Point me in the right direction

[BigDaddyHub 0]

I woke up this morning and said "Self, we need a damn good stonefly." Self responded with "What the hell for?! Ah.... why not?" So, here I am, many hours and many articles on realistic tying later, still without a fishable stone fly pattern I am willing to exhibit. I have constructed one this evening that, believe it our not, actually doesn't look half bad for my very first attempt. I just wanted to pick the brains of the "Great Ones" in this forum and get some broad ideas for tying materials (things like what makes good body material-razor foam, latex, etc), tools, books, videos, etc. Just kinda in the dark right now and not sure what questions to ask...

[BruceC 0]

I woke up this morning and said "Self, we need a damn good stonefly." Self responded with "What the hell for?! Ah.... why not?" So, here I am, many hours and many articles on realistic tying later, still without a fishable stone fly pattern I am willing to exhibit. I have constructed one this evening that, believe it our not, actually doesn't look half bad for my very first attempt. I just wanted to pick the brains of the "Great Ones" in this forum and get some broad ideas for tying materials (things like what makes good body material-razor foam, latex, etc), tools, books, videos, etc. Just kinda in the dark right now and not sure what questions to ask...

 

Paul Whilock's fishable stone fly is a great place to start. It's a terrific looking fly and very fishable. Here's a link to his site:

Paul Whilock's site

 

 

[Fred H. 0]

Razor foam is easier to work with but latex, to me looks buggier. Robert Lewis does a nice fishable stone out of razor foam www.robsrealistics.com .It's a real buggy looking pattern that is easy to tie . Except for the razor foam you should have the rest of the materials already.

Now if you ever decide to do a bug an old southern boy might know. I'll do a step by step for you myself.

Fred

[BigDaddyHub 0]

Ain't quiet ready for the mud bugs just yet, Fred....Give me 8 or 10 months....LOL! Will check out both sites....working with junk materials right now ( very thin vinyls for old chair) just to get the steps right...fly has good form and that's what I want to get right first is the technique and the form. I figure if I can master the steps and understand the basic development of the fly, then I can work on the aethetics....Would that be a good approach to this?

[Fred H. 0]

Yes , you are wise young padawan. :j_k: Always wanted to say that.

Seriously you are on the right track.Learning the basic techniques of building the abdomen and legs and etc. are the foudation . Once you are comfortable with your abilities to build the abdomen for one insect you will see how the same techniques with a little change here or there will work on another insect.Let me know if you are having trouble getting something to look the way you want it to and I'll see if there is a technique that might suit you better . Keep in mind while practicing that your comformation of the insect stays correct. Look at your hook and decide before you start to tie , where your abdomen will start and finish to look correct on this hook.And show me some photos of what your doing. Either here or send a p.m. I've seen some of your tying and you can definetly do realistics.

Fred

PS if you want to try latex you can cut strips from exam gloves. Snag some from the EMTs.

[BigDaddyHub 0]

latex won't be a problem, Fred...I'm a Tactical Sgt (that's head ass whupper in layman's terms)...keep a pocket full of latex and nitrile gloves at all times!! Will be taking a very serious look at some things in the morning and will be giving my first fishable realistic a go! Will keep you posted and will put up some pics...

[BigDaddyHub 0]

Oaky, got up a little earlier this morning so I could give a fishable realistic an attempt. I used 2mm foam for the sing cases which has skewed the overall aesthicis, but what I'm looking for here is improving my "realistic" touch. After completing this particular fly, I did find more suitable foam in a cache of old packing material in the garage...almost same thickness as Razor foam. Here's what I have managed to botch onto a hook thus far....again..using some at hand material, just to practice...

[BigDaddyHub 0]

I broke one of the right side legs when I was folding them...was very pissed, but what can ya do, but shake it off and try to do better next time...

[Fred H. 0]

You are doing well. And this fly will definetly fish . You see for yourself what needs to change. The wing buds are too thick and you will change that on future ones. Another tech for wing buds is to make some homemade bug skin. If you have some flexement , coat a single ply piece of facial tissue. Allow it to dry.

Then you can color it with markers and cut to shape.Make up quite a bit of it and I can tell you of some other uses for it later. I don't want to critique your fly, I would rather help your get the look you want by helping you with tech on how to.

Fred

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

another good wing bud material is phesant feathers coated with flexament then cut to shape

[Fred H. 0]

another good wing bud material is phesant feathers coated with flexament then cut to shape

an oldie but still a goodie.

Thanks Paul.

Fred

[BruceC 0]

There's always the Bill Logan method. Print out a black and white laser print of a wing bud in the correct size. Color it appropriately with markers. Lay it on a sheet of waxed paper and coat it with 5 minute epoxy. After coating, put another sheet of waxed paper on the top and burnish the whole mess so it flattens out. When dry, remove from the waxed paper and trim. Very thin, very strong, and very good looking on the fly.

 

Best,

Bruce C

[Fred H. 0]

There's always the Bill Logan method. Print out a black and white laser print of a wing bud in the correct size. Color it appropriately with markers. Lay it on a sheet of waxed paper and coat it with 5 minute epoxy. After coating, put another sheet of waxed paper on the top and burnish the whole mess so it flattens out. When dry, remove from the waxed paper and trim. Very thin, very strong, and very good looking on the fly.

 

Best,

Bruce C

Nice Bruce. I 'm glad you guys are chimming in. Both you and Paul know alot more about stoneflies than I do.

Fred

[BigDaddyHub 0]

I'm soaking all this up...gonna be a very busy week this week, but I'm going to give this much more thought and make another attempt this weekend. I think if I can challenge myself to "master" a few fishable realistics, I may try my hand at some "show peices" by the spring. I honestly appreciate the input fellas! Thank you so much!

[steelie 0]

Good Day,

 

You are doing well. Here is one of my "fishable realistics", the Shimmer Stone:

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=44189

 

Biot tails, D-Rib abdomen, ice dub, heat tapered micro chenille legs, Plasti-Dip on wing burners then peel off for wing pads color w/marker, bead with eyes colored with brown marker and black nail polish eyes. Enjoy!

 

Steelie