streamertyer

Here's a photo:

Here's one.

What, no others??? Beuller?? Such a pretty pattern..... Will try to whip one up during lunch hour..... CD

Just an FYI - I believe the actual name of the fly is the Magog Smelt. Cheers, CD

Don't know that there's an exact pattern to match your color scheme. You'll likely have to modify or create your own. Hiarwings that seem close enough to modify might be the Conrad, Blue Charm, Garry or a Black Bear. You could do a Black Bear, Yellow Butt and change the throat hackle to blue. With most of these, the basic scheme would be hair wing, royal blue throat, black body, oval silver tinsel rib and yellow tag, butt or tail. Do a Google image search for these (e.g. 'Blue Charm Salmon Fly') and you'll find examples. If you want to try a married-wing (how appropriate!) fly, my suggestion would be to somehow protect/cover all non-wing parts of the fly and coat the wing with spray acrylic. Congrats & good luck, CD

Hi Guys, Just a point of reference - Russ Blessing developed the original Woolly Bugger as a hellgrammite imitation. While the original didn't sport speckled hackle, I can see a possible reason for using something with barring or speckling. If you are interested in Coq de Leon for bugger hackle -- I might suggest that Whiting has some very nice CdL rooster saddles. They also have hen, but I don't think this would have the length required. Also, regarding partridge sub - brahma hen would be a good one. CD

Some really interesting and diverse occupations. Always interesting to hear what others do... I am an engineering/product manager of a small radio frequency and microwave component group and therefore too boring to be of interest.... (borrowed Monty Python line) CD "I've been trying for some time to develop a lifestyle that doesn't require my presence." ~ Gary Trudeau

Not to be contrary, but..... Don Gapen's original muddler is much different than what most see tied and sold today. His originals do not have a neatly trimmed head. In fact, they more resemble a disintegrating comet. Here's a photo of one of Don's originals (pardon the fuzzy photo):

Drew, I use the Hornberg quite extensively here in northwest NJ. One of the most universally effective trout flies ever created, IMO. Have used it in the Catskills, Maine, etc. A great fly, that I would count as one of the patterns I would not be without - it's a staple in my flybox. I have a variant that I also tie, which is more of a wetfly-streamer than the original design. I've always felt this fly works best during periods of heavy caddis activity. The original can be fished dry (if you treat it with floatant) or wet. I've even fished it dry on the drift, and pulled it under and stripped in on the retrieve. CD

A number of things can be done to help this - 1. Hold the back of the feather tightly in place with your left hand and don't release until full tinsel tension is applied and the tinsel is brought back toward you under the shank. 2. 'Cheat' the back of the feather toward you on the shank (about 10 AM looking down the shank), such that the tinsel will push it to the top when snugged. 3. If the tinsel or wire is flexible enough, you could probably employ a 'pinch move' like you would with thread when trapping a wing down. 4. Even with these tricks, you might still find you need to coerce the wing a bit for true alignment. Just grab it with your thumb and index finger along the shank where it is bound down and push/twist a bit. They're usually not completely immovable even when the fly is finished. Good Luck! CD

cold can do to men.

I try and bring the tinsel up as if I were wrapping, stopping and holding the end above the wing. Now, the tinsel is alongside the body/wing, and you can see where it will fall on the body/stem. At this point, I take my bodkin and slide it along the front side of the tinsel, poking it through the wing and then pulling up to seperate the wing fibers. Then continue the wrap down into the gap you've created. Hope that was clear enough. Cheers, CD

Will echo the rest on the C&F boxes. Have what i think they call the 'Waterproof Large Fly' box with the o-ring seal that I use for streamers and love it. They have another smaller one they call a streamer box, but I found it a bit on the small side. CD

The Mormon Girl I knew.......oh...sorry, almost got off track.... Anyway, this is the one I am familiar with: http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/newslette.../mormongirl.htm Still plenty of people tying and fishing classic flies. CD

QUOTE turned out to be my most effective mayfly pattern, by far! Imposter Caddis QUOTE Oh, and did i mention I fish it as a prospector fly Lost Caddis QUOTE an emerger Swimming Caddis QUOTE a wet Drowned Caddis QUOTE The trout's ways are a mystery... Trout are dumb. "And while we fret over details of tails and wing profile and thorax color, we cheerfully ignore the big non-sequitur: that a fish will look at two artificial flies and discern differences a diamond grader wouldn't see, and then, twenty seconds later, pass up a real bug to eat a patently bogus one with a curved hunk of steel hanging out of its butt and a piece of plastic string tied to its snoot." ~ Art Scheck Cheers, CD

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by streamertyer: Footer's Special

QUOTE (Flytier @ Jun 4 2005, 02:22 AM) CDC&Elk Fast to tie, tough as old boots and does the job! Hans "very biassed" W No fair - Hans' choice is a caddis! It certainly isn't 'attractive'..... How about a Renegade. That'd be my choice.

Hi Guys, Scott Sanchez did an excellent thread article in which he listed the denier and breaking strength of the most popular threads. Here's the chart: http://flyfisherman.com/ftb/ssthread/index2.html Also check out the brand-by-brand writeup for details about the qualities of each thread. Comes down to personal preference for most tyers. The 'specs' are nice, but it's still wise to try them all to get the 'feel' for each of them in use. Two threads with the same denier and breaking strength can still be very different in use. Some lay flatter and are more flosslike in makeup, and others are more ropelike. Some have heavier waxing, some none at all. Each has their avantages/disadvantages. I tend to use different threads for different applications. Others like to use one thread for everything.

Thanks guys. CD

On the surface, I've never felt I needed much more than an EHC. On the bottom, Lafontaine's caddis, simple beadhead larvae, Mercer's Z-wing caddis are all great. On the emergers - Interestingly, being a streamer guy, I've always done well with small Hornbergs during heavy caddis activity. Don't leave home without 'em.

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by streamertyer: True Colors

Thanks for the compliments guys. Stack - that fly was done a while ago, but I'm fairly confident it was a Ewing saddle. The other fly currently on my pattern page (Big Zin) is Whiting American Rooster (neck). Notice the difference in the feather shape between the two. The saddle (Mike's RGS) is a more traditional look, although the Whiting American Hackle is a really great line of feathers. Cheers, CD

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by streamertyer: Mike's Red Ghost Special

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by streamertyer: Big Zin

I'd suggest that unless you're buying it in person, stick only with what are called 'marabou blood quills', or 'marabou bloods'. You may even look for spey marabou. Most times, anything just thrown in a bag and labeled marabou is mainly pillowstuffing. This is where I've gotten a lot of the heavy-stemmed junk. Generic 'strung marabou' can run the gamut, but is usually on the short side as far as length - unless it's specifically strung bloods. I'd second the Hunters recommendation and ask for their marabou blood quills. CD