KevCompton

Flaslightning, The original prescription does call for the trailing Krystal Flash. This variation is a more customary midge pupa pattern -- 'smut' here is probably a misnomer but refers to the original (Martin's?) pattern. Thanks for pointing it out. Kevin

Bubble Smut Midge Pupa (a variation of Darrel Martin's Bubble Smut pattern) Silver-plated Partridge K14ST Oliver Edwards Nymph/Emerger Hook #20, fine silver wire, black mole fur, reddish-orange glass bead, white CDC. Trout's-eye view of the Bubble Smut: Photo: Darrel Martin, Bubble Smut with silver glass bead.

Any more word on this project, Mark? (Hello Misako! Kevin)

BWO Flight Deck Emerger Hook: TMC 2499SP-BL #18 (TMC 2488 #18-24). Thread: Olive Siman Hyperfine Two-Stranded Mono Thread. Shuck: Rusty Zelon. Rib: X-small Gold Wire. Abdomen: Olive Muskrat Fur. Outriggers: 4 Dun Microfibbetts. Emergent Wing: 4 Natural Dun CDC Feathers (from wild ducks). Thorax: Blue-Dun Beaver Fur. The synthetic 'tails' or outriggers on the Flight Deck are tied between the abdomen and thorax and help stabilize the pattern in the proper postion and keep the abdomen below the surface (the gold wire rib also helps). The abdomen dubbing splays the microfibbetts much as a dubbing ball would when it is used to splay true, dry fly tails. On smaller FDs (#20-24) the outriggers also make it easier to handle the pattern.

Chad, Hydropsychedelic....quite a "magic" larva

Hey Chad, Great original. Why did you choose this hook? Happy New Year, buddy. Kevin

Will all the display flies be tied by exclusively Japanese tiers? Or is the Museum also interested in, say, "Flies of Japan" tied by others? Thanks.

Hi rookstorm, Most often I use Magic Shrimp Foil -- latex strips (available in 2 widths). The Czechs themselves originally used surgical latex gloves. The foil strips are more convenient, however, and come in several colors and pearl foils. ************* Hi Fly-Junkie, Yes the Skalkas are nice -- nice long spears and sharp points. They're also available in size #18s which are typically unavailable from Knapek. They also have longer shanks than the Knapeks designs. The question, once again though, is availability -- the bleak reality is that the US Dollar is tanking against the Euro. What kind of pink materials/dubbings are you using? Thanks, Kevin

Kamasan B100 Curved Shank Hook: http://www.danica.com/flytier/rwyatt/dhe_rough_olive.htm

Hook: Knapek Grub Hook #16. Thread: Gudebrod 3/0 #103 Olive Brown. Rib: Tying Thread.* Body: Olive Hare's Ear Dubbing. Wing: Nature's Spirit Dyed Dun Comparadun Hair -- Whitetail. Thorax: Natural Hare's Ear Dubbing. One interesting thing here about Wyatt's pattern is the ribbing. Instead of clipping the tag end of the initial jam-knot, carry the tag all the way to the bend of the hook, leave it dangle for a moment, then use it to rib back forward through the dubbed body. When using larger hooks, you can also form a 'dubbing-loop' at the bend of the hook; let that hang for a moment, then wrap the heavier rib. This method, using in effect, two strands of thread, will help better segment larger-bodied flies. 'Comparadun Hair' here is not fine, Coastal Mule Deer hair; rather, it is the coarser and more buoyant Whitetail Deer hair found on early-harvested hides before the winter haircoat lengthens and becomes finer and less buoyant. The thing's gotta ride and keep the sunken abdomen afloat, in the surface film where Wyatt intended it to fish. He also wets the abdomen ONLY with a little saliva before fishing it -- helps right the fly so the abdomen is submerged and the wing is atop. In this way it resembles semi-dry patterns such as the Klinkhammer. The wing here is more 'V' shaped than fully fanned out like a comparadun wing.

Hey VERN-O, Stimulator (CO State Fly) RS2 Bugmeister/PMX Barr's Emerger & Micro Emerger WD40/50s Parachute Adams Micro Mays Jujube Midge Zebra Midge Johnny Flash Psycho Prince Czech Nymph Rainbow Warrior... ...not to mention all the BH and FB standbys, Copper Johns, etc....at any rate, these come to mind when I think of a Colorado standard box.

Hi flydoc, Nice pattern. I, too, like the translucency of the body -- must look even better in hand away from the camera. I noticed you're tying this pattern quite small. Is there a reason you've over-sized the hackle and CDC wing? The fly looks great -- just wondering... Thanks, Kevin

Hi Bruno, Can you give us a pattern description for this great fly? Thanks, Kevin

Hi Pheasantail, I've used a dubbing brush on the last, Olive Czech Nymph -- just the abdomen, not the hotspot/thorax. I spin Hareline's Krystal Dub (olive rabbit hare & pearl flashabou) with stainless steel wire. For durability's sake, I prefer the pearl mixed into the dubbing as opposed to wrapping a rib of pearl mylar tinsel. The thorax on the green Rhyacophila nymph is tied with a black Crystal Antron dubbing brush. I also like to spin a mix of black hare's ear and black seal's fur. ********** Hi Phil, Thanks (although I'm not sure what the criteria are for a 'sexy' fly pattern!). The Knapeks are available from [email protected] for $6/25 hooks. Kevin

Jon Boy, Please see PM.

One last Olive Czech Nymph:

Striptease Midge Pupa Also in black, olive, wine/maroon, etc. The foam helps keep the pattern up in the surface film. I use the Partridge Oliver Edwards nymph/emerger hook which is silver plated. A dyed red/orange peacock herl thorax is ideal. I've also used orange/red floss and Flexi-Floss.

madkasel, Yellow Sally CDC&Elk Hook: Grip Barbless Hook 11011BL #16-20. Thread: Yellow Hends Products Synton Thread. Tag/Egg Sac: Red Glow-Brite Fluorescent Floss (Datam Products, UK). Body: Yellow CDC Feather, Type #1 or #2. Wing: Short Coarse Early Season Yearling Elk.* There is an excellent instructional sequence for tying Hans Weilenmann's CDC&Elk on his site, Fly Tier's Page (http://www.danica.com/flytier/), which inspired this simple pattern: http://www.danica.com/flytier/steps/cdcelk/cdcelk.htm *The original CDC&Elk wing was tied, somewhat misleadingly, with Short Coarse Early Season Mule Deer Hair.

day5, It is a handmade Knapek Barbless Grub Hook from the Czech Republic. Here's a link to their site: http://www.knapek-hooks.com/ I sell all of their models/sizes, except the jig hooks ([email protected]). These are the hooks of choice for competition anglers around the world. The point appears that it needs sharpening, but, due to the poor camera angle, it is hard to see that these hooks have 'off-set points', not to be confused with 'off-set shanks', and the 'missing' or 'dull' point actually is tweaked inward away from the camera. ********* Ray, Thanks. There are a lot of believers in the Pearl Magic Shrimp Foil. Siman Ltd. offers those pearl strips in 20 colors, though. I've seen some folks use Large UTC Mirage Opal Tinsel or Pearlescent Tinsel as well. You can see how to tie a Czech Nymph on Jan Siman's site, http://shop.siman.cz/ Look under 'Articles' on the lefthand menu bar of the homepage. It is under the category, 'Fly-Tying'. KDC

Yellow Sally CDC&Elk:

Tan Hydropsyche: Green Rhyacophila:

Ray, Can you list the materials used for the first two patterns? Thanks, Kevin

http://www.internationalflytyingsymposium.com/ Is anyone going to be attending?

Ray and others, Some info* on small fly threads: Thread Brand / Aught Size / Material / Denier / Breaking Strength / Thickness (.000")* UNI Caenis 19-20/0 mono 20 3 oz 1.7 Gudebrod 10/0 polyester 45 9 oz. 1.0 UNI Trico 17/0 nylon 40 5 oz 2.0 Danville Spiderweb N/A mono 30 5 oz 2.0 (*source: Chris Helm and Bill Merg thread study.) With a greater breaking strength, finer diameter, and a range of colors, I'll stick with Gudebrod 10/0. It's too bad, though, that Gudebrod closed the thread shop in Pottstown. In Tying Small Flies, Ed Engle states that Gudebrod 10/0 "changed my life".... Kevin