I stopped fighting it long ago. You’re standing there holding your gal’s purse while she’s swearing in the changing room attempting to make the size she wore in High School make it over the convex of midlife …
Guys have it so easy, “I need a bigger pants size … must be I’m hung better.” Whatever the inner voice whispers, it’s lying to them and dissembling to us.
Good trade.
I get the same voice whispering at me when I’m fondling some gawd-awful material last worn by the Bee-Gee’s, and even then it was questionable.
Roughfisher calls it “Clownshoes” – and I do my best to defend an “artistic challenge” – figuring that was the reaction all them other fly tiers had – and how my pending discovery of an unknown fish weakness for Pink Lame’ is about to change fly fishing forever.
That same voice claims Van Gogh sold nothing early in his career ..
A break in the weather afforded an opportunity to stomp gravel, and I was quick to take advantage – in spite of a month of zero luck. By now the lower river had consumed the piles of goat guts, allowing me to use the bridge access without fainting.
I stuffed the latest 10 “Clownshoe” candidates in an upper pocket and figured I had enough time to roundtrip four miles before them big gray thunderheads drew close.
I had a couple new yarns from Turkey – and the little voice yammered overtime – I took one look at the rainbow color and polyamide braided mayfly nymphs leapt out of the vice. The above samples are size 14.
Polyamide (a form of nylon) has a sheen that becomes translucent in water. The double eyelash streamers had shown me just how remarkable it looks – so I figured a smaller gauge would lend itself to mayflies and damsel nymphs.
Four miles later I was still wondering – the lower river was lifeless.
The physics trials went really well, but the fish are nowhere to be found. Tied on the small scud hooks with a 2mm gunmetal bead, the fly flops over nicely and rides hook point up – a requirement for Brownline fishing.
The translucent effect is still present, the braided area is opaque and the filaments turn ghost-like when wet. It’s a promising look that we’ll try later, when the fish have decided to eat again.
One ball of yarn and all the colors in the rainbow makes a daunting artistic challenge.
The disco yarn even looked good – but this will have to wait until the next steelhead trip – or Spring, when the good citizens of the Little Stinking abandon all semblance of refinement and eat broken glass …
It’s another Turkish export, 65% Polyamide and 35% Mylar – and it’s bright enough to make you cringe, just what’s needed to make a big Steelhead hear the little voice that tells him, “Shazam!..”
Just be glad Ma didn’t gift you this sweater for Christmas …
I was thinking durable – how I might singe the end with a lighter just to make sure it didn’t unravel, when a big Sacramento Sucker came upstream at me with “Durable” written on his back..
Despite his appearance he was mighty lucky, Osprey don’t usually lose their grip. In his case, his weight tore the talons out taking with it a walnut sized chunk of his back. This fish is about 24″ long – he’ll live.
What kind of hooks are those?
Great looking flies – I linked to the article – I need to dream something like this up!
that braid may make for some nice extended body mayflies.
Love the flies. I don’t tie a ton but that looks like something I would love to tie and then sling out in the river.
Brandon, those are the Togen Scud hooks. I’ve written about them before – run a search on the site for Togen.
I buy them by the 1000, 10 packs for about $6.80 per 100. It’s a sturdy hook with a forged bend and round wire shank, the points are kirbed about 5 degrees of offset.
http://www.togenenterprises.com/scud.html
Great hook, zero issues with it.
Big Hoss, happy to send you some for you to fiddle with – more’n one guy testing them is better than me lying like the Dickens..
Drop me a note, if you want some.
Welcome to my Blogroll, and thanks for visiting.
JPL: I think you’re right on the extended body stuff, the braid doesn’t unravel so it’s sturdy stuff.
What the photographs don’t show is the transparent mylar that’s in the braid, you’re getting some flash as well. Eexamine the skein picture – you can see the flashy part best there.
Nice looking flies, man do I need to get to tying some up myself~
Hi,
Where would you get the braid from, I would love to try it out?
The braid is made by the ICE yarn company, located in Turkey. The only vendor I’ve found is their company store on eBAY.
It’s described as a “short eyelash” yarn – you may be able to find it(or the vendor) with an ebay search.
I think the store is called “Yarn Paradise” … I’ll post the link to the yarn (on ebay) tonight when I get home.
one of the few sites is read every day! keep up to good work of the odd and rare tying materals
z
So you’ve been out there all this time reading and not commenting? You missed all them opportunities to call me to task for all them idiot flies I keep dreaming up?
Welcome aboard, Zac.
@Flycaster:
The link for Yarn Paradise’s ebay store is below:
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Yarn-Paradise
What you have to keep in mind is that this is a manufacturer and not a single human. Most prices listed are for 8 Skiens of yarn – which is the smallest amount you can buy (unless posted otherwise).
They’ve got a sale on and a lot of their interesting yarns are only $0.63 per skein… $5.00 for 8.
Now the tough part, the shipping from Turkey. If you take regular shipping it takes about a month to get to you from their site, expedited is $20 for 4-5 days…
So in order to make it worthwhile – ordering $5 worth of yarn and paying $20 for shipping is not the smartest thing.
I found about 10 yarns I wanted to look at – ordering 8 skeins of each, those I didn’t want went to the lady next door that knits.
My yarn is called “Sparkle Short Eyelash” and has clear mylar in the weave – they list only short eyelash at the moment, it’s slightly different – and I’ve not tried it.
Those are some great looking flies. I love the extended bodies. Gotta be the most innovative thing out.
Is this the same stuff?
http://cgi.ebay.com/400-GR-ICE-KNITTING-YARN-SPARKLE-RAINBOW_W0QQitemZ370147686711QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item370147686711&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14
Negative, it’s close but not the same stuff. 75% polyester and 25% lurex (mylar) – sounds like the hairy portion is all mylar.
The vendor just added 6 more skeins of the stuff, grab it…
http://cgi.ebay.com/ICE-Rainbow-Sparkle-Short-Eyelash-Yarn_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3911Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem270336965967QQitemZ270336965967QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f0QQsalenotsupported
It’s exactly what I bought.
Thanks for the heads up. Looks like just the thing for blu lining in spring.If I survive the waterboarding, I’ll pair it with a swimming nymph hook and call it the solicitor!
I’m liking this fly! How is it tied?
The little mayfly nymph is tied using a short hook and extended body – with the entire bug tied upside down on the hook shank.
If I have time this weekend perhaps I can build a “step be step” photo series for you.
how bout an update… catch any fish with those guys yet?
a step by step would be greatly appreciated. thanks