasant tail fibers.
Head: Peacock herl.
Note: Pictures from top to bottom are black, green, and red Doc Spratleys.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
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Tier: Garry Needoba
Scroll down for tying instructions.
Hook: # 1 Eagle Claw 1197B or #2-6 Mustad 36890.
Thread: Danville's. monofilament fine (smoked).
Tail: Mottled turkey quill.
Rib: Edge Bright (cut in fine strip).
Body: Lead wire, Mylar piping.
Wing: Black bear, black marabou, Krystal Flash, elk hair.
Head: Spun elk hair trimmed to shape.
History: In late October 1989 I was off to visit an old fishing buddy, Jim Ismond and wife Kathy, of Northland Steelhead Lodge on the Bulkley River. Conditions in late October may not be the best, with fall freshets coloring the water and falling temperatures making the fish more lethargic, so I wanted a fly that would come through for me if I was presented with the worst of conditions. I wanted a fly that would be in front of their noses on every cast so it had to be moderately weighted and darker in color to show up in turbit water.
Several modified versions of known patterns were tied but I kept coming back to two known producers, the Black Leech and the Muddler Minnow. So I thought, why not combine the best features of the two and dress up the end result. The Bulkley Bastard was created.
This fly has been fished with great success over the years and I now use it as my only wet fly for steelhead. It is fished as a mine sweeper to see what the dry fly has missed on my favorite waters.
HOW TO TIE "THE BULKLEY BASTARD"
1. Double wrap hook with tying thread and cement base.
2. Lay fine lead wire along the length of the hook to the shank, tie down
and then wrap the lead wire forward from the shank to the thorax.
3. Tie on the tail and then the edge bright ribbing.
4. With the tying thread at the tail section, slide a Mylar sleeve over
the head of the fly and anchor at the tail section. Then work the thread
forward to the thorax to give the Mylar sleeve a ribbed body.
5. Wrap edge bright ribbing in place and anchor.
6. At the thorax place a small drop of cement and anchor down a small tuff
of black bear hair. Be sure to remove all fine hair before cementing.
7. Cut 6 - 8 small pieces of Krystal Flash the length of the black bear
hair and anchor down over the black bear hair.
8. Select a small tuff of black marabou and tie over the Krystal Flash.
9. Add another 6 to 8 pieces of Krystal Flash.
10. Add another drop of cement and then cut a plug of elk hair making sure
to remove all fin hairs. Tie down, making sure to leave about 1/4 inch at
the head of the hair so it will stand up to start the head of the fly.
11. Spin on more short pieces of elk hair to form the head.
12. Whip finish the head and with scissors shape the head.
Additional information: The black bear hair will lift the marabou off the body of the fly and let the marabou react to the currents in the river. The Krystal Flash gives life to the fly and adds depth when looking into the fly. The elk hair gives more depth to the fly and acts as a shell to protect the soft marabou.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook: Mustad 94840.
Thread: Danville's fine monofilament (smoked).
Tail: Elk Hair.
Body: Spun Elk Hair, trimmed.
Wing: Elk Hair.
Head: Forward part of wing clipped.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook:
Mustad 94840.
Thread: Danville's fine monofilament (smoked).
Tail: Elk or deer hair.
Body: Elk or deer hair wrapped with light green floss.
Wing: Mottled Turkey (lacquered).
Hackle: Grizzly parachuted on post.
This fly is a basic Tom Thumb with mottled turkey wings added and then the forward portion of the fly pulled back to form the post for the parachute hackle.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook: Mustad 36890.
Thread: Danville's fine monofilament (smoked).
Tail: Elk Hair.
Body: Spun Elk Hair, Trimmed.
Wing: Orange polar bear hair overlaid with elk hair.
Head: Forward portion of wing epoxied with Shoe Goo and head cement.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Gianluca Nocentini
Hook:
Daiichi 1190 size 14, 16, or 18.
Thread: Olive 8/0.
Tail: Dun Microfibbets, divided.
Body: Olive turkey biot.
Thorax: Hark olive Sub-seal fur.
Wing: Kaki CDC, divided.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
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Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook: # 8 Mustad 9672.
Thread: Danvilles fine monofilament (smoked).
Tail: Pheasant rump feather.
Body : Pheasant rump feather wrapped.
Rib: Fine gold wire.
Hackle: Pheasant rump feather.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
An old time favorite found in nearly every fly box.
When you can't catch a fish on a grizzly king its time to call it a day.
Hook:
Mustad 9671 #8-12.
Thread: Uni-Thread tan.
Tail: Died red quill.
Rib: Fine flat silver tinsel.
Body: Green embroidery floss.
Hackle: Mallard duck body feather (long fibers).
Wing: Mallard duck breast feather.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook:
Mustad 94840 #8-12.
Thread: Danville's Monofilament, fine smoked.
Tail: Died red duck quill.
Rib: Fine flat silver tinsel.
Body: Green embroidery floss.
Hackle: Grizzly hackle (fine dry).
Wing: Mallard duck breast feather.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook: Mustad
9672 #8-12.
Thread: Danville monofilament, fine (smoked).
Tail: Died yellow goose quill.
Tag: Fine flat silver tinsel.
Body Aft: Red stretch floss.
Body Forward: Peacock herl.
Rib: Fine flat silver tinsel.
Wing: Mallard flank fibers.
Hackle: Peacock body feather (long).
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
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Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook: Kamasan
#10.
Thread: Uni-Thread, tan.
Tail: Moose mane, dark.
Body: Moose mane, 1 dark & 1 light.
Thorax: Spun elk hair, trimmed.
Wings: Tips of dry grizzly hackle.
Hackle: Grizzly hackle.
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Tier: Garry Needoba
Hook:
Mustad 9671 #10-16.
Thread: Uni-Thread tan.
Tail: Red hackle fibers.
Rib: Fine flat gold tinsel.
Body: Yellow floss.
Hackle: Brown hen hackle.
Wing: Mallard flank fibers
Select Another Fly:
Bulkley Bastard (Instructions)
Return to Garry's Introduction.
Be sure to visit our on-line store at
http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
for your tying needs.