13 replies to this topic

[Sandworm]

A couple of weeks ago I posted my Hellgrammite pattern to the fly data base under " Wohland's Hellgrammite " . But I forgot to post here on the Forum .( major screw up ) anyway here's a couple of pic's. These things are Meat and Potatos for a lot of differant fish. And these flies don't draw blood when you handle them . They take about 4 hours to make the body plates and then tie the fly. So use 10# fluorocarbon or you might need a shrink to get over your loss ! Tim

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[Adam Saarinen]

I love them! Thankyou! But that colour red reminds me of the movie Total Recal! :-)

[Sandworm]

Or " Deep Rising ". I used a Eedding 3000 Dark Brown marker over white pearl. It gave that reddish brown color in the sun. But the indoor photo is the correct shade. Maybe it got a sun burn. Lol

[fshng2]

Great looking pattern..really killer.
It looks like you use biots for the legs. What material do you use for the plates?

[Sandworm]

This flies plates are made out of Stabilizer Cloth. You can buy it at JoAnne's Fabric stores it's call : Sulky Medium Weight Cut away. It's the cloth you see on the inside of a hat or shirt that has embroider needle work. The stuff is tuff it will never fray and u can use it to make all kinds of stuff. My Squids are made out of it as well. I also like to use clear heavy plastic from product packaging. You never want to throw stuff like that out .It makes the plates transparent. Play around with different color under bodies for some cool see through special effects. Tim

[fshng2]

Thanks Tim for the tips.
Looked up your squid...pretty cool.
I am always on the look out for stuff to use in flytying as well, sort of like MacGyver.

[Sandworm]

I'm the same way . I raided my sisters sewing room and found the stabilizer. Only thing... My knife has a built in tying vise . His dose not ! T.

[fshng2]

Gotta get me one of those knives.....
Too funny.
Tip for you, DuPont Landscape Fabric from Lowes can be used like your Stabilizer Cloth. The color is dark grey and has voids intended to let water pass thru as well as adhesive for an excellent bond. Apply 3M 77 Spray Adhesive or Contact Cement to the fabric then to the whole feather. When both materials are tacky, put them together and allow to dry.
This process works well for realistic and strong wings, wing cases, and plates. The finished material seems like you are using a fabric instead of a feather.

[Adam Saarinen]

Sandworm! What did you say? Your knife has a built in tying vise? I want one! Keep it in my pocket & knock over a few flies at work! But i'll mostly do them when it's double time overtime! :-)

[artimus001]

very cool fly. you have even taught me something new entomology wise. i didn't know that a Hellgrammite had plates all the way to the head. now to see if i can incorporate that in to a fishing fly.

[mikechell]

Looks more like a centipede than a hellgramite ... but it does look like a neat bug.

I like it.

[Sandworm]

Hay you guys. Thanks !
I don't really have a tying vice built into my knife. .... L O. L. But I didn't want MacGyver to be the first .
This is the reference photo I used as a model to tie my Hellgrammite. The plates are shaped a little different but that's the way my wing burners are shaped. I could have tried to cut them out free hand but the fly would loose it's symmetry . I would never be able to keep them all the same shape. My jaws are a little more on the narly side but I think it gives the fly the fierce look those things already have. As for color, they come in brown ,olive and gray . Depends on where you live.
Now , I guess I have to make one to match the photo exactly . So stay tuned next week for the next exciting episode of " As The Forum Turns ". L. O. L. Tim

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[mikechell]

I really like this one!!!

[Sandworm]

Thank's. I tied this one out of heavy clear plastic . The segments are a clear dark brown . But after I overlap them top and bottom they loose that . But they keep a lot of flash . The sun lights it up.
T