PTBFE... Probably The Best Fly Ever... Emphasis on Probably... A Klamath Basin, Williamson River Creation

Big fish need a ton of calories. Although they make a living eating the small stuff, they'll never turn down a prime rib dinner. I was taught a long time ago that most subsurface feeding is done at the  emergence of aquatic insects--the state where the insect is out of its own control and when its most vulnerable. This is great news for us who love to swing for trout as we can mimic this upward insect migration with the proper use of mends and tension throughout the swing. I have also observed that most emerging insects Shine, or have a certain "Flash" to them as they emerge due to the gasses that get trapped under the nymphal skin during their metamorphosis to the adult state. These gasses give off several different colors which the fish tend to key on once they have decided what their favorite menu item is. These Nymphs also move a ton as they try to get back to the cover that provided them protection over the past year. Learning all these things about Nymphs and the Trout that love them, I set out to create a fly that mimics all the characteristics that make trout order take out.


With the PTBFE I think I have done it.


First: the PTBFE has all the movement you could ask for from a trout fly. Rubber legs have worked on every fish under the sun and I knew it would bring trout to the dinner table as well. Add the marabou and fuzzy thorax and you have a fly that has the appearance of a emerging insect whos life is in a shambles and is swimming for its life.





PTBFE one for every hatch.

Second: the PTBFE Mimics the silhouette of almost all emerging insects. its larger than life thorax looks like a set of bunched up wings ready to pop at anytime. The marabou tail also reflects the shucking of nymphal skin, that all flies do when they enter that awkward age between adolescence and adulthood.

Third: The PTBFE Mimics Insect Gas...it really does! I have included a ton of flash in this fly to copy the very gas that makes all emerging type insects buoyant. after watching insects emerge under water, I am of the opinion that if you don't have some kind of flash or reflective material in your emerger pattern, your not imitating any emerging insect well.

So there are the three properties that I have induced into my attractor pattern the PTBFE. Mabye its from fishing the same waters as Polly Rosebrough, or from his direct influence on fly design to me, but I am a firm believer that a good fly shouldn't try to mimic just one species, but rather mimic the qualities that all emerging insects. Sure you'll have to tie several different colors and sizes, but in most cases the PTBFE, much like Polly's Casual Dress, will match most western hatches.

Swing The PTBFE on your favorite river, or strip it on your favorite Stillwater and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Start with a good Nymph Hook!

Tie in a Marabou Tail

Add veevus Holographic tensil

Use uni wire over the tensile body to add strength.

Body complete!

Create a Kyrstal Dub ball to hold the rubber legs.

The ball keeps the legs from folding over the body.

Add Legs to form a collar.

Much like a hackle.



Add a little more dubbing to finish off the thorax ... now swing it in front of a mean trout.