Toothy

On 8/2/2021 at 4:35 PM, SBPatt said:

Resting Sally (Gerbec style)

 

 

 

The fly just didn’t look right on the curved shank hook so I used a short-shank dry.

hook - BVFT Dry #14
thread - Veevus 8/0 yellow 
tag - Single Strand floss fluoro orange 
rib - Midge Krystal Flash pearl
abdomen/thorax - dubbing pale yellow
underwing - CdC 
wing - mallard flank dyed tan
hackle - light ginger

Regards,
Scott

Nice adaptation!  That will fish!

On 8/1/2021 at 4:37 AM, SBPatt said:

Gerbec’s Resting Caddis

A neat, flatwater Wally Wing pattern.  2 nice videos to choose from; one from the originator, Alex Gerbec, and another from Charlie Craven.

hook - WFC Model 11 #12
thread - Veevus 8/0 tan
rib - SexiFloss brown
abdomen/thorax - dubbing tan 
underwing - CdC 
wing - mallard flank dyed tan
hackle - ginger

Regards,
Scott

Nice work! I've been fiddling around with this pattern myself. No one make a better tying video than Charlie Craven.  It is an excellent fishing fly in addition to being a good looking fly. 

Thanks for posting this image George! Now I get it! I guess I just demonstrated my woeful ignorance of all thing classic salmon fly! 
I wonder if the difference is the cam lever on the Renzetti vs. the hand screw on the TRV…

15 minutes ago, SalarMan said:

Most interesting phone conversation with Stone River Outfitters that just ended.

I spoke with a chap named Mike and he informed me the following...In the last 18 months/2 years not one of the TRV vises they've had in the shop would allow for a hook larger than a 2/0 thin wire hook into the jaws.

And that settles that for me!!! VERY DISAPPOINTING. I'm lucky enough to have a Renzetti Master and Cotarelli T-Rex sitting on my tying bench so I'm not exactly suffering.

As my friend John McLain would say...it is what it is.

Does this mean that the grooves meant to stabilize larger hooks are just milled too deeply on the models they have?

44 minutes ago, SalarMan said:

Oh you have no Idea...but then again it sounds like maybe you do - LOL

😂 All too well!

21 hours ago, niveker said:

Thought I saw one or two of them up on the Swift this past Sunday, swung some soft hackles but no luck.  Nice fly.  

Thanks! These do seem to hatch like that, one here, one there but rarely a prolific hatch, at least on the Farmington. I tie a soft hackle emerger that I have had some good luck with, however, I like to fish BIG Isonychia dun patterns most.  I view them more as terrestrials than traditional mayflies, a good size Iso, will often be so tempting that a trout will break it's normal feeding to come up and grab one when it floats by. 

21 hours ago, Moshup said:

Nice fly Toothy. Definitely looks edible to me if I were a trout.

Thanks! 

Best,

Nathan

3 minutes ago, SalarMan said:

I have the feeling I will pull the trigger before this week is over...much to my wife's chagrin...HA HA HA 😁

Funny how you can feel these things creeping up on you huh?!

1 hour ago, DFoster said:

Nathan I'm just curious were you able to try out a Talon somewhere before you purchased it?  Your obviously a fan of "LAW" style vises as am I and I truly wish more of the U.S. manufactures would offer a version.  I love the HMH but it's always nice to have choices.  Also it looks like you changed your base?  I ordered the tall stem from HMH.  I'm more comfortable not looking down and or $20 plus shipping it was money well spent.  I also built the wood riser which widens the footprint and raises the vise another 1.5".

I didn't have an opportunity to see it before buying it.  I know the guys at Fly Fish Food and based on their recommendation decided to purchase it. My Talon is numbered as #051... It's hard to imagine with that limited quantity and high cost there are very many on display anywhere in the world unfortunately. 

Regarding the base on the HMH; the base is a Renzetti Lunker/Streamer base, I like this base more than the bronze base that I purchased with the TRV. 

Regarding the length of the stem;  I found the stock stem too short as well.  Jon made up another one an inch taller for me. 

Isonychia bicolor 

This impressive mayfly is hatching on my home waters now.  They are such fun to imitate and to fish! They are big (Size 10-12), and you can prospect with them in the faster, skinnier water while you wait for the sulfurs to make an appearance or not! I find fishing them a lot like fishing terrestrials, no hatch is necessary to bring the fish up to them. Often some pretty nice fish come up to eat them too! 

Materials List

Hook: TMC 200 R

Thread: 12/0 Semperfli Nano in brown

Tail: Light ginger Coq de Leon

Abdomen: Deer body hair (chocolate and gray mix)

Thorax: My own rabbit dubbing mix

Hackle: Golden Badger

Wing: Mix of gray and dark brown calf body hair. 

Front legs: Brown/black MFC micro fibett. 

11 minutes ago, Moshup said:

Toothy thanks for the photos.  Based only on photos I’d go with the TRV.  If I were to purchase

one I would want some hands on before I made a choice.

You're welcome! The TRV is an excellent choice.  Based on the other thread perhaps the TRV has a new jaw assembly... I did not care for the original finish (Thick, and black) that it came with so I beautified mine by removing the black coating and then blued it with a rifle blueing chemical.  In my opinion it improved the appearance tremendously.  It did nothing to improve the function however, which was already flawless. 

1 hour ago, SalarMan said:

Best thing I've seen on this subject yet!!!!!  My standard question...what is the largest hook you've tried on the TRV?

4/0

56 minutes ago, SilverCreek said:

If you had to choose one over the other, which one would you choose?

Haha! Funny question! No idea actually! I enjoy tying on both of them. They both perform their tasks Faultlessly... I like the heft and jaws of the Talon and the fit and finish of the TRV.... Is that enough of a deflection for you?!?! I don't think you could go wrong choosing either vise. 

Best, 

Nathan

Here are a few comparison shots of the HMH TRV and the Talon as well as some of my thoughts pertaining to the two.

Although both vises are advertised as rotary, I would never choose either of them as vise I would used if I really want to employ the rotary function (I prefer Renzetti for my rotary tying needs). 

The HMH rotary knob allows for a much smoother rotary function as you can control it with your palm.  While the Talon is best rotated with your index finger but doesn't rotate as smoothly as the TRV.. 

If you are looking for the closest thing to the LAW, the Talon is REALLY close in design and function, while the TRV more pays homage to the design. I really like the jaws of the Talon but the fit and finish award goes to the TRV. And when I say the Talon is really close to the LAW, this is based on what I remember from a single encounter I had with a LAW vise many years ago...

Anyway, I thought these images may be helpful for comparison sake. 

Both vises hold all sizes of hooks that I tie with, without compromise. 

Size comparison: The shaft of the Talon comes with an extender but the diameter of the shaft on the Talon is larger than the standard that all other vises I have ever had use. So the things that you might add to the shaft don't work unless the are adjustable. 

Heads side by side (Note: I removed the black coating that came on my HMH and refinished it with Brownell's Oxpho-Blue Creme)

HMH with TMC 101 size 24

Talon with TMC 101 size 24

Both have grooves for securely holding large hooks.  Pictured here is a 2/0 hook. 

4 hours ago, Mark Knapp said:

Wow, a Talon and a TRV, that's nice. You don't also have a LAW do you? It would be great to hear your thoughts on the three compared.

I do not have a LAW.  But I have played around with one.  I think the Talon is a closer replica of it than is the TRV.

I have a real problem when it comes to vises! Vises are my vice! 

4 hours ago, Bazzer69 said:

Any pictures and a review? Why didn’t you keep it? What happened to it? I’m interested if you still have it. 
Barry

I still have both the TRV and the Talon. I am traveling the next couple of weeks, but I'd be happy to photograph the TRV and Talon side by side when I get home.  

I have had a Talon for a couple of months.  It is an excellent vise in every respect.  Very similar to my HMH TRV.  The HMH is prettier in my opinion. Both perform beautifully. The Talon is available direct from the manufacturer in Scotland at the moment. 

18 hours ago, Mark Knapp said:

Very cool.

Thanks @Mark Knapp! 

17 hours ago, niveker said:

Very nice @Toothy.  Today I did well a bit north of you on the Swift with something similar, but not nearly as well tied.  

Thanks @niveker!  I have made plans multiple times to make it up to the Swift but things haven't come together successfully yet... truthfully it's just hard to drive past the Farmington! . Hopefully I can make it up to the Swift soon! 

Snowshoe Vitreus Emerger

Eperous vitreus are hatching in my area now.   

Materials:

Hook: TMC 2499 SP-BLB size 12

Thread: Veevus 50 D white (Colored black with sharpie for head.  The natural has large black eyes.)

Tail/shuck: EP Fibers (black, brown, orange)

Abdomen: Veevus quill body (yellow and orange)

Ribbing: Semperfli extra fine wire in copper

Wing: Light dun Snowshoe rabbit

Hackle: Dun grizzly

Thorax: Delaware River Club spectrumized dubbing in yellow brown

Best,

Nathan

Rusty Galloup's Sunk Spinner  

This pattern is deadly...

Materials Used:

Hook: TMC 101

Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk Copper

Tail: White Flouro Fiber. (Kelly uses Partridge)

Abdomen: Rusty Canada goose biot

Thorax: TroutHunter Professional Dry Fly Dubbing in rusty

Wings: EP Trigger Point Fibers in spinner wing

Hackle: Whiting Bantam hen (Kelly uses partridge)

Best, Nathan 

Snowshoe Hendrickson Emerger

This spectrumized alpaca dubbing sure creates a convincing color match when wet to the Hendricksons hatching in my neck of the woods. 

Materials:

Hook: Daiichi 1160 Klinkhammer size 12

Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk Copper

Tail: Bronze Mallard

Shuck: TroutHunter CNE dubbing

Abdomen: Michael Johnson's Fly Warrior Alpaca spectrumized dubbing (Delaware River Club)

Ribbing: Semperfli fine gold wire

Wing: Dark dun Snowshoe rabbit foot

Legs: Dun Whiting weby saddle

Thorax: Michale Johnson's Fly Warrior Alpaca spectrumized dubbing (Delaware River Club)

-Nathan

9 hours ago, partsman said:

Well done Nathan! That is a really awesome fish. I have enjoyed your Hendrickson patterns the last couple of months, thanks for sharing.

Mike.

Thanks man!!

Hendrickson Emerger

The Hendrickson hatch has been lots of fun thus far.  I like how there is such variety in how the fish take this particular mayfly.  Some days it's all about a soft hackle.  Other days they will only hit emergers in the film. And then occasionally the trout are up on the duns.  Combine that with the fact that most days the hatch only lasts an hour or two and it requires you to be on your A-game in regard to observing what is happening in order to catch fish. This particular emerger has been my most consistent producing fly thus far this season.   Hendricksons bring some really nice fish to the surface ... see the second photo! 

Materials Used

Hook: Tiemco 206 BL 

Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk Copper

Tail: Wood Duck

Shuck: TroutHunter CNE dubbing

Abdomen: Canada goose biot dyed Rusty Brown

Rib: Semperfli fine wire in March Brown

Thorax: Michael Johnson's Fly Warrior spectrumized Alpaca dubbing in Red Brown (This is awesome stuff! Particularly when applied in a dubbing loop.)

Wing: Snow Shoe rabbit foot in Dun

Best,

Nathan

Looks like a blast!  

@FliesbyNight That trash feature is brilliant! Enjoy your set up!

Quill Gordon

Materials: 

Hook: Gamakatsu B10S size 14

Thread: Lagartun X- Strong 74D Burnt Orange

Tail: Fiery Ginger Coq de Leon

Abdomen: Polish Quills Natural

Wing: Lemon Wood Duck

Hackle: Barred Light Rusty Dun

-Nathan

Red Quill Downed Dun

Materials: 

Hook: TMC 101

Thread: Semperfli 18/0 Nano Silk

Tail: MFC Micro Barred Fibbets

Abdomen: Polish Quills in ginger

Thorax: TroutHunter Professional Dry Fly Dubbing in tan

Wing: EP Trigger point Fibers (mixture of black white and gray)

Hackle: TroutHunter CDC in brown applied via the split thread technique, and Whiting Speckled Golden Badger. 

-Nathan

1 hour ago, DFoster said:

Here's and interesting take on the no hackle-  Eric says it's the most difficult fly of all of them to tie.  It sure scares me!

 

I like his idea of reversing the thread to help with the far wing position. That far wing is always the challenge.  Thanks for sharing.

Also it's pretty incredible when you think the Rene Harrop DID make his living tying no-hackles! Or at least that's what he reports in one of his videos, something to the effect that the majority of his commercial tying had been no-hackles.