Critique Request

[Gary Madore 0]

Hello again,

 

If anybody has the time, I'd really, REALLY appreciate your thoughts on my 1st attempt at tying a Cat's Whisker.

 

I'm thinking of tying it for my first swap.... It's a Bass fly swap, and I'd like to give the rest of the guys something they can use.... I'm not ready for the fancy stuff yet, though.

 

Anyway, here's the link:

 

Cat's Whisker

 

I've got a month to get it right, so don't hold back

 

Thanks a ton,

 

Cheers!

 

Gary

[Guest]

Looks good to me. Your proportions are right and it looks like a well tied fly.

 

john

 

 

[mgj 0]

I'd just shorten up the tail and wing a smidgen.

the tail should be the same length as the shaft of the hook or body of the fly.

 

maybe take a wrap of dubbing over the thread collar.

 

otherwise looking good.

 

mgj

[lthrnk 0]

Looks very good, just shorten up the wing and tail like said above and you've got it.

[Alex C. 0]

I can't wait to fish it

[Mato Kuwapi 0]

That will catch you fish!!

 

Like some of the others mentioned, shorten up on the maribou wing and tail...or if you want to reduce the number of tying steps (more flies in less time) you can drop the maribou tail all together. You don't really need flash either. I get just as many hits on the (ICJ)guide style version as I do with the original tie. I have also found that chartruese works best but orange works well too. A hint about chenille ... plug in the tea kettle and run the chenille through the steam before you tie with it. It goes POOF and looks really nice.

 

Now if you like tying lots of goodies in your fly...don't let me stop you. It will get fish for sure and you might just get the flish the just refused the one I threw at it.

 

Now you just have to figure out how to fish it!

[Gary Madore 0]

Thanks all: I think I've got the main problems hoisted in.... Shorten the "fluff" and hide the collar with some dubbing.

 

Skunked: I thought at first that I should have disqualified all of the swap participants from answering because they might be tempted to keep offering advice until the thing was a masterpiece! heh heh. I guess if you say it's OK, then it's OK. Thanks!

 

One last thing.... I chose a size 4, 2XL hook because when I looked at commercial Bass tackle it all seemed pretty big. Is this hook OK?

 

OK, thanks again all. I'm off to practice.

 

Cheers!

 

Gary

[Irish 0]

Cary,

 

the fly looks good to me and i would fish for Smallies.

 

I usually use hooks in the size 2 - 6 Mustad 9272 (3x long) or 79580 (4X long) for most of my smallies flies of this stlye.

 

I was late for the bass swap but would happily take this fly and fish it.

 

Irish

[PoPnBuG 0]

I'm not quite sure... maybe you should send me a dozen in various colors ???

 

Really, looks great! (I like a lot of maribou... I mean A LOT!!)

 

 

[getholdofjoru 0]

That's a good looking fly. It looks like you have the correct amount of marabou in order to have it undulate in the water and not lie stiff or float.

Another good tie!