sculpinmaster

I've not posted for a while, mostly because I haven't been tying anything, however, I have finally got round to tying some sculpins. Sculpins by Ben Lupton, on Flickr

Set of nights this week, then a rest week, another set of nights after that - to let the mayfly get started and then a final rest week full of fishing! My club river has a phenomenal mayfly population and my set of nights last year really messed things up so I missed out. This year I won't miss out and I've been busy tying up nymphs to use in the morning ahead of the much anticipated dry-fly action. I know the body looks too white, but it is all wool so will darken when wet. Ephemera Danica Mayfly Nymph by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

Black Gnat and Hawthorn fly. Essentially the same design, I used Joseph Ludkin's Flat wing Reel Wings to good effect on the Hawthorn, but I did have to split the wings to get them to lay flat on top of each other.

Ok not strictly within the limits of the thread, I did however tie the Barabour Paradun in he picture this month. Simply a picture I love and feel is worth sharing. Large Dark Olive by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

I've not really tied much in the last couple of weeks. Concentrating on imitating the early season hatches of large dark olives I have been tying some dark barbour paraduns, cul-de-canon and the generic s.o.s. Barbour Paradun by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Barbour Paradun by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Cul-de-Canon by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Peter Hayes' S.O.S. by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Peter Hayes' S.O.S by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

Thanks for the kind comments. A few more North Country wet flies after a glut of F-flies. Moorgame and Orange (Freckled Dun) - A Sylvester Lister pattern, from Rob Smith's The North Country Fly. Hook: Partridge Spider size 14 Thread: Pearsall's silk no.6a gold Body: Silk Hackle: Grouse, I used a feather from the back of the neck Head: Peacock Little Black Hook: Partridge Spider size 18 Thread: Pearsall's silk no.8 purple Body: Magpie tail herl over wrapped with silk Hackle: Starling Snipe and Purple Hook: Partridge Spider size 16 Thread: Pearsall's silk no.8 purple Body: Silk Hackle: Marginal (upper) covert of snipe Hare's Lug and Plover Hook: Partridge Spider size 14 Thread: Pearsall's silk no.5 yellow Rib: Fine gold wire Body: Hare's ear dubbing Hackle: Marginal covert of golden plover Smoke Fly - I have deviated a little and used magpie for the body instead of peacock, I thought it would look similar but it doesn't appear to have the same iridescence that the peacock would. Smoke Fly by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Hook: Partridge Spider size 16 Thread: Pearsall's silk no.8 purple Body: Magpie tail herl (should be peacock) Hackle: Snipe undercovert Head: Peacock herl

Hares ear F-Fly Hares Ear F-Fly by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

Thank you for the positive comments gents. Crackaig I don't know Oliver personally, he did a series in FF&FT a while ago now but I don't ever hear him mentioned. I'm sure I read somewhere online that he had enough material for a new book but I can't remember where I saw it. McGnat the legs are the now discontinued tentacles from Montana fly co. They are heat kinked with a hot-tip cauteriser.

Baetis nymph - The rubber legs are an @rse but they do look the shizzle. Size 16 will be deadly early season. Oliver Edwards baetis nymph by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

Thanks add, it is from the underside of a starlings wing. The feathers are dun with a cream trim.

Winter Brown - I'm really please with the herl head on this one. Winter Brown spider by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

Thanks Alan, it was a little tongue in cheek the modern reference, although my source says it's from Frederick Mold's Presenting the Fly to the Trout dated 1967. I think the only time I've ever seen herl heads is when people have tied the old NC patterns, certainly no one I've seen incorporates it into any else.

Brown Owl Brown Owl by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

An old North Country wet fly - Broughton Point - also referred to as the Dark Bloa in T E Pritt's Yorkshire Trout Flies book. Broughton Point Wet Fly by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr And a more modern spider, the Black Magic. Black Magic Spider by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr

And a couple of traditional English North country spiders Poultry Bloa Poult Bloa by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr Throstle Wing Throstle Wing by sculpin_crusader, on Flickr