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Deer Hair "Green Weenie"

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The Green Weenie, tied with green chenille and fished as a nymph is a great staple here in the Smokies. I saw a dry version in a fly tying book that was tied with nothing but green spun and trimmed deer hair.So, I tied one. It was fairly easy to tie and looked great. The problem was that I thought the green deer hair I had was too "green," more like a Kelly green instead of a bright yellow green. So, I high tailed it down to the Little River Fly Shop and bought several different shades of green deer hair. I think it would be just the ticket when the little green worms are falling from the trees and floating along the river. Some weight could be added and it could be fished as a nymph I suppose, but I think it would work great fished on the surface. It makes me wonder if I am on to something or it has been tried in the past and doesn't really catch fish. Anyone have anyone have any experience with such a fly?

Joe

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I tie a lot in deer. I don't buy pre dyed but dye as needed. I was fishing today at 5 am no sun 20 degrees before wind. Going again in am at 5 but will say there is no 1 best fly. It's the fish that wants what you present.

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I've used the wet versions of the Green Weenie, and have even used them in some other colors like pinks & tan/brown shades. Never tried a dry fly version, but have tied small deer hair flies. The Goddard Caddis is a good one, and it can be tied in various colors. I've tied a worm pattern too for a long time, and chartreuse shades of green seem to work best, but so can black & natural deer hair. It's a very simple fly, a base of tying thread & several deer hair fibers laid along the hook shank, tied at one end & ribbed with the tying thread, , tied off, then the excess clipped. Makes a great inch worm or caterpillar on a long shank hook. I usually tie them in size 12 & 14. Also tie a beetle that's spun & clipped deer hair, same sizes 12 & 14, and sometimes 10. I tie it in black, but also natural deer hair & green, and have done them in brown. Looks like a scrub brush & a couple of brothers that used to buy some from me called them "Scrub Brush Beetles".

 

Like Tom, I dye much of my own materials too, but will buy ready dyed depending on what it is.

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More power to ya'll that can tie deer hair that small. I've been making a small mop fly version of the green weenie which worked pretty well over the summer. For the green inch worm I've used small foam cylinders and going to work on a floating version of the small mop fly for this coming year.

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That's a nice tie, Roco. What's the body material? It's a bit darker than I would tie, but most of the ones I've stumbled across here in the NE/Mid-Atlantic are a bright fluorescent green, which is probably why the chenille green weenie is so effective around here.

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Rocco, the beetles I mentioned are close, just shaped differently & of course made to float. I trim them flat on the bottom. Tying with deer hair that small is not difficult, just sometimes tedious. You can use most any type of hair too, even regular deer body hair since they're so small. I've tied some with hair from the base of bucktails just to have a better color. smile.png

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attachicon.gif019.JPG This one is tied over thin lead wire wraps and it has worked just fine for decades.

 

 

Rocco

Rocco, those are great and look just about like what I have been tying except I didn't tie them with a black head. I assume that the ones tied w/ lead wire wraps are intended to be fished under the surface like a nymph. I also want to try them on the surface as a dry fly w/ no lead wire on the hook. If they don't work, I'll add a little lead and sink those babies.

Joe

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attachicon.gif019.JPG This one is tied over thin lead wire wraps and it has worked just fine for decades.

 

 

Rocco

 

 

Very nice! ...but those aren't green weenies. They are caddis larva, or "rock worms".

 

I'm sure one could make spun deer hair look like spiky chenille, but why would you bother? That's a lot more work for no real benefit. Ultra Chenille is cheap and easy to work with, and, if you want it to float, just work in a bit of floatant.

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phg, I agree with you, but for me the same thought process applies to trying to make chenille float. Why would you when there's better materials that do? Foams would be a better choice for a floating fly and could be made to look enough like a chenille green weenie.

 

I've tied some of those green rock worm patterns on the English bait hooks, and with chartreuse green rabbit dubbing that worked quite well, but of course weren't meant to float!

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Bear with me....2 ways to do foam but not exactly on a greenweenie but same principle

1. Cut foam discs using cutter(223 cartridge) and glue

IMG_2224.png

2. Use 2 strips and tie/ glue in sections moving forward. Legs /feelers could be put in. imagine this hopper w/o anything buf a caterpillar type body (sorry no worm for example)

IMG_2225.png

 

3. Do a foam extended body by first starting on a needle or bodkin then transferring a few segments to hook and complete.

IMG_2222.png

 

IMG_2223.png

Again ignore the exra stuff on these stones to show caterpillar construction, sorry. The thread is ducked under , ahead and couple wraps of thread on hook then next segment laid down thus no crossover of thread between segments...pull off the needle make next segment thru hook and move up the shank leaving the extended body....I use lil Krazeglue along to fasten and keep locked strait..Do it in cat. green and add feelers, biots, material side strips... whatever to jazz it like you want! Float forever!

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