1st Adams

[TnTom 0]

Hook: Diachi #14

Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 waxed Brown

Hackle: Grizzly and Brown

Wings: Grizzly hackle tips

Tail: Buck flank - White

Dub: Brown fine

 

In think the the wings are much too long and the dubbing too heavy. The hackle is longer than the gap is wide but I tried to keep the hook inside a line drawn from the tip of the tail through the tip of the bottom hackle tip.

 

What are the materials that make a true adams? I have found five different patterns each named Adams. When is an Adams not an Adams.

 

Just click and it gets easier to see.

[Guest Big E]

Here is the original pattern as was attributed to Leonard Halliday of Mayfield MI. (From "Fishing Flies and Fly Tying" by William F. Blades 1951)

 

Tail: Two strands Golden Pheasant tippet or grizzly hackle fibers

Body: Grey wool or muskrat fur; grey wool egg sack.

Wings: Grizzly hackle tips tied spent

Hackle: Brown and grizzly, tied together

 

Here is how the pattern is typically tied today

Hook: dry fly, #10-20

Thread: gray or black

Tail: mixed grizzly and brown hackle barbs

Body: gray muskrat fur

Wing: grizzly hackle tips

Hackle: mixed grizzly and brown

 

I think you've done a pretty good job.

 

My two cents FWIW:

 

I agree that the wings are too long...should be the length of the hook shank. IMO, your tail is also too long. Your amount of dubbing looks ok...try for a carrot shape with the top of the carrot at the wings. I think your dub could be less spikey....give superfine dubbing a try.

 

I also don't know if its the angle of the picture or what but your head looks crowded. It looks as though your wings should be moved back a little allowing about three wraps of hackle in front of them.

 

Did you wrap the brown hackle first and then wrap the grizzly between it? I'm trying to figure out why the brown hackle is laying back and am thinking that you wrapped the grizzly over the brown? You should wrap the grizzly first and then wrap the brown between it.

 

Overall though it looks as though you are on the right track.

[TnTom 0]

Thanks for your time and tips. Could you tell me what it means by hackle tips that are "spent" regarding the wings? It amazes mean what the camera shows that I couldnt see by eye. I did wrap the grizzly first but I was having some all thumbs stuff going on and I see what your talking about. I'll tie up a few tomorrow and see how it goes. I really appreciate it.

[Guest Big E]

for spent wings you would tie them out to the sides instead of upright. Its imitative of the dying mayfly.

 

[iso18 0]

wings just need to be a little shorter.

Other wise,flie looks good.

 

 

 

Adams recipe

Tail-brown and grizzly hackle tips

body-gray dubbing,or substitute to local hatches

hackle-brown and grizzly

wings-grizzly hackle tips

 

You casn substitute different things for the tail and you can also tie it parachue style.

 

shane

[flytire 0]

learn dry fly proportions

 

The dry fly

 

The dry fly is a representation of a fully emerged fly, most are dressed with firm, stiff hackles and tails to ensure they stand proud of the water surface, alternatively some are designed so as to allow certain parts to break and sit in or under the meniscus as well. They can be under dressed for calm water or over dressed for increased buoyancy in fast turbulent currents. The proportions listed below are based primarily on flies of the up winged family, i.e. Mayflies, the position of the wing and presence of a tail determines this. While attempting other flies these are the most likely changes you'll make with all other factors being largely applicable to all basic dries.

 

 

The wing (if present) - Is usually twice the length of the hook gape.

The tail - Should extend to either one or one and a half times the length of the body.

The body - Should extend from the base of the wing to a position opposite the hook barb, it should taper towards the tail and should cover two-thirds the length of the hook shank.

The rib - Usually anything above four and under ten turns (See nymph).

The hackle - The length of the hackle fibre should be one and a half times the hook gape and should constitute the remaining third of the hook shank. After the hackle has been wound there must be enough room in front of the hackle to apply a head, this should be checked before the hackle is tied down and the stalk snipped off.

The head - As with nymph.

 

2 excellent tutorials

 

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/de...cfm?parentID=56

 

http://www.troutflies.com/tutorials/adams/

[Horseshoes 0]

flytire Thanks for the referene, now have it on the wall next to my bench. That helps alot.

[TnTom 0]

Great feedback and my notebook just keeps getting fatter.

 

The 2 links are great. I love the detail. The dubbed "Carrot" look is a little different than I was thinking. Clears that up.

 

Spent wings - got it.

 

Every ones input is greatly appreciated.

 

Tom