The challenge thread!

[dflanagan 0]

Nice belly scratcher. Looks like it would be killer for black bass and hybrid striped bass around here. 

[niveker 0]

Thanks, I'll try it on bass and crappie around here.  It would have benefited from another attempt, but I had already delayed long enough, so I just posted it. 

There's really only a few videos out there on its tying, with scant info about choice of materials and what they are trying to achieve.  From the online photos I've seen of the pattern, they all look like they have bulky heads relative to the hook size, so I'm assuming the head material is chosen for 2 reasons: to flow in the water and fill out the profile of the fly and to push water.  Hopefully the wool with serve that purpose while still keeping the basic structure on the front of the fly.  Tab eyes would have been very helpful also.  

Open to everyone's opinion/critique, as always.  

[Poopdeck 0]

Now that’s a proper belly scratcher baitfish. I think you’re going to like the way it fishes as well. I incorporate the belly scratcher style into minnow,  crayfish, swimming nymphs and anything other pattern I think will work on the river. Just doesn’t make sense to me to tie a weighted fly to ride hook point down knowing you’re going to throw it into a pile of rocks. 

[niveker 0]

Thanks.

19 minutes ago, Poopdeck said:

doesn’t make sense to me to tie a weighted fly to ride hook point

Agreed, looks like a pretty useful technique that I wasn't aware of.  

[cphubert 0]

12 hours ago, niveker said:

Blue Gill Belly Scratcher

looks good!

[Sandan 0]

On 1/20/2023 at 8:26 PM, niveker said:

Next up, fun to tie and relatively simple, once you get the hang of it:

Darbee Two Feather fly

This has been sitting untaken for too long. I'll do it. 

[niveker 0]

3 hours ago, Sandan said:

I'll do it. 

You da man!

[Guest]

“2 feathers”.   Tail, body, wing is one feather then a hackle to make 2???  Here’s some with one feather, dubbing, bead, hook, thread.  And these fan wings have one feather tail/body with 2 wings, and one hackle to make 4 feathers.   Oops dubbed/ribbed bodies I cheated.  Just messin with youse guys...  Need to have all participants to tie the choosen fly.  First poster choose next fly.   Oh well like watching Fords rust.🤗

 

[Sandan 0]

@denduke those are really nice. "“2 feathers”.   Tail, body, wing is one feather then a hackle to make 2???" Exactly. 

[Sandan 0]

1 hour ago, niveker said:

You da man!

Hahaha. Anyhow. Here it is. Been at it for a while. 

Hook: Tiemco 206BL Size 18

Thread:Uni 8/0 Grey

Body/tail: Teal flank feather

Hackle: Whiting Natural dun.

Next up one of my favorite most productive flies. The Missing Link.

[niveker 0]

3 hours ago, denduke said:

Oh well

LOL.  You make me laugh, Denduke.  Nice fanwings, must be a b**** to cast though.  

2 hours ago, Sandan said:

Here it is.

Looks really good, Sandan.  Such a beautifully simple pattern, and they really look perfect on the water.  

My brother loves to fish them, wish he'd learn how to tie them.  I cheat and coat the extended body and tail with fabric glue to help them last longer, kinda like bailing a boat with a sieve, though.  

[Sandan 0]

15 hours ago, niveker said:

LOL.  You make me laugh, Denduke.  Nice fanwings, must be a b**** to cast though.  

Looks really good, Sandan.  Such a beautifully simple pattern, and they really look perfect on the water.  

My brother loves to fish them, wish he'd learn how to tie them.  I cheat and coat the extended body and tail with fabric glue to help them last longer, kinda like bailing a boat with a sieve, though.  

After tying a few I found that if you pick a flank feather that has appropriate length fibers for the wing they're pretty easy to tie. I figure that nothing is going to really make these a durable fly. Come spring time and after when there are actual bugs on the surface that are bigger than 24s I'm gonna give these a shot.

[niveker 0]

On 1/22/2023 at 4:03 PM, Sandan said:

The Missing Link.

Kind of a fiddly tie, with that parachute hackle around the two bunches of elk hair while navigating around the dubbing ball, but it seems well worth the effort from the great reviews. 

Been trying it out, but with less than spectacular results so far. 

 I don't want it to turn into a week-long wait like my last one, so anyone feel free to jump in.

[ScienceGuy141 0]

I can give the missing link a try. Might have to swap the z-lon though unless I get to the fly shop today

[Sandan 0]

3 hours ago, niveker said:

Kind of a fiddly tie, with that parachute hackle around the two bunches of elk hair while navigating around the dubbing ball, but it seems well worth the effort from the great reviews. 

Been trying it out, but with less than spectacular results so far. 

 I don't want it to turn into a week-long wait like my last one, so anyone feel free to jump in.

One bunch of elk hair for the post. What I do is tie the post/wing in but don't trim it until I have the hackle wrapped. Tie in the post like an untrimmed eh caddis wing, then take a couple of wraps around to base to consolidate things, wrap the hackle, tie it off trim the butts. Here's Charlie Craven tying it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Or8iq-fsM. It's worth it, I find this fly to be a real killing pattern (of course I'm all about C&R)