tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9800108125636657632024-02-21T10:37:07.707-08:00A FLY TYING JOURNALSharing my passion for fly tying and fly fishing.Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-58227427714192583722012-09-13T16:21:00.002-07:002012-09-15T08:02:14.076-07:00Daddy Snatchers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I came across a lovely wet Daddy Snatcher tied by Dave McPhail which caught my eye. I had to tie a few up for the box and several variants. I can see this working very well on the top dropper - useful for my forthcoming trip. Here are a few patterns that may be of interest and which may provoke some further ideas.<b> </b><br />
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<b> Daddy Snatcher</b></div>
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Hook: Fulling Mill Supergrub size 10<br />
Thread: Wine UTC 7/0 <br />
Body: Pheasant tail<br />
Rib: Fine Gold oval<br />
Wing: Cree cock hackle tips<br />
Legs: Three or four knotted pheasant tail tied in at each side<br />
First hackle: two or three turns of red cock hackle<br />
Second hackle: Red hen hackle (optional)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9026cNAYzQRmgfxfCAkhT85ma5gAC64w700QJlao3GRlf-OGOw9iJCXfS5BGDQKZs9WIoZnrsbCgehlOwZwrHvXD0Fy3s-tuyDv2M3uAWoIzHSJwostKzWAAD7gZ0WAreeCUrkmSTjxI/s1600/P1000206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9026cNAYzQRmgfxfCAkhT85ma5gAC64w700QJlao3GRlf-OGOw9iJCXfS5BGDQKZs9WIoZnrsbCgehlOwZwrHvXD0Fy3s-tuyDv2M3uAWoIzHSJwostKzWAAD7gZ0WAreeCUrkmSTjxI/s640/P1000206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> Claret Daddy Sntacher</b><br />
Hook: Fulling Mill Supergrub Size 10<br />
Body: Black claret seals fur<br />
Body hackle: Black or claret cock hackle <br />
Rib: Fine oval gold wire<br />
Wing: Grizzle or badger hackle tips<br />
Legs: Three of Four Claret knotted pheasant tail legs on each side <br />
Hackle: Claret Cock Hackle or Black <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-eQVBRe_VsgS2jOLBcMMBzeTmeKfzGXuEMO0G1H3zCL5tYIzrnziPIeST4oIa4jDcpMBkGt5Qxf0y5uYKZ7KBFIwOoL_fmZ72LrOTwyyuAbirkYd7cN0b0KGqVmHhOOK3Yt2-y2ZB3Bo/s1600/P1000203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-eQVBRe_VsgS2jOLBcMMBzeTmeKfzGXuEMO0G1H3zCL5tYIzrnziPIeST4oIa4jDcpMBkGt5Qxf0y5uYKZ7KBFIwOoL_fmZ72LrOTwyyuAbirkYd7cN0b0KGqVmHhOOK3Yt2-y2ZB3Bo/s640/P1000203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Fiery Brown Daddy Snatcher</b></div>
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Hook: Fulling Mill subergrub, size 10</div>
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Body: Fiery Brown fritz straggle hackle<br />
Body hackle: Fiery Brown Cock hackle </div>
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Rib: Oval gold wire</div>
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Wing: Cree hackle points<br />
Legs: Three of Four Orange knotted pheasant tail legs tied on each side </div>
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Head hackle: Fiery brown cock hackle<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJArFLaa3GUUpzlwNLIJeKJSOum3yJIWpYwl-CL77RW-SY0r7o_eOy6C_sFJDnSn9r8iAOO05zn2jtKJF6NGCH8aEQUr8VFhEitpfNMCtq4Lc4n-HgH6DxIInA_AoeT9zVNxunAo_HaQCP/s1600/P1000205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJArFLaa3GUUpzlwNLIJeKJSOum3yJIWpYwl-CL77RW-SY0r7o_eOy6C_sFJDnSn9r8iAOO05zn2jtKJF6NGCH8aEQUr8VFhEitpfNMCtq4Lc4n-HgH6DxIInA_AoeT9zVNxunAo_HaQCP/s640/P1000205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Gold Daddy Snatcher</b><br />
Hook: Fulling Mill Supergrub size 10<br />
Body: Gold micro-fritz<br />
Body hackle: Ginger cock hackle<br />
Rib: gold oval tinsel<br />
Wing; GP Tippets<br />
Legs: Claret or Natural knotted pheasant tail legs <br />
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Thorax: Gold micro-fritz<br />
Hackle: A few turns of Ginger cock or hen hackle tied over the thorax <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P0k0QnTzUEL5CL-UfmaZ0qLjLSzDXIiMzZx0dhUKK2WXy4qs8WZ1oM1gakOro7D1yoMyT3ngGCRTB7PMHs-0s9fyvQRaCUfT1F0eKF934-TV786Jdp3J3IAy8WMYu6WURy3_lhV-MXN6/s1600/P1000211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P0k0QnTzUEL5CL-UfmaZ0qLjLSzDXIiMzZx0dhUKK2WXy4qs8WZ1oM1gakOro7D1yoMyT3ngGCRTB7PMHs-0s9fyvQRaCUfT1F0eKF934-TV786Jdp3J3IAy8WMYu6WURy3_lhV-MXN6/s640/P1000211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
For the pattern on the left, I have tied several knotted legs at the rear and followed through the with usal set of legs after the wing.</div>
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Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-52451397244116866812012-08-28T16:28:00.001-07:002012-08-28T16:28:21.901-07:00Dubbing and hook storage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am a fly tying and material junkie. I love fly tying and everything about it, including collecting and trying out new materials. I even find searching and buying materials thoroughly enjoyable. Yet it is addictive. I recall reading of an experienced tyer being asked by a novice what somebody needed to start tying flies - the tyer replies, 'a shed'. Very true, we are incurable hoarders!I want to keep materials more compact and at hand. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC26Vdn9sgBw8WY3VRBGgmN_MhtZ5Sc69WKQ2Zh271JrAG5co7009d1MvrZ3XnrEJRJWubE2OFWS3CzVRV695DQ-FjRlkBd3VE0yiIS6A0AtnpIP7zsZ8-bAxICPxjwQ7FGoi-2eVUGO-K/s1600/P1000144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC26Vdn9sgBw8WY3VRBGgmN_MhtZ5Sc69WKQ2Zh271JrAG5co7009d1MvrZ3XnrEJRJWubE2OFWS3CzVRV695DQ-FjRlkBd3VE0yiIS6A0AtnpIP7zsZ8-bAxICPxjwQ7FGoi-2eVUGO-K/s640/P1000144.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the Dubbings</td></tr>
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But probably like most tyers, my dubbing collection is turning into a
morass of fur and synthetic. I began looking for consolidation.</div>
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By chance, I came across two chest of drawers at an antique store for £105.00 - that screamed dubbing and hook storage or possibly flies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YVn3qvry7HgrhgR4nAgxHux7-nfWdAFaw0vofwM5VD4uqZPhvsMTlvQkD7NZqsYYAfmUl4VRQ4F3kt53KOU_G7apSRQcw72TaxZQ3fVbQbyk9cKy6dV571UHsff_ULXey-9s3l-gr2lQ/s1600/P1000133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YVn3qvry7HgrhgR4nAgxHux7-nfWdAFaw0vofwM5VD4uqZPhvsMTlvQkD7NZqsYYAfmUl4VRQ4F3kt53KOU_G7apSRQcw72TaxZQ3fVbQbyk9cKy6dV571UHsff_ULXey-9s3l-gr2lQ/s640/P1000133.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It was orignally old type-face storage box. Most drawers have loads of small compartments - which are on the small side. Below are some with some of the above dubbing boxes added to the new system.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLapO8YwIE6fdo6qnMoGXZoq06cPgSRTSBZeHXSU4gn4o0_W4pF4Fdmg7fu4zBtdGNxmTF9aV1oVg2UW4avBIKbLOKNyJy8TvxTKU8wa9vD9rOEXUcCPP5TIo1Rl7oPim7vjal3iuD3OCl/s1600/P1000143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLapO8YwIE6fdo6qnMoGXZoq06cPgSRTSBZeHXSU4gn4o0_W4pF4Fdmg7fu4zBtdGNxmTF9aV1oVg2UW4avBIKbLOKNyJy8TvxTKU8wa9vD9rOEXUcCPP5TIo1Rl7oPim7vjal3iuD3OCl/s640/P1000143.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fine and Dry dubbing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUIhGKKA55nBVHoIkzTmjniSx_BkeBA3QJ1B_O59DhHvjkklQ4-GbzJDUn9joNSVxhc3gQU5Mx4_33Nt4zTbUfewQrpnFF45D4NUSXNtGsUCyCX3h55-Wqh3bEeBfI_tw1DS3O53aX8Qc/s1600/P1000022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUIhGKKA55nBVHoIkzTmjniSx_BkeBA3QJ1B_O59DhHvjkklQ4-GbzJDUn9joNSVxhc3gQU5Mx4_33Nt4zTbUfewQrpnFF45D4NUSXNtGsUCyCX3h55-Wqh3bEeBfI_tw1DS3O53aX8Qc/s640/P1000022.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seal's fur Mixtures</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqZywyzVOqHi9_ZMBke_pghCgUM1DxdhN0qod6VJmCL9Jsc_MmxrcicaSjA3ZlBoMkN2awAg_-2LYigS5eiicY8nXiF1IIf8fc_jjDO7TN9v5INYxxmeKuajEr1KUkhyphenhyphenCtn2t-f7CLscS/s1600/P1000135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqZywyzVOqHi9_ZMBke_pghCgUM1DxdhN0qod6VJmCL9Jsc_MmxrcicaSjA3ZlBoMkN2awAg_-2LYigS5eiicY8nXiF1IIf8fc_jjDO7TN9v5INYxxmeKuajEr1KUkhyphenhyphenCtn2t-f7CLscS/s640/P1000135.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seals Fur - Greens, olives and yellows<br />
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Here is one drawer for wet fly, buzzer and long shank hooks. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Lgu5fKusu-F-g92To45g4Ov654jXpSB9fjodlkBoIUYFRO59fKOWHynCRwZKigD1JXHIlMsl97kq-Mr2YXDNognljMuTA0hEsORwEyBMeZoDuHwDAQz56Y1GQieVHxXvup1R_1_wr-5O/s1600/P1000138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Lgu5fKusu-F-g92To45g4Ov654jXpSB9fjodlkBoIUYFRO59fKOWHynCRwZKigD1JXHIlMsl97kq-Mr2YXDNognljMuTA0hEsORwEyBMeZoDuHwDAQz56Y1GQieVHxXvup1R_1_wr-5O/s640/P1000138.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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It seems OK so far, I am enjoying the consolidation. I just hope my two year old does not decide he wants to expect some Kamasan hooks. Thank you for reading this post.<br />
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Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-57911252561004229822012-08-28T15:25:00.000-07:002012-08-28T15:35:38.755-07:00Preparing for Lough Mask - Daddies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am preparing for a trip for Lough Mask in Mayo, Ireland, at the end of September. I am so looking forward to my first outing on this great West of Ireland lough. I cannot wait.<br />
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I know daddies are real a killer for this time of the year. I tied a good batch, some for me, the boat, my mate and the fish! These 'knotted pheasant tail fibres' on a stick from Veniards fly tying company makes the world of difference. The pain of tying knots in pheasant tail is all very memorable, for me anyhow! </div>
Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-46422803587224554292012-07-29T06:06:00.000-07:002012-07-29T06:06:01.486-07:00Wet olives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I tied up a batch of Wet Olive variants for a friend back in Ireland. I mostly tied a Mallard and Green-Olive variant - as featured in the corner of the photo. We were fishing on a lough in Country Monaghan together when he spotted
this in my wet fly box and nabed this without any heistation. This caught him some good fish recently. Indeed, I can see this being a very useful mid dropper, particulary when Olive buzzers are hatching. I like the way the Pearl mylar assumes a green hue when tied over the olive silk - which contrasts effectively with the dyed orange tippets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmnMwYhsLUcKJtbK5w8DJ5UQQuA5P-jxlPvwzJhB5CdPavint_wsi2r-L4MVw74VMMvpdTCWYDLIYOONscxxrnPtE0r_MHy96BfDahybuPekpFNhqS7hct5d-EIJjrP2bCCP9Zs7kXbqg/s1600/P1000045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmnMwYhsLUcKJtbK5w8DJ5UQQuA5P-jxlPvwzJhB5CdPavint_wsi2r-L4MVw74VMMvpdTCWYDLIYOONscxxrnPtE0r_MHy96BfDahybuPekpFNhqS7hct5d-EIJjrP2bCCP9Zs7kXbqg/s640/P1000045.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The tying session gave me an opportunity to use a cape that I had recently dyed. It is a gorgeous dark olive, to my eyes anyhow. I had this lovely Metz grade II furnace saddle, which although very useful, I could not resist dying over this with veniards olive dun dye to produce a dark or even sooty olive. I appreciate that dyeing good saddle capes should not be taken lightly, especially their price these days. Yet dyeing a furnace or nautral red with an olive dye is a fairly safe enough affair. By having given this a good pre-wash cleasning with Veniards venepol detergent, I left this in the dye bath for good five minutes. The two darkish olive wets on the left on the photo include hackles from the new cape. <br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-36915352736776102712012-07-28T07:50:00.001-07:002012-07-28T07:50:44.278-07:00A special moment in the West of Ireland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For the holidays, I took the family to Connemara, County Galway, in the West of Ireland. I have been reading about and dreaming of fishing in this region of Ireland for over two decades now. You can certainly agree with Oscar Wild when he remarked how Connemara has a savage beauty. It is a stunningly beautiful part of the World. The majestic Twelve Bens mountain range (Na Beanna Beola) surround you all of the time, as do countless lakes and bays. </div>
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I fished Lough Inagh for the day in the company of a gillie, Cyril Conlon. This lough, as with Kylemore, are considered two premium salmon fisheries in the West Coast. I felt very lucky. I have had limited experience with fishing for Salmon and was receptive to any advice. Cyril's main point of not striking when a Salmon takes and letting the fish turn down on the fly is something I have been told before. Yet after over twenty years of trout fishing, whether one could resist the inclination to strike was another issue altogether. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-SlArsXTQzKJPXYjBHCG908RxIGSY2NpihyphenhyphenK_0F-2AbnnNU_z1-7xtT3kPzn4s6DwrEeyoqbUE1_KNWReGbPJKSaHM_2tHjtrOToCbYRhmLxQnOdOl_UgMkePimHYeeYNgdLnZBlUFUh/s1600/P1080591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-SlArsXTQzKJPXYjBHCG908RxIGSY2NpihyphenhyphenK_0F-2AbnnNU_z1-7xtT3kPzn4s6DwrEeyoqbUE1_KNWReGbPJKSaHM_2tHjtrOToCbYRhmLxQnOdOl_UgMkePimHYeeYNgdLnZBlUFUh/s640/P1080591.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was one of the nicest moments of the day. The ghille Cyril and I shored the boat, gazed at the lough on a beauitful July day and lunched. We sipped coffee and eat our sandwiches, chatted about the morning's fishing, fly tying, patterns and general fishing. Cyril recalled the glorious sea trout days he himself and others experienced in the West of Ireland before the sand-eel driven decline in the 1990s. I listened with both envy and sadness. It appears the sea-trout in the West of Ireland are returning. In this fishery alone, around 70 sea-trout were caught in the previous week. For a more informed insight on sea-trout fishing in Ireland, I would urge you to check Chris Cully's excellent blog on Irish Sea-Trout Fishing (see my blog reading list). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lough Inagh</td></tr>
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I had great fun with the sea-trout. Although not overly large, they took readily to all three flies on the cast and they fought very hard. To one's surprise, the 'Goat's Toe' on the point took a few and brought a grilse up. Cyril advised a spot where he considered a good spot for a Salmon. I did not argue. I replaced the Green Peter with a Golden Olive Bumble on the top dropper and fished with concentration and with a slight nerveness. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice fresh sea-trout.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My First Salmon, a 5 1/2 IB Grilse from Lough Inagh, Galway, Ireland.</td></tr>
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My smile says it all. After a battle of wills, loads of backing, the help of an experienced ghille with an outboard motor, I caught my wonderful prize. A 51/2 IB bar of silver, a grilse Atlantic Salmon. My first ever, on the Kingsmill's Golden Olive Bumble. A special moment!. The whole experience remains most vivid in my recollection, to include the Ghille's sheer and genuine delight when the fish was landed. The experience may eventually prompt a more serious interest in Salmon. Does this mean new rods, lines, reels and fly tying materials? My wife is worried!! When I start building a box of Salmon flies, we'll know the doubts have vanished.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZIuZDbWMj8HhmYJbh7YTIN2xkmmrSPyrWhyphenhyphenNeMwgCgDy3cWvklvcfwCM1uYxihNo5q6HStKIwhr_l_sgJUubIwMSfAZSAk9-SwHzbwSbYmr_3mE5LOtUcLc9WTtBh3Mt7VOwXcxMpzKD/s1600/P1080605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZIuZDbWMj8HhmYJbh7YTIN2xkmmrSPyrWhyphenhyphenNeMwgCgDy3cWvklvcfwCM1uYxihNo5q6HStKIwhr_l_sgJUubIwMSfAZSAk9-SwHzbwSbYmr_3mE5LOtUcLc9WTtBh3Mt7VOwXcxMpzKD/s640/P1080605.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ghille - Cyril Conlon (Galway)</td></tr>
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-65846310161863825832012-06-10T13:27:00.004-07:002012-06-10T13:27:29.086-07:00Praising the Bibio!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wanted to sing the praises of the Bibio - one of the great Irish wets for lough fishing and highly effective for trout, sea-trout and Salmon as well. Indeed, it has taken the biggest ever sea-trout caught in Ireland. In May of last year, an English angler Sean Smith took a 13lb 5oz beauty from Country Kerry's Lough Currane. What a fish!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwVXWdgTaPt2h4BqSRtD2GR6aiHX6prX9cMk2pgabcNul-nAI1EPzQmmPBpXhavyzRWTius3k5alELXsdSKTWKCwAy42gcWbBRKcOQjY1vHWTtfH2LG0HZBK5CVOwyQeOoYmfyYLSfw16/s1600/P1080401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwVXWdgTaPt2h4BqSRtD2GR6aiHX6prX9cMk2pgabcNul-nAI1EPzQmmPBpXhavyzRWTius3k5alELXsdSKTWKCwAy42gcWbBRKcOQjY1vHWTtfH2LG0HZBK5CVOwyQeOoYmfyYLSfw16/s640/P1080401.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bibios</td></tr>
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From its orign in Ireland's West, it has now the affection of anglers across the British Isles - whether those fishing for wild brownies in the Hebrides or rainbows in Rutland. I think it is a great fly to have on the cast when any black flies are on water, especially midge. The body of the orignal dressing is black-orange-black seals fur.</div>
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<br /><b>The Bibio</b><b> </b></div>
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Hook:Size 10-14 wet fly hook</div>
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Body: Black, Red and Black (3 parts seals fur)</div>
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Body: Oval silver</div>
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Body hackle: Black cock</div>
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Head hackle: Black Hen</div>
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The original dressing is attributed to Major Charles Roberts of the Burrishoole Fishery, Country Mayo, Ireland. He was a long time vistor of the fishery and fishery manager for several decades.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtgjMYmYsjZZK4R7-w4P2W56cMlxNAD_ZA6G7hMpFbV2Z5Ykl2zC7sOSUSVgEdT21jNPxn0gLBLdjp1uT0ER53LUnHLWZClLNhnbz44_M0zdZ979KEmp96K0Hue7reQoBpJPMQ1XvpHiG/s1600/P1070182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtgjMYmYsjZZK4R7-w4P2W56cMlxNAD_ZA6G7hMpFbV2Z5Ykl2zC7sOSUSVgEdT21jNPxn0gLBLdjp1uT0ER53LUnHLWZClLNhnbz44_M0zdZ979KEmp96K0Hue7reQoBpJPMQ1XvpHiG/s640/P1070182.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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It was orignally tied to represent the heather beetle for seatrout on loughs Furnace and Feeagh. More precisely, a guest at the fishery was seeking an imitation of the natural fly he had seen on the loughs. Major Roberts tied a few different patterns to correspond with the description of the real insect that earned the guest's approval (Trout and Salmon, 1980, p.53). So the Bibio was born! Yet, the dressing with a red centre is very common today. E J Malone (2000) states a West of Ireland tackle dealer is acredited with the red centered verision - 'believing that it was more effective for fresh-run fish' (p.55). <br />
<br />I always considered this a dropper fly and used it as such. Yet I never realised anglers use this throughout the leader. Charles Jardine in his <i>Soetheby's Guide to Fly Fishing For Trou</i>t remarks that it fishes well on any point of the leader. Similary, Peter O'Reilly in his <i>Trout and Salmon Flies of Ireland</i> writes, "It can be fished on the lough in any position on the leader and is taken for a wide range of dark insects from duckflies to bettles" (O'Reilly, 2000: p.5). </div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-85132104813340225092012-04-27T12:34:00.003-07:002012-06-10T13:16:42.077-07:00A super day with the brownies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Returned to my local resevoir recently. With a reasonable temperature. a small hatch of black midge and fish rising near the dam wall, the scene looked very promising. I set up a 18ft leader with three nymphs on a floating line; with a JC Dawl Bach on the
top, the black buzzer on the middle and a black cruncher on the point.<br />
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It turned out to be a thrilling and highly memorable day- with the action fast and furious. Fish in the 10-12" bracket were falling to all three flies on the cast. On two occasions, two at a time took to the cast - great fun!<br />
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The fish were all in superb condition and fought very well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqfwHniDcmR5JG1QRZv-7Rdv0vin7KOSIajeMYTyqXLN12DeeUAurpM0OF2FM6HaQ8aoIl5XmfBEcptNFEpASUfJ2dfDLgBsMajA_RsRjpNWTrrbt11DB0CHVO-IHUUhfegXdQXMiprOa/s1600/P1080270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqfwHniDcmR5JG1QRZv-7Rdv0vin7KOSIajeMYTyqXLN12DeeUAurpM0OF2FM6HaQ8aoIl5XmfBEcptNFEpASUfJ2dfDLgBsMajA_RsRjpNWTrrbt11DB0CHVO-IHUUhfegXdQXMiprOa/s400/P1080270.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stunning looking brownie, to me - on the black epozy buzzer, Size 10.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Brownie being patient while I stumble with the camera!</td></tr>
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The variant of the Welsh super-nymph, a small JC Dawl Bach, works its magic again. The peacock herl body has unravelled and they still want it! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNImYjbKweyd7XKis7M9YkPMHJiyX05ZU6bP3-AS9y1tOfAekcddOs5pPoJGQ7nJ6CEVmJalEh8XTjsVeDvnxTx54rFaqFS3BcYFuF1eMcN9G288cB21JktmRdhy-ravYU5bYvoqqDFax/s1600/P1080256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNImYjbKweyd7XKis7M9YkPMHJiyX05ZU6bP3-AS9y1tOfAekcddOs5pPoJGQ7nJ6CEVmJalEh8XTjsVeDvnxTx54rFaqFS3BcYFuF1eMcN9G288cB21JktmRdhy-ravYU5bYvoqqDFax/s400/P1080256.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another one falled to the Dawl Bach JC, Size 12.</td></tr>
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-53784490299942434532012-04-15T13:28:00.001-07:002012-04-15T13:29:44.262-07:00Fishing notes: On the bank at Winterburn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I visited my local club water for an afternoon on the bank. With a solid cold south easterly wind and average temperature of 7c, I guessed this to be a hard day's fishing - I was right. I persisted with a floating line and three nymphs, to no avail. Around 3 o clock, I changed to the midge-tip line and connected with three fish, landing none. When thinking this was 'action time', no further takes came. I resigned to a fishless day and yet it was great to be out on a fresh April day, roaming the banks, without hindering bags and landing net. <br />
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The Gold-Head Hare's Ear was on the point all day. <br />
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At the end of the day, I met my son and wife at the Dam Wall of the reservoir. He was checking my new 'Loop Evotec 10ft 7'. Or was he checking the flies on the rod (ha ha)? Well, he seems happy.<br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-40518119402286147212012-04-10T12:32:00.001-07:002012-04-10T12:35:01.716-07:00Irish oldies spliced with dabbler and ice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This was fun! E.J Malone's book on Irish Trout and Salmon Flies contains hundreds of flies from as far back as the 19th Century. I find it very enjoyable dipping into the book and seeing any potential gems. Indeed, I thought it would be fun to take a selection of lough wet flies from the book and modestly adapt each pattern - largely with a dabbler style wing and with some flash. I do like the 'Ice Head' here and think it complements the dabbler wing. I know other tyers have incorporated Ice dub, Lite Brite etc on Dabblers. So here are a few of my examples: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mallard and Green Variant</b><br />
Hook: Ken Sewada - Old Limerick Wet, Size 10 <b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: Silver Holographic tinsel</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tail: Orange dyed GP Tippets </div><div style="text-align: center;">Body:Grass Green seals fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body hackle: Sootly olive cock saddle</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Bronze mallard dabbler style</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Caddis Green Ice Dub</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNrZU9cxN5on8txZkEjUxbKQbG50D-kQpEHAigActR2Ad8UDS7JEpmul8u7m8yNrduo995Trr03j9k9GuvA8zqdG1vwbdL3_BAhsXJJvc2uEuCAmHpYDP7dU8hEC-BqCJCqYB3L9CEVuC/s1600/P1080161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNrZU9cxN5on8txZkEjUxbKQbG50D-kQpEHAigActR2Ad8UDS7JEpmul8u7m8yNrduo995Trr03j9k9GuvA8zqdG1vwbdL3_BAhsXJJvc2uEuCAmHpYDP7dU8hEC-BqCJCqYB3L9CEVuC/s320/P1080161.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Black Olive Variant </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Ken Sewada Old Limerick Wet, Size 10 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: Orange Holo tinsel </div><div style="text-align: center;">Tail: Orange dyed Golden Pheasant Tippets</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Black Seals Fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Fine Olive Gold</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body Hackle: Golden Olive Cock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Bronze Mallard Dabbler style</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Black Ice Dub</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrCxLO7b0Dt9MKQ_BlZ9Lnt7_WzLsKUPgzhlCk-EoVyuiPWyEjJ9JyXDKH0THNVHAbDQnCfD23YL27zgYVGT4CWKaWJHsv443ALS0ZEMLpOScjAqiTbnTqZt58a9GG3H33JHJUqpdVcn1/s1600/P1080167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrCxLO7b0Dt9MKQ_BlZ9Lnt7_WzLsKUPgzhlCk-EoVyuiPWyEjJ9JyXDKH0THNVHAbDQnCfD23YL27zgYVGT4CWKaWJHsv443ALS0ZEMLpOScjAqiTbnTqZt58a9GG3H33JHJUqpdVcn1/s320/P1080167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b> Olive Partridge and BrownVariant</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Ken SewadaOld Limerick Wet</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: Silver tinsel</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Med Olive seasls fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Fine oval silver</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body hackle: Med Olive cock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorad hackle: Brown Patridge</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Bronze Mallard tied dabbler style</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Olive Ice Dub </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TbU8kLiI6fGztWTa7QQAlhxEOSNzWd95p87vXYXL6zY4icREJq0wxKU77ZtzOOkbMJWZtwVG6UgDGc3W8f1FDNII7BflLAvHrLjMwFlipv_eF_TuGS9uRZ2Bmj5Dxc04vUw-tx-_4_R_/s1600/olive+dabbler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TbU8kLiI6fGztWTa7QQAlhxEOSNzWd95p87vXYXL6zY4icREJq0wxKU77ZtzOOkbMJWZtwVG6UgDGc3W8f1FDNII7BflLAvHrLjMwFlipv_eF_TuGS9uRZ2Bmj5Dxc04vUw-tx-_4_R_/s320/olive+dabbler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>Torc-Lan Variant</b><br />
Hook: Ken SewadaOld Limerick Wet Size 10<br />
Tag: Orange Holo<br />
Tail: Orange Golden Pheasant Topping<br />
Rear: 1/2 Orange Holo<br />
Front: Black seals fur<br />
Body hackle: black cock over black seals fur<br />
Hackle: Blood red cock<br />
Wing: Bronze Mallard<br />
Head: Orange Ice-Dub<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyRTduozh34htui0fdCrwEAvbvoRPwNuWHLTExFkSYEkujccNrapDLsag9NQB1HTSxUCoeQPiuqKeln-8ZRQx76QBsEsOYktwN7trsXbIXDz2LA0LDyJM-rkhqlRuWoKFZ4fj4fDvBJi3/s1600/P1080205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyRTduozh34htui0fdCrwEAvbvoRPwNuWHLTExFkSYEkujccNrapDLsag9NQB1HTSxUCoeQPiuqKeln-8ZRQx76QBsEsOYktwN7trsXbIXDz2LA0LDyJM-rkhqlRuWoKFZ4fj4fDvBJi3/s320/P1080205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Guinea WickhamVariant</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Ken Sewada</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tail: Natural Guinea Foul </div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Gold holo </div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Fine gold wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body hackle:Ginger cock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorat Hackle: Natural Guinea foul </div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Bronze Mallard</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Pearl Ice blue Dubbing </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_Fq6onvMuA6zl57mcEURozt01TuxFVVJUVXINGld863nO97zwMAq5mgzzPXpMgXPa4mqy4Sx5b6ELtMMd3J05_17hm0zxVU9beWIvcdmNgOoHsYUJzb25jh_F48GhQg7fkRSAovAkeRQ/s1600/P1080179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_Fq6onvMuA6zl57mcEURozt01TuxFVVJUVXINGld863nO97zwMAq5mgzzPXpMgXPa4mqy4Sx5b6ELtMMd3J05_17hm0zxVU9beWIvcdmNgOoHsYUJzb25jh_F48GhQg7fkRSAovAkeRQ/s320/P1080179.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Just in case the dabbler is a new fly to some readers, the following extract from Peter O'Reilly's book may be of value:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"The Dabbler is one of the great Irish wet fly patterns of recent times and has several variants as well. It was invented by accident when Donald McClarn of Co.down phoned a freind for the dressing of the Gosling. The fly took the trout angling competiion by storm in the early 1990s and was the cornerstone of the success of the Dromore trout-fshing teams. It is without doubt a great killing pattern when stripped fast and then dibbled, on an intermediate, sinking or floating line in a good wave. It, and its variants, have accounted for numerous big wild lough brown trout, many into double figures" (O'Reilly, 1995; p.16).</i></blockquote>References::<br />
Malone, E.J. (1984), Irish Trout and Salmon Flies, Colin Smythe, Gerrards Cross.<br />
O'Reilly, P, (1994), Trout and Salmon Flies of Ieland, Merlin Unwin Books, Ludlow. </div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-84349215289208283762012-04-07T15:41:00.000-07:002012-09-06T06:15:46.080-07:00Tying the Golden Olive Dabbler<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Golden Olive Dabbler</b></div>
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Hook size: Ken Sewada Summer Sproat size 10 (or any standard wet fly hook)</div>
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Tying silk: Black (some prefer golden olive). </div>
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Tail: Natural Cock Pheasant tail fibres </div>
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Body: Golden Olive Seals fur</div>
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Body hackle: Red game cock</div>
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Rib: Fine Oval gold</div>
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Body Hackle: Red Game Cock</div>
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Collar Hackle: Red Game cock</div>
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Wing: Bronze Mallard tied in a flat bunch and allowed to break up - to form a cloak style wing.</div>
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<b>Step 1: Make a base of tying thread along the shank of the hook</b>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MK9hyphenhyphenU81i7OSnq-JhmyB2WTbTnvc0q8uNlded_lSMxk53rR7tCQi0UrRRENeyH-PjjSREAmUWntkYkTpPkj95MfJwizuF6WZoYTK1Om6demjk03_mKjlofqd8F6x8J7zUgyBd_XeOe0Y/s1600/P1080126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MK9hyphenhyphenU81i7OSnq-JhmyB2WTbTnvc0q8uNlded_lSMxk53rR7tCQi0UrRRENeyH-PjjSREAmUWntkYkTpPkj95MfJwizuF6WZoYTK1Om6demjk03_mKjlofqd8F6x8J7zUgyBd_XeOe0Y/s320/P1080126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Syep 2: Tie in a bunch of pheasant tail cock fibres.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2lhecQwKpT3abWtcDWM7QA4Fb_wPZ53eoGq2k6_kHYFra-MzsH25vjKUhERhP8ezWcdgqWuBuu0rvq6Wt3bdGrh0Cn6qLOWURofSUBWLev5l-i8PePhp3VUI5Q1V02XdOqelsMIlEfOe/s1600/P1080130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2lhecQwKpT3abWtcDWM7QA4Fb_wPZ53eoGq2k6_kHYFra-MzsH25vjKUhERhP8ezWcdgqWuBuu0rvq6Wt3bdGrh0Cn6qLOWURofSUBWLev5l-i8PePhp3VUI5Q1V02XdOqelsMIlEfOe/s320/P1080130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Step 3: Tie in fine oval gold rib. </b><br />
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<b> Step 4: Dub on golden olive seals fur for the body. Move along the body towards the eye.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpf8HUmIaiVsy7CW3RcYIv-_GqLVo4PRL3KHn89FdtG1DqcePfMEBlGmRXoc0sHiWV39BzfskHza7Bc3tKouR2_UCgZ_qyFmDNcZ00NwnQcFlzyGBTbIEx-dvDzfnDHGRp9s2Fic7AuOe/s1600/P1080133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpf8HUmIaiVsy7CW3RcYIv-_GqLVo4PRL3KHn89FdtG1DqcePfMEBlGmRXoc0sHiWV39BzfskHza7Bc3tKouR2_UCgZ_qyFmDNcZ00NwnQcFlzyGBTbIEx-dvDzfnDHGRp9s2Fic7AuOe/s320/P1080133.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Step 5: Pick out the golden olive seals fur with a dubbing needle.</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig91u7hSu0VleL4z7kQbX-T8yG4ehZ8vMba6mKdEZgrsg3mxtdIV3aEOHGqzGcGSMBqVGJNPhSToLgpXI3UwDZZFA2sQu_aoAhvLOEUm9UJBUEcFX3eOm1byOVbN5W8lHh7uB8NWDxAbU8/s1600/P1080134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig91u7hSu0VleL4z7kQbX-T8yG4ehZ8vMba6mKdEZgrsg3mxtdIV3aEOHGqzGcGSMBqVGJNPhSToLgpXI3UwDZZFA2sQu_aoAhvLOEUm9UJBUEcFX3eOm1byOVbN5W8lHh7uB8NWDxAbU8/s320/P1080134.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<b> Step 6: Tie in a red game cock hackle at the eye and wind down in even turns. At the tail the oval gold is brought forward to trap the hackle tip and wound through the hackle fibres to the front and tied in.</b><br />
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<b> Step 7: Tie in a shoulder hackle and give two or three turns. Push forward with the thump to form a bed for the bronze mallard wing. The shoulder hackle allows the cloak style wing to sit up.</b><br />
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<b> Step 8a: Prepare the wing: Take two slips of bronze mallard - one from the left wing and one from the right. Place them on top of one another. Cuting the mallard away from the stem can help split the fibres of the wing.</b><br />
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<b>Step 8b: Holding the wing slips between thump and index finger use the pinch and loop method for winging - three turns. Avoid holding tight to break the fibres up and form a cloak style wing. Use the dubbing needle to split the fibres further, if wish. </b><br />
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<b>Step 9: Whip finish.</b> <b>Further pick seals fur body out. Varnish.</b><br />
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Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-18292354204955276482012-04-05T13:18:00.002-07:002012-04-05T13:19:45.580-07:00Early season frills!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsHVWzi6LOY-KfjyesiHcLTmPGztUZui3ByBy0MP9ptDH15ovTLnsCMtMbcGejbWlmABp8w9RKhyphenhyphen_yrinRTm3FUM-RuB748383iaEi8rFMZ_LV9z7eC0fMZN9p-Enf6frW0_Ls6KFKxC-/s1600/P1080045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsHVWzi6LOY-KfjyesiHcLTmPGztUZui3ByBy0MP9ptDH15ovTLnsCMtMbcGejbWlmABp8w9RKhyphenhyphen_yrinRTm3FUM-RuB748383iaEi8rFMZ_LV9z7eC0fMZN9p-Enf6frW0_Ls6KFKxC-/s400/P1080045.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I had my first outing on a local reservoir. I was bursting with excitment to make the first cast of the season and hopefully to feel that addictive tug on the line. It was a bright, warm day with a gentle breeze - with some fish rising on the top later that afternoon - not a day one usually associates with early season fishing. Yet I persisted with the tactic of two lures and a daiwl bach on the dropper on a floating line. Although I did hear of fishers catching on the top with hoppers and shipmans. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J_LSZ3kwYcq9cb2w-Gc9VPsMW66FrJvoCK0YxonhyphenhyphenFCNEV3U0XIuTMV8AvS6XWK1_BsCRqcvjizzNRfXXHrCIlEK8ZtJ24Zn60OC9NTywvO9KxLVdOWtY2eY8A34Y9S7kRAnyW0a_1fI/s1600/box+of+lures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J_LSZ3kwYcq9cb2w-Gc9VPsMW66FrJvoCK0YxonhyphenhyphenFCNEV3U0XIuTMV8AvS6XWK1_BsCRqcvjizzNRfXXHrCIlEK8ZtJ24Zn60OC9NTywvO9KxLVdOWtY2eY8A34Y9S7kRAnyW0a_1fI/s400/box+of+lures.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I hooked five fish and landed them all - which is simply strange for me. I usually miss more than I catch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF2gsqrGoTUViF_02-g8oFUhytnXkyeZ7dmzEaUCoRjDgYEo8SpCro3jqGH5sFIV9MOqVp0TJQce_XPfzn3AXnaZKoDYPkmTF1b3D9Hdppp0Vb9Wo4ivSA5fOC7V_QY-kKHzu9s6ebhmH/s1600/P1080049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIF2gsqrGoTUViF_02-g8oFUhytnXkyeZ7dmzEaUCoRjDgYEo8SpCro3jqGH5sFIV9MOqVp0TJQce_XPfzn3AXnaZKoDYPkmTF1b3D9Hdppp0Vb9Wo4ivSA5fOC7V_QY-kKHzu9s6ebhmH/s400/P1080049.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Here are the killing flies: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Viva Variant</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: B175 size 10</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: Flou green thread </div><div style="text-align: center;">Body UV straggle fritz chennile black</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sides: Flu green goose boits</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Black marabou (tied thinly) </div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Flou Green thread</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SVmfnghH8etO3nFjR9hOfPhtp3G8Vp6C2o-qAkOXh2Ir4XrXzf5SV4lavdB0SJSE_0OB-KYg5HTytfXmM53c9fAjVeUbhsa6ZTXE_XWSu1d7cjMWdRsavwLHeR-PrgwtDuHBpUQyTAj6/s1600/Viva+lure+variant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SVmfnghH8etO3nFjR9hOfPhtp3G8Vp6C2o-qAkOXh2Ir4XrXzf5SV4lavdB0SJSE_0OB-KYg5HTytfXmM53c9fAjVeUbhsa6ZTXE_XWSu1d7cjMWdRsavwLHeR-PrgwtDuHBpUQyTAj6/s400/Viva+lure+variant.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Olive Tadpole</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Size 10 B175 Kamasan </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing: Black Marabou</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Olive UV Straggle Fritz chennille</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Underbody: Fine lead wire </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Natural Black Hen (tied collar style) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9Dr8UOiFsTfKUyjxb9f8JaRSrYtpY57jqPyHgzGCjGuHSLKcaCaFtWxJep-tODDoPKWC2sDpEcpeFYW31KVMx0I-122-zDaN6HA54GEEFKL1WnIt79hKDozDqYMn4df_b5hLtL9KIhSY/s1600/olive+tadpole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9Dr8UOiFsTfKUyjxb9f8JaRSrYtpY57jqPyHgzGCjGuHSLKcaCaFtWxJep-tODDoPKWC2sDpEcpeFYW31KVMx0I-122-zDaN6HA54GEEFKL1WnIt79hKDozDqYMn4df_b5hLtL9KIhSY/s400/olive+tadpole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Paul Proctor advised this as an early season favourtie in the latest copy of Trout Fisherman magazine. Needless to say, I am glad I tied a few up. Gareth Evans (the Welsh fly fishing International) and writer in 'Trout Fisherman' advocates leaded underbodies when tying lures such as tadpoles. His theory is that leaded flies along the body only ensures the hook stays level to the fish throughout the retrieve and always fishes in the correct plane, making for more effective hook-ups when a fish takes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-18327461895251570802012-01-21T14:41:00.000-08:002012-01-22T10:58:41.463-08:00Getting to know needle flies!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have returned to this blog and to the world of fly tying after a long spell away. I can only say a huge thank you for your patience and to those new readers for joining the site. Flies, Flies, Flies! Where does one start? North country and spider wet flies, that's where! <br />
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With NC wet flies, I am continually learning about the dressings and feathers. Over the last year or so, I have been reading much of the rich and fascinating literature on North Country flies, tying and fishing with them. I feel I am beginning to learn a little more, albeit slowly, about the various patterns, their dressings, history and fishing use. It is a lovely learning curve and I am no rush to go down it, nor should I.<br />
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Spiders are very enoyable to fish and to tie. When you are on a river in the Dales, you usually set up a team of spiders with a lot of confidence. There are moments, however, when you ponder the possibility - 'these fish must have seen these flies so many times, they could tell you who tied the fly. Would I be better off using something else?' Then you get a tug on the line and all confidence is restored, sometimes. I suppose you further remind yourself it is how you fish them that what really counts. Anyway, there is a point to this pre-ample, I think... <br />
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I have been tying spider imitations for needle flies, recently. Needle flies <i>(Leuctra fusca or Lectra Hippopus)</i> are the smallest of British stoneflies. They are dark brown and very thin. As John Goddard in <i>'Trout Fly Recognition</i>' writes:<br />
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<i><blockquote class="tr_bq">These two species are the smallest of our stoneflies are exactly alike in appearance. Although they prefer rivers or streams with stony beds, they are widespread over the whole country, including the faster stretches of many chalkstreams. The male is between 5-8mm, and the female between 6 and 9mm. As their name implies, they are exceptionally narrow flies of a dark brown colour, and although simialr in shape and appearance to the willow fly, are much smaller. L Fusca is mainly a late season species, the adult winged fly appearing between August and October, while L.Hippopus is an earl season species most common from February to April (p.127). </blockquote></i><br />
I believe Pritt's 'Dark Spanish Needle' is one pattern used to imitate them - as described in his <em>Yorkshire Trout</em> Flies (1885). However, for the same pattern, I have tied an Edmonds and Lee dressing:<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dark Needle (Edmonds and Lee):</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge, The Wet, Size 14-18</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thread: Pearsalls Gossamar 6b</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Starling underwing feather</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Magpie Herl<br />
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Edmonds and Lee (1916) in their excellent <em>Brook and River Trouting</em> use magpie tail herl for the head, starling for the wing and Pearsalls Gossamar 6b sillk for the body. Oliver Edwards perfers this Edmonds and Lee dressing with 6b thread (see inserted image on the pearsalls silk chart taken from Edmonds and Lee - below- click to enlarge). Edwards points out that 6b (as originally produced) is obviously rare to find nowadays and very tenatively suggest you could resort to a 6A - coloured with a pen if you are stuck. <br />
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Phil Holding of the 'Fly Tying Boutique' has a version of 6b. He says this is good for the needle fly and was chatting to him about it. Phil has worked with Langley threads of Cardiff to bring back many of the shades that have been discontinued for around 35 years.<br />
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So where does the name Spanish Needle come from? Leslie Magee in his <i>'Fly Fishing: The North Country Tradition (1994)'</i> tells us that it can be traced back to the early 19th century in Nidderdale and Wharfedale. He suggests it is derived from the dark steely blue colour of the fly and its elongated appearance (p.79). The colour is akin to the unpolished sewing needles which were formerly imported from Spain in large volumes. So much praise exists for this pattern both for trout and grayling. Williams (1948) in the Dictionary of trout Flies' states this is a deadly pattern up to December and likewise Oliver Edwards in his DVD series has remarked how this is very effective for the late season, especially September and October.<br />
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My research has revealed a number of addtional needle dressings that I would like to share. I apologise to the average Northern angler who no doubt will know these flies as well as the day of Christmas! However, for a few readers, this may be new ground - so to speak. Roger Wooley in his text <i>'Modern Trout Fly Dressing (1950, 3rd edition)</i> states a dressing for the Needle which can incorporate claret waxed tying silk for the body, or orange (p.137). Roger Fogg in his superb book<i> ' A Handbook of North Country Trout Flies</i>' (1980), has an interesting dressing which I like. His Needle Brown is a modification of a winged pattern used in the 19th century by Micheal Theakston. He states "The Needle Brown is the fly to use when any of the darker stoneflies are in evidence" (p.143). Here it is:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Needle Brown (R Fogg)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tying thread: Well waxed orange silk</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: A small and dark snipe feather from the marginal coverts. The hackle should be wound sparsely.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Waxed orange silk - which should assume almost a brown shade, with a thorax of grizzled hare's ear. Pick a few fibres cut to merge with the hackle. </div><br />
Here is another suitable dressing: the winter brown.<br />
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<b> Winter Brown</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook:Patridge L2A 12-16</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thread: orange waxed so it become dark</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Woodwock underwing covert</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head: Peacock herl</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">So I am really looking forward to trying patterns these out next season.<br />
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If you are relatively new to fly tying and wish to tie spiders I think the above bird wing feather illustration (to the left) will be useful. It helps you identify where to locate the specific feathers on the wing. Thank you for reading this post!</div> </div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-64829117083237342002011-09-29T13:12:00.000-07:002011-09-30T08:49:41.251-07:00Stimulating a touch of the Irish!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNormal">Did Randall Kaufmann ever imagine his stonefly imitation would be revised by Irish lough fishers? I suspect not. Yet this is the case. His dry stimulator pattern has evoked a range of Irish wet fly variants, collectively labelled, 'Irish Stimulators', funny enough! The original orange body has been replaced with some quiensessiential Irish colours, fiery brown and sooty olive, for example. Moreover, to provide the wet-fly touch, the cock hackles have been replaced with cock saddles or even hen. These variants are used on loughs as part of a three fly wet fly cast. Yet, to my thinking, this seems a bob fly supremo. The deer hair wing and the thoraxed hackle provide more boyancy than maybe your average Irish wet fly.</div> As far I know, Mr Frankie McPhillips - the Fermanagh based professional fly tyer - introduced Irish colours to the original. So I thought I would do some research to construct a list of established patterns for your eyes. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Green Irish Stimulator (Frankie McPhillips)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Diachi</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tail: Red squirrel or bucktail</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Green olive Frankie McPhillips Dubbing (no 6), or similar</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Gold oval</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body hackle: Green olive cock saddle</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Deer Hair</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: orange seals fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Head Hackle: Grizzle dyed orange<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Note: Frank McPhillips states that there are no hard and fast rules with the tail. You could use floss, wool, bucktail or artic fox hair as alternatives. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fiery Brown Irish Stimulator (Frankie McPhillips)</b><br />
Hook: Diachi<b> </b><br />
Tail: Pheasant tail fibres<br />
Body: Fiery Brown seals fur<br />
Body hackle: Fiery brown cock saddle<br />
Wing: Deer Hair<br />
Thorax: Orange seals<br />
Head hackle: Grizzle dyed orange<br />
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<b>Black Irish Stimulator (Frankie McPhillips)</b><br />
Hook:Kamasan B170 size 10<br />
Tail: Black squirrel hair or deer hair<br />
Body: Black seals fur<br />
Rib: Oval silver<br />
Body hackle: Black cock saddle<br />
Wing: Black deer hair<br />
Thorax: Orange<br />
Head: Grizzle cock saddle<br />
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This is considered effective for Sea-Trout. Try a blue hackle through the thorax area for another variant.<br />
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<b>Peter Stimulator</b><br />
Hook: Kamasan B170 size 10<br />
Butt: red seals fur<br />
Body: green seals fur<br />
Rib: oval gold<br />
Body hackle: red game cock saddle<br />
Wing: Deer Hair<br />
Thorax: Red seals fur <br />
Head hackle: red game cock<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU1IsqQHLoo9NvLGYN7a_bk5UBdeqAbeNA_N1SNRfannTaeNHhQXQv4Urx48DFbOg1x2wFfGdi0wRj1BmEfzatgQQ_RcLhVKCT0RRhGOEleCLB76hiYclSxCa2SgGXps1riNtahs6ZC-8/s1600/P1070253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU1IsqQHLoo9NvLGYN7a_bk5UBdeqAbeNA_N1SNRfannTaeNHhQXQv4Urx48DFbOg1x2wFfGdi0wRj1BmEfzatgQQ_RcLhVKCT0RRhGOEleCLB76hiYclSxCa2SgGXps1riNtahs6ZC-8/s320/P1070253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A minor variation of that brilliant great Irish sedge pattern - 'The Green Peter'.<br />
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<b>Golden Stimulator</b><br />
Hook: Kamasan B170<b><br />
</b><br />
Tail: Golden pheasant tail dyed orange (or dyed squirrel)<br />
Body: Golden olive seals fur<br />
Rib: fine oval gold <br />
Body hackle: golden olive cock<br />
Wing: Golden Brown deer hair (or natural)<br />
Thorax: Orange seals fur<br />
Front hackle: Grizzle dyed golden brown (or orange dyed grizzle) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOQfJyk400SyDLk8jOCcChUT448g_jKk5jrrd2OxwhN4ok-WD31QKy9GZIWHTYy1S5iINDRgn58OUgmlq6SdUTotvKXLOb30PFUUPHqHui0rOrUkJ7W_N0VccYOa5plsu0q_yX0FDEPrN/s1600/P1070216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOQfJyk400SyDLk8jOCcChUT448g_jKk5jrrd2OxwhN4ok-WD31QKy9GZIWHTYy1S5iINDRgn58OUgmlq6SdUTotvKXLOb30PFUUPHqHui0rOrUkJ7W_N0VccYOa5plsu0q_yX0FDEPrN/s320/P1070216.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-38863235756456951212011-09-20T13:28:00.000-07:002011-09-24T02:50:29.960-07:00Dyeing notes: Cree capes dyed olive and yellow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A good friend very kindly sent me a batch of capes yesterday - many were cree cock capes. Needless to say, I thought it was Christmas come early. I was over the moon! As most know, this is not a good time for buying capes. This hair extension fad in the US appears to have seriously depleted stocks, particulary saddles. I suspect many tyers have spent many frustrating hours on the web searching for available supplies. I have. Anyway, delighted at my good fortune, I set out to dye some of them dark olive, green olive and yellow. Here are the results:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwEc3V66ZFDryuFQ1-_UjBUBBqdZbgtHHjrjSsooY8M5TOgFVkz1Wwrm01KXaDSsTGqdSpOfF6DmLaSQVvU2HFeOf986dqnYNCsPXAosmCV-CL7ndaU_knl8IrjFL-hsQYQ8e8kMmChIe/s1600/P1070177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwEc3V66ZFDryuFQ1-_UjBUBBqdZbgtHHjrjSsooY8M5TOgFVkz1Wwrm01KXaDSsTGqdSpOfF6DmLaSQVvU2HFeOf986dqnYNCsPXAosmCV-CL7ndaU_knl8IrjFL-hsQYQ8e8kMmChIe/s320/P1070177.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cree dyed dark olive</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJziH2cmEn7X0CRoGJ8JOpxJrC6w9d6sme6-ZBnQfwyQS2MSVU-dzBo0mzdeDr9PeMPTrMR95OdCXiI24R21uG5NxFtrc-kU0sJ9aXssDWeKK-K98y8MgkZCZhxfOqXiWyqGk_Z956lm_g/s1600/P1070179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJziH2cmEn7X0CRoGJ8JOpxJrC6w9d6sme6-ZBnQfwyQS2MSVU-dzBo0mzdeDr9PeMPTrMR95OdCXiI24R21uG5NxFtrc-kU0sJ9aXssDWeKK-K98y8MgkZCZhxfOqXiWyqGk_Z956lm_g/s320/P1070179.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cree dyed Yellow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeY-9fJXkdNBkZ-Q2Xn-eeDofhAFAuSHhjTQZGnCvILzb2h3hCToCB5Q9hFWA1KTQddV8bbDzTTRQnrIa8vW2N4oVQQUCZ7PRkTZF1y58u1B2HMXP8Y4FZcmegmxABM8UBHs22Jliw3OLh/s1600/P1070178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeY-9fJXkdNBkZ-Q2Xn-eeDofhAFAuSHhjTQZGnCvILzb2h3hCToCB5Q9hFWA1KTQddV8bbDzTTRQnrIa8vW2N4oVQQUCZ7PRkTZF1y58u1B2HMXP8Y4FZcmegmxABM8UBHs22Jliw3OLh/s320/P1070178.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cree dyed green olive</td></tr>
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For each colour, one litre of water brought to near boil (in a saucepan) and reduced to simmer. 1/4 t-spn of Veniards dye with vinegar and left in around ten minutes. Stiring all the time. Prior to the dye bath, I degreased the capes in a basin of water with a small amount (t-spn) of Veniards venepol for several hours. Then rinsed out before placing in the dye bath. Many advise to wash the feathers overnight. It is probably wise, if you can wait. Anyway, I am pleased with the final outcomes. These will tie various Irish wets during the Winter tying period.<br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-90645470943266804862011-08-22T12:30:00.000-07:002011-08-22T12:36:42.647-07:00Emerger buzzers... tying frenzy!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Before I beging this post, I would like to offer my sincere and probably overdue thanks for your readership to date and general support to the blog. I am touched by people all over the world checking the site and for all the kind comments provided. Thank you for making this an enjoyable new experience. I hope you continue to gain something from the blog. <br />
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My recent time on the bench has involved emerger buzzers (midges)- a must for any summer evening on the lakes when fish become precocuppied with adults or emerging midges. I had great sport recently (as photo) with CDC type patterns which incited me to fill the box with them. That said, they were very enjoyable to tie, working with CDC and mixing new shades for the body and thorax. I came across the excellent Dave McPhail tying a CDC emerger pattern where he mixed some pearl UV dubbing with orange seals fur for the thorax which simply looked deadly. So that was further inspiration.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWSrGyrE0sgSd_nJRRbvBMe3gdClEp-pm7McKoA2YoDxGRxgZyNphdich3wz0V6WyEihg7XdWEV8yxB1UB48jIucrMuqi_FF-ETpAMyhbB2mLWs0p1ZAIcTyOHHjsV_Kmu-KG61eMrpYs/s1600/P1060962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWSrGyrE0sgSd_nJRRbvBMe3gdClEp-pm7McKoA2YoDxGRxgZyNphdich3wz0V6WyEihg7XdWEV8yxB1UB48jIucrMuqi_FF-ETpAMyhbB2mLWs0p1ZAIcTyOHHjsV_Kmu-KG61eMrpYs/s400/P1060962.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
A CDC Bubble style buzzer worked very well that evening fishing fished on the point of a three fly 18ft cast. Yet I did pick up some further fish on a emerging hare's ear on the top dropper. I think the CDC emerger on the point keeps the droppers just right in the surface film. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4scNgWv5PKOhmo0rShVMClXzZOi_GJgWLozJ5V58ikJpIzlHZ0AbNZx9evyWA-pcHZ4msfS2Rfmveb9f-riK929KgY-XhwLtFUewiTQxWPcLC7acsIiJtAm3MRpDYFaZuublFsV6Nmo9/s1600/P1060850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4scNgWv5PKOhmo0rShVMClXzZOi_GJgWLozJ5V58ikJpIzlHZ0AbNZx9evyWA-pcHZ4msfS2Rfmveb9f-riK929KgY-XhwLtFUewiTQxWPcLC7acsIiJtAm3MRpDYFaZuublFsV6Nmo9/s400/P1060850.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> As for the killing pattern, the pattern below:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>BBE Emerger (Black Bubble Emerger)</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSPzGPRX-pYVF28gqSjRZWHiQN95U5yU3TuDr64I-zdM8p3O20o8b02r6dVzvCxQDCc-x5ZDtti6Ne05Z6RBX_zV8epfbZc2xI0yy6FcwX4e2YpVapSr79TXH1hTKVMatZwFs1OxZoPIt/s1600/P1060996.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSPzGPRX-pYVF28gqSjRZWHiQN95U5yU3TuDr64I-zdM8p3O20o8b02r6dVzvCxQDCc-x5ZDtti6Ne05Z6RBX_zV8epfbZc2xI0yy6FcwX4e2YpVapSr79TXH1hTKVMatZwFs1OxZoPIt/s400/P1060996.gif" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B100 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Shuck: A few strands of Z-lon or Antron looped</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Black silk, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: a small amount of black seals fur mixed with pearl UV on shuck side of wing. Then deep red seals fur mixed with UV dubbing - that resides under the wing</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing: Two CDC tied bubble style and allowed small section of the wing to sit beyond eye. </div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67_rvuFwzKRGdc0vX34yWavfZDjuVqKNUnotCO3sdCcNkHcm23EVSwpE14iMesrPlAqtDlo7eQz1fHtR9pqP32eUq_G1JUoU1bmiCheHuOYlWQK9yYWaetOkOo2iBFkYvxmA0g0g59PaA/s1600/P1060952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67_rvuFwzKRGdc0vX34yWavfZDjuVqKNUnotCO3sdCcNkHcm23EVSwpE14iMesrPlAqtDlo7eQz1fHtR9pqP32eUq_G1JUoU1bmiCheHuOYlWQK9yYWaetOkOo2iBFkYvxmA0g0g59PaA/s400/P1060952.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">For additional tyings, I spent some time finger-mixing some dubbing mixtures for the body and thorax, mostly seals fur and hare-ear. This is so enjoyable. I could spend hours mixing dubbings for developing new shades, never really knowing the outcome and often becoming amazed at my efforts - for good and bad. Indeed, by mixing you can gain some very subtle rich and complex shades. I don't think I always appreciated, until recently, the complexity of nature's colours and insects colouring. For many years of my fly tying I always just used single colours of dubbing. Yet, I do have a competing thought that precise imitation of form, including precise colours are not always necessary. Maybe so. I do recall, however, coming across an argument tendered by an excellent UK fly tier - Scratch - a contributor to the UK fly fishing forum which has stayed with me. He argued that you should tie flies that really please your eyes, which appeal to your own visual senses and intution. Such perceptions sustain great confidence when on the water. I could not agree more. </div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQj-vPM6mb2qEQbgRU1MZC4r6UMGSunkZW1LTFKkAh0vg4FWMhkCjdE5fjIDUxRSH8iiRfnr_kVlkFqaEgCHtFzOhWSL0LfaMfvluM2DkrBJ9zlw9AGRWQLiDlDrWuhe-DjJsWEMVTlUT/s1600/P1060951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQj-vPM6mb2qEQbgRU1MZC4r6UMGSunkZW1LTFKkAh0vg4FWMhkCjdE5fjIDUxRSH8iiRfnr_kVlkFqaEgCHtFzOhWSL0LfaMfvluM2DkrBJ9zlw9AGRWQLiDlDrWuhe-DjJsWEMVTlUT/s400/P1060951.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are a few more patterns that I tied and plan to try. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>CDC and Lace Emerger </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Timeco 212Y</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Black silk ribbed with fine green D-Rib lace </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: green and black seals fur mixed dubbed hook point side of the wing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing: Two CDC feathers tied upwing </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf_6YeCszRg7N5YuehuSz7QpdIvM8I74tvprEh0Ka20boMW6Mt12Wx8xJxTjSkbFcBD7s3efC8Q3H-XI2ymbx7YB6XaJb8FdNzSWZ88RNpLQWH1IL6SSSZUsX4HihlLCsEaQA3usqGcRq/s1600/P1060981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf_6YeCszRg7N5YuehuSz7QpdIvM8I74tvprEh0Ka20boMW6Mt12Wx8xJxTjSkbFcBD7s3efC8Q3H-XI2ymbx7YB6XaJb8FdNzSWZ88RNpLQWH1IL6SSSZUsX4HihlLCsEaQA3usqGcRq/s640/P1060981.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>CDC Puff Buzzer Emerger</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Fly to the left -Klinghammer Emerger, Fly to the right, Tiemco<b> </b>206BL<b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shuck: White Antron or Z-lon looped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Seals fur </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib:Clear wrap (sparton)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: red, orange seals fur mixed along with a pinch of pearl UV dubbing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing; White CDC feathers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<b>Black Buzzer Shuttlecock emerger</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamazan B160</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Black seals fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Clear wrap (Sparton)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Orange mixed with pearl UV</div><div style="text-align: center;">Breathers: Two CDC feathers <b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Shuttlecock Emerger (with mirage shuck) </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B100 (flies 1 and 2) Tiemco2499SP-BL</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shuck: 2-3 strands of Mirage Krystalflash</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: seals fur mixture</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: orange and read seals fur mixed with a pinch of UV dubbing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beathers/wing - 2 CDC feathers. </div><br />
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And so, that was the latest prolific session at the bench. Thank you for reading this post.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-78825915117016623122011-08-11T16:05:00.000-07:002011-09-24T06:52:23.569-07:00Fishing in Donegal, Ireland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My absence from blogging can be explained by a family holiday to County Dongeal, Ireland. After a few days visting family, we arrived in Dunfaeghy on Sunday afternoon. We simply marveled at the beautiful lanscape on our doorstep and quickly realised we made the right choice for our annual family holiday. <br />
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Even if the fishing is poor, sights such as this would be enough.<br />
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New Lake was the first setting on the fishing part of the holiday. I have fished here before. This is an interesting and quite beautiful lake to fish - it was formed in the 1920s as a result of an atlantic storm. Donegal has a deeply indented coastline which has formed a number of natural loughs. On the lake that day, there was a good wave, ideal for the wets. However, I spent a lot of time rowing the boat. Indeed, I found it very difficult to move across the lake on the oars. I was taking a long time to move up the lake and drifting back in no time. Talk about hard work! I was taught a real lesson that day - get a engine and an anchor! I gave up and returned home thinking about the fish I could have enticed on a golden olive bumble. Indeed, the experience made me recall a recent letter in the 'Trout and Salmon' proposing an option to relieve the fishing pressure in the West of Ireland - bann outboard motors. I am pretty sure it would have an impact for the better!<br />
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We were staying not too far from the Rosses Fishery (130 loughs). This famous Salmon and Sea trout fishery is spread over five river systems. As the town of Dungloe is at the centre of the fishery, we visted Bonar's tackle shop in the town to see what was happening with the fishing, or in other words, if fish were up. So with the word that some sea trout were, I eagerly set out on Dunglow Lough (1 mile east of Dungloe) with the prospect of catching sea trout. I have fished this once lough before - landing a 1 1/2 stocked fish on a dry daddy. Interestingly, I was informed how the fishing club no longer stock the lough to avoid interfering with the sea-trout stocks. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is a lovely lough and a joy to fish despite the labour with the oars on the boat. Yet, the sea trout were staying elusive that day. My saving grace was a handful of brownies taking kindly to my Blue Zulu when worked on the bob. As way say in Ireland, good craic!</div><br />
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We returned to the 'New Lake' for some evening fishing. It was a calm and warm night. As sedges and midges are out in good numbers we got excited and expected a fantastic rise. The Gillie (AKA, my Brother) searching for rising fish.<br />
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We both set up with the dries and with the fourth cast a lovely small fish took my small dry sedge on the point. I have to say, this is one of the nicest looking brownies I have ever caught. I was well pleased! Yet, a significant rise never materalised.<br />
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Despite the absence of rising fish we fished near dusk - just enoying the lake on a beauitful August night. For myself, I was delighted with my stunning small brownie. Indeed, I looked at this photo multiple times - amazed at the sheer beauty of the trout. <br />
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That was near the end of the holiday to Donegal. Despite the very few fish we had a great time fishing on beautfiful loughs surrounded by gorgeous scenery. We also got to the beach - taking my baby boy to the beach for the first time and dipped his toes into the Atlantic. Funny enough, he didn't seemed bothered! <br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-10450775658560822422011-07-27T01:22:00.000-07:002011-09-24T02:55:14.636-07:00Currently Reading: 'Fly Tying with Harold Howarth' by Donald Townsend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am a avid reader of fly fishing books. Their collection and reading is one of the many aspects that I love about this great sport. Indeed, I thought I maybe make a regular feature of the blog and share with you what I am currently reading and my thoughts on the book. I think we all know we are forunate to have a historical and contemporary rich body of work to experience. You could spend a small fortunate very quickly on Amazon, for example, amassing a tidy collection or spend your days hunting down the classics in second hand bookstores.<br />
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The first book is <i>Fly Tying with Harold Howarth by Donald Townsend (1980) Published by A & C Blac</i>k. Before I begin, as with nearly everything in this blog, these are only my impressions, opinions and insights. I first came across Harold Howorth's name in <i>Malcom Greenhalgh's and Jason Smalley's 'Trout Flies' </i>where he was attributed as the inventor of a number of spider patterns, and more significantly, where he was accredited to pioneer a style of soft hackle in the 1940s and 1950s along with Frederick Mold. This style was inclusion of a thorax to mostly standard patterns of usually peacock herl before the hackle to enhance the insect profile of the fly and its movement in the water. I was eager to learn a little more about Howorth and his fly dressings.<br />
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Townsend provides a brief introduction to Howorth before describing his fly dressings for 30 trout and salmon flies. Harold Howorth was born in a small Lancashire town, Haslingden in 1898.<br />
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In this short book of 96 pages the author illustrates Howorth's flies, why they were invented and his experience with them in practice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Many of the flies presented are standard or established flies - the waterhen bloa, the greenwell and the black gnat, for example. Yet, for many of the established patterns, Howorth modified the pattern in terms of design and materials. For example in his Waterhen Bloa, Howorth dressed a slim section of yellow silk as one part of the body followed with mole fur built up for the second part. Townsend writes "This is then followed by a rather sparse hackle. This causes the hackle to stand more erect and allow better movement when the fly is finished" (p,69). <br />
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In terms of another established pattern in the North Country grouping - the Snipe and Purple, Howorth replaced the soft snipe hackle with durable lesser coverts of a duck wing. Again he added a few turns of peacock herl behind the hackle to give better fibre movement. This is known as the Henthorn Purple. So this style of a herl thorax before a sparse hackle on spider dressings is a trademark of Howorth's tyings. And from reading <i>Roger Rogg's 'Handbook of North Country Flies</i>' we realise this <i>addition of a short thorax before the hackle </i>constitutes one dressing style for North Country soft hackles. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So the book contains some really interesting dressings - some modified versisions of the established and some new. Additionally, there is some useful advice. For example, the tying of a collar hackle after the wing enables the fly to fish well, prevents twisting in the water. Yet, this is not the conventional recipe book or instructional book you commonly see nowadays. Luckily, I never held this expectation. This is a short personal book of one man's experiences with flies he was using, modifying and creating over his extensive fishing life. More than this, I suspect this book is an important slice of the rich history surrounding North Country wet fly fishing. Indeed, for me, it tells something about soft hackles and North Country flies - their development and limits of use. The inclusion of a thorax to provide extra movement to the hackle reconciles with the argument that some standard soft hackles are not as effective in fast water, especially when fished downstream. Maybe more surely, the book is a reminder of how some tradtional patterns were modified by creative anglers, and yet preserved by others. Indeed, I suspect there have been many Howorth types in Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Borders that took certain classic soft hackle dressings and modified them to suit their own intution, rivers and insect hatches. Maybe this is nothing new? So for myself, who aspiring to learn more about North Country flies and fishing, the book was valuable, a nice addition to the collection. </div><br />
</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-80779386233174149292011-07-20T13:42:00.000-07:002011-07-24T12:26:40.053-07:00Yellow Spiders<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I apologise for not posting lately. With work and family commitments I found it very difficult having time for fly tying and blogging. I am trying my best to finish stuff at work before I head off on holiday in Ireland with the family at the end of the month. I am so looking forward to take my baby boy home to see his grandparents and uncles and for some fishing. I manage some time for the bench today - yellow spiders were on my mine. On the last few occasions on the river I noticed a few Yellow May Duns (Heptogenia sulphurea) and anticpate to see the Yellow Sally (Isoperia grammatica) stonefly in the forthcoming period. So I thought it would be useful to have a few yellow spiders in the box:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellow-Legged Bloa</b><br />
Hook: Partridge, 'TWH, The Wet' Size 14<br />
Body: Primrose gossamar<br />
Thorax: Light olive/yellow fur (optional). I have used light yellow hare's ear.<br />
Hackle: Light Yellow or Ginger Hen<b>. </b>I have used light yellow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjlJ4Ad9Js9A-PZgbi7GPhbJHJbmpNyS9BvtbrCHCvI2WQIIpaBVgyOhl20hXSPIFZZhJdHow_MnisTX-gXm7wCDmsreAqsl06v0GvvQYWnlD4ohSzfBWWoE4pvhE0-uYUmk5nOd-cGR5/s1600/yellow+legged+bloa+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjlJ4Ad9Js9A-PZgbi7GPhbJHJbmpNyS9BvtbrCHCvI2WQIIpaBVgyOhl20hXSPIFZZhJdHow_MnisTX-gXm7wCDmsreAqsl06v0GvvQYWnlD4ohSzfBWWoE4pvhE0-uYUmk5nOd-cGR5/s320/yellow+legged+bloa+spider.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
I believe this is a pattern which can be used to imitate the nymph or emergers of the Yellow May duns or the Yellow Sally. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Yellow Sally (wet)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge, 'TWH, The Wet' Size 14<b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Light yellow fur. I have used pale watery yellow polyrite dubbing</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Golden Plover<b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-j_SDTgRJQDhZu2AUWCD0FsQasfyNZNfGCe9MQKJN8OMbAzMYeMoxR9EuJQ89dgKuH0ef8pQalwzcsMu-7PqCoTfhl6fcTHQWaKpJdkl-SlU5pZA2Ebb15cJNYzU0URkFw5zcVt6264o9/s1600/Yellow+sally+wet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-j_SDTgRJQDhZu2AUWCD0FsQasfyNZNfGCe9MQKJN8OMbAzMYeMoxR9EuJQ89dgKuH0ef8pQalwzcsMu-7PqCoTfhl6fcTHQWaKpJdkl-SlU5pZA2Ebb15cJNYzU0URkFw5zcVt6264o9/s320/Yellow+sally+wet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ93khx-yl311z5_o8CKUQ-TOfA61NxBZlBa0WLhhcPoRfsDJeZxZLGNNgdQP_656sIjpjgRnlcw3bPo2LRg3g3ipnZRHWJ2y-e34rbMY0yAy9z2P7B_Tgo6EQR83A5Ms6w8fagj7UDJa/s1600/cape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ93khx-yl311z5_o8CKUQ-TOfA61NxBZlBa0WLhhcPoRfsDJeZxZLGNNgdQP_656sIjpjgRnlcw3bPo2LRg3g3ipnZRHWJ2y-e34rbMY0yAy9z2P7B_Tgo6EQR83A5Ms6w8fagj7UDJa/s200/cape.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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I bought this Whiting brahma cape dyed pale yellow several months ago which nested in drawer forgotton about. I think it is a lovely looking cape, striking, has that dyed partridge/game look. My personal niggle is the number of small feathers on the cape. It has not too many hackles for tying size 14 or below. That aside, it will still come in very handy for palmered wets, bumbles and the sort. Anyway, there were enough hackles for a few size 14 flies and therefore tied some yellow-olive spiders for the river to give an idea what the hackle looks like: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hare's Ear Spider Variant</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B160, Size 14</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Olive Hare's Ear plus</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Gold Wire </div><div style="text-align: center;">HackleL Pale Yellow Brahma <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVErnOkewAxCcQ7LWHaKCByhCr9NhQNo9CQO41MxGHaleWuXdjwDxQI7ZMwTUlGlbFCHDo1x0GEOx9jvDWPSnci3odXNxxeau9jXu-uK3aHRx6WEBQPnXHG7DE3CiOiyOnEmUtyCJ8MQUo/s1600/spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVErnOkewAxCcQ7LWHaKCByhCr9NhQNo9CQO41MxGHaleWuXdjwDxQI7ZMwTUlGlbFCHDo1x0GEOx9jvDWPSnci3odXNxxeau9jXu-uK3aHRx6WEBQPnXHG7DE3CiOiyOnEmUtyCJ8MQUo/s320/spider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Yellow Patridge Spider</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Timeco TMC531, Size 14</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: Gold tinsel</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Yellow silk</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Green thread</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Pale Yellow Brahma Hen</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGgliE3i8OMqvQ_PHf5eM0xfUgI-gwvZtLKw-ED4paegjzRiFdCZrVphtoGOyY8NPQ3Teeeou7Z9fgB_qL2ehsrU07X2I6b_lki0E_wJyg_NUfOVY5HE1fniR6DLd-MWKBF1vG5RrikrB/s1600/spider+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGgliE3i8OMqvQ_PHf5eM0xfUgI-gwvZtLKw-ED4paegjzRiFdCZrVphtoGOyY8NPQ3Teeeou7Z9fgB_qL2ehsrU07X2I6b_lki0E_wJyg_NUfOVY5HE1fniR6DLd-MWKBF1vG5RrikrB/s320/spider+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is based on an old Irish variant of a Partridge and Yellow.<br />
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<b>Brahma Fluff Emerger </b><br />
Hook: Tiemco <b><br />
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Body: yellow gossamar<br />
Wing: Tied buble style </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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This is made from the flue on the base/bottom of the hackle. I am not sure about the floatability but should have plenty of movement.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b>Edward's Yellow Spider</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge L3A, Size 12 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Yellow sulphur superfine dubbing wound tigthly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Primrose or pale yellow hen hackle</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsNynP14tph9wwQjL5_wDbBcPBuC_lmKPj2z0nuwJyjEoVQ2Cn6nD5RfJROCvoGiTaj6BCn9PQX0NnMsxXfOU0yUWB5qUrPlAe2GcealxTWJLCHlvjE9phXrYqn8rHbwg29H4Bf8J21Qk/s1600/edwards+yellow+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsNynP14tph9wwQjL5_wDbBcPBuC_lmKPj2z0nuwJyjEoVQ2Cn6nD5RfJROCvoGiTaj6BCn9PQX0NnMsxXfOU0yUWB5qUrPlAe2GcealxTWJLCHlvjE9phXrYqn8rHbwg29H4Bf8J21Qk/s320/edwards+yellow+spider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
This appears to me to be similar to a Pritt dressing for a Yellow Sally. Mr Oliver Edwards features the above in one of his DVDs (Wet Fly Fishing) - he uses this to great effect at this time of the year when Yellow May Duns are on the water and I suspects uses it for Yellow Sallys. He usually fishes this as a team of three, on the top dropper, to ensure it fishes on or the near the water surface as possible. He ties this on size 12, with his beloved Partridge L3A. I have a 100 size 12 L3A, by mistake. I ordered 100 size 14 and received 12s instead. In terms of the hackle of the fly, I needed to dye a cape for this and again fortunate enough to have a spare white hen cape. I dyed this with veniards yellow dye, a 1/4 teaspoon but kept the cape in the dye bath for a period of say five minutes or so. The result is a very pale yellow/primrose cape.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiVX7h1KvBJQhfi1AYXf7Tcc0iamFA2rsycIXCmHd4oYOeKDqpSckJ4XVzg6uU9Axra1qgEnOTlRqahKGmnzdJmJrJ0ZJPg3Z3cBHOrzjljGRxh8XdFzzljTJKXB2h8m4Z03ebdoRIi0g/s1600/pale+yellow+cape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiVX7h1KvBJQhfi1AYXf7Tcc0iamFA2rsycIXCmHd4oYOeKDqpSckJ4XVzg6uU9Axra1qgEnOTlRqahKGmnzdJmJrJ0ZJPg3Z3cBHOrzjljGRxh8XdFzzljTJKXB2h8m4Z03ebdoRIi0g/s320/pale+yellow+cape.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was interesting to hear Edwards state how fish take Yellow May Duns, refuting some past authors' speculations or even inisting they may not be interested in them. I have personally never imitated the Yellow May Duns before - as never came across them on my home rivers back in Ireland. I have used the yellow sally to good effect and of the opinion trout fed on them. On several occasions in June, I failed to notice too many on the water. He makes the point that such a sparse hatch appears to incite the fish to take when they come across an artifical on the water. We may have passed the time for Yellow May Duns. The above patterns should of use for Sallys and olives. One final thing. On the DVD he commented on 'three greatest books', mentioning the Practical Angler by WC Stewart, Edmonds and Lee, but the third, he failed to say? Maybe he did and I did not pick it up! I would love to know what this third greatest book was and if he was referring to three greatest books on fishing or simply books on north country fishing/wet fly fishing. Anybody know? Thanks for reading this post!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-5804201722143500892011-06-27T15:24:00.000-07:002011-08-13T15:59:06.338-07:00Dyeing feathers for claret<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bfql0zc-VKIaK9HL9bymWDyFUl5mtE7UeAKWfSIA92BGmAhCHqPJSLzns8LLUiUg2FV4Yb677J-tE5PqMwgDnAerOLvs8wXFEVTkHvBl5ZgKr-sRsRCWNH_UEmaPJULdXDQsJjX0QwBk/s1600/boits+and+feather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bfql0zc-VKIaK9HL9bymWDyFUl5mtE7UeAKWfSIA92BGmAhCHqPJSLzns8LLUiUg2FV4Yb677J-tE5PqMwgDnAerOLvs8wXFEVTkHvBl5ZgKr-sRsRCWNH_UEmaPJULdXDQsJjX0QwBk/s200/boits+and+feather.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>On my return last night from the river I took the odd decision of dyeing a batch of feathers and some fur. Obvioulsy waited until the wife had retired for the night and the kitchen was my own to mess with. I had taken stock of several colours of Veniards dye last week and was eager to put this to work. I started with dark claret. I dyed a batch of french partridge, white rabbit skin, turkey boits, widgeon. grey partridge and a cock cape. I remembered how the best results with claret can be gained from working from a base colour of brown, red game or ginger cape. So I dyed a natural dark red cock cape using a 1/4 tablespoon of dark claret dye. The results were very good, for me anywhow. I am not an overly experienced dyer of materials so I was quite pleased. A black claret is how I would describe the result. This is what I wanted - mostly for tying wet flies such as bumbles and dabblers. You can see from the far photo below the difference between the white rabbit skin dyed claret and the red cape over-dyed with claret. I further dyed a batch of widgeon feathers (on the left of the second photo) that turned out not as expected - on the light purple side. The french patridge turned out well as usual. As above, the boit feathers will make some nice claret spinners. I have not yet decided to take E.J Malone's (Irish trout Flies) advice of using rain water for the dying bath, but I am thinking about it! Anybody used rain water for the dying bath? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6o9q6Y3H83RW75C6oqLrWrvaKojw6-Wn9EO7DL8RpIQMITXwHABbgdZ0xWlt38lyIjLW3UUgIbtQ5ZzLZhx5ZTwJBWL-SF0X22B459rybsy0niB89xjn5wNTrmsrtfR49lIyKuvigAPjB/s1600/cape+and+fur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVe03ENcioKPOV_ZWVuJHKLxG3atPGJ7Bujqy-s7kf0EhY8I652ZThlUTgradKUkj8Kkgym5CIun7gU1TmmqRhpHgDcLoCkm_YV9tHckP49kI36KcfN_T1aO4AW35UOGrHIuc-ADl6vRF/s1600/feathers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVe03ENcioKPOV_ZWVuJHKLxG3atPGJ7Bujqy-s7kf0EhY8I652ZThlUTgradKUkj8Kkgym5CIun7gU1TmmqRhpHgDcLoCkm_YV9tHckP49kI36KcfN_T1aO4AW35UOGrHIuc-ADl6vRF/s320/feathers.jpg" width="320" /></a><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6o9q6Y3H83RW75C6oqLrWrvaKojw6-Wn9EO7DL8RpIQMITXwHABbgdZ0xWlt38lyIjLW3UUgIbtQ5ZzLZhx5ZTwJBWL-SF0X22B459rybsy0niB89xjn5wNTrmsrtfR49lIyKuvigAPjB/s320/cape+and+fur.jpg" width="320" /></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-39861867268740393642011-06-27T13:48:00.000-07:002011-06-27T15:45:48.476-07:00Fishing on the River Ribble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwekhVzrS3Wb1jqxOfoUEPz4H1hN1AVr02O6QgQaB-yvkVsFAF85VZ24t4Nf4D8iRNx3O0nkC52vR3wLFO4C8Wu_E9ve4BfA6tNdos_dcqCQExM0k0AcNVs-zo69NrJyz0xBmM6PcE8Sk/s1600/Ribble+27th+june.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwekhVzrS3Wb1jqxOfoUEPz4H1hN1AVr02O6QgQaB-yvkVsFAF85VZ24t4Nf4D8iRNx3O0nkC52vR3wLFO4C8Wu_E9ve4BfA6tNdos_dcqCQExM0k0AcNVs-zo69NrJyz0xBmM6PcE8Sk/s320/Ribble+27th+june.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I fished the Ribble at Settle for a few hours yesterday afternoon. I knew it would be make more sense if I waited until the evening time. Yet, due to other committments, this was not possible. The river level was high. Indeed, it was gorgeous wet fly water and therefore thrilling to work the pools as the spiders dead drifted down and across. No fish were rising. The rainfall over the last few days topped the river to a height to the point it was slightly black in colour. They say trout have suicidal tendencies under such conditions. Well not so that day, they were perfectly happy - content to look and ignore my flies. Not all together true. A few small fish were caught on the partridge and yellow, along with several missed takes. Nevertheless, it was an enoyable few hours on the river bank. <br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-32463971089527132402011-06-19T11:51:00.000-07:002011-06-26T16:09:04.023-07:00Fishing notes: on the Ribble, Yorkshire.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I spent the afternoon on the River Ribble, Settle - Yorkshire. Arrived around 11.30am. Very good conditions. Disappointed to find the river still on the low side. Yet, despite the water level, there was a palpable freshness and vitaility about the river. There were no fish rising, nor any hatch of any significance. A few sedges about. I set up with a team of small spiders, starting off with a black spider on the point, patridge and yellow (variant) on the middle and a patridge and orange on the top. I considered placing a black and silver spider or a black pennel on the point - to possibly connect with some sea trout that were supposed to be in the river but I decided otherwise. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-wo0jmYtrtkRyoFs0SzZfU7wG_0w6Qpchs_KdqvHooXt4QNCX8RzOoZeKmS87TuFOVTyLgjpHkc4bG9_Q8mQw7g6mRm02WTxacRpsVqldF81-un8iscbb_Ai-04UWmhmoLvZ9ae-bjA2/s1600/river+ribble+19th+jiune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-wo0jmYtrtkRyoFs0SzZfU7wG_0w6Qpchs_KdqvHooXt4QNCX8RzOoZeKmS87TuFOVTyLgjpHkc4bG9_Q8mQw7g6mRm02WTxacRpsVqldF81-un8iscbb_Ai-04UWmhmoLvZ9ae-bjA2/s320/river+ribble+19th+jiune.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On the third cast, I took a thump and landed the first brownie of the day on the black spider. This followed with five more fish around the 7-8inches mark, two being caught on the partridge and yellow and the rest on the black spider. No monsters - but still great fun! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd10Ghb4LgPZutbgIkkI9pxbzR7-_8DkjbVAR8D8RjEDApNLnUhPfM-gPoVZ4OrSzOvpwoASKrtvic_rQ3rAl8DJK9zYnDSVkAkX8U59A7A_xHa_3jWdLBUvZchosnFy5sNVAmzAEM1BX5/s1600/on+the+ribble+19th+june+black+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd10Ghb4LgPZutbgIkkI9pxbzR7-_8DkjbVAR8D8RjEDApNLnUhPfM-gPoVZ4OrSzOvpwoASKrtvic_rQ3rAl8DJK9zYnDSVkAkX8U59A7A_xHa_3jWdLBUvZchosnFy5sNVAmzAEM1BX5/s320/on+the+ribble+19th+june+black+spider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Around 4.00pm just before heading off, I took off the black spider and replaced it with a Grouse and Green spider. With this spider, I was thinking along the lines of sedge nymphs. Several more small fish followed on the Grouse and Green. I then connected into a very decent fish only to come off. All together, an enjoyable day with the wets. Yet, the day was made truely special when my 4 1/2 month year old baby boy gave me (with the obvious assistance of his Mother) his first Father's day card and present (priceless!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-58902483551768929002011-06-18T09:38:00.000-07:002011-07-25T10:37:12.707-07:00Brassies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On a friend's request, I have been tying some brassies in recent days with a green tag. It is one of those patterns if somebody asked you for a dozen, you would reply, 'are you sure now, is that all? It is of course, a simple wee pattern with the reputtation of being a deadly fish catcher as well - the fly tyer's dream really! This green tag brassie has been successful for my friend when fished as part of a team of nymphs from the boat. I'll send these off tomorrow. I must admit - I have never fished much with a brassie or caught anything with it. Yes, US readers, you read corectly! But I'll keep a few aside to have in the box and see if can I break my 'brassie duck' someday. Anyway, I could not resist tying some variants. As evident in some cases, I treat the term 'variant' very liberally. Indeed, I have maybe went 'off steer' slightly, ah well! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Brassie (Original)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B420</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: copper wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Muskrat fur<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv1VSK-979H10Hcbi1ccIqAURMlI0SDk7fq2ePvXCtaG7S8oq45NeZiVzumiYKtqhHBZ8PmBSiEDbQBwsvC40eTOeaCWU24ai-1rqpKmVtRmYeSPMPnOLyAnulIu4B_Ui-2CrAk7tjft0/s1600/brassie-orginal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv1VSK-979H10Hcbi1ccIqAURMlI0SDk7fq2ePvXCtaG7S8oq45NeZiVzumiYKtqhHBZ8PmBSiEDbQBwsvC40eTOeaCWU24ai-1rqpKmVtRmYeSPMPnOLyAnulIu4B_Ui-2CrAk7tjft0/s320/brassie-orginal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
According to Dave Hughes in <i>'Trout Flies - The Tier's reference' (1996)</i>, the brassie was orginally tied to imitate small caddis larvae that live in fast water. Yet, it is also now used for a range of imitations - midge larvae and pupae, and even mayfly and stonefly nymphs. It was devised by Ken Chandler and Tug Davenport on Colorado's South Platte River in the 1960s. It has been suggested that the original brassie had short piece of black heat shrinked plastic tube for the thorax and black tying thread as the body. As a footnote point, you will commonly see brassies tied with a peacock herl thorax, or with a bead-head. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Brassie (Variant)</b><br />
Kamasan B170 <b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: copper wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib: Black silk</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Fine black fur</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2l-kMM80jPalqgv80Rziq-okqzgt9OyFZNK_W87PKHFnYnK5CYI6-oc-sW_HqUCC1muNoQS1-5LgkvE9j_q6lV2WPuynF0KaMUQAwfgSmkflz888gRCHctHqdsPCH2SaPu9vCoFknNO2/s1600/brassie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgZv74V3cbl39pQEnsX0n2yLuiLrHXW6ZqvZeTTJhaZoj0D7y5pNDr2IHskIbVCOnvm2WP_OB0d5mdV6ZJcjUsge5XXCaW2q_nkXmmzTOd7rnYojr00wht1Hm6GZeqs2BRXhpgbaj1BtL/s1600/brassie+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgZv74V3cbl39pQEnsX0n2yLuiLrHXW6ZqvZeTTJhaZoj0D7y5pNDr2IHskIbVCOnvm2WP_OB0d5mdV6ZJcjUsge5XXCaW2q_nkXmmzTOd7rnYojr00wht1Hm6GZeqs2BRXhpgbaj1BtL/s320/brassie+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Green Tag Brassie</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B175 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: flou green tying silk </div><div style="text-align: center;">body: cooper wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Hare's ear mixed with red fox squirrel<b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hairy Fat Brassie</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B420</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Cooper wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">First thorax: Short length of red squireel underfur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle/wing: Deer hair on a dubbing wire (wound with several turns towards the body and then pushed up).</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Red squireel underfur dubbed into a tight ball </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2eGy_FLIfSY7n2a1NraRRSlJiF70g0kWKo983G3_tTS69m2rsE7gEHuQ2YsExZnL9QJ2IrTw-robG3nYJd422pgMC9R1TAoONT7NnmyT-LvkLx7bLW9HuezHx-k9P4bRPfBQX7eqjsSG/s1600/hairy+brassie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2eGy_FLIfSY7n2a1NraRRSlJiF70g0kWKo983G3_tTS69m2rsE7gEHuQ2YsExZnL9QJ2IrTw-robG3nYJd422pgMC9R1TAoONT7NnmyT-LvkLx7bLW9HuezHx-k9P4bRPfBQX7eqjsSG/s320/hairy+brassie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>Dark Brassie</b><br />
Hook: Kamasan B100<br />
Body: Black and Cooper Wire wound together<br />
Thorax: Squirrel underfur mixed with small amount of cooper litebrite<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOr1aIY0sv6f8Yp37p2NqkqS4ZU0mQcRzS7y-mUYBj4LrjenReUa2IY21rh2cImtCzxJrNHlVBlc2IKyHOV3XqfD1e_N6mC9I95WJz6ghgoHzvLvIPpygaMsPyEIGQls6jF2wQoNs2Mev/s1600/dark+brassie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOr1aIY0sv6f8Yp37p2NqkqS4ZU0mQcRzS7y-mUYBj4LrjenReUa2IY21rh2cImtCzxJrNHlVBlc2IKyHOV3XqfD1e_N6mC9I95WJz6ghgoHzvLvIPpygaMsPyEIGQls6jF2wQoNs2Mev/s320/dark+brassie.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />
Rick Murphy - also of the South Platte River came up with the idea of using two colours to give a segemented body in his two wire brassie (Greenhalgh and Smalley, 2009). This creates some lovely effects and colours. Similar to above, here are a few buzzer patterns using two colours of wire for the body:<br />
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<b>Dark Green buzzer </b><br />
Hook: Kamasan B110 <br />
Tail: White organza<br />
Body: green and black wire wounded together<br />
Thorax: Black lite brtite mixed with muskrat<br />
Breathers: White organza<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDS7H4Iwy5Bnx56dRvwlnKkVuiOoUCG6UchUV1ppC2wXzDWr4nR4LQg90W2Kbg1nkB75wxHYscY5x0gHoBM4XVMHD6CSA7pidVHMFjG4lFcGjIG3tTgzcZnkYTCZ62_GGN59zqK3eyPmW/s1600/black+and+green+buzzer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDS7H4Iwy5Bnx56dRvwlnKkVuiOoUCG6UchUV1ppC2wXzDWr4nR4LQg90W2Kbg1nkB75wxHYscY5x0gHoBM4XVMHD6CSA7pidVHMFjG4lFcGjIG3tTgzcZnkYTCZ62_GGN59zqK3eyPmW/s320/black+and+green+buzzer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Light Green Buzzer</b><br />
Hook: Kamasan B110 <b><br />
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Body: Green and White wire winded together<br />
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Thorax: Orange glo-brite floss followed by muskrat fur mixed with pesudo peacock herl<br />
Breathers: CDC white strands <b></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15BgV3pz611e6DVw3lR75M5zW0dLHa3ELHmEE_T027cGh0BqHO-7wGmYQS2xwTain-hqgZkO5PCOfn5vUU8xfBhv30oLlj4H5CB_nKBrc9HOqdIA9UtiUF56C4_9AjW1Or7JyUCcDj4K_/s1600/green+brassie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15BgV3pz611e6DVw3lR75M5zW0dLHa3ELHmEE_T027cGh0BqHO-7wGmYQS2xwTain-hqgZkO5PCOfn5vUU8xfBhv30oLlj4H5CB_nKBrc9HOqdIA9UtiUF56C4_9AjW1Or7JyUCcDj4K_/s320/green+brassie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b> JC Brassie buzzer (black)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B100</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tag: flou green </div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: black wire wound loosly over the body</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheeks: Jungle cock feathers tied on each side</div>Thorax: black SLF mixed with squirrel</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccQUCVmykfUHe_JQ7K4ROmKbOsFLNJZy6BFvcOzi5JqAbfE_xTzgKOcJWhK6o59fSopXP-Ro_jtC_r_Mm1JRciCqxuo6Bwt7wb4TIhoQSzgnFOizmOiLdnRJw_0sZWzQSWSf5Kn2zKwh2/s1600/viva+brassie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccQUCVmykfUHe_JQ7K4ROmKbOsFLNJZy6BFvcOzi5JqAbfE_xTzgKOcJWhK6o59fSopXP-Ro_jtC_r_Mm1JRciCqxuo6Bwt7wb4TIhoQSzgnFOizmOiLdnRJw_0sZWzQSWSf5Kn2zKwh2/s320/viva+brassie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Brassed off-soft hackle</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Kamason B110 </div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: orange and black wire</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: grey seals fur</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Black hen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-27950105963290029452011-06-08T05:45:00.000-07:002011-06-08T05:45:39.285-07:00Upside Down on K3A<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The tying of upside down flies (USD) indictates another evolving step for me when it comes to dry fly designs. Yes, I move slowly! So what about USDs and their history? For those that are interested, this is what I gathered from the library. It is unintentionally brief. In the 1970s, Brian Clarke and John Goddard of the UK introduced a series of upside down patterns to deal with selective trout, and called it the USD series. I am unsure how sucecssful these flies were or how popular they remain today. Andrew Herd - the fly fishing historian holds the opinion USD flies did not catch on - partly because they are difficult to tie and partly because few trout are <i>that</i> selective. In 1972, Joe Brooks in the US introduced the Keel fly. Yet, a very similar design was pictured by J H Keen before 1886 (Proper, 1982. p.102). Then, Neil Petterson of the UK invented the Funnel Dun - detailed in his book <em>Chalkstream Chronicile.</em> In 1979, Partridge first made the K3A hook<em>.</em> These hooks were designed in Sweden by Nils Eriksson and Gunnar Johnson who were well known Swedish fly tyers. This helps the fly land upside down or point up out of the water - and less visible to the fish and with the abdomen usally touching the water's surface like the natural. Gary Lafontaine in his <em>"Caddis Flies"</em> recommended them for a number of Sedge dry fly imitations. In fact he has 15 dancing caddis dressings for the K3A. He writes <em>"an imitation of the USD hook could be effective for all types of adult caddisflies, the fly not only resting on the wing edges and body, but also skating on them. without the hook to interfere, one fly could simulate their important characteristics whether drifting drag free or moving"</em> (page 24). However, in later times, he revised the pattern to be tied on a standard dry fly hook. He called it the Simplified Dancing Caddis.<br />
<em> </em> In David Klausmeyer's book <em>'Unnaturals - a practical guide to tying with synthetics',</em> a nice step-to-step guide is provided for tying a green drake on the K3A - which to my eyes, 'looked the business', as they say! So eager to replicate this beauty, and to know how they fish, I started hunting for these patridge K3A hooks, and hunting I did. As implied, these are not so easy to purchase in the UK. Well, not amongst the big mail order retailers anyhow. I could not see them. I suspect they may be discontinued by Partridge. I eventually found them with 'Taimen', the Polish on-line retailer.<br />
As you can see these are a big hook, about 2x long shank and disaportionate to the gape. This surprised me. Thus, if you need a size 14, then an 18 K3A is appropriate. As I acquired mostly Size 12 and 14s, I decided to tie some mayfly imitations and largely worked from Oliver Edwards mayfly dressing on the K3A. The hook's unqiue shape is suitable for mayfly duns. The <u>original</u> dressing of Edwards Mayfly as detailed in <em>John Robert's 'A Guide to River Trout Flies' (page 177)</em> is: Hook: K3A, Tail: four strong moose mae or deer hair, body: equally mixed ivory seals fur and fine ivroy poly dubbing over silver lurex, rib: light brown rayon or nylon floss in two broad bands at the rear, wing: silver mallard breast or flank feather dyed pale yellow or lemon wood duck. Hackles: mixed pale blue dun and a pale lemon yellow dyed grizzle and thorax: ivory and light brown poly dubbing. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong>A collection of Upside Down Mayfly Duns on Partridge K3A hooks</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWpIMbubgKh2f4cpFTb1epECxe3tSRt2hxTyXfZjIIV53qlyqGi7hYU54sTZ3iWN6cvlcK8eytcNwfmiFUlyCwMwYO2b0SorkrOrBDp4_8W3z6dldzDcuD4w63BZq87_4OT12XJ1z2IWR/s1600/mayflies+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWpIMbubgKh2f4cpFTb1epECxe3tSRt2hxTyXfZjIIV53qlyqGi7hYU54sTZ3iWN6cvlcK8eytcNwfmiFUlyCwMwYO2b0SorkrOrBDp4_8W3z6dldzDcuD4w63BZq87_4OT12XJ1z2IWR/s320/mayflies+2.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<strong>Tying instructions:</strong><br />
1. Tie the silk up the shank of the hook to the eye<br />
2. Tie in three/four pheasant tail fibres.<br />
3. Tie in the silk rib.<br />
4. Tightly dub the body up the end of the straight shank<br />
5. Rib the body to the end of the straight shank.<br />
6. Turn the hook upside down<br />
7. Tie the hackle to the hook at the bottom of the bend in the shank<br />
8. Dub the fur from the base of the hackle to form the thorax of the fly<br />
9. Tie in the wing on the edge of the elevated curved side<br />
10. Wind the hackle up to the wing which moves along the elevated curved side. <br />
11. Add further dubbing in the frontal region at the hook eye for a thorax.<br />
12. Wipe finish<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Note - in some patterns I have give one or two turns on the other side of the wing. Although you will commonly see this in other sources, this may be wrong, preventing the fly from sitting correctly on the water.</span><br />
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<strong>Edward's Mayfly (variation 1)</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Patridge K3A, Size 10<br />
<strong>Tail:</strong> Black Pheasant tail<br />
<strong>Body:</strong> cream flyrite dubbing<br />
<strong>Rib</strong>: Brown silk or floss (banded near the tail)<br />
<strong>Hackle</strong>: Olive dyed grizzly cock<br />
<strong>Frontal dubbing</strong>: cream and brown dubbing mixed<br />
<strong>Wing</strong>: Light green-olive mallard flank<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v6bU4w_KdNH9tpnq3r3t5712IrL8i027QQMEdmB0Tz9SRW8PmdcHeuK912Heq7lcqdxZUOPkVsB5e5mMojh8XdLek88l0AhgXVnSI-JY2MJ-3L6OTo9rytpMG8aUMd79yaXUBuGXTT1Z/s1600/upsde+mayfly+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v6bU4w_KdNH9tpnq3r3t5712IrL8i027QQMEdmB0Tz9SRW8PmdcHeuK912Heq7lcqdxZUOPkVsB5e5mMojh8XdLek88l0AhgXVnSI-JY2MJ-3L6OTo9rytpMG8aUMd79yaXUBuGXTT1Z/s320/upsde+mayfly+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Edwards Mayfly (Variation 2)</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Pheasant tail fibres</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Cream poly dubbing mixed with a small pinch of olie dubbing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Brown thread</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Grizzle dyed yellow-olive</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing: Light yellow-olive mallard flank</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: cream and brown flyrite poly dubbing </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwE0OTLOAkefAx3VVfLNgjtovRuKZkTefowFrxt4lzAMNO9QrRF-3f_rMzGeivYcR5bBIIs2y6FozoaTNVhcqEeted3xgsarY5TmzKnRZtn_L9m9MWwccKsXx-_Y1kJPo3cyjdyjVfiNz/s1600/usd+mayfly+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwE0OTLOAkefAx3VVfLNgjtovRuKZkTefowFrxt4lzAMNO9QrRF-3f_rMzGeivYcR5bBIIs2y6FozoaTNVhcqEeted3xgsarY5TmzKnRZtn_L9m9MWwccKsXx-_Y1kJPo3cyjdyjVfiNz/s320/usd+mayfly+12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Edwards Mayfly (Variation 3)</strong><br />
Tail: Pheasant tail<br />
Body: creamish poly yarn<br />
Rib: Black tying thread doubled<br />
Wing: Four CDC feathers<br />
Hackle: dyed grizzle olive<br />
Thorax: rusty olive flyrite poly dubbing<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nf8jnFzEcSp8Xzau1OIGF1Su7Mki2PgqT3gcdp_oxinQScOQa5rWHJtwcrFe-HewdvXIO55zoCM9NLs4tzILHQI4UaT3Ulqw8IkOMfBUtUGmbgxe5gUM_PkMb3tkvINyKC4zFhW99Ad9/s1600/usd+mayfly+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nf8jnFzEcSp8Xzau1OIGF1Su7Mki2PgqT3gcdp_oxinQScOQa5rWHJtwcrFe-HewdvXIO55zoCM9NLs4tzILHQI4UaT3Ulqw8IkOMfBUtUGmbgxe5gUM_PkMb3tkvINyKC4zFhW99Ad9/s320/usd+mayfly+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Edwards Mayfly (variation 4)</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Pheasant tail fibres</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Black thread</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: cream poly dubbing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing: olive poly yarn looped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: light blue dun cock</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyHxw45fprMqrwwdYdwtReD6UgKSfDFmiD3e6EJSSG16K5q0rLyb38fgL6ViBET-uQKmVyAs2fm6R5IZrdB-iDNa8yNWz0mn0Q6rKKB4p6k4w-fmo9PWC4y3FlW7tIo8AGuXoiNpnirl6/s1600/mayfly+K3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyHxw45fprMqrwwdYdwtReD6UgKSfDFmiD3e6EJSSG16K5q0rLyb38fgL6ViBET-uQKmVyAs2fm6R5IZrdB-iDNa8yNWz0mn0Q6rKKB4p6k4w-fmo9PWC4y3FlW7tIo8AGuXoiNpnirl6/s320/mayfly+K3a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<strong>Green Drake</strong> <br />
Tail: olive dyed pheasant tail<br />
Body: light/emerald green poly yarn<br />
Rib: Black floss of thread<br />
Wing: Green olive mallard flank<br />
Hackle: olive grizzle cock<br />
Thorax: olive and brown poly dubbing mixed<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu52jRv2ShjhylyBVfuwhGNKtj2OwDgAlM_UV3OVGLTQk3x9y6-2DXmRgBvR1yzU1tz_-oeEHqg6n95xQFN-oOxf7Btlfi97pwDnbMVerg-inNLEPLzmS1hWYOmnQhEH54llnbF-bLvpbO/s1600/USD+mayfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu52jRv2ShjhylyBVfuwhGNKtj2OwDgAlM_UV3OVGLTQk3x9y6-2DXmRgBvR1yzU1tz_-oeEHqg6n95xQFN-oOxf7Btlfi97pwDnbMVerg-inNLEPLzmS1hWYOmnQhEH54llnbF-bLvpbO/s320/USD+mayfly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It appears flies on these hooks have not got a great reputation for catch rates and hook hold. I need to find out for myself. You can possibly compound the problem in the dressing. For some of the flies above, the wing is probably too close to the barb of the hook. You either ensure the wing is tied within the gape or place the wing upright near the frontal region of the hook eye. USD dries are commonly tied on standard dry fly hooks and some tiers use the Timeco TMC200 and TMC 400 for uspside down mayfly imitations. Anyway, 'food for thought', maybe! P.S.<em> Roy Christie</em> has an insightful article on upside down flies in 'sexy loops': <a href="http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/troutflydesign3.shtml">http://www.sexyloops.com/articles/troutflydesign3.shtml</a>. Additionally, there is an useful discussion thread about Patridge K3A in this UK fly dressing forum link: <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://ukflydressing.proboards47.com/">http://ukflydressing.proboards47.com/</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-50789628345440240022011-05-22T17:43:00.000-07:002011-05-23T01:51:59.367-07:00Back to the point!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Over the last few weeks, 'half an hour here' and 'half an hour there', usually after work or at the close of the day, I have been focusing on flies for the leader point. As with many anglers fishing on British and Irish stillwaters or lakes, I often fish three nymphs on a floating line, long leader with a slow figure of eight retrieve. Typically you would fish a heavy nymph on the point with two smaller nymphs on the droppers. I really enjoy this style of fishing - typically searching a bay with a team of nymphs, working the nymphs at three different depths. This can be deadly for 'buzzer fishing'. This approach was popularised by Arthur Cove, the celebrated British angler from the Midlands.<br />
I lean towards biggish nymphs on the point in either size 10 longshank or size 8 or 10 grub/nymph hook. I am sure it is a limitation at times. Am I right in conjecturing that big nymphs are out fashion these days? Anyway, here are a few examples of recent tying sessions - starting off with 'bread and butter' - (hares ear and pheasant tails) and then experiementing with some variants. All the flies are weighted with lead under the thorax to provide the necessary depth. A few of the patterns have CDC for the hackle to give the nymph extra movement.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hare's Ear Nymph</strong><br />
Hook: Patridge <span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;">YK12ST</span></span>Tail: Hare's ear<br />
Body: Hare's ear fur dubbed<br />
Rib: Gold oval<br />
Wing case: pheasant tail<br />
Hackle: Brown partridge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlZbKeqCUZH_ATF7rBwvdbyODgJTCUBrkB4JENwgmYJh3DQ1T3mfe-NUy-JiUCyBOYV1-KgFU8NtIuSqDF0771qjpKMQn2e90QoI5_fpJg8wfeH2MJO6UkX8GrrdA9sIEZ_-LYEpQsdkV/s1600/hare+ear+nymph+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlZbKeqCUZH_ATF7rBwvdbyODgJTCUBrkB4JENwgmYJh3DQ1T3mfe-NUy-JiUCyBOYV1-KgFU8NtIuSqDF0771qjpKMQn2e90QoI5_fpJg8wfeH2MJO6UkX8GrrdA9sIEZ_-LYEpQsdkV/s320/hare+ear+nymph+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Good all season search patterns.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Olive Hare's Ear Nymph</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge <span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;">YK12ST</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Patridge olive fibres</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Oval gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Olive Hare's Ear Dubbing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing Case:Olive Pheasant tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Natural CDC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzsn1ZsAewgG_qfNo39drXwdMz4ZCSXfzJVwgWv_WeXN5YBpnH_jLlnZAChQw6XUTcgGIChWheL8qfWAX85tiybmzszQaOZYDvVhj40jlwMJw03aEVgRXL6VpEPqNaLmdreSCE8CqyB_C/s1600/olive+hears+ear+nymph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzsn1ZsAewgG_qfNo39drXwdMz4ZCSXfzJVwgWv_WeXN5YBpnH_jLlnZAChQw6XUTcgGIChWheL8qfWAX85tiybmzszQaOZYDvVhj40jlwMJw03aEVgRXL6VpEPqNaLmdreSCE8CqyB_C/s320/olive+hears+ear+nymph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Cove's Pheasant Tail Nymph</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge Czech nymph fine wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: pheasant tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Cooper wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: Rabbit Fur</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing case: pheasant tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWw-NzeV_unIXCOskdLVruQpaKRoyZNzrmADWb7t0fhsH3Oaluw-AVcXKOyuZgJqSzJRP84xopD5xviEPb8XE0avu43uyyYvg60gYh0eIS5Dr-xQYwJbFocc-7di3OANEcO2BtAFZOYUY/s1600/Coves+pheasant+tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWw-NzeV_unIXCOskdLVruQpaKRoyZNzrmADWb7t0fhsH3Oaluw-AVcXKOyuZgJqSzJRP84xopD5xviEPb8XE0avu43uyyYvg60gYh0eIS5Dr-xQYwJbFocc-7di3OANEcO2BtAFZOYUY/s320/Coves+pheasant+tail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The classic big buzzer by Arthur Cove. Great all season - with many tiers varying the colour of the thorax largely according to the buzzers being imitated. I have had fair success with an olive thoraxed version. Orange is considered popular too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Orange Pheasant Tail Nymph</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Kamasan B800</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Pheasant tail fibres</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Dyed orange pheasant tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Orange wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: Orange Rabbit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wing Case: Dyed orange pheasant tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: CDC</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH53gPzomygaZceYTMTf7H9Uo9zfJ0nPbIQ1wJa9aSMi4bggLry8ImHTbfZBiTlghVDXnz7lzSJzYalzG2-qRsC0IM3LMiFnjg9EcQM9Tkw0lhu_m1Y_sIOMPgqaDGQcTvLavHSdS6et0/s1600/orange+pheasant+tail+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH53gPzomygaZceYTMTf7H9Uo9zfJ0nPbIQ1wJa9aSMi4bggLry8ImHTbfZBiTlghVDXnz7lzSJzYalzG2-qRsC0IM3LMiFnjg9EcQM9Tkw0lhu_m1Y_sIOMPgqaDGQcTvLavHSdS6et0/s320/orange+pheasant+tail+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Wired Orange Bug</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge <span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;">YK12ST</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Orange Wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: Hare's Ear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bead: Gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Dyed orange partridge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Head: Black peacock herl</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKUZX8HQWUWD-w5dK5mdvSxua_FVobQMNEaS2iiQTm5_li0MsRYEJq5aA7Yu4UwU8MbSyrSuVIT45MBPeD6oj4dtMPYcaOaAeOQw6JsjbJzKq66-dZloekT4__t0EUnSEIdhS5J0D_qSE/s1600/orange+soft+hackle+wired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKUZX8HQWUWD-w5dK5mdvSxua_FVobQMNEaS2iiQTm5_li0MsRYEJq5aA7Yu4UwU8MbSyrSuVIT45MBPeD6oj4dtMPYcaOaAeOQw6JsjbJzKq66-dZloekT4__t0EUnSEIdhS5J0D_qSE/s320/orange+soft+hackle+wired.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Wired Copper Bug</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge <span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;">YK12ST</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Copper Wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: Hare's Ear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bead: Gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: Brown patridge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Head: Black peacock herl</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXEnJmHM6A14kPB_4gw1Nn344AqYXZZhH1J-E-zAmJ9CPkW1L5ZBsWhWcaVEnNLLmaNhUbdonbTboo4NGP3jkyIckR1jevamXWKDvF1c_VJAUJ4C6-SIR4076hDKgiMJ0ki8c1tcmXfBP/s1600/cooper+wire+nymph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXEnJmHM6A14kPB_4gw1Nn344AqYXZZhH1J-E-zAmJ9CPkW1L5ZBsWhWcaVEnNLLmaNhUbdonbTboo4NGP3jkyIckR1jevamXWKDvF1c_VJAUJ4C6-SIR4076hDKgiMJ0ki8c1tcmXfBP/s320/cooper+wire+nymph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Daiwl Bach Variant</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge Czech nymph fine wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Dyed orange patridge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Peacock herl dyed black</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Orange wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Head Peacock herl dyed black</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Head: Flou Orange silk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUk2_Azk1PKzfvim_VC77mKFzzY8i0koq5yCtbNMdhBEQT0D4ld-WaHqaifhDt51eEH5IxXDkt1bpvXK8GA81bAFRGJdxW16cjN1NErzTXuXetHQYlfmNsZfYYlf4nAAK_1GYFw3T9WgYt/s1600/orange+diawl+bach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUk2_Azk1PKzfvim_VC77mKFzzY8i0koq5yCtbNMdhBEQT0D4ld-WaHqaifhDt51eEH5IxXDkt1bpvXK8GA81bAFRGJdxW16cjN1NErzTXuXetHQYlfmNsZfYYlf4nAAK_1GYFw3T9WgYt/s320/orange+diawl+bach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Daiwl Bach Variant</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As above (except for flou green wire and green partridge)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhMBNasjJVsPKjliEiDqA4UHRmSo_O5vUeReaK1Ko4XdGmuUi1uh_9_jarPSPDODOfgL4nSv0r_xbAkkywwBAU3iMHXAGAEIYhpslakKVT6PJ1BMVR_7a1bcxx5-L7ZaQuxajkvptRJES/s1600/daiwl+bach+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhMBNasjJVsPKjliEiDqA4UHRmSo_O5vUeReaK1Ko4XdGmuUi1uh_9_jarPSPDODOfgL4nSv0r_xbAkkywwBAU3iMHXAGAEIYhpslakKVT6PJ1BMVR_7a1bcxx5-L7ZaQuxajkvptRJES/s320/daiwl+bach+green.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two variations above of the very popular Welsh pattern. The pattern is a general imitative pattern representing buzzers, mayfly nymphs and corixa. A very useful fly to have in your box. The original-smaller version is typically used on the dropper. Numerous variants exist with one a red holographic tinsel variant being a favourtie of my own. Access the following link to the fly fishing forum: <a href="http://www.flyforums.co.uk/fly-tying-forum/32898-classics-diawl-bach.html">http://www.flyforums.co.uk/fly-tying-forum/32898-classics-diawl-bach.html</a> which contains a lovely collection of some beautifully tied variants and original. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Brown Hare's Ear Bead Head</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge <span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: AGaramond-Regular; font-size: medium;">YK12ST</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Tail: Brown turkey boits</div><div style="text-align: center;">Body: Brown hare's ear</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rib:Oval gold</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wing Case: Pheasant tail</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thorax: Hare's ear mixed with brown SLF</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hackle: Brown partridge</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bead: Gold</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVlv26m43MWTmV2pjgXdcb4E0DFGODObtDRZKrEMnXuza9D-jfq9uHOsMg8I3MCC0_IkokKnCIcaG1rhrnl_zCF2xi9U2nj193vfnd_AGtBfXOl7PxWEngTmcqdjhCX49ltif3u_DdfDk/s1600/Brown+hares+ear+nymph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVlv26m43MWTmV2pjgXdcb4E0DFGODObtDRZKrEMnXuza9D-jfq9uHOsMg8I3MCC0_IkokKnCIcaG1rhrnl_zCF2xi9U2nj193vfnd_AGtBfXOl7PxWEngTmcqdjhCX49ltif3u_DdfDk/s320/Brown+hares+ear+nymph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rough Olive Bug</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hook: Partridge Czech nymph fine wire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tail: Olive Hare's Ear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Body: Dark Olive Hare's Ear fur</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rib: Oval gold</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thorax: Dark Brown hare's ear</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hackle: CDC tied collar style - followed with dark olive antron dubbing (dark olive antron picked out and positioned along with the CDC - sheathing the body)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bead: Copper</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtSjZDJQ0ryWUkcWeHtPn2zXqpzQumg_t0tZtQi_iD-nQyp5Pf61Zh_F1tXn2CyDHmoZzUNQd95XOnYAh56Q23QPI1SILgfA_rmpZa3nGZsF4rmt9eSnhV6xWs5j52XZX6NLIpMyM96hK/s1600/rough+olive+bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtSjZDJQ0ryWUkcWeHtPn2zXqpzQumg_t0tZtQi_iD-nQyp5Pf61Zh_F1tXn2CyDHmoZzUNQd95XOnYAh56Q23QPI1SILgfA_rmpZa3nGZsF4rmt9eSnhV6xWs5j52XZX6NLIpMyM96hK/s320/rough+olive+bug.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-980010812563665763.post-27690720865896826302011-05-09T12:30:00.000-07:002011-05-14T03:47:19.906-07:00I need new hackle pliers...badly!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It would be slightly dramatic to state how hackle pliers are the major annoyance of my life. To say, however, they are a source of irration would be quite true. I have owned a fair number of different types of hackle pliers in my time - all dissapointing, resigned to the far corners of my fly tying bench. I suspect I am missing a trick or two. A trick one would find expressed in a book by A K Best. I am sure there is something I am doing wrong. Anyway, along with a order of fly tying materials yesterday evening I could not resist ordering a pair by Marryat (seen below) for around £12. I know, not cheap. Yet, worth every penny if they are good - with less muttered expressions of anger and annoyance coming from my fly tying room. I will post soon on their performance. Of course, and a bit late to ask, if anybody knows of a truely excellent pair of hackle pliers, please say. Thanks in advance. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfVfi0cY5BD-OO7E2B-AlvHbSDbb8tKxe5gRY_brueuJ_M2WCSlObzccoCCcNtHrH3In7xgeLPR-dmDlhJIL9bYLMRSorZxvlHmdMRNKkTu89SCAD3q924z_dIv0oHdwnGY18uMCDHg9P/s1600/marryatHAckleplier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfVfi0cY5BD-OO7E2B-AlvHbSDbb8tKxe5gRY_brueuJ_M2WCSlObzccoCCcNtHrH3In7xgeLPR-dmDlhJIL9bYLMRSorZxvlHmdMRNKkTu89SCAD3q924z_dIv0oHdwnGY18uMCDHg9P/s1600/marryatHAckleplier.jpg" /></a></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691452107294546089noreply@blogger.com1