January Flies From the Vise

[niveker 0]

On 1/23/2024 at 12:05 PM, Heff2 said:

tried the Alaska Mary Ann with polar bear underfur as dubbing. I was interested to see what it would look like when wet thinking the hook might show through even.  Above is dry, below is wet.  It worked well but I don’t think it will get down in the water as well as the silk body version.

Nice. Makes sense, the dubbing most likely traps some air. Looking forward to fishing it.

Nice wulffs, can never have too many of those.

[niveker 0]

8 hours ago, cphubert said:

Nice tie did you preassemble the wings?

Watched Master Davie McPhail pre-assemble the wings by first tying each side together in hand before tying onto the hook.  He makes it look as simple as cutting butter.  

[gadabout 0]

In the past, I have tried pre-assembling wings on Gray Ghosts, but I found it made the flies lifeless.  This time around I just applied adhesive along the center line of the wing.  Hoping for better results.

[flytire 0]

Troublesome Tart

Pete Hiatt

Hook - Single salmon or nymph/wet fly style
Thread - Black
Tail - Yellow hackle
Body - Yellow yarn with red hammered tinsel
Wing - Red polar bear or substitute
Hackle - Yellow hen

[SalarMan 0]

6 hours ago, gadabout said:

In the past, I have tried pre-assembling wings on Gray Ghosts, but I found it made the flies lifeless.  This time around I just applied adhesive along the center line of the wing.  Hoping for better results.

It is a well known fact that Carrie Stevens pre-assembled the wings on her streamers. That was all she knew and it worked.

[gadabout 0]

Understood.  But the way she did it may have been different than the way I first tried to do it.

[flytire 0]

Black Joe

Hook - Single salmon
Thread - Black
Tail - Black hackle barbs
Body - Black chenille
Wing - White calf tail tied over the body
Hackle - Grizzly tied on in front of the wing and tied on as a collar and tied back

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art

[SalarMan 0]

4 hours ago, gadabout said:

Understood.  But the way she did it may have been different than the way I first tried to do it.

Unfortunately we will never really know...we can only speculate and do the best we can.

[gadabout 0]

Sharon Wright has disassembled Carrie Stevens flies to study her techniques, so she probably has a better handle on it than anybody.  I tied mine by following the detailed instructions in her book,

[niveker 0]

What was the most difficult part for you, do you think?

[Mark Knapp 0]

19 hours ago, Poopdeck said:

I think the gorilla glue is less volatile because it’s not as instant as other super glue I have used. I don’t seem to stick my fingers together as much with gorilla glue super glue. Either that or your squirmy material is different. The red worm on the hook is curl squirmy worm material. The pink worm is from a child’s toy and neither melt with the Gorilla glue. This is what I use. Let me know how it works for you.

Seems like good stuff. Just the fact that it has brush makes it different. Seems like all other super glues just fuse the brush to stuff and make a block of the brush. I'll get a bottle and try it as well as see how the formulas diffrer

[Poopdeck 0]

Marks not the only one with a blue gill box so I made some blue gill stuff.  My blue gill box just isn’t as big as Marks. I’m hoping this floats on top with the tail down like a reversed Ned rig. 

Hook - size 10 dry fly

Thread - 6/0 Uni, red

Tail - squirmy wormy

Body - UV peacock herl/ brown hackle

 

[gadabout 0]

2 hours ago, niveker said:

What was the most difficult part for you, do you think?

None of it was especially difficult, but I’d say the hardest part was assembling the wings.  Each wing has five components.  Trying to keep them laying flat while applying adhesive was a little tricky as some of the materials wanted to curl, particularly the mallard flank. 

[jcozzz 0]

4 hours ago, gadabout said:

Sharon Wright has disassembled Carrie Stevens flies to study her techniques, so she probably has a better handle on it than anybody.  I tied mine by following the detailed instructions in her book,

I also have the book.I have yet to tie any of the flies .They would be mostly for fun but i could probably catch bass on them.I just have always been in awe of those Maine streamers.Especially Carrie Stevens ties.

[Mark Knapp 0]

1 hour ago, Poopdeck said:

Marks not the only one with a blue gill box so I made some blue gill stuff.  My blue gill box just isn’t as big as Marks. I’m hoping this floats on top with the tail down like a reversed Ned rig. 

Hook - size 10 dry fly

Thread - 6/0 Uni, red

Tail - squirmy wormy

Body - UV peacock herl/ brown hackle

 

It's only a matter of time now. I bet you'll be 'gill fishing before me. My panfish trip doesn't start till April 18 and runs for 6 weeks. I had to negotiate down from 3 months to 6 weeks. My wife doesn't trust me down at Havasu for a full three months. Too many fish, I guess.