Usual (Fran Betters)

[mlwebb 0]

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by mlwebb:

 

Usual (Fran Betters)

 

[NJ All Day 0]

I love this fly, it's always a fish catcher. Nice tie!

[RagingBull 0]

nice tie

[Rodd Gunn 0]

I never heard of this pattern before this past Saturday evening. A fellow gave me a sample and asked if I could tie some for him. Utubed it and got some information on the pattern. Tied him a dozen. I think he will be happy. Have you ever tied other colors? Rodd Gunn

 

[utyer 0]

Nice tie. I have used comparaduns (very similar,) in many combinations of wing and body colors. Right now cream is the only rabbit foot I have. As soon as I can round up some dun, I am going to try some BWOs with the under fur as wings.

[Old Hat 0]

Great pattern and great job tying it. This is a pattern I always have in my box. I usually carry this original, and also a BWO pattern with dun colored hare's foot and red thread, also a larger generalist pattern with a cinnamon color hare's foot and dark brown thread.

[JohnP 0]

That fly has fish-catcher written all over it! Great tying job on a classic pattern.

[mvendon 0]

Hi mlwebb,

 

You did a really great job on this fly, especially on the body. If you are/were looking to get a Usual as close as Fran used to tie his, just cut the length of the tail in half, or a little more. He tied his VERY short, many times not going much beyond the bend of the hook. He also used tan and grey thread, besides the fire orange. He used Austrailian possum and muskrat dubbing for different body colors as well. I took a look in your pattern submission, and this is actually a caddis pattern, not a mayfly immitation. He actually used this one as a caddis emerger pattern. He wrote me that he would throw it out across and down, and then wait for it to sink towards the end of the float, and then do a slow pull-up after it became submerged, that's when a fish would most likely hit it.

 

Regards,

Mark

[mlwebb 0]

Thanks guys(?) for the kind words and additional information. This pattern is new to me too, just stopped by the flyshop on the way home from work and picked up some dun feet, to try some BWO/caddis versions. I have been tying some other Fran Betters patterns too, haystacks and Ausable Wulffs - the West Ausable flies look like they would translate well to my local Oregon rivers. I'll shorten the tail

Michael

[fly_fischa 0]

Great looking tie and great photo, thanks for sharing

[dafunk5446 0]

Great fly! We have an odd, highly location specific hatch of a very large PMD on the Big Thompson that this fly does a perfect job of imitating.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

great fly and pic as others have stated I know this fly has saved the day on more then one occasion and to top it all off don't think its only for trout alot of bluegills have fallen prey to its uncanny fish attraction properties

[Ic3wind 0]

This is hands down my favorite all around fly. I've used it for warm and cold water and its never failed me. A couple of the previous posters are dead on If you let it sink at the end of the drift and slowly pull it up trout have a tendancy to smash it pretty fiercely. I've also dubbed these with a very thick thorax and it will push water much like a popper. Thats what makes it great for Blue gills and when tied in @ #12 will manage to fool the occasional Bass. I once even got results putting a sinker on one and fishing it like a nymph. This guy is a pure meat taker.

[Jeremy Parker 0]

Hi mlwebb,

 

You did a really great job on this fly, especially on the body. If you are/were looking to get a Usual as close as Fran used to tie his, just cut the length of the tail in half, or a little more. He tied his VERY short, many times not going much beyond the bend of the hook. He also used tan and grey thread, besides the fire orange. He used Austrailian possum and muskrat dubbing for different body colors as well. I took a look in your pattern submission, and this is actually a caddis pattern, not a mayfly immitation. He actually used this one as a caddis emerger pattern. He wrote me that he would throw it out across and down, and then wait for it to sink towards the end of the float, and then do a slow pull-up after it became submerged, that's when a fish would most likely hit it.

 

Regards,

Mark

Mvendon I agree with most of your information here except the part about other materials?? I took lessons from Mr Betters many yrs ago. The other material he liked to use if it was not a rabbits foot was actually groundhog! There is two shades of underfur on a ground hog both light brown and very dark brown! The key to this pattern was the natural oils within the fur!

The original inspirasion for this fly came from one of his other patterns the hay stack !!

 

Blessings

Jeremy

[mvendon 0]

Jeremy Parker said:

Mvendon I agree with most of your information here except the part about other materials?? I took lessons from Mr Betters many yrs ago. The other material he liked to use if it was not a rabbits foot was actually groundhog! There is two shades of underfur on a ground hog both light brown and very dark brown! The key to this pattern was the natural oils within the fur!

The original inspirasion for this fly came from one of his other patterns the hay stack !!

 

Blessings

Jeremy

 

***

 

Regards,

Mark