September Flies from the Vise

[niveker 0]

26 minutes ago, cencalfly said:

Lemire’s Fall Caddis

That's a real beauty. 

[cencalfly 0]

3 hours ago, niveker said:

That's a real beauty. 

Thanks niveker.

[Heff2 0]

I was away for work last week and was missing my vise. This led me to doodling flies during meetings in an attempt to maintain my sanity.  
I got home and decided I would bring my doodles to life.  Ended up taking a few sessions at the vise but they came out pretty good.  

personally I think I’m a slightly better fly dresser than artist but I spent more time with a bobbin in hand than a pen these days.  

[SalarMan 0]

On 9/24/2024 at 11:13 AM, johnnyquahog said:

That is something!  I’m sure there is a great back story here?  Given that the Garrison book was completed by Hoagy and published in 77,  he was still in his twenties.  Your rod would be one of his real early ones. Hope it is preserved and admired.

Yes, there is a story here.

My friend Leon took me to New York to meet Mr. Garrison in his home. I ordered a rod from him at that time, and he built a 7'0" Model 201 for me. He was working with Hoagy on both the book and his rod building. Hoagy put the finish on my rod under the watchful eye of the master. After Mr. Garrison passed away I asked Hoagy to build me a 7'6" Model 206E and for many years he told me he believed it was the best rod ever built. When age and health issues made it impossible to fish the way I enjoy most it was time for me to pass along most of my fishing gear. When I was offered $7500.00 for that 206E from someone who I knew would enjoy and take great care of it...what could I say?

Through that period of my life I was most fortunate to meet and spend time with some of the true legends of the sport. Like I said, I was in the right place, met the right people at the right time and still cherish those memories!!

[flytire 0]

Cosseboom Special

Hooks - TMC7999 or DA12441, sizes 4-10
Thread - Red
Tip - Embossed silver tinsel wrapped well down the bend of hook
Tail - Strand of light olive floss
Ribbing - Embossed silver tinsel
Body - Light olive floss
Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied low over the body and extending to the end of tail
Hackle - Yellow hen hackle tied on as a collar and tied back

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

[flytire 0]

Moose

Hook - Wet
Thread - Black
Tip - Gold tinsel
Tail - Yellow
Ribbing - Gold tinsel
Body - Yellow floss
Hackle - Guinea and yellow intermingled
Wing - Barred wood duck - Golden tippet eye

Trout - Ray Bergman

[RickZieger 0]

aberdeen hook, Pt barbs tail,  bead head, silver braids for body,  peacock thorax

[Sandan 0]

On 9/25/2024 at 11:47 AM, SalarMan said:

Yes, there is a story here.

My friend Leon took me to New York to meet Mr. Garrison in his home. I ordered a rod from him at that time, and he built a 7'0" Model 201 for me. He was working with Hoagy on both the book and his rod building. Hoagy put the finish on my rod under the watchful eye of the master. After Mr. Garrison passed away I asked Hoagy to build me a 7'6" Model 206E and for many years he told me he believed it was the best rod ever built. When age and health issues made it impossible to fish the way I enjoy most it was time for me to pass along most of my fishing gear. When I was offered $7500.00 for that 206E from someone who I knew would enjoy and take great care of it...what could I say?

Through that period of my life I was most fortunate to meet and spend time with some of the true legends of the sport. Like I said, I was in the right place, met the right people at the right time and still cherish those memories!!

Wonderful stories, memories and legends in bamboo rod crafting. You're a lucky man George.

[johnnyquahog 0]

51 minutes ago, Sandan said:

Wonderful stories, memories and legends in bamboo rod crafting. You're a lucky man George.

Ditto!  Thanks for sharing.  This story put a smile on my old face. I had to refresh my memory but I was pretty close. Hoagy only made 106 bamboo rods and Garrison about 650.  The odds of owning and fishing one of each puts you in a rare group.   Tell me you also played a Stradivarius with the NY symphony for the hat trick… or better yet, you fished for Atlantic Salmon with Teddy (ballgame) Williams? Memories are what fuel us.

[SteeseRanley 0]

Parachute BWO #18 - This is one of my better ties, I am finally happy with the proportions, and how close the parachute is to the body.  I'm still working on tying hackles in (after wrapping), securing them and whip finishing my flies without trapping too many hackles, or without the hackle coming undone.  I'm improving.... slowly.

Generic Midge #20 - Loosely based on the memory of a fly I fished a few weeks ago.  I tied a few versions:  With and without the crystal flash, and with CDC instead of this polypropylene yarn.  Not sure what I like more, this has a polypropylene wing.

Kebari #18 - One of my first attempts at a tenkara style of fly, I think this one turned out well?  I've never fished one before.  I'm still learning how to use Partridge correctly, it's very finnicky for me as it feels like it snaps with very little force being applied to it (tying it in from a tuft on the tip).  I think the hackle could be a bit smaller/shorter but otherwise, I quite like the way it turned out.  

Generic Mayfly Nymph #18 - Once again, didn't really follow a pattern here but, I'm sure there's a name for it.  The more time I spend at the vice, the more I just experiment and cobble something together.  I've also been experimenting with different ways to tie the dubbing into the collar.  Lately I've been liking using a dubbing loop and loosely packing in a bit of dubbing (seen here), I think it just makes the fly more buggy and gives it some extra movement.  Does it help me catch more fish?  Who knows.  You could achieve a similar effect by dubbing normally and brushing it out... which might be easier.  I'm just having fun with it at the end of the day.

Edit:  Looking back on it, I should have used PT for the tail of the Mayfly.  I'll have to do that next time.  

[Sandan 0]

Those all look pretty good to me. 

[Chasing_Tails 0]

Real Deal CDC Caddis, Tan

Hook: Dry Fly, standard length, #14

Thread: Uni-Thread, 6/0, Tan

Abdomen: FTD Bull Frawg Dubbing, Caddis Tan

Rib: Uni-Thread, 3/0, Dk. Brown

Wing: River Foam Speckled Wing

Throax: CDC, Tan (dubbing loop and wrapped)

Antennae: Peccary hair

[SalarMan 0]

13 hours ago, johnnyquahog said:

Ditto!  Thanks for sharing.  This story put a smile on my old face. I had to refresh my memory but I was pretty close. Hoagy only made 106 bamboo rods and Garrison about 650.  The odds of owning and fishing one of each puts you in a rare group.   Tell me you also played a Stradivarius with the NY symphony for the hat trick… or better yet, you fished for Atlantic Salmon with Teddy (ballgame) Williams? Memories are what fuel us.

Thanks guys. In all honesty I could go on for pages with fun stories from my life in fly fishing and the people I met...but I don't want to bore anyone nor sound like a egocentric braggard.

[flytire 0]

Assassin

Hooks - MUS80500BL, MUS80501 BL, TMC7999, or DA12441, sizes 8-10
Thread - Olive
Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel
Body - Dubbed with a 50/50 blend of olive and brown lamb's wool
Hackle - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back
Wing - Small bunch of brown-olive Flashabou Accent tied over the body

Author's Note

Dale Lackey originated this pattern for late summer and fall runs.

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

[SteeseRanley 0]

Mayfly Nymph #14 

Tail:  Pheasant Tail

Body:  Olive 8/0, Silver Wire

Collar:  Peacock Flash Dubbing

Legs:  Crystal Flash (they're hard to see in the photo)

Head:  2.8mm Silver Tungsten Bead

This is a really fun tie and I like the way it turned out.  Using the PT for the tail was the correct call on this, and I could even use it for the legs/wings.  Since this isn't a super realistic fly, I thought it would be more fun to add a bit of flash to it and let the buggy-ness of the dubbing do some of the "leg work" for me.  Also, I've really been liking throwing a wrap or two under the tail of my flies, I think it makes the tails look a lot perkier.  

October Caddis Nymph #18

Body:  Orange UTC 120 Denier, Silver Wire

Collar:  Orange Flash Dubbing

Head:  2.8mm Black Tungsten Bead

Easy tie, hopefully will be effective.  I made a version with a PT tail, as well.  Not sure what I like more, I am kind of leaning towards the no-tail as this is an "october caddis" pattern.  Realistically, it's just an attractor nymph so I'm sure either will get the job done.