Match the Hatch Challenge # 5

[mayflyman 0]

Thanks Graham. The legs are Porcupine guard hair of which the are many uses. Let me know how you get on trying them out.....

Later guys..........

[Shaq 0]

 

 

Sorry to be absent to this forum so long but it was steelhead season, then vacation, then regular dries for the season. Back to playing around w/ the realistics. Here is the first try

[Shaq 0]

pic #2

 

[Shaq 0]

pic #3

[Graham 0]

Hey Shaq, Sure glad to see you around again!! Great job on your stonefly, looks like it's about to take off, very realistic. The coloring also looks exceptional as well.

 

Graham

[steelsmith04 0]

Hey guys,

 

I'm late with this one again also. My moms ex husband decided to buy me some tools for the fly tying today. He got me a vice, whip finisher, hackle pliers and a bobbin. They have been helping a lot. The stonefly is down stairs drying. When it is dry i will attempt to coat it with a clear sealer. See how that works. I'll hopefully have pictures up tonight. This one has been really fun so far. And fairly easy. I still am not proficient at coloring the fly. I trying painting the foam for the base color. I think I should have colored it with a light yellow marker and then painted the brown spots in. I keep getting paint on the eyes. and on the different exposed parts of the hook now that i think of it. it should come off. Then I'll seal it. When I get it done I'll post the pictures. Great job on all the flies everyone. They all have given me inspiration for work on my own.

Seth,

[Graham 0]

Hey Seth,

 

This all sounds so exciting. What kind of paint did you use? How precise is the tip of your brush? I use two brushes, the largest would typically be used as a fine tipped artist brush, but my second brush has a super precise 18/0 tip. I bought them at Michaels for about $5 each, made in Japan. How about…you pick up some new brushes, send me a PM with your address and I'll send you a nice little set of colors and varnish, even a few markers I realized I have two of. If you’re not close to a store, I'll send you some brushes as well. In return I look forward to seeing you practice realistic tying, but not so much that you burn out on it, and you also have to tye many fishing flies, and fish them. Just think, in two years you’ll be 16, and a skilled fly tyer, and it's all fun.

 

Graham

 

[steelsmith04 0]

Ok, I got it done. Its my first attempt at it so it is awful. The sealer gave it a glazed look rather than the glossy look that I was going for. Overall the thing that I like the least is the wing. It angled up too much and didn't have "heavy" enough lines. They were too thin and didn't show up very well in the pictures. It also looks more red than yellow. The eyes were pretty good i thought but i kept getting paint on them. I also got a lot of paint on the hook that I tried cleaning on. I was pleased with the legs too. They need a lot of work but they were decent. The front legs need the most work. I would appreciate helpful criticism. I am here to learn to its ok if you guys pick the fly apart.

Seth,

stonefly_on_fur.pdf

[steelsmith04 0]

one more picture

stonefly_in_vice.pdf

[steelsmith04 0]

The pictures aren't great. I shake when i'm trying to take the pictures. And I accidentaly said that the first picture was on fur. Its not really as you can tell. Just saying sorry about mis naming the pictures. Tell me what you guys think.

[Leif Ortenholm 0]

That fly looks real cool!!

want to see more flyes from you steelsmith04,so keep on tying

 

albert

 

[Graham 0]

Hey Seth,

 

Let me tell you, if that’s your first try at a realistic stonefly, you might be a prodigy, time will tell. I sure wish my first, and many, many dozens afterwards, looked as good as your first. I’m amazed that the head isn’t crowded, but making it wider would help. You can build it up with razor foam or thread, but to keep it flat instead of round, try tying a piece of mono on the sides of the hook shank. I have been using 30 mono leader butt material. I cut it with small diagonal cutters, and cut the mono at an angle, tie a piece on each side, starting at the rear, with the tip of the cut mono against the hook, makes a nice little taper at the very rear of the fly. Then I continue binding the mono along the hook, then right behind the hook eye I cut it off, again at an angle, allowing a nice taper on the head. I separately tye one piece on each side, then go back to the rear and begin tying, starting with tails.

 

Your fly looks great, maybe less curved and tighter kinks on the legs. It was hard for me to criticize this fly, and I look forward to seeing more.

 

Graham

 

[steelsmith04 0]

I'm back again. Thanks for the comments guys.

 

Graham, I noticed that the legs were a bit to curved also. I actually just got finished with my second attempt when i got your comment. I went out to the art store today and looked at brushes. I got a 10/0. It was the smallest size they had. It was inexpensive too. Only a little under $2.00. It helped a great deal with painting the fine details. I can actually say i like this one. It doesn't compare with the others that I've seen in this forum but I get a good feeling about it. It Pretty well matches the original picture though. I will try that idea with the mono. When you talk about mono, you are referring to monofilament? And you mean 30 pound test right? When I find out I will give it a shot. Not sure it will be on a stonefly though. Possibly though. I think this will be my last fly to add to this match the hatch.

Seth,

stonefly_comparing.pdf

[steelsmith04 0]

more pics.

stonefly_climbing_down_marble.pdf

[steelsmith04 0]

more.

stonefly_on_sandstone.pdf