Please critique my dry flies!

[ChromeAddict 0]

I posted my first try of this dry fly in the 'flies from the bench' thread for January and got some spectacular advice in that thread. I tried to put that advice to use in my second try. Please critique these flies, any advice would be appreciated.

 

First:

 

 

Second:

 

[mikechell 0]

My only advise ... take better pictures. The fly looks fine, I think.

[spm 0]

Good looking flies. Better than a lot of mine. Well done.

 

steve

[SilverCreek 0]

I think the ties are fine.

 

My only comment is that the hook you used is not the type of dry fly hook normally used for that pattern. The shape of the hook looks like a TMC 200R 3XL nymph hook that has a straight eye. Usually a dry fly hook for that pattern has as a down eye rather than a straight eye. The 200R hooks can be used for dry flies but usually it is in larger sizes for grasshoppers.

 

[ChromeAddict 0]

Thanks everyone. I'm still working on my photos Mike, I'll try taking photos with it in the vise next time, using a foam backplate. The hook I used is a mustad C53S in size 12. It isn't labeled as a dry fly hook, but it floats okay, I think. What are the advantages of a down eye? I use them on my nymphs but I'm not sure what they do. Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm new to tying so I really appreciate all the help.

[flytire 0]

like silvercreek said use a dry fly hook. finer wire diameter to help in flotation

 

use hen hackle tips for wings

 

 

learn proportions. its hard to judge good proportions on that curved hook

 

 

use a hook as a crutch/guide. it provides all of the measurements

 

 

your wrapped hackle looks pretty good

[SilverCreek 0]

Thanks everyone. I'm still working on my photos Mike, I'll try taking photos with it in the vise next time, using a foam backplate. The hook I used is a mustad C53S in size 12. It isn't labeled as a dry fly hook, but it floats okay, I think. What are the advantages of a down eye? I use them on my nymphs but I'm not sure what they do. Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm new to tying so I really appreciate all the help.

 

Most dry flies are tied on extra fine hooks = 1XF so the flies they are tied with float higher. Since most of the hook weight is at the back of the hook, and most of the hackle for flotation is at the front of the hook, less metal at the back of the hook is better for dry flies.

 

The down eye does two things. First it shortens the silhouette of the body just a bit. This is more important on smaller flies in which the hook eye creates a longer body silhouette. So the perceived body length is closer to the shank length with a down or up eye hook. This is a minor point that is only important on flies smaller than size 16.

The second thing is tradition. Most dry fly patterns are tied on down eye hooks.

The third thing is that an angled eye is needed for certain knots like the turle knot. The turle knot is used when a riffle hitch is placed so a fly will skate on the surface. So a down eye hook allows the angler to tie the correct knots to skate the fly if that is what the fisher wants to do. Google turle knot and riffle hitch.

The fourth thing in respect to the hook you used is that the shape of the hook controls the shape of the fly. With the hook you used, you had to stop dubbing the the body before the shank began to curve down. That left a lot of bare hook shank that created a heavier fly that was not used to make a larger hooking gap so the fly would be more likely to hook the fish.

Compare the shape of the hook you used to the shape of the TMC100 dry fly hook and note that the it has a larger hook gap for the hook shank length. Note that it is a better hook shape for a dry fly tied on straight shank and that all of the metal on the hook is not wasted forming a gentle slope that adds nothing to the fly you tied.

Imagine the position of the tail fibers tied on the TMC100 hook relative to the hook bend. The fibers would be further back from the end of the hook bend and therefore be better able to support the back of the hook. Compare the tail postion on the dry fly that Flytire posted vs the fly you tied.

[flytire 0]

read this on tiemco 200r hooks

 

http://flyfoundry.com/fly-tying-tutorials-tips-techniques/is-there-such-a-thing-as-an-ideal-hook/

[SBPatt 0]

body taper's pretty good

 

head is not crowded; well done

 

hackle is fairly bushy (I like bushy!)

 

wings are a bit long but that could be a function of the longer-shank iron if you're using that to base your proportions

 

I agree with Normand that hen hackle tips look better

 

Tails on first fly appear to be level, possibly pointing down below plane of the hook shank; I like tails canted up; A.K. Best's Production Flytying is the bible I swear by and he spent a good deal of time explaining how the angle affected how the fly sits on the water

 

 

keep at it; the more you tie, the better they get

 

Regards,

Scott

[Dave G. 0]

Besides the TMC 100 hook, I like very much the Mustad 94840 for traditional dry flies. Again , as has been said, it's the straight long shank to the bend. 94840 hooks at one point in time were a bit brittle but that is not the case today. Curved shanks I more think of for some emerger patterns and some caddis patterns.

 

I sure would not like experiencing what some of those testimonials were saying about TMC 200 hooks though. I had a size 18 Royal Coachman parachute hook straighten on a big fish in the summer or 2014, it was disappointing.. It was a guided trip, the guide bought his smaller flies in bulk and I have no idea what hook was used .

[retrocarp 0]

read this on tiemco 200r hooks

 

http://flyfoundry.com/fly-tying-tutorials-tips-techniques/is-there-such-a-thing-as-an-ideal-hook/

Hi flytire,

That's an interesting site .....thanks I have bookmarked for future reading.