FishDragon 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2011 Hello Everyone I just tied my first big fly. It is a #6 Brads Brat using white/orange bucktail for wing and tail and orange/red antron for the body. I think my tail may be a little long as well as my wing. I was going off a Dave Hughes pattern from "The American Fly Tying Manual". He calls for orange and white hackle for tail and orange and white calf tail for the wing but since I don't have that I used bucktail which flared a little on me when tying in my wing. Should I using my dubbing needle and pick the wool so it is fuzzier? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Hat 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2011 You've done a fine job FishDragon. I've never seen one with antron for the body, but I like it and the antron should be very attractive. The tail length is fine, the wing is just a tad too long. Of course there is person preference in that statement. These classic patterns look good with the tail about 2x the gape of the hook, which is where you are at. I like to see the wings end about the halfway point on the tail length, but I have seen many tied with the wing going to the end of the tail. You've done good with the amount of material in both the wing and the tail. A lot of newer tiers to this style put way too much material in the wing and tail. You did great. Besides the wing length, your proportions are well done throughout. I'm afraid your first wrap of ribbing (at the tail end)will slip off the back and loosen the whole rib. Try to get that a little further forward next time. Especially with the antron being as slippery as it is. You mention picking out the wool. I don't see any wool in the fly. If your talking about the antron then don't, leave it like it is. Looks good. Thanks for sharing and adding some life to the steelhead forum. Carl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishDragon 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2011 Yeah I meant the antron. Thanks for the reply and pointers. I tried a max canyon afterwards but this one turned out better. I messed up the ribbing on the max canyon as well (didn't have the right oval tinsel so I used flat tinsel)but I am gonna try a few more. These big flies are much easier to tie than little 16 and 18 trout flies I tried to use it to entice some salmon tonight but it didn't work. Oh well. Maybe I should submit it to the database. Thanks for the praise OldHat, I now have a nice big smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnP 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2011 Great job! I wish I could tie one that looked as good, and I have tied hundreds of steelhead flies. They are fun to tie. I love to see these old classics given new life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishDragon 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2011 I think I had alot of luck on my side as my next three didn't turn out near as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnP 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2011 I noticed you credited this pattern to Dave Hughes. With all due respect to Mr. Hughes, a talented tier, writer and fly fisherman, this pattern was created by Enos Bradner, longtime outdoors editor of the Seattle Times and the man who is credited with catching the first steelhead on a fly out of the North Fork of the Stillaguamish when it became a fly-only stream. Bradner wrote "Northwest Angling," and also penned a small book about steelheading called "Fish On." Excuse my pedantry and, again, nice job on the fly. Enos would be proud. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishDragon 0 Report post Posted August 15, 2011 Sorry I didn't mean in imply it was a Dave Hughes pattern but simply that I got the recipe from one of his books. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Finjunkie 0 Report post Posted October 5, 2011 Great job fishdragon! I tie many of the old patterns for steelhead and salmon. A book I really like is Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon, it has a lot of that stuff in it. Another material that works well for wings on steelhead flies is arctic fox. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites