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r2732

Dick Surette's copper bug

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i have never heard of it until now so i have never tied it but probably will

 

have you tied it? please post a photo

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walt

 

here is my version of the copper bug

 

i believe the the sequence of materials in the recipe is wrong

 

original recipe (wrong sequence in my opinion)

 

Hook: Mustad #38941 or #9672, size 4-6-8-10-12-14-16.

Thread: Brown monocord or brown pre-waxed nylon.

Tail: Cock pheasant barbules.

Body: Wrap abdomen with one layer of #30 copper wire (the type used for rewiring electrical motors), wrap thorax with two layers of same. Then wrap thorax with orange floss or silk, shape to basic nymph shape to size of hook. Wrap abdomen with single wrapping of copper wire.

Ribbing: Peacock herl with fine overlay of fine gold oval tinsel. This will give added strength to the peacock herl.

Legs: Brown hackle, trimmed top and bottom.

Covert: Cock pheasant [wing case].

Thorax: Peacock herl, tied full.

 

 

Recipe should read as follows (correct sequence in my opinion)

 

Hook: Mustad #38941 or #9672, size 4-6-8-10-12-14-16.

Thread: Brown monocord or brown pre-waxed nylon.

Tail: Cock pheasant barbules.

Ribbing: Peacock herl with fine overlay of fine gold oval tinsel. This will give added strength to the peacock herl.

Body: Wrap the entire hook shank beginning at the bend to the eye with one layer of #30 copper wire then wrap the wire back toward the bend over the existing wire to form the thorax and wrap back toward the eye and tie off and trim the wire. the thorax area should have 3 layers if wire. see the wire body photo below

Covert: Cock pheasant [wing case].

Legs: Brown hackle, trimmed top and bottom.

Thorax: Peacock herl, tied full.

 

You have to tie on the tail, peacock herl and fine gold wire BEFORE tying the copper wire for the body and thorax.

 

Copper-Bug-Body-1080.jpg

 

Then the wincase should be tied on before the hackle and peacock herl thorax.

 

I totally omitted the floss or silk covering the thorax area. Its not needed as it will be covered by the peacock herl.

 

finished fly

 

Copper-Bug-1080.jpg

 

tying note: i think the hackle should be palmered over the entire peacock herl thorax for a better representation of a stonefly

 

#30 copper wire is roughly the same size as "brassie" ultra wire

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Is the gold wire used in the thorax? I wonder how it would look if you twisted it with the herl like Alec Jackson did. Just trying to think about strengthening the thorax herl.

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Is the gold wire used in the thorax? I wonder how it would look if you twisted it with the herl like Alec Jackson did. Just trying to think about strengthening the thorax herl.

Strengthen the herl with standard techniques

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My first photo was based on the original photo in the FAOL article in the link in post #1

 

Th second photo is based on what I think would be a better representation of legs in the thorax area

 

Both versions present weak ribbing with the peacock herl and fine gold wire. I dont know how many fish it would take to destroy these flies

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I over wrapped the herl on the body with fine gold wire but I did not wrap the herl thorax

 

Please enlarge the photo for visuals

 

If you want to tie this fly, please use any reinforcement techniques you are comfortable with

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i believe the the sequence of materials in the recipe is wrong

 

You have to tie on the tail, peacock herl and fine gold wire BEFORE tying the copper wire for the body and thorax.

I think that is obvious to most tyers.

 

A recipe could list ingredients in any order, yet we would still know how to proceed.

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It is standard to list materials in the order used, listing them in another order would result in a different end product. Example, to build a house; foundation, floor, walls, roof gives "platform framing" and foundation, walls, roof, floor gives "balloon framing" the two requiring totally different methods and having different code requirements.

The recipe should result in similar flies from different tyers without pictures or video.

 

In this instance, I would have ended with a tapered floss body with the abdomen over wrapped with copper and with the legs to the rear of the carapace, In my interpretation the legs should only extend to the sides, with stubble top and bottom.

I like Flytire's last version better than the recipe. But I would like to see one that Surette tied or his illustration if any in the book.

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