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Patriot

How to make realistic legs for very small flies

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I've spent about two days trying to make somewhat realistic midge legs and have nothing to show for my efforts. Here is a photo of what I am trying to accomplish.

 

It appears to me that these legs are made of deer or elk hair, but I could be wrong. It looks to me that the legs were stuck into the fly body after the fly was completed, but that's a stretch, I know.

 

Whoever tied this did an awesome job. A little voice keeps telling me that the fish could care less, but regardless, I would still like to know how this is done.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

post-61757-0-90710800-1506547499_thumb.jpg

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I like this pattern! Looks to me like moose or deer (or possibly peccary or muskrat guard hair or ... Depends on the size of the fly) I am pretty sure he/she tyed the legs in as he/she was tying the fly: two at the end of the abdomen, two before the wings and two after the wings. I would guess the legs were bent prior to tying in, but they could also have been bent after the fly was finished. I think I will tye me a few.

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I do not really know, but... maybe mayfly tails? Or synthetic bucktail, if they need to be bigger? Seem to be heated at the bends

I normally see legs made with multiple pheasant tail fibers.

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Looks like it might be a Ruben Martin fly, though I couldn't find it on a quick search. He does a lot of ultra realistic flies and creases legs on quite a few.

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Here's my latest attempt to make these legs. It also has a name - Grandaddy Midge ! I'm gonna have to lay off the wacky-tabacky, I know.

 

The legs are much too long and I could not get them to stay bent. They probably need either glue or heat to retain their bent shape. They seem to be very fragile, so I was not too forceful in my bending effort.

 

A little voice is telling me (once again) that on the first cast all the legs will be gone anyway, so what's the point? Right.

 

Hook is a TMC206BL #20

post-61757-0-22399100-1506551984_thumb.jpg

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google found this (not a roy christie fly) (its a herman shreiner fly)

 

i9U4l53.jpg

 

 

 

Do you think thats glue or thread attaching the deer hair(?) to the hook in the first photo?

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Knotted fly tying thread is the thinnest material you can find. Or 1 or 2# mono. Color the mono with a marker, and coat both with flexible cement. Very long mallard breast barbs would also work, coat with flexible cement, they can be colored, and knotted as well.

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Knotted fly tying thread is the thinnest material you can find. Or 1 or 2# mono. Color the mono with a marker, and coat both with flexible cement. Very long mallard breast barbs would also work, coat with flexible cement, they can be colored, and knotted as well.

 

Great suggestion! I will try that tomorrow. I have seen a video of someone tieing knots in some sort of leg material with a crochet needle.

 

Thanks again.

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"Do you think thats glue or thread attaching the deer hair(?) to the hook in the first photo?"

 

there is thread hanging down from the hook so yes i think thread is used to tie on the legs. a little drop of glue doesnt hurt :)

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I'd try some kind of synthetic like microfibette fibers, natural fibers would be awfully breakable.

 

The real question I have is how are those little fibers going to support that fly? They look like they're just going to penetrate right through the surface film and that fly is going to sink, or maybe sink up to the wings anyway. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, a bug partially trapped in the surface film is an easy meal for a trout.

 

I guess I'm showing my bias here, I'm not a fan of realistic flies. They look good in the vice, but often don't look as real to the fish who view them from below and through the surface film. Of course I haven't spent time on the SJ where the trout probably count the legs on dries and check to make sure nymphs have gills before they eat.

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This is not an answer to your question, but if you are looking for alternatives I'd try adding a small post and some oversized parachute hackle. It would resemble legs and help support the fly.

 

Joe

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This is not an answer to your question, but if you are looking for alternatives I'd try adding a small post and some oversized parachute hackle. It would resemble legs and help support the fly.

 

Joe

 

Funny you should bring that up because I was just trying to locate a video of a tier who uses monofilament as a post. There is more to it than that, but when I find the video I will post a link in this forum and everyone can learn from his very creative para-post alternative.

 

Thanks for your suggestion.

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