Looking for some feedback

[kdp0933 0]

First off, I want to extend a thank you to everyone. I have been lurking in the shadows for the past couple months, and this forum has been an incredible tool. I just started tying a few months back and thought it was time I started posting. I recently started tying dry flies and was looking for some feedback to help me improve the quality of my finished product. Any and all comments are much appreciated.

 

Red Quill

 

March Brown

 

March Brown

 

How do my proportions look? Are the wings set correctly? I'm still learning to wrap my hackle correctly. I'm finding it difficult to not crowd the eye no matter how aware I am of it.

 

So far I have only attempted tying Dries that call for wing material I have on hand (quills, flank feathers, I have even experimented with swiss straw - see photos). As I move towards tying dries with hackle wings, can someone recommend a good source for appropriately sized material in a variety of colors? What works best for you? (whiting hen capes? metz? indian hen capes?)

 

Blue Quill

BWO

 

I really like the realistic look that swiss straw gives, I just don't know how well it will hold up or perform. Any suggestions for utilizing this stuff?

 

 

Thanks again.

[Jimr1961 0]

They look like nice, well proportioned flies to me. Good Job.

[kdp0933 0]

I probably should re-size my pictures before linking them. Not sure if they are hard to load or not.

[Piker20 0]

They look great. Look forward to seeing your next offerings.

[FrequentTyer 0]

They look fantastic! I would probably shift the wings back a bit on the first two, but the others look great to my eye. Nice work.

Mike.

[SILKHDH 0]

I have tied with rafia/swiss straw as wings and found out the hard way that they can sometimes curl up when wet. Shrivel up and not look good to me at all. I fixed the problem by coating the rafia/swiss straw with feximent before tieing them on the fly. Makes all the difference. They never shrivel up and it also makes them a little more durable but still flexible. Also water proof. The rafia can tear real easy when wet too. I recomend not tying without coating. You could end up wth a bunch of flies that don't perform like you would like them too like I did. But other than that, I agree with above comment. Your perportions look real good to me. They'll catch fish. No dought about it.

 

SILKHDH

[kdp0933 0]

I fixed the problem by coating the rafia/swiss straw with feximent before tieing them on the fly. Makes all the difference. They never shrivel up and it also makes them a little more durable but still flexible. Also water proof. SILKHDH

 

I took your advice and tied up a couple real quick. I'm definately pleased with the results, they look like they will stand up to conditions a lot better than the previous ones I tied up. Thanks for the tip!

 

My take on a Hendrickson

[perchjerker 0]

They are horrible, and should be thrown away. I have a 55 gal. barrel that I use as a wastebasket for poorly tied flies, and you are welcome to use it.

 

THEY ARE FANTASTIC! I really like the so-called '2-point stance'; being supported by the tail and hackle only, with the hook clear of the mat (=water). Nice neat heads on them.

 

Frank

 

PS: Raffia is a natural fiber coming from the fronds of a palm tree native to Madagascar and certain areas on the east side of Africa Swiss Straw is a 'synthetic'. I would expect the Raffia to split easily, as the fronds are split and stripped to produce the end product, and possibly soak up water if it were to get wet. I would think that Swiss Straw would be more durable, being a synthetic. Just my $0.02 worth.

[sandflyx 0]

there was a sbs on here from letumgo on how to use wing burners to shape wings with swiss straw. do a search really makes a difference.

 

 

[bowmike 0]

Those flies are beautiful as well as the pictures. You should print them out in 8x10 and put them in your tying room. Great ties.

[H Dot Verseman 0]

tie them on a barbless hook next time, and they are near perfect for me

[letumgo 0]

Here is a link to my simple wing tutorial.

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=23687&hl=simple

 

Great flies, by the way. Beautifully tyed.

[flybone 0]

You are a natural!

I have always love art & crafts, and fishing even more. So, fly tying was perfect fir me. I am from south Mississippi and have been tying my own flies for about 8mo. (fly fishing is only starting to get popular here.) I wish my first flies liked that good. Trust the fish will love them! I don't tie many dries that style, but they look as good or better than the classics. Keep it up!

[dusty153 0]

Very nice ties. Keep up the good work. I also agree with the tip for the swiss straw. I makes the wings more durable if you are going to fish them.

[dusty153 0]

Very nice ties. Keep up the good work. I also agree with the tip for the swiss straw. It makes the wings more durable if you are going to fish them.