The Fly Tying Thread

[durangopipe]

A fishing friend, whose wife is Spanish, moved to Barcelona a few years ago. There, he caught the euro-nymph bug (pun totally accidental). Last time he visited he tried them on the San Juan and they seemed ineffective there.

I’d guess that the bugs they were eating that day were much smaller than his nymphs. If you can tie them on #24 and smaller hooks they might work there. It would be interesting to try.

That's the rub. You need to be "in contact" as they say, with your fly for tight-line euro-nymphing. That requires a fair bit of weight on the end of the line and you just can't get there with anything less than 20. Less than 18 is even too light for me. Of course you can tie on a heavy nymph as an anchor fly and use a smaller one a foot or two up. I do that a lot with size 20-24 WD40's and RS-2's.

Still, it's not the only way I fish. If there are risers it's more fun to fish dries and emergers. It's also fun to throw big ol' grasshoppers or stimulators on hot August afternoons. The only tools I don't have in my kit are swinging wet flies and tossing streamers. Sure, I've fished both ways, I just haven't taken the time (yet) to really figure them out. Know any guides who could show me a thing or two?

When I’m well enough, you got it!
Every year about this time I hope this is the year.

At the moment, pretty much all I want to do is swing wet flies and streamers with a light two-hand trout rod I call “Farlow,” a lithe 10 1/2 footer, blank built by Pezon et Michel and wrapped and sold by Farlows.

I got it not long after I got hurt, it’s been fished only a very few half days since, and those within a couple of miles of home on the Animas (which, I hear, is fishing well right now).

God willing, this year, more days, more water.

Farlow wants to go to New Mexico.

I’ve often imagined carrying it out into a big bend I love on the San Juan (below Baetis Bend), between hatches when everyone is dead drifting an annelid or disco midge above a #26 pupae on 6X or 7X in the shallow flat and current tongues above me, and hanging a big one on a swung streamer.

I do believe I’d release it, walk back to the bank and light up a pipe.

Would rather enjoy doing it with you, Fred.

[FredS]

The bling box is filled. Next up, midges. Teeny, tiny midges. "Hopper" Juan Ramirez was doing demos at my local shop last weekend and his midge work is inspiring.

[Bloodhound]

The bling box is filled. Next up, midges. Teeny, tiny midges. "Hopper" Juan Ramirez was doing demos at my local shop last weekend and his midge work is inspiring.

Dang that is a nice box O flies! I have yet to tie one this year...went downstairs Monday night and ended up working on taxes instead of flies

[Dlibbon]

The bling box is filled. Next up, midges. Teeny, tiny midges. "Hopper" Juan Ramirez was doing demos at my local shop last weekend and his midge work is inspiring.

I dream of a fly box that organized.


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[Dlibbon]

Ok gents a neighbor has given me a sweet secretary desk with loads of storage and it locks! I’m in need or argument points to convince the wife it belongs in the living room. Ready set go....


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[durangopipe]

Ok gents a neighbor has given me a sweet secretary desk with loads of storage and it locks! I’m in need or argument points to convince the wife it belongs in the living room. Ready set go....


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You’ll be able to spend time together while you’re tying flies.

[durangopipe]

The bling box is filled. Next up, midges. Teeny, tiny midges. "Hopper" Juan Ramirez was doing demos at my local shop last weekend and his midge work is inspiring.

Beautiful box, Fred!

[Gabriel]

Ok gents a neighbor has given me a sweet secretary desk with loads of storage and it locks! I’m in need or argument points to convince the wife it belongs in the living room. Ready set go....


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You’ll be able to spend time together while you’re tying flies.

Seriously. That’s why mine stays in the living room. I’m still a part of the family while tying flies. I like it.

I haven’t been on here much lately or been tying as much this winter, but have done a few. Also tied with a neighbor and his son, they’re both trying to learn.

Here’s the most recent:



Also these:

[FredS]

Oh la la. Nice ones Gabe.

Peacock sword is my favorite material. I tie a double bead peacock stonefly nymph with peacock sword for the tail and peacock herl for the body. Mine don't look as nice as yours.

[Gabriel]

Oh la la. Nice ones Gabe.

Peacock sword is my favorite material. I tie a double bead peacock stonefly nymph with peacock sword for the tail and peacock herl for the body. Mine don't look as nice as yours.

Thanks! I’m pretty happy with them. I’ve had several peacock sword feathers for a long time but never used them. This was actually my first try, so I was happy. The body is peacock as well. Unfortunately that was my last curved #12 hook. The bigger one is #8, so a little too big for aesthetics.

Double bead? For weight, looks, or both?

[FredS]

The beads are entirely for weight. I fish these in size 8-10 in fast and deep water. These are stock images off the web, not mine. The standard recipe calls for turkey tail feather treated with flexament or something similar, but I use mottled thin skin for the wing case. This the only pattern I can tie even half way successfully with biots because they're just along for the ride, not a main selling point. I reckon your larger soft hackle there would fool fish into eating it as a stonefly. It's got a nice body and wiggly bits in front and back. Is that collar feather over squirrel or do you have some brown-black-white feathers? It looks really nice.

[Dlibbon]

The beads are entirely for weight. I fish these in size 8-10 in fast and deep water. These are stock images off the web, not mine. The standard recipe calls for turkey tail feather treated with flexament or something similar, but I use mottled thin skin for the wing case. This the only pattern I can tie even half way successfully with biots because they're just along for the ride, not a main selling point. I reckon your larger soft hackle there would fool fish into eating it as a stonefly. It's got a nice body and wiggly bits in front and back. Is that collar feather over squirrel or do you have some brown-black-white feathers? It looks really nice.

I’m dreadful with biots if you’ve got any tips do tell.

Not that great with rubber legs but improving slowly.



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[FredS]

I’m dreadful with biots if you’ve got any tips do tell.

Not that great with rubber legs but improving slowly.

Ha! I hate biots. In fact, I got so frustrated I swore I'd never use them again and sent all I had to Gabriel a couple years ago.

Of course, I've since bought more because they're used on Prince nymphs and those are one of my best fish catchers. I'm still not good with them though. Tim Flagler (Tightline Videos) has a video that may help you. Didn't do much for me.



BTW, you fly looks like a trout fly called a Pat's Rubber Legs.

[Dlibbon]

I’m dreadful with biots if you’ve got any tips do tell.

Not that great with rubber legs but improving slowly.

Ha! I hate biots. In fact, I got so frustrated I swore I'd never use them again and sent all I had to Gabriel a couple years ago.

Of course, I've since bought more because they're used on Prince nymphs and those are one of my best fish catchers. I'm still not good with them though. Tim Flagler (Tightline Videos) has a video that may help you. Didn't do much for me.



BTW, you fly looks like a trout fly called a Pat's Rubber Legs.

Tim Flagler’s always like add this and then that and magically it looks so good I’d eat it. Meanwhile I’ve got knots and lumps and somehow ended up tying something that looks like a 5 year old drew it.


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[Gabriel]

The beads are entirely for weight. I fish these in size 8-10 in fast and deep water. These are stock images off the web, not mine. The standard recipe calls for turkey tail feather treated with flexament or something similar, but I use mottled thin skin for the wing case. This the only pattern I can tie even half way successfully with biots because they're just along for the ride, not a main selling point. I reckon your larger soft hackle there would fool fish into eating it as a stonefly. It's got a nice body and wiggly bits in front and back. Is that collar feather over squirrel or do you have some brown-black-white feathers? It looks really nice.

I totally forgot to answer this! The smaller one is Guinea fowl, the larger one with the brown is actually a pretty highly figured pheasant feather.

I know you’re not fishing for panfish, but bluegill sunnies would eat a non weighted version of that stonefly all day long.

[FredS]

I know you’re not fishing for panfish, but bluegill sunnies would eat a non weighted version of that stonefly all day long.

I've been out of the warm water game for the last two years but I plan to hit some local ponds this spring to see if I can rustle up some crappie and blue gill. I have boxes and boxes of flies left from when i lived in KC.

[FredS]

Need a favor from the trout fishers out there. I volunteered to tie some flies for Reel Recovery with the hope that their locally hosted event will be able to go off in September (I think). They asked if I could tie a couple dozen soft hackles in sizes 14 & 16. Problem is, I don't fish soft hackles unless a guides choice hares ear counts. I've tied Partridge and Orange/Green/Purples before and had luck back home catching bluegill. But they'll eat anything so it's not something that I know will catch trout.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking a simple soft hackle pheasant tail, but can certainly go a different way if anyone knows a killer pattern that would be easy for beginners to fish.

[Gabriel]

I’m afraid I don’t have any trout fishing advice. I did attempt to replicate the pic you shared earlier with a non-weighted stone fly. I definitely need some smaller diameter rubber legs to make it work well. These were stolen from a spinner skirt.



Last weeks dry flies: a little lumpy, but they’ll catch fish.

[FredS]

Those peacock stone flies are a complicated tie. Yours look good. And deer hair on comparaduns is no easy task either. You've managed to get a lot of hair on yours so they should float nice. I'd still gink them up though - I add some when I tie and again at the river.

[durangopipe]

Need a favor from the trout fishers out there. I volunteered to tie some flies for Reel Recovery with the hope that their locally hosted event will be able to go off in September (I think). They asked if I could tie a couple dozen soft hackles in sizes 14 & 16. Problem is, I don't fish soft hackles unless a guides choice hares ear counts. I've tied Partridge and Orange/Green/Purples before and had luck back home catching bluegill. But they'll eat anything so it's not something that I know will catch trout.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking a simple soft hackle pheasant tail, but can certainly go a different way if anyone knows a killer pattern that would be easy for beginners to fish.

Just saw this, Fred.

Partridge and Peacock is a good fish anywhere fly. Tail it however you like - grizzly hen hackle is good. Wrap the peacock herls around the thread before building the body and it will last.
Adding a wire rib helps, too.

Partridge and orange is by far my favorite "searching" fly for trout. They don't always eat it (although they often do) but they almost always swirl it or chase it and let you know they're there.

You can rib it with gold wire if you like, but the thread or floss body flies are pretty durable. I tie both.

Partridge and red, same deal.

Also like red.

Partridge and pheasant tail - definitely rib with wire or it will fall apart on the first fish. Also prefer a brown hen hackle tail on this to a pheasant tail tail - same reason, more durable.

Any traditional wet fly body hackled with partridge works well.