My First Fly (a March Browm Dry) Submitted for Critique

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

This is my first fly that I am submitting for critique. I've been tying for some time but have not submitted until now. I'm trying to have a reasonable March Brown dry fly be my goal.

 

This is tied with moose mane tail, foam body (segmented with 14/0 veevus), angora thorax, Mallard post, brown and grizzly hackle. 6/0 thread was used to attach and finish tying the fly. Gamakatsu hook, C13U, size 12. Marker coloring.

 

Picture: Nikon Coolpix camera on 'close-up' setting, extra light introduced from the left, on mini-tripod and timer set to 10 seconds(to give me enough time to hit the shutter and remove hands from the table). (hope it isn't too high a resolution or result in too large a posted pic - apologies in advance if it is.. too large a size image)

 

Thanks in advance for some comments.

BCT

 

(sighs....BrowN - in title line -not M apologies)

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

You keep tying like that and you can spell Browm any way you want.

If someone wanted to be picky they might suggest you bring the parachute hackle closer to the body and eliminate what appears to be a slight gap. Fine fly in my opinion.

[Piker20 0]

I'm trying to have a reasonable March Brown dry fly be my goal.

 

Well I think you have a version of that. I have found some fish slash at the extended foam flies and dont take them under cleanly, so a smaller hackle may help it sit lower and result in better hook ups. The only other thing I would do is tie the thorax a little fuller so there is less step between the foam and the dubbing.

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

Piker, Rotary,

 

Thanks you for the comments and compliments. This is the first time that I've tried to tie-off onto the post. I used to tie-off at the (and form the ) head. This got messy and I always seemed to have thread from the post (wound up to) to the head area. Wasn't the most pleasant looking tie although the fish didn't seem to care. Still, I thought I'd try whip finishing onto the post and this fly was tied in that fashion.

 

Fuller thorax - couldn't agree more with you on this point. I had used SLF I think on the first 4 or 5. This one was the last tie and I used angora to try to 'beef' that area up. Still needs work perhaps. Might improve with more flies tied. May try the smaller hackle too.

 

Thanks guys.

BCT

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

I saw the gap and went with wrapping the hackle lower but I think Piker nailed it. Building the thorax up would close the gap. If you’re having trouble with the knot on the post you could try the Super Glue Gel at the base of the post trick.

 

If you use or don’t mind using Super Glue try this – do everything to finish the fly except wrapping the hackle. I mean everything – dub the head – do a whip finish and cut the thread.

 

Then put a bit of Super Glue Gel at the base of the post and wrap the hackle down into the Super Glue Gel. Hold it for a bit and cut the tip off. Done.

 

You can use regular Super Glue but you have to be real careful it doesn’t just wick into your dubbing.

[oldtrout58 0]

Too many body segments, stop around nine. lol!

 

Excellent job!

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

As the above comments. Try using a thin thread for the thorax/wing section, easier to get good looking fly.

 

For the hackle, use one slightly larger than if it was a collar hackle. This is a size 12 hook, use a size 10 hackle, and reduce number of turns to one third of what you use here. Maybe two turns of each colour. Only the lower couple of turns are used for flotation.

Finnish a nice thorax before starting the hackle.

Finally, the March Brown has only two tails ;-)

 

Keep up the good work, in general a nice tied fly.

 

Henrik

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

I like the idea of the super glue trick Rotary - will have to try that at least.

 

Oldtrout - only 9 segments!? lol Dang I meant to put on 11! At least that's how many I've seen in pictures of March Browns. Luckily trout don't count, although I've never asked one!

 

Henrik: I used size 10 hackle on this tie. I can understand why you may have thought I had used size 12 as that is the size of the hook as I stated in the original post. Also for a size 12 hook, this Gamakatsu looks more like a size 10 to me when I compare it to a size 10 Tiemco. So I think the Gama hook size runs a little large for this style hook.

 

Also a few friends of mine have mentioned, and I agree with them, I need to place the post 'aft' - more rearward I believe. I am thinking that if I place the post just about mid-shank on this style hook, and beef up the thorax, I may have the right proportions.

 

Thanks' again for all the comments.

BCT

[COMike 0]

First Fly!!!! AMAZING WORK!

 

I am new to tying couple of weeks yet and have not attempted any dry flies yet. I really like it!!!! Be sure to save it for your hat or shadow box!

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

Please, do not misunderstand. This is NOT my first fly I've ever tied. This is the first fly I've submitted to this forum for critique. Big difference.

 

I actually tried tying foam segmented extended bodies a year or so ago when I saw Ron Dilbone (Archbald, OH) tie one at the Macomb County Fly Show in Michigan. My first attempt - I still have and will not revel (or show a picture of) this to just anyone - Ha! But I saw improvement with the several that I tied after that. Well, things get busy and I didn't try this particular tie for, like I stated, a couple of years - but wanted to revisit this technique again, now apparently.

 

Cutting tapered foam strips helped. Just 'getting the knack' of it is another thing that helped and only comes with repeated tying attempts.

 

BCT