The Hornberg Special

The Hornberg Special was created in the 1920s by Frank Hornberg, Wisconsin's first game warden in Portage County. Initially designed as a dry fly to imitate caddisflies and stoneflies, it gained popularity in the 1940s when the Weber Tackle Company began commercial production. The Hornberg's versatility allows it to be fished both dry and wet, making it a staple in anglers' fly boxes across the Midwest and Eastern United States.

Fish it as a dry fly: Apply floatant and present the Hornberg upstream, allowing it to drift naturally to mimic adult caddis or stoneflies.