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Old Hat

My first spey

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Here is my first attempt at a spey style fly. I had difficulty getting the hackle to lay back and I tried to burnish the silk head a little and separated the thread a bit but didn't realize it until I added some cement. I also see that I messed up on the ribbing at the juncture of all the materials in the center. I ribbed the back 1/3 and front in two different segments. Should I do the whole body at one time? Also is it common to cross wrap the hackle and the ribbing or wrap them side by side. I am sure there are many other things that could be better. Let me know please.

 

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O.H., you did a fine job.........VERY fine. Don't worry bout it.....your text was very accurate. .....spey "STYLE" fly. Given that, it's a KockOut! Excellant. Stupendous! FANTASTIC! :D Real nice how you kept the head back a ways as well. i likes it. :yahoo: A LOT! Wonderful colors with the Gold hook. :thumbsup: mark..... ;)

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Much better to do the ribbing in one hit unless you have a herl joint or the like. Either ,either on which way. Going the opposite way and crossing the hackle does make for a stronger fly. Or you can just follow the line of the ribbing keeping the hackle hard up to the back of same to keep it out of harms way

Cheers bob

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Thanks for the comments and suggestions everyone.

 

The wing took some work as was suspected. Is there a standard for the length of the wing, and tail for that matter?

 

Also, I had a difficult time with the hackle folding back when I wrapped it. I dont know if it was just a matter of the thicker body. I first folded the hackle fibers over along the stem and tried to wrap with the stem leading but the outside fibers would just stand out straight so I ended up just stripping one side like I do a lot on my soft hackles. This helped, but I still had to manipulate the fibers back and I think the hackle is a little sparse.

 

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get it down a bit tighter.

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I love it! Great looking fly!

 

You better send me up a few dozen asap!! lol

 

When I tie my speys I usually do a fairly tight body. But then again I tie them on smaller size 8 hooks.

 

Phil

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Thanks for the encouragement. But, honestly I think you guys are being too kind. I was following a pattern but have since realized maybe it wasn't the best representative of a spey fly. Won't keep me from tossing this one in the water though.

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Old Hat

 

When following a pattern for the first time I expect the first half-dozen (or more) to be duds. That's where I discover the difficulties and learn the tricks for tying a good fly. Tye a few more and you will find it gets easier with experience. Although the (Crystal?) flash was unexpected, I think the wing is fine.

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Old Hat,

That's a great first effort! It will definitely fish. Now, if you are looking to stay true to form, there are a couple of things that I may suggest. First off, the wings on a spey fly are "typically" just reaching to the end of the body. Salmon flies, Dees, Streamers, etc usually take the wing slightly past the hook bend. Speys are the anti-thesis to that rule. Secondly, the hackles are typically wound the entire length of the body, thus creating a very crustacean-y look to them. I'll parrot Bob and say that it will be much easier if you dub the body, no matter how many colors, first, then wrap the tinsel, followed by the hackle. It will save you a ton of headaches. Lastly, a hint to hackling: Fold your hackles and tie the feather in by the tips with the folded barb tips pointing up and the base of the feather laying back with the hook bend. The natural torque that you put on the rachis will allow the barbs to sweep towards the back. If you don't understand what I'm saying, here's a pic. Sorry the pics are so poor, I snapped them off really quick. But, it should give you a good idea. Great Job!! Keep tyin' them! This flies fish like the devil! -Jamie

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Here's a pic of a spey with the mallard reaching the end of the body.

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Thanks James,

 

Those are exactly the suggestions I need and have been getting help with from others on this site. I was following a pattern with really no idea of true form or tradition, like I said probably wasn't the best choice. It had the tail, the krystal flash, hackling only on the front 2/3 etc... Thanks for the hackle pics. I had a hard time getting the hackle to lay back. I folded it, then when I wrapped it and the outer fibers would stick straight out and wasn't sure if it was the dubbing or the way I folded it and ended up just stripping one side and wrapping but the hackle came out too sparse. From your pics I think I tied the folded hackle in wrong. The rachis wasn't folding over itself with the initial wrap. Back to the tying bench and I will post some more using all the great suggestions I gotten.

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