My Very First Flies.

[Sheawhitewolf 0]

This afternoon I braved the incoming snow storm and headed up to Maine with my roomie to hit the Kittery Trading Post and get the materials I would need to tie a

 

Brassie. I took the advice of a couple members and found a simple fly to begin with. When I got home I organized all the goodies I got and get set up to tie my very first

 

fly. Needless to say I was very excited. After some trial and error I got the first one done, grabbed my camera and took a picture. Ok it wasn't perfect but not bad for a

 

first try. So I grabbed another hook and tried again. The second one came out better, still need to work on the dubbing part, but as they say practice makes perfect.

 

Here are the two flies I tied tonight. Let me known what you think.

 

 

 

 

 

Shea

[carpflyguy 0]

Yup, looks like you had a bit of trouble keeping the wire coiled smoothly on the first one, but you nailed it on the second one! Looks great; will definitely catch fish! Nice job!

[Sheawhitewolf 0]

Thanks Carp. I am going to try making some with different colored bodies, Any suggestions of Dubbing color for different body color?

[carpflyguy 0]

Hmm... depends on the body color. But really most combinations will be fine. Get creative with it!

[Gene L 0]

You might try it with a thorax of peacock herl. It's easy and quick and very attractive to fish. It doesn't take much herl to make a great fly.

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

Might try peacock herl for the thorax if you have any. Like you said practice - repetition will get you to where you want to be I think. But don't get hung up on just tying a specific so much as making sure you have the techniques that you use to advance your tying. In other words, working with thread tension, in the bobbin or as you turn it onto a hook, the half hitch and whip finishing knots, the 'pinch' (application method for applying materials to a hook), etc... - I've been reminded recently that developing these sorts of skills will translate over many, many flies and not just a solitary fly. Then you can take those well learned techniques to any fly you will tie. (for instance if you get that wire body 'down pat', you'll take that skill forward)

 

Good tying!

 

BCT

 

p.s. whoops... someone else had similar idea - apologies for the repetitive nature of the post

[wschmitt3 0]

That's a good start, keep at it and you'll get there.

 

If I might offer a suggestion, try tying the wire onto a bare hook shank and super glue it in place at the bend of the hook. It makes for a smoother more slender body. You can do it two ways, you can start wrapping from the bend up to the eye then secure it or secure it by the eye then wrap down the shank to the bend.

 

check out these two step by steps

 

http://copperfly.net/brassie.php

 

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2014/01/build-better-brassie.html

[add147 0]

The second one is indeed a great improvement. I have not tied any of the copper coil type flies yet. It looks like you are the right path! Keep up the good work...

[crazy4oldcars 0]

These are very good for first tries. I would fish these with confidence that I would catch a fish.

 

Just a mild critique. Actually more of a technique refinement than a critique. After you put your dubbing on the thread, push it up to the hook shank before you start wrapping it. Then take your first wrap back towards the bend before you start wrapping to the hook eye. That will cover your tie-off for the wire.

 

Welcome to the madness. This is a good place to get help and advise.

 

Kirk

[mikechell 0]

Red ... red dubbing for the collar.

You should use your bodkin (needle) and pick out the dubbing a bit. It's all bundled up ... and it will look much better if you pull some strands out so they look like legs or gills or some other movement and "life".

[Quinn NH 0]

Good job on your first ties! The second one is a great improvement over the first and as others have already stated try peacock herl in place of the dubbing. It makes a great thorax on Brassie style flies.

 

Cheers

Quinn

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Purple, try purple!

[bellevue.chartreuse.trout 0]

Ever use a toothbrush Mike? I've cut one down a bit and I like having a more stiff bristle from it being cut down a bit. I think I've cut the bristles down on an angle from top to bottom of bristles and the shorter bristles are about 1/8" to the largest ones at maybe 1/2 of original length.

 

I've liked using this sort of tool to 'fuzz OUT' .... fuzz (dubbing).

 

BCT

[Tim Shovel 0]

Nice flies, the first one needs a to be tighter around the hook. People keep suggesting colours so just keep a couple colours, a few dark, a few light, couple of natural colours, I like to keep a variety of colours when i go fishing with a spin set, with lures that is (don't hate on the rod type), I have yet to go fly fishing.

I personally love the colour of the flies though, the collar on the second one is really ruffed up and pronounced, I perhaps just lengthen it a tad, nice flies though.

[artimus001 0]

great looking flies. i would keep the very first one in a special place. i like most have that 'first fly' tucked away somewhere safe. it is a great reminder as you improve to remind you where it all started.