Fly Tying & Combo Thread: Segmented Bodies

This product has been out for a year or so, but I hadn’t seen it until I came upon a video demonstrating The Soft Hackle Midge Emerger by Craig Mathews at Blue Ribbon Flies. I have been using the tying thread for the body lately and then ribbing with a single strand of contrasting tying thread or fine wire. This Combo Thread, if offered in enough variety might be perfect. I am not sure, by the look of the spools, if a normal bobbin can be used? Appears to only come in 6/0? Worth a look see at Blue Ribbon Flies. Also, for the beginning tier…look at how Mathews ties in and wraps the feather. In the process of thread torque around the hook, the feather fans out nicely, as if wrapped in the conventional manner.

Fly Tying & Fishing: Small Fly~Bigger Hook?

Would a wisp of a size 24 fly body on a size 18 hook fool a fish? Would a size 16 fly body on a size 14 hook to the trick? I wonder how many of you have experimented with a slight deviation from the norm of tying: match the size fly pattern to the size hook? Does a small fly pattern have to be on a small hook to fool the fish?

This 'Big Grey' by BooRod is an example of a smaller pattern tied to what I would say is a bigger hook.

I recall reading years ago in an old Steelheader’s gear book that attracting fish was, in the end, the attractor ‘positives’ outweighing the detractor ‘negatives’ in the fish’s assessment of the morsel. Does the bigger hook detract from that smaller attractive fly pattern you attached to it? Maybe worth an experiment or two. More hookups with smaller fly patterns? This may not be suitable for gin clear waters and scrutinizing fish, but at least worth a try in the more troubled waters where fish have little time to decide.

Even the simple Egg Pattern (Gummi Egg by JMKratt) is more often than not tied on a bigger hook.

And, Ed Herbst of South Africa sent this reminder to me re the Goddard Smut.

“Goddard’s ‘go-to’ flies for when trout are sipping tiny midges from the surface are his “Goddard Smut” (for the full fledged adult)”. How simple a design but effective. How often we complicate our tying.

Fly Tying: Mayfly Emerger

PG SUPER DUPER EMERGER FROM ARCTIC FLY FISH

This is a nice Mayfly Emerger pattern. Notice a couple things that are not offered up during the video, that lend to the success of the fly: The Krystal flash tail (notice the one thread wrap behind the tail segments that helps lift the tail upward and away from the bend; the biot abdomen, which provides a nice segmented abdomen (how the biot is tied in determines how the body will wrap…segmented or smooth); the CDC wing/legs were at first maintained in a paper clamp before being inserted into the dubbing loop and spun (that is not evident in the video to the untrained eye). I think those few clarifications will make the clip more understandable for the beginning fly tier.

Image from Moscofilia

Fly Tying: Dandy Lil’ Sedge Pattern

SEDGE PATTERN BY GLEN POINTON @ FLY FORUMS UK 

I like the simplicity of this Caddis (Sedge) pattern and the use of CDC is an added bonus for floatation and the suggestion of life. The ‘cock de leon‘ feather fibers my not be readily available to you, but the author/tier describes their use for the antenna, a consistent ‘trigger point’ that entices the fish to take.

This Sedge/Caddis pattern would set low in the water with the antenna in view as well.

Fly Tying: Simple Thread Bodies

The vast majority of the flies you tie with have material wound onto the shank of the hook to form the abdomen/thorax of the fly. On smaller flies, I have experimenting with a more minimalist style of tying. On some patterns, I have simply used the tying thread for the abdomen with maybe a ribbing of thread as well. The results have been favorable for emergers & dries.

In the above pattern, the Olive Zelon tail/shuck was tied in at the thorax and the olive 14/0 thread was wrapped down the shank toward the bend and then back up to the thorax are. That is the extent of the body (abdomen). There is one turn of dyed olive peacock herl to form a thorax, a tuft of CDC for the swept back wing and a few turns of brown hackle. The thread head is finished off with the same olive tying thread.

Here, I wrapped the olive thread body and went with another color thread to provide a ribbed/segmented appearance. It really doesn't work. The threads appear to have been twisted and when wrapped does not lie flat. The strands of CDC hanging down to the sides would provide life like motion, but again, this was unintentional and created by the hackle wraps, which forced a few strands downward...a good thing possibly. This is why I need to only tie with my new goggles, to better see the mistakes and correct as I go. Does the fly's outcome matter? Probably not, but at some point, does one seek uniformity or tie willy-nilly? For you to decide.

FlyRecipes.com Revamped & Improved

Joe Mathis has spent considerable time to improve his great tutorial tool, FlyRecipesdotCom. Some very outstanding tyers on board (and, one not so good) plus videos, feel good shots and much more. It   is already becoming an excellent repository for excellent fly patterns to discover and tie. Contact Joe Mathis and provide him with details about your patterns. The site is free, so sign up and log in.

Joe Mathis, the creator or Fly Recipes dot Com has revamped the site!!

Oh, and just a most humble finger point to SwitterB at FRdC

Fly Tying: A Brace of Wets

I love the Starling feather for wrapping a wing on a small (16-22) wet fly. I tied up just a couple wets, as time allowed. It has been a hit and miss proposition of late. I usually start about now and tie in earnest into the Spring. The below flies are tied on a size 18 hook/14/0 thread.

I took some pics and that allowed me to continue my learning process with Lightroom 3. I maybe did a touch better, because of Wayne Mumford’s ~ WillFishForWork advice, so I need to be a bit more exacting on lighting, white balance, taking notes re settings and in the processing of the pic, staying consistent (not sure how to do presets, etc.)

The body material for the top two flies was from Kevin Compton at Performance Flies of Cleveland,  Ohio. Also, note the difference in the top two flies re a thorax to splay the Starling feather and no thorax. I used dyed peacock herl from Nature’s Spirit.