First Realistic Stone with Questions

[littledeschutes 0]

Hi Guys.

 

Here is my first realistic stonefly

 

 

 

I'm not entirely pleased with it though.

 

First off my legs suck, in my opinion. I tried using 20 pound mono and it just doesn't look good.

 

My biggest problem is the coloring though. Can anyone give me some pointers. To me everything is just running together and it just doesn't look right.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks guys

 

 

 

[Salmonfly 0]

When using markers I use them the opposite of what you would expect. I work from dark to light. In this I mean I colour almost the entire top or edges ( depending on the look I am after in the end ) with black or a very dark brown. Then after this has set a bit I take a lighter marker, yellow for example and start making the patterns. Just keep wiping the marker off on a piece of paper as you go to get back to yellow. On some patterns such as the Epeorus Nymph I first do the black markings and coat it. Then go over and add the final colour.

Hope this helps? What markers are using?

[Graham 0]

Hi littledeschutes,

 

Honestly, that’s a tasty looking stonefly. Sure wish my first try at a realistic looked that sweet and I don’t think the legs look bad at all, could look more realistic, but I’m never satisfied with mine either. I’ve just recently switched from using mono for legs to Japanese Nymph legs, which are super thin little strips of plastic which have enough silicone in them to allow for serious bending without much risk of breakage. Best part is they stay bent in the position you set them. A couple weeks ago Bill Blackstone told me that mono legs will straighten out if they are left in a fly box exposed to hot summer sun.

I still like the way partridge and guinea legs look as well as the increased motion while fishing, when compared to stiff legs. I will be tying with both. Regarding the coloring on your fly, it looks pretty damn good, the more you tye the more they will improve.

 

Graham

 

[littledeschutes 0]

Dale,

 

Thanks for the pointers. I also sent an e-mail to Paul Whillock and he does the exact same thing as you. Go figure....both of you guy's patterns are amazing. Also Dale, I placed an order from you for one of you patterns and some japenese legs. As far as markers, I'm using Prismacolor's.

 

Graham,

 

Funny thing is that the picture of the fly looks better than in person.....Wierd huh? As both Dale and Paul pointed out, the coloring should come easier in time. Graham, I appreciate your kind words and your advice....

 

Thanks again guys and I'll keep at it!!!

 

 

[Salmonfly 0]

littledeschutes

The colouring does come easier with time. I like to think of the process like painting with water colours. And try and let the colours bleed into each other. I use the bug as a palette ..... and mix the colours there.

 

It'll come. I can see from your fly you're doing fine. After awhile you just know the amount of colour to apply, when to touch it and when it's best to leave it alone.

[Saltydog 0]

DALE, nice to see your on board, this is turnning out to be a great site for realistics.

GOOD LUCK GOOD TYIN

[Salmonfly 0]

Thanks Salty ...... you'd be amazed at the places I go .......

[Graham 0]

I want to try and clarify my previous statement regarding mono-legs losing shapeliness when exposed to hot summer sun. I really like using mono for legs and have decided to move these flies out of black metal Wheatley boxes into plastic boxes, and my reasoning follows. Metal is a conductor of heat while plastic is an insulator. Metal solar panels heat water considerably hotter than plastic pool heating panels. Metal panels are designed to quickly heat a small quantity of water (80 gallons) rapidly to a high temperature. Empty metals panels reach stagnation temperatures of about 400 degrees F., while plastic pool panels designed to heat large quantities of water to a nice warm inviting temperature stagnate at less then 212 Degrees. Sun intensity and exposure times also make a difference, and in the solar energy industry the formula is called Delta-T. I wont get into more specifics, but I am convinced moving my mono-legged flies into plastic boxes is a prudent move. Solar ovens, made of cardboard and painted black inside, and covered with glass, are used to cook brownies at solar energy shows and easily reach temps over 300 degrees.

 

I also want to mention that the person who told me about the problems with heat and mono showed me how he bends mono legs which are not as adversely affected by heat. The picture below shows a tool, which I copied from this person, made out of a cheap pair of wide ended tweezers, which is used to shape mono. I took a file to the bent end to sharpen it a bit but not so much that it would cut the mono in half. Monofilament, hackle and other legging materials can easily be shaped with this tool. I have no idea who invented this technique, but I like it, for a number of reasons.

 

Graham

 

[Pujic 0]

That's pretty cool Graham, thanks for posting that!

 

Nick