Ken Burkholder has been a fly tier and innovator for over 30 years. Whether in the midwest, or Idaho, he’s never strayed far from his tying bench. A 30 year guide and student of insects, he’s always seeking the next new technique or material to improve his patterns. You may recognize some of his eagerly anticipated patterns, such as the Riffle Robber and the Bearback Rider, which have been extremely effective at fooling tough trout. To learn more about these flies, and some of his other patterns, follow along during this Q&A!
1) Q: You’ve been fly fishing since you were a kid. What got you hooked on it from the start?
A: Fly fishing at a young age usually involved either my father or one of my older brothers who could drive. We fished tributaries of the Boise River which held wild rainbow trout of modest size. They readily came to the surface fooled by classic attractors like the Renegade, Elk Hair Caddis, and Royal Trude. Dad would take me out and say “there will be a fish right there” as he pointed to a likely location. Casting his fly to the spot a trout would almost always rise to the occasion, and this fascinated me. How did he know where the trout was?
Later, Dad leased a $1995.00 Ford Maverick to be used for fishing by his sons, and we went all over southern Idaho exploring remote, seldom fished streams. I got hooked because of the time spent with my dad or brothers, and for the simple joy of seeing trout rise to a dry fly.
2) Q: You’ve performed with the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra for 34 years, and guided for 30 years as well. How do you have time for it all?
A: I retired from the Boise Philharmonic in 2015, the same year I retired from 30 years of guiding on the South Fork of the Snake. It was a most convenient marriage. The Philharmonic had a nine month season. The guide gig three months. I never had to coordinate both professions simultaneously.
3) Q: We have eagerly anticipated Burkus’ Bearback Rider this season. Tell us about the story behind it! When was the idea born, and how did you go about designing it?
A: First of all, I was introduced to tying with bear hair in the early 1980s. However, I started using this material not for what was shown to me, but using the hair next to the hide for wings rather than the tips. It’s the opposite of using deer and elk. I began using it for bear hair caddis, which quickly became a go-to fly.
After being hired to guide on the South Fork of the Snake in 1985 I was introduced to its glorious hatches of stoneflies: Yellow Sallies, Golden Stoneflies and Salmon Flies. I had bear hair and used it with fine results imitating these stoneflies. Sadly, my bear hair source dried up. The taxidermist in Boise who had it stopped doing bear mounts. I craved more. I went to the Boise Public Library and went through the Yellow Pages of the Anchorage, AK phone book writing down telephone numbers of taxidermists there in hopes of procuring more bear hair.
Sadly, I was unable to purchase any because selling bear hair in AK is illegal. But one taxidermist mentioned the Fur Rendezvous in Anchorage where bear hides were auctioned off. In 2002 I bought a ticket to Anchorage, went to the auction, bought five green hides, had them tanned and shipped to me. That’s where the bear hair journey really began.
With all this bear hair I discovered different qualities. Some was very dense and kinky…perfect for large stoneflies. I began collecting samples of stoneflies and taking images of them. What struck me were the legs and how they were positioned on the insect. I began tying Bearback Riders (cleverly named by my wife) in Swan Valley with ‘anatomically correct’ legs. What a difference this fly made. I began getting orders from guides and clients immediately. It was a hit!
4) Q: What tips do you have for anglers fishing the Bearback Rider?
A: First off a 7.5 2x leader with 24-30” of 6lb. Ultra Green Maxima is a great start, and always connect it with a loop knot. It must be said that using these flies is primarily done from a drift boat. Be sure to get a good downstream drift with occasional twitches. Movement is really key. Pay close attention to grassy banks. If you see gravel on the river bank bring the fly out to the depth where they can no longer be seen. Inside corner flats are prime spots. Fishing “inside out” or casting away from the bank and twitching towards the bank is terrific method, as stoneflies deposit eggs away from the bank and always move towards the bank after.
5) Q: Burkus’ Riffle Robber is another exciting new addition for this year. What inspired this pattern?
A: A few years ago on the Owyhee River in Southeastern Oregon I encountered a terrific PMD mayfly hatch. Curiously, there were mayflies flying off the water with their exuviae (shuck) attached. I had a camera and captured an image. What struck me was the shuck was a tube, not just a bunch of loose fibers which was the normal tying method for emerging mayflies. I went home, created the tubular shuck returned to the Owyhee the following day and the results were staggering. Not only was it effective, but brown trout would move two feet to eat it. The Riffle Robber was born, and was another game changer. The acid test was Silver Creek, and the Railroad Ranch on the Henry’s Fork, where it truly proved itself.
6) Q: When do you fish the Riffle Robber over more standard dun imitations?
A: The Riffle Robber is a transitional fly. As a result, when mayfly nymphs (PMDs) are struggling to emerge on the surface tension and duns are appearing is the absolute prime situation when this fly shines.
7) Q: A third new pattern is Burkus’ Madison River Closer, which is a wasp and hornet imitation. How did you come up with that?
A: A few years ago in early September I was fishing the Snake River in Teton National Park. There were large black hornets flying with frequency. The Jackson Hole One Fly was fast approaching and I thought perhaps an imitation of these insects could be an effective fly. So, I went back to my vise and created the “Closer,” which was named by a dear friend of mine. The next day I returned and was taken by how many cutthroats responded to this fly. The Madison River Closer was born.
8) Q: How and when do you use the Madison River Closer?
A: As we know all insects are ‘groceries’ to trout. They eat almost anything that flies. Pay attention to what is flying around. Primarily this fly is a late summer early fall imitation. This time of year hornets and wasps seem highly agitated and active with the prospect of a hard freeze on the way. Present the fly with a downstream drift along banks with dense cottonwoods and aspens. Hornets and wasps are arboreal and prefer this structure to grassy banks.
9) Q: You spend a lot of time studying hatches. What have you learned that other people may be missing out on?
A: I enjoy identifying insects. Because of this, collecting them and knowing their scientific names is important to me, although not necessarily important in catching trout. Observing one’s surroundings is key. What insect evidence do you see? What are in the bushes and trees? Are there stonefly shucks in the grass or on exposed rocks. Do you see ant hills? Hear crickets or cicadas? Are trout rising? Become familiar with rise forms. Are they eating caddis or mayflies; emergers or duns or spinners? You should investigate your surroundings before tying on a fly.
10) Q: What advice would you give to anglers learning to fish dry flies?
A: Dry fly fishing is perhaps the most difficult to grasp. Hiring a professional dry fly fishing guide is a great way to be introduced to the sport. This will save a lot of guessing. Get outfitted with a good rod and appropriate line. Begin collecting a good selection of dry flies covering caddis, mayflies and stoneflies. Understand what insects are common to the waters you will be fishing. Be patient. This is a lifetime sport. I know of no angler who understands everything about dry fly fishing.
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