As summer turns to fall, one of the most exciting dry fly-fishing opportunities kicks into high gear: terrestrial and attractor fishing. Throwing big flies imitating large terrestrials can be an addictive proposition not only because it's very effective, but also because it's flat-out fun. Forget about delicate presentations and fine leaders. The name of the game here is big, splashy plops onto the water with big furry, foamy and high-floating flies. The Chubby Chernobyl is one such fly. Quickly becoming one of the more popular attractor patterns in the West, it has proven time and time again that it can hunt. A favorite among guides in Montana, Idaho and Utah, the "Chubby" is an easy fly to tie and it will float all day long. This specific variation is tied with pink foam — one of my favorite colors for hoppers and attractor patterns — but you can mix and match the colors to your liking.

Imitation • Hopper, cricket, salmon fly, etc.

When to use • Summer/fall

Where • Most streams and rivers

How to fish it • Fish as dry fly on a floating line. Splashy casts are sometimes a necessity.

Hook • 2X Long dry fly hook #12 - #4

Thread • UTC Ultra thread 70 Denier Maroon

Underbody • Dubbing color of choice

Body • 2mm or 3mm foam, color of choice

Legs • Baby legs alive or rubber legs

Wing • White Poly-yarn

Tail • 8 to 10 strands of Crystal flash

Tying Instructions

Attach the thread and work back to the bend of the hook. Tie in the Crystal Flash tail and then build up a body of dubbing. Make your way to the hook point and tie in the foam such that the foam extends to just behind the tail at the rear and just over the eye of the hook at the front. Tie in two pairs of legs and the rear-extending wing section at the tie-in point as well. Trim the wing to extend to the end of the foam and complete the tie-in point by wrapping a small segment of dubbing to cover the legs and wing where they are tied in. Move the thread forward to just behind the eye of the hook and repeat the previous steps for the next segment with legs, wings and dubbing to cover. Trim the wing such that it extends to the same point as the previous wing. Build up a dubbing head and whip finish.

Curtis Fry lives in Orem and ties flies "for pure necessity and as a creative outlet. I don't fool myself into thinking it is a cheaper alternative to buying flies. It's an addiction I am forced to abide." —

Online See how to tie the fly

Curtis Fry provides a tutorial at YouTube.

› www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYBnU_f56dE

More videos • youtube.com/user/frycdf