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josephcsylvia

large fly guy trying my hand at nymphs need critique!

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ok guys i usually tie saltwater flies and warmwater flies I decided I want to fill a box with nymhs and I started with a 20 incher. the biots are phesant I dont have turkey thats why they are white. I had a hard time keeping the casing on the back together and getting the legs just right. Now I have to admit that I tied this on a #10 hook and I used 210 denier thread so that could have something to do with it lol

 

ill try to get better pictures on the next one this is a first attempt.post-56603-0-62953200-1450150431_thumb.jpgpost-56603-0-02206100-1450150439_thumb.jpgpost-56603-0-07621600-1450150446_thumb.jpg

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Looks like a pretty good first try. I don't tie these myself, but yours looks like many of the other photos on this site.

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Looks like a pretty good first try. I don't tie these myself, but yours looks like many of the other photos on this site.

Thank you Mike you dont realize how big your hands are till you tie that size fly lol I know there's things I can do better.

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Look pretty good to me. I'd reduce the tails by about a quarter and the legs a bit, too, add a fiber to the tail, although I know trout can't count. Although I'm no good source for tying, but others are.

 

I think you did a good job.

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That's a pretty good job there I think! Use 70 denier thread that will help out a lot. Now go down to a 14 or 16 hook...LOL...Smallest I have tied on is a 18 and its hard at least it is for me!!!

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Thank you guys I Know the proportions are more important in these smaller flies I really need to get the right stuff like thread that doesnt feel like im tying with floss!

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If you just made the tail a bit shorter, as well as the legs, if would be a just fine fly just as capable as catching trout as the most precise tied flies out there. Like Add147 said, if you could get a fly like this down to a 14 or 16 you would be in a great position for catching trout.

To be honest your fly as it is is more than capable of catching fish, many times proportions and good looking flys are more for the fisherman than the fish. Keep it up and you will be well on your way to having a very nice box of nymphs.

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Good first time effort Joe.... I have fairly large hands too ( thirty something years in the building Industry) and it takes a bit of practice to get used to tying small .

I now prefer smaller flies as it is a challenge to get proportions correct when tying size 26 bead heads or pt nymphs

The other guys are right though ...a lot of trout catching flies can be nicely tied on a size 14-16 with a little patience and repetition.

My first flies that I tied were on a size 2 hook ....from there I went up instead of down in hook size due to frustration lol

I am now regularly tying anything from size 6 bugger down to a size 18 dry.

And if I can do it ..... anyone can.

You'll get there Joe.

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Agree all with Fish for Life comments above. My commercial tying experience taught me well that what we tyers consider standard practices in terms of proportions, materials, sizes etc. can be more about catching fishermen than fish. It is good to learn the art, and the biologies of fish and insects, but your flies will catch fish. The thing is, good ties can entice by impersonating a particular hatch, or by appealing to the predator instinct by simply impersonating something "foody." Fish often strike at objects in the water column to "taste" whether it is actually food. That's why it is important to set hooks on strike, otherwise the fish will spit out your fly and wait for another opportunity. An imperfect fly, or one that doesn't match any hatch (such as the various attractors) will still get the hit. I catch fish all year 'round on terrestrials, though nymphs tend to me more productive as a year 'round staple. I catch fish on a range of nymph types in any given body of water. Some seem better than others at times, and this is true. But, appealing to fish selectivity does not depend on my ability to present the perfectly PC fly.

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Thank you for all the comments. I think my saltwater tying experience is to blame for the long tail and legs. Seeing the one flytire posted helps. I used a phesant feather for the legs as I didn't have partridge. I need to pick up a partridge skin I see it used quite frequently.

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You wanted a critique so critique I will.



Based on the average mayfly nymph, legs are too long and tails are too long. Thorax and abdomen are too thick and the relative proportion of thorax to abdomen is off. Part of that is due to the bulky thread behind the bead. If the tie off section were thinner and that extra space devoted to a slimmer and longer abdomen, the fly proportion would be better. I think using a thinner thread and fewer wraps result in a better proportioned fly.



How well this fly works will depend upon where and how the fly is fished. The best fits the clinging mayfly species. The clingers tend to be flatter and wider bodied compared to the crawlers, swimmers and burrowers. Clinging mayflies live in fast waters so that is where you should fish that fly.



maynymph.jpg



nymident.jpg

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the 20 incher is a stonefly imitation. i guess if you stare long enough it could turn into a mayfly :)

 

Aquatic-Golden.jpg

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In hindsite seeing the picture flytire posted I should have used a lighter color thread. I was following a sbs that called for black thread but clearly tan would have been a better choice.

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