Waterwisp Flies

[madkasel 0]

My interest in the pattern stems from the observation that a hook-point protruding through the surface film is in plain view of these fish that are supposed to be the piscine equivalent of Einstein, so why on Earth would you tie a fly that way?

 

Trout are actually very stupid, as fish go. IQ of 6 or 7. Carp, on the other hand have an IQ of about double that.

 

That said, I do see the point* with these flies but I wonder if they really lead to more strikes.

 

 

 

*almost a joke, given the topic

[MfishP 0]

I'm looking through old fishing magazine issues and have seen some of their patterns in Fly Fish America magazine in a section called Fly Tying Clinic.I'm sitting here looking at a Olive Adams Waterwisp pattern.

[sulfernut 0]

My interest in the pattern stems from the observation that a hook-point protruding through the surface film is in plain view of these fish that are supposed to be the piscine equivalent of Einstein, so why on Earth would you tie a fly that way? These were my thoughts when I coincidentally picked up a copy of the book The Art of the Trout Fly at an antique store in Maine, and lo and behold there's Neil Patterson's funneldun pattern right there, hook-point towards the sky. The Benchside Reference discusses the tying technique used, though it's pretty abrupt. I'd love to see someone do a step-by-step on the forum.

 

 

 

Kingfisher....After recieving what I considered to be a sound nose-thumbing from my local trout last year,to all of my "tried and true" Copraraduns,Thorax Duns,Parachutes,etc,I decided to revamp my dry fly approach for 2008!! So....I am currently working on a collection of both Waterwisps and Funnelduns geared to my local hatches!! I don't know about a step-by-step ( my photography skills,and equipment are very limited) but I will keep you posted on how the flies fare on the water. Won't really get a good field test for a month or two here in eastern Pa.

 

Sulfernut

 

 

[sulfernut 0]

It just swept over me,that this thread was started FOUR YEARS AGO!!!!!

[Guest]

My interest in the pattern stems from the observation that a hook-point protruding through the surface film is in plain view of these fish that are supposed to be the piscine equivalent of Einstein, so why on Earth would you tie a fly that way? These were my thoughts when I coincidentally picked up a copy of the book The Art of the Trout Fly at an antique store in Maine, and lo and behold there's Neil Patterson's funneldun pattern right there, hook-point towards the sky. The Benchside Reference discusses the tying technique used, though it's pretty abrupt. I'd love to see someone do a step-by-step on the forum.

 

 

 

Kingfisher....After recieving what I considered to be a sound nose-thumbing from my local trout last year,to all of my "tried and true" Copraraduns,Thorax Duns,Parachutes,etc,I decided to revamp my dry fly approach for 2008!! So....I am currently working on a collection of both Waterwisps and Funnelduns geared to my local hatches!! I don't know about a step-by-step ( my photography skills,and equipment are very limited) but I will keep you posted on how the flies fare on the water. Won't really get a good field test for a month or two here in eastern Pa.

 

Sulfernut

 

 

Sulfernut, you really should try some of these and compare results.

 

http://www.smallstreams.com/phpBB3/viewtop...f=20&t=2237

 

Let us know how you get on,

happy tying,

Roy

[sulfernut 0]

RoyC!! Are you the "Roy" in "Roy's Reverse Para"??? Some fly!! I thought Waterwisps were fiddly!!

 

Whilst looking at the step by step that the link took me to,it occured to me that I'd seen this done before,most likely in a magazine article (which I will be searching my archives for for the next few days!)

 

I can't recall the author,or what it was called,but it started to look familiar once there was a picture of the hackle being wound about the mono! BTW, if you've never tried tying a funneldun,I can attest to the fact that they are quite simple to master. I will study the reverse para,but make no promises on getting around to trying it!! ( although it's probably alot easier to show how to tie this in person,than with a series of photo's)

 

It may well depend on hoe the fish treat my Funnelduns and Waterwisps this year!!!

 

Go Fishing!! Sulfernut!

 

 

[Steeldrifter 0]

It just swept over me,that this thread was started FOUR YEARS AGO!!!!!

 

 

I was wondering when someone was gonna catch onto that, but I wanted to wait and see how far it went before someone did

[Alf Aeshnidae 0]

quote name='WYKnot' date='Oct 12 2004, 11:08 AM' post='47516']

Can anyone direct me to a link or article showing how to tie the Waterwisp flies (inverted and backwards). I have heard that the patterns are protected under a copywrite and cannot be reproduced, is this true? That seems illogical given the fact that you can buy the hooks; I assume it is a restriction on commerical production. Any thoughts?

From the early 70's for over 30 years, I was on contract out in South Africa and came across a crazy bunch of fly tyers in Durban. The 'brains' was a guy who went under the name of 'Prof' (I've forgotten his real name), and the whole bunch met in Rob Brett's premises Cut Papers, near Point Road, lead by the late great Jack Blackman. The Prof came up with the strangest fly creations - some were real weardo's, most were unusual patterns, unusual materials, unusual ways of tying flies. One of the variations we played with was based on Neil Patterson's Funneldun, but turned around or 'reversed' and tied back to front so that the hackle was wound around the bend to support the heaviest end of the hook and the setae - tails were out over the hook eye.

We tied all sorts of Duns, Olives, Mayflies, some winged some just hackled based on the 'reversed usd funneldun' method as we called it (quite a mouthfull!) - I suppose we could have called it the RUF Dun but we never thought of it - just tied 'em! Most used some kind of feather fibre/barbules/herl wound as a body, and stiff hackle barbules for the tail/setae - when they came on the market we used 'Fibbetts'. The only problem was rotating the hook eye 90 degrees so that it was in the same plane as the bend, otherwise the tail splayed out too much and the eye looked odd on the water. We wanted the tippet when tied to the eye to look like a third setae. Many hooks broke, until we heated the eye with a match or cigarette lighter as it was rotated, with pliers. The eye was varnished afterwards to stop any rust.

Being very light (no dubbed bodies) they floated like corks, even if they landed hard on the water. A really good fly for difficult fish especially in hard to see seams and lies and on really wary fish.

I was a bit indignant but had to laugh when I heard that some 'Johnny-cum-lately' had the audacity to patent an idea which developed from the Natal Flydressers - Durban Chapter and which we all knew was a development from Neil Patterson! Neil,we take our hat off to you!!.

 

To cut a long story short and after much trial and error our method eventually became:

1. Prep/rotate the hook eye (#14-#16-#18) light wire straight eye (if you can find 'em!) Used to use Partridge blued 2x fine light wire but have to do with Kamasan midge now.

2. Hold hook in vise upside down and about midway round the bend to top of the bend. Note hook hangs lower than vise.(Use a 'midge hook attachment if you have one).

3. Wind thread from eye to ±1/3 round bend.

4. Tie in wing (natural or white CDC now-a-days) - shank length, standing up and covering the barb/point. (wing is soft so doesn't prevent hookups).

5.Tie hackle stem as close to root of wing as possible or the "1/3rd way round bend" point and wind 2 to 3 turns-hackle collar, barbs splay out forward beyond hook bend (like front legs of the natural).

6. Tie in feather fibre/barbule/herl for body tight up against where hackle collar stops and let hang for a while.

7. Wind thread forward towards eye

8. Tie in tail material of choice - Fibbetts - Cock De Leon - cock hackle fibres etc, ensure 1or 2 barbule/fibbetts etc is either side of hook eye.

9. Wipe shank with varnish for body strength if you like, then wind body towards tail and tie off with whip finish just short of the eye. There is no rib.

10.Hold tail/setae away from eye and wind small ball of thread to splay out tail like small stabilisers (3lb Tippet acts as central 3rd setae).

11.Return thread to body tie-off point and wind final whip finish.

In photo 'ruf dun 001' the hook eye rotated to the same plane as the bend can be clearly seen, the hackle position is 1/3rd round the bend and roughly 45 degrees to the shank.

Photo 'ruf dun 002' shows the fly from the top.

Note: This fly has caught several fish, that's why the gape is slightly open.

This fly and the method of tying as above belongs to ALL fly tyers - it ain't gonna be patented, so tie up a whole bunch and have fun!

Tight Lines and Good Tying....Alf Aeshnidae.

[Guest]

Hi, Alf,

I am intrigued that your friends had this going in the 70's. I was working on this design at the same time. see pic..

 

I rejected the dry fly as it could not hook fish. As a surface emerger with short tails, it works; well 3/4 of the time.

http://www.danica.com/flytier/rchristie/avon_special.htm

as seen on Hans Weilenmann's site - http://www.danica.com/flytier .

 

Alf, do you have any old catalogs to show your fly prior to this publication of my design in February 1985? ?? ??? ????

 

Mine got a name - the Avon Special emerger - many years later due to its efficiency on one of the English chalk streams

 

 

All the best

Roy Christie

[the saltydog 0]

I just bought some of the waterwisp hooks last weekend at the NJ show, I have fished with them in the past and they do hook poorly.... but I like tying and was looking for something different.

 

Sulfernut I would be interested in what you are doing as I'm looking to catch my first fish on the over-fished little lehigh ;-)

[bmw1040 0]

I've been tying my own since the early 80's...Hmmm... I wonder where/who he got the 'Waterwisp' idea from!

I use straight eye 2x fine wire dry fly hooks, Tiemco or other and twist the eye into the plane of the bend.

drop me an email to [email protected] and I'll send photos and instructions.

"there's nothing new under heaven or earth"!!

<img src="http://www.flytyingforum.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

 

I finial found you. I have use the the water wipe fly and it fooled a lot of trout. Can you send the operation on making my own Thanks Ken [email protected]