cencalfly

We got to do this regardless if it makes the minimum number of tyers. It's already looking to be a "go to" batch of flies.

/\ /\ What he said. Them wally/wonder wings awesome. The rest of the fly is real good also.

I'm in. Mothers Day Caddis

Those soft-hackles are looking tasty. Nicely done.

Things foul hooked are released. Wish we could get the salmon snaggers to do the same. As for the insect flying fortress: It was shaken off as it was flying around freaking my wife out. Wish we could of got a pic with it.

Thanks niveker.

I've caught a bat or two but the weirdest critter I saw caught was by my wife. She had a dragonfly grab her fly mid-cast and try and take off. Foul hooked the poor bug.

Lemire’s Fall Caddis Hook: #4 Mustad Salmon Thread: 6/0 Uni Black Tag/Rib: Small Copper Wire Body: Burnt Orange SLF Underwing: Black Bear (guard hairs) Wing: Hen Saddle (tented) Collar/Head: Natural Elk Hair (placed in thread dubbing loop, spin then wrap pulling hair fibers back. Trim to shape) I sub’d natural elk hair for the moose and back bear for the squirrel tail. Pattern from an SBS by @SBPatt found here on the FTF: https://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?/topic/82272-lemires-fall-caddis-sbs/

4x4 Pickup, 4x4 SUV, and AWD sedan. I used to drive in the snow often and didn't want to get stuck. Also hate putting on chains.

That's really nice. I see no rust. If that's what rust looks like I could use some.

Doc Spratley (black) Doc Spratley (black) Hook: #8 Tiemco 5263 Thread: Black 3/0 Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers Body: Thin, black yarn Rib: Fine oval silver tinsel Hackle: Soft grizzly hackle, full collar Wing: Pheasant Tail Fibers (brownish red) Head: Peacock Herl Next Fly: Dark Spruce Matuka

Nice Fall Favorite! I'll take the Doc Spratley

I’m sitting here tying a fly and a thought of this topic went through my noggin. What would I see as the thing most needed? It hit me; I just adjusted my light to see what I’m doing. I wrapped some wire, paused, and realized that I have my magnifying specs (ala @DFoster) on and at the same time a hand-held magnifying glass. Go figure. My next step might be an electron microscope. I blame high-res photos.

Wow!. Now I'm not a Gaudy Fly person but it looks good to me. What I do see is the floss and ribbing. The floss is smooth and the ribbing is evenly spaced and fluid. That escapes so many tiers of great ability. The throat seems a little short to me but i'm into those long flowing hackles and such.

Next fly: Dry Fly I don't know if this will work for the challenge but tie the best version of YOUR Fall Dry Fly for trout. Be it for Rainbows, Browns, or Brookies. Tie YOUR go-to dry fly. It does not need to be an original recipe per se, nor a known recipe, but can be. Strict adherance to such is not needed. Tie what you use. I have mine. What's yours? We all have our go-to fly. The one that when you get to the water and step in it's what's on the end of your tippet. And, you know if you do your part your going to get a rise. Envision you're at your water on a sweet fall day where the water temp, outside temp, the skies, and all good things are there to greet you. When you read this and it hits you what dry are you tying and fishing? Kind of like: I'll show you mine if you show me yours . If you take the challenge please tell us why it's the one. If all else fails a Dave's Hopper.

Dorato Hare’s Ear: Hook: Daiichi 1180 (#12 – 16 or 18) Thread: 8/0 Uni-Thread (I used a dark olive) Tail: Mixed grizzly and brown, very short (I used a coachman brown for the tail and hackle) Wings: Wood Duck Flank Body: Hare’s ear dubbing (I used natural, YMMV) Hackle: Medium Brown and dark Grizzly (again, I used Coachman brown) (may be clipped) Head: Thread (brown but you choose) This fly was fun to research and tie! There are a so many discussions and subtle variations of this fly out there. As all good flies have. I’m posting my attempt at the fly. Two versions: clipped hackle and not clipped. I’m also posting a screen shot from a video of the fly tied by Dick Talleur himself. Talleur clipped the hackle. The history discussion goes back and forth about that. @niveker posted a great example in the August Flies from the Vise thread, page 6. (following link hopefully works) https://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?/topic/118135-august-flies-from-the-vise/page/6/&tab=comments#comment-929722 . Comments from the cheap seats: This fly challenged my ideas of proportions. It’s not a straight-up mayfly or caddis fly imitation. And from my reading that’s what it’s meant to be. Still, it’s as “buggy” as all get out. I think it will be great in pocket water. Where you have them opportunistic feeders that hit flies that in-gracefully float by. However, I think it would work well where the riffle hits or exits a pool (IMHO). It’s a bug that will float in the film (use some floatant). My go-to for these situations has been a cripple but this is going to get some water time. Thanks gadabout for throwing this out there.

It had 8 pages of comments! Good stuff but anyway I tied your challenge fly. Next post.

That's quite the read. Looks like that discussion spanned from 2010 to 2023. Lots of good history. Saw that @gadabout had commented in that tread.

Head is a little crowded but it will fish. Finding good Bronze Mallard can be a challenge. I've started buying it in big batches then sperating it into usable pairs. I've recently learned that unmatched BM feathers can still be used for Spey flies wings. So there's hope for those left out of the match-making. John Shewey references Ryan Houston as a master tyer of Spey flies in his latest book: "Spey Flies, Their History and Construction. In the videos below, Houston deconstructs a vintage Speyside fly. In the second video he ties a replica using the methods discovered when taking apart the old fly. Single-side BM feather were used. No matched left and right feathers. You'll see in the vids that matching pairs were not needed for this method. Shewey also gives a SBS in the aforementioned book. I do recommend the book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZf6NzCSjPc https://youtu.be/KPBjB0Zvvpo?si=fupnvFtHHSIafPy4

Just downloaded a video of Dick Talleur tying the DHE. That should help me get it right.

I'll do a Catskill dry version.

There is no insult percieved or otherwise. You are such an experienced and good angler. Your observations and comments makes us all the better. IMO this forum along with many others have an east of the rockies flavor. I really like all that I've seen and learned from the FTF. However, it's discouraging to particiapate at times. Mel as well as the others that are part of the GGACC and west coast angling are, well special. GGACC not as old as some but downright special (https://www.ggacc.org/About-Us and https://www.ggacc.org/history). Fly casting and equipment experienced a remarkable jump in the west. Especially at the GGACC. Please look at the history. Not downplaying any progress or development anywhere. This to me shows that we, as a group/sect of fishing sometimes don't see all that is going on. This art and style spans so many years, nationalities, regions and sub-regions.

Watching Charlie Craven tie the Dorato. That is one buggy/bushy fly. It looks perfect for pocket water. Ideal for some of the places I used to go and wish to go again. Non-technical water on bigger streams/rivers. Chomp. I don't think there will be any sips here. It's nice when you can see and are drawn to a pattern that "fits the bill" for personal use.

I'll take the Dorato Hare’s Ear. I need to tie a few dries

The Sally came out also. It's amazing the number of variations of a pattern there is out there. Being a westerner with a limited scope I never really saw the Yellow Sally as a winged wet fly. Nicely done.