Black King Variation

[Bruce Derington 0]

Here is a Black King Variation, what do ya think, any help on setting Bronze would be helpful, Couldn't get it done so I substituted Kori

[GR8LAKES FLYER 0]

Well done Bruce , I like your variation alot !!

 

Bronze mallard is a tough one to master ..... getting the right thread placement on the fibers before tightening down just takes practice . After a couple dozen flies it will come my friend .... keep at it ..... I enjoy seeing your creations and progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[halcyon 0]

Bruce,

While the wing on this Spey fly is pretty darn good it does have a crease along the center longitudinal axis. This is caused by the fact that you tied the wing in on the top of the hook instead of tying each wing slip arount a top quadrant of the hook shank. That is the wings as a pair should cover the top half of the hook shank not sit on the top of the hook shank. If you were trying to mound bronze mallard the same way I can understand why you were having difficulties. The second page of the tutorial mentioned above shows the difference between the proper mounting postion of the wing slips and the the mounting position you used here, which is more on the order of a classic married wing mounting style.

[Jens Lund Adamsen 0]

Here is a Black King Variation, what do ya think, any help on setting Bronze would be helpful, Couldn't get it done so I substituted Kori

 

Hi Bruce

I think you are on the right track.

Spey flies are beautifull flies to tie and a challange as well. Unfortunately some scottich guys 180 years ago came up with the idea to use bronze mallard on these Shrimp/prawn imitation, because that is what it was ment to be, and the mallard feathers should imitate the back or carapace of the shrimp.

My advice is to keep on trying and as Mike put it. It takes a few to get it right. Frank Swarners step by step is good. Other references could be John Sheweys book "Spey flies and Dee flies" or "Spey Flies" by Bob Veverka.

My hint is to only use the best part of the feathers (there is less than 1½ - 2 inches on each feather useable) and make sure that there are no destroyed fibers and that the fibers are married well before starting to tie them in.

Take a look on the feather on the picture.

Second picture is my attempt on the Balck King

regards

Jens

 

[buggybob 0]

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.

[Bruce Derington 0]

Here is a Black King Variation, what do ya think, any help on setting Bronze would be helpful, Couldn't get it done so I substituted Kori

 

Hi Bruce

I think you are on the right track.

Spey flies are beautifull flies to tie and a challange as well. Unfortunately some scottich guys 180 years ago came up with the idea to use bronze mallard on these Shrimp/prawn imitation, because that is what it was ment to be, and the mallard feathers should imitate the back or carapace of the shrimp.

My advice is to keep on trying and as Mike put it. It takes a few to get it right. Frank Swarners step by step is good. Other references could be John Sheweys book "Spey flies and Dee flies" or "Spey Flies" by Bob Veverka.

My hint is to only use the best part of the feathers (there is less than 1½ - 2 inches on each feather useable) and make sure that there are no destroyed fibers and that the fibers are married well before starting to tie them in.

Take a look on the feather on the picture.

Second picture is my attempt on the Balck King

regards

Jens

 

 

So when you tie your mallard in what side feather are you using for the near wing? I read both shewy and ververkas books and its pretty much a persons choice. I know that when tying Classics we use the left side of feather for the near wing. Shewy says it doesn't matter, I guess it seems easier to mount mallard by using left side of mallard for the far wing, thus giving it a "drooping" low kind of look. Its difficult to see how yours are mounted and do you reverse your thread for far wing? I have tied many, many Classics and I'll tell ya. mounting these are a little tough, Bottom line, I think I need to simply sit down, follow the basic rules and work through it to find what method to use, pretty much like anything else, practice, practice, practice. It appears that Swarner ties his in the classic way, right side of mallard goes on far side

 

Thanks , Bruce

 

Bruce

[buggybob 0]

First I had to think of the feather orientation on the bird. I'm so used to grabbing the feather without thinking. I use a feather from the left side for the far wing. Pretty much it gives you a wing that comes to a point in the back, kind of looks like the bottom of a boat with the bow at the back of the fly.

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

Bruce,

Looks great......awesome body work. Try doing half as many ribs for a sparser look.

 

Check out shewey's book.....I forget the page #.....there is a small color drawing/painting of a few wing materials. There is a big hint in that little drawing/painting. Noticed how it says "prepared" and take notice of the barring....more importantly their alignment....and compare that to a real feather.

 

Pryce Tannat does it a little different and the points meet on the bottom and not on the top.

 

You have to try each method and find what suits you when it comes to spey and dee flies.