buggybob

Try selecting your bronze mallard so that there is a bit of the softer gray fibers showing at the head. The soft fibers hold together far better, compress better, and help give shape to the wing. It's tough to find broze mallard for all sizes from the packs available at fly shops, they tend to be the larger feathers. If you ever have the chance, talk a duck hunter into saving those feathers for you. You will be able to get feathers suitable for tying those size 7 Alec Jackson hooks up to 3/0 dee hooks.

That puppy will fish !

Depending on what you are fishing for I don't think the head is too big. You want the fly to push water and create a commotion. The only thing I would do different is shape the head at a slant since you want the fly to dive on the strip.

You know they say that your memory is the first thing to go, but I can't remember who told me that.

I'm guessing the Black Dog is for the Albany show plate ?

That 3/0 dee hook that Rich wants us to use is a monster to work with. Good dense hackling on that fly.

You will have to cut the foam for the back yourself.

Google "tying morrish mouse" and you'll find the answer.

It's basically a mouse rat with a foam back.

Fabulous example of the pattern, low and sweet.

I've also had great luck on walleyes with Clouser minnows wherever I fish. Chartreuse over white is my personal favorite.

But George Herter said it was chatterer just look at the label.

I guess you shouldn't be buying if you don't know what you're buying.

If you have ever fished for rainbows in a lake, you've got the right flies. They eat the same things. The only thing different is that at this time of year the browns will be thinking of spawning so you will want to look for them at stream mouths, shoals, or other plces where they think they can spawn, and that's where streamers like wooly buggers and bait fish come in

I've used a Sage Graphite 3 8 weight, a sage RP 8 weight and a 10 weight RPLXi for pike. I've caught pike over 48 inches on the 8 weight with no troubles. Catching a 24 inch dink on a 10 weight isn't much fun.

To me it all depends on the size of fly you're throwing and how wind resistant the fly is. After that consider how big the pike may be in your lake. The folks that have muskies hanging out with the pike will always go for the heavier rod.

Nice tying !

That was funny.

I still prefer my bloodworms anorexic though.

Nice looking fly.

I tie size 10 green drake sparkle duns. They float real well even on fast water.

whatever size compares to whatever other brands blah blah blah, Danville 3/0 waxed Monocord is outstanding thread, and I can't understand why they'd discontinue it. That's the thread I grew up on, thirty and more years ago. I admit, I use more 6/0 now, but the 3/0 monocord is the do-everything thread of the fly-tying world... Kind of like a Kawasaki KLR650 and a Ruger Mini-14. It might not be PERFECT for very many applications, but it can sure as hell do the mission.

 

I have several spools of Uni 6/0, and I must disagree that it is equivalent to Danville 3/0... totally different texture, feel, and behavior. Maybe I'm no' looking at the label right.

I wasn't talking about feel, texture or behavior, simply about breaking strength and size. No thread company makes their thread the same way. Danville makes theirs flat, Uni has a partial twist, Gudebroad had a full twist, etc. Check the articles by Chris Helm or Scott Sanchez if you want detail.

Jacquard works well. You do need to dye deer hair at cool temperatures for a fair peice of time. Do it hot and the hide shrinks fast preventing dye penetration to the hair bases.

Ah, comparing apples and oranges again !

Danville 3/0 is the direct equivalent of Uni 6/0, by breaking strength, size, etc.

Danville 8/0 is far smaller than Uni 8/0. with a breaking strength of less than 15 ounces.

If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about fly tying threads, look for one of two articles in the print magazines. The one in FlyFisherman by Chris Helms is the best of the two. Chris may even have copies of the article to give out.

Craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, WalMart.

I've done well with a large white Lefty's Deceiver and Clouser minnows. The clousers and deceivers work well out in the lake and the deceivers really worked well near incoming streams since they love to eat ciscoes that are white/silvery coming downstream. After spring thaw you will have to use the fast sinking fly lines to get to the right depth. During the thaw is the easiest time since the fish and their forage will be nearer the surface.

Try Fly tying Materials by Eric Leiser. Library might have it or google it you never know. He has pictures of the more common feathers but showing us pictures of what you've got will probably get you the fastest answers.

It's been almost 50 years since I started tying flies. Like several have said, no Youtube, videos, etc. All that was available to me was a Rube Cross book from the local library and the instructions in the "wonderful" tying kit of my dad's. Figured out most of it over time by myself and after having the opportunity to start watching other tyiers after about 20 years of tying started to put the subtle tricks into the operation. I've spent my time in southwest Montana as well and sad to say that all the houses that have been built along the rivers and agressive fishermen have reduced my pleasure to fish there.

Futzer is right. It's hard to tell where the capes came from just by looking at the feathers. The cut of the skin or size of the cape can tell you quite a bit. Many of the capes you got from the retired tiers may have preceded even the introduction of Metz, so they could be best labeled "India necks"which were almos tthe only thing around fro many years. Don't toss those because they are the best source of dry fly tail material you can find today. The stiffer stems on the feathers from those capes make the best quill body dry flies, and the tips of the feathers can make great dry fly wings, like the Adams.

In short they are all usable.

A size 18 to 24 comparadun with a black thread body or very thinly dubbed body works quite well. I've even gotten away with a sparkle dun but they quickly pass through that stage.

I think Futzer has a good point, standard tying methods really don't need to be put out there, but if the pattern uses a different way of dubbing, weaving, winging, what have you, etc., put that in. If you need help with standard techniques there are a lot of books out there that are willing to teach you. I agree, a list of materials is an absoute minimum. I'm guilty of not posting because of no camera and time.

How about a figure eight knot to tie the fly on. Used one for years pike fishing with wire leaders. The other potential could be the Homer Rhodes knot, essentially two overhand knots over the standing line. The only other thought I had was the pre-tied leaders that has already been mentioned.

The 34011 is about a 4x long hook shank. Is there a reason you need the long shank ? The bendbacks I've seen and tied are tied on shorter shank hooks like the 34007 or 3407 with a wider hook gap. Those have worked well for me on pike, walleyes, bass and saltwater. It could be the fish are hitting the head of the fly and missing the hook point.