niveker 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Playing with Fran Betters' Usual pattern with different colored threads, trying to get proportions looking good. . #14 Saber Dry hook (camera angle makes them look different sizes) Tan snowshoe Thread: top to bottom: orange, yellow, pink, olive. Last one with dubbing noodle, first three with split thread. I think I like the pink one best. Need to work on wing sizing (volume) and a little less dubbing on the body to get that thread to show through. Comments, criticism, tips welcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chugbug27 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Nice ties. Man I love snowshoe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Thanks, chug. I have tied with it before, but never really took the time to work with it. It does have a unique luster. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flykid 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 I think they look great. I'm a fan of this pattern. It seems to float well, easy to see and is very un-fussy. I like it when I don't really know what to tie on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TSMcDougald 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Nice tie! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kerusso 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Nice flies! Proportions appear to be spot - on. I have always been told the wing volume is supposed to be full as opposed to sparse. Great fly for moving water. Thank you for posting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Thanks flykid, TS, keruso. 18 minutes ago, kerusso said: the wing volume is supposed to be full as opposed to sparse Hard to see from that side view, but the 3rd fly has a much fuller wing than the other three. I was trying to keep the body profile slim by reducing the amount of fibers tied in for the wing, but I think you are correct: the benefit of a fuller wing over a slightly slimmer body. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Hook: #14 dry Thread: olive Yellow snowshoe I like the slightly darker body from the olive thread, unfortunately, the head looks anemic. Anyone have suggestions for snowshoe color/thread color combinations that have worked well? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mvendon 0 Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Like others have mentioned, you did a really nice job on those flies! The third one down in your first post is really close to the way that Fran tied his. He used a lot of hair for the wing. He used quite a bit of dubbing too , but tied them really fast and rough that left the thread showing in spots. If you want some more ideas for patterns that use snowshoe here in the northeast check this link out. Just scroll down to see lots of patterns that Tony Ritter has tied. He used to be a member here, but like tons of other folks, just doesn't come here any longer. His site hasn't been updated in a while either by the looks of it, but there's lots of good patterns there. Regards, Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2020 Nice. I had a chance to meet Fran Betters in his shop many years ago. He was tying Usuals and they were plain ugly. I like snowshoe to tie with. I've slimmed down my Usuals by using wrapped CDC for the body. They work well in the slower water around here. Still use the dubbed body for brook trout and fast water. Here's my favorite emerger/cripple pattern. It's loosely based on the Quigley Cripple. Hook: Dry fly. Size 16 to 12. This one is tied on a Klinkhammer hook Thread. Color to match the fly Tail: Pheasant Tail Body: Pheasant Tail, thin copper wire Thorax: Wrapped yellow CDC Wing: Snowshoe rabbit Hackle: Dry fly, color to match pattern Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdngrd 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2020 I am a big fan of the Usual, plus I love saying "Oh, the Usual" when people ask what I'm using! I like the CDC variant as well - 2 materials, snowshoe and cdc. I like them for sulphurs- your look well done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted December 22, 2020 @mvendon, thanks, and thanks for the link, its a new one for me with plenty of good ideas! @Philly, nice tie, and @bdngrd thanks for the pattern ideas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites