Category Archives: Fly Tying

A Rose by any other name smells like controversy

It does get a little confusing at times I’ve seen much hand wringing and ire over fly names. Idle banter and fly fishing forum chat quickly turn to religious discussions over the ethical way to name your latest creation.

I’m puzzled why ethics should enter into it at all. Fishermen aren’t known as paragons of virtue, and fly fishermen are the worst of the lot.

At the crux of the debate is variations, how adding a green tail to a known pattern isn’t considered a new fly, merely a variant of whatever the tail got pinned on. I’ve no issue with the concept, just surprised how worked up fishermen get over the whole naming thing.

We could use a biblical scheme, laced with “begats” and immaculate conception – but we don’t use an oral history anymore, relying on books and printed media for hints of origin.

“Silver-Arsed Wombat Begat Green-tailed-silver-tipped Wombat begat Reduced-Low Water Wombat-with-egg-Cluster” seems overly tedious and would drive the guy labeling the fly bins crazy.

There’s the “Kentucky Derby” method, using Sires and Dams – but that’s  just as cumbersome.

Personally, I prefer the “Middle Management” naming schema – if the fly is deadly, I take credit for it – and if not, I blame someone else for its shortcomings.

I believe Darwinism holds for fly names as well, a hint of risque or fun is likely to make it more memorable than “that White fly.”

We’re not going to settle the issue here, but I’ve never cared for “tagging” flies with personal names – too many “Tim’s” and “Steve’s” for me to remember, and it lacks any of the flavor and energy that fly fishing represents.

Dave Whitlock started the “tagging” phenomenon back in the 1980’s, everything that came out of his vice was “Dave’s” or “Whit’s” – something or other – a practice that virtually guarantees oblivion. Old flies handed down from dusty tomes have catchy names and “Bob’s” or “Dave’s” isn’t among them.

I’m guessing immortality is the root of the practice, as vanity has no place in angling – especially after you smear insect repellant on your face using the same hand you dipped in the salmon egg jar…

Might as well name the creation whatever you like – and if you’ve just met the guy with his hand out for your flies – mention it’s a “Skunk with a Green Butt” rather than risk “Green Butted Skunk.” If you’ve just caught six fish and he’s caught none – no sense goading the fellow further.

But if you’re determined to inflict a new fly in everyone’s box – show some pizzazz .. I wouldn’t make room for Bob’s Stonefly Nymph on general principles – but I’d tie crap outta them if were called the “Snotty Dilettante” or “Rest-home Orgy.”

Think of the rest of us for once…

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Yes it borders on sacrilege, but is it Xtreme?

The Royal Coachman is the poster child for fly fishing, it adorns more highball glasses and drink coasters than any other fly in history. It’s an ancient and noble creation that spawns a popular variant every decade or so…

The last major upgrade was performed by Lee Wulff, converting the venerable duck quill flavor into a brawling fast water creation – the Royal Wulff. It’s a great fly – floats well despite calf tail wings and floss, and repopulated fly boxes for most of the 80’s.

It’s time we update the “old gal” – what with all the stunning synthetics we’ve added in the last 20 years, you’d think the “Royal Something-Or-Other” would have some opalescent synthetic, rubber bug’s arse, or wiggle legs that renews this timeless pattern for the next millennia.

“Political Correctness” has colored the last couple of decades – so the “Coachmen” may no longer be appropriate. “Equine Engineer” may be a bit much, but something is needed to jazz the fly up a bit as well as smooth over the cultural divide..

Something old and something new, the Pierced Plantagenet

With pierced nostrils all the rage – I’m thinking a couple barbels uniquely defines the decade, and as us boorish colonials remain fascinated by royalty, I dub thee “Pierced Plantagenet.”

I’m open to a better idea, otherwise I’ll see you at the coronation.

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Scissors, from the World’s Biggest Fly Shop

Finger holes were a bit small for my meaty hands Rather than admit to a “tie-flying” gear fetish we’ll file it under, “Singlebarbed blows his cash and takes his lumps” category.  Acting on a tip on one of the myriad angling forums, I did some research on surgical scissors available from the World’s Biggest Fly shop, eBay.

Despite the hundreds of listings there’s really only four vendors that offer the bulk of the scissors, and their prices made me take note. Surgical grade for $9.00 (plus $6.00 shipping), that’s a mighty far cry from the $100 – $250 range of the tungsten carbide iris scissors offered from the normal surgical supply houses.

I ordered four sets from two of the vendors; stainless “supercut” Iris, 4.5″ length, serrated blades and 4.5″ Tungsten carbide Iris, standard straight edge, getting both a straight and a semicurved from each vendor.

The scissors are from Pakistan, are stainless steel – with blades that cut all along their length – so they’re better than cheap scissors, perhaps comparable to Dr. Slick’s in quality.

Serrated blades are very finely scored, almost invisible to the eye – likely they’re laser cut. Milling marks were visible on almost all sides of the scissors, so they’re ground into tolerance – rather than made to exacting specs.

These are nice serviceable scissors, but order them from the vendor’s web site not from eBay, the postage saved will allow you to buy a couple extra. The vendor Xcelinnovative has a website under the name Surgical123.com, the other vendor Instruments.Net does not appear to have a web portal.

Iris scissors from Pakistan

In short, these aren’t the “good stuff” – but they’re useful.

The issue is the size of the finger holes, they’re too small for my meaty hands, (Note the illustration outlining the difference) I’ll stick with the Milex German Stainless scissors – as Krauts have big hands and bigger holes, making it much less fatiguing to use for hours on end.

Three curves, note finger hole sizes, largest on the top

These may be really useful for those clubs sponsoring fly tying classes, the eBay vendors sell sets of three for $18 (includes postage), add $10 to the price of the class and the students get a nice serviceable pair of scissors for cheap.

Noyes Iris Scissors

I did spy a neat  set of Iris “nips” that bear investigating, Iris scissors in a spring-loaded form, these should work well with tiers that  keep scissors in hand at all times. Labeled the “Noyes Iris Scissors” – and looking mighty tasty. (also $9.00)

I couldn’t help but do a little research on the design and found a site dedicated to a million different flavors. I’m still puzzling over what looks best, as the number of blade styles is staggering.

For the conspicuous consumer that prefers bamboo rods, you can get them in Titanium for only $635.00. Yes, each.

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Fly Tying theater, who needs Taimen when you’ve got ample bullshit

He's evil, but you don't have to look The only guys more wrapped up in fantasy than anglers are NFL Draft commentators. I see it as much ado about nothing, but Draft Day is the best fly tying theater imaginable.

There’s nothing to watch other than well coiffed analysts guessing what the coach will pick, then recovering quickly to say, “I told you so” as soon as the pick is in.

Old war movies and the NFL draft have always been massive profit tools for commercial tyer’s; you glance up quickly at the guts scene, or the partially clad heroine getting less clad, then return to wrap tiny hackles on tinier flies.

I do it to avoid eye strain, keeping the TV inline with the vise jaws – allowing me to focus close then focus long, so the eyes don’t fatigue.

It’s the first time Opening Day coincided with the draft that I can remember, as I’d elected to curry favor this weekend for the promise of adventure on the next, I put it to good use.

Mel Kiper shares a lot with Santa Clause, both are famous for a day and the rest of the 364 they’re forgotten. In Kiper’s case, it’s a good thing – as only his ego is larger than his bouffant.

I kept flashing on what it’d be like to fish with Mssr. Kiper, figuring it would be akin to his draft commentary;

“I project he’ll go for an emerger, but he’s got needs at both Hare’s Ear and Coachman, a sparkle pupa would be a nice fit, what with the combination of size and explosive speed.”

“A pale Olive paradun would be a reach at this position, but his last two selections were predictable, the caddis taken in the first round, and the oversized dun – who’d make a great prospect as a spinner…”

It’s sick, I know – but despite the banal drone from the Tube, I still managed to bang out 3 dozen Horner Deer Hair’s (Humpy), his hair reminded me of the need for more fast water dries.

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I was weak and went with the Variant instead

“Former” commercial fly tiers have all types of foibles, scars, and nervous tics – it comes from being hunched over the vice staring at dust motes, dim lighting, and tiny hooks.

I have a “love-hate” relationship with the noble Elk Hair Caddis; it’s a great fly, buoyant as hell, sturdy of construction, elegant, simple, and effective. It has earned its rightful place as one of my favorite dry flies – and continues to earn my wrath as a fly tyer.

Genetic hackles are the culprit, you get some elegant, long, size 16 hackle – with enough density and barbules to really make a well dressed fly – and you palmer it up the Elk Hair’s shank burning up 2/3’rds of all those great chicken genes – you’re left with not enough hackle to tie a second fly, and too much to throw away.

Cue nervous tic.

Even though we’re retired – we still hate waste. It’s the reason we have 2000 extra size 22 hooks and only two dozen 16’s, or why our neck drawer has 84 immaculate ginger capes – and all the brown and grizzly is picked over – with even the moths chanting in protest.

Every season I suffer bouts of “post traumatic customer syndrome” – the sweaty night terrors resulting from tiny flies ordered in massive quantities, with me already behind schedule. 

Chuck Stranahan solved my Elk Hair dilemma with an introduction to the Caddis Variant. It’s as simple, as effective, and uses less hackle – something us former tying whores can really appreciate.

Dun Caddis Variant

Use the fingernail to press the wing flat against the hook, in doing so it’ll flair the wing horizontally into a fan covering nearly 90 degrees. 3 turns of oversized hackle completes the pattern. A standard genetic neck hackle can tie two of them, making them easy on the budget as well.

Change the colors to suit whichever critter dominates your local water. It’s an elegant sparse dressing that floats like a cork due to the large surface area, for me it’s a wonderful change of pace from tying the Elk Hair Caddis.

Chuck Stranahan is featured prominently in my “night terrors” as he was the proprietor of Hat Creek Anglers back in the day. Every conversation started with “I need 100 dozen #16’s …” then we’d talk about the small sizes…

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Just when we thought it was safe, he starts tying again

Overcome by tinker lust, never content to leave well enough alone, and creating one monstrosity after another…

Better than Scent of a thousand nitecrawlers It’s the result of more sparkly oddities than I know what to do with – with the picture at left showing one possible use for Angelina Film.

The film is what the births the fibers, I’m guessing they send it through a trimming machine to turn it into the bagged refractive fiber; it’s available in the same 20 colors as  Angelina, and has a tough opal finish that refracts light in the same fashion as a mayfly wing.

Angelina Film It arrives sheer and smooth, the trick is to crumple it up to add the appearance of wing veins. It’s delivered in sheets of 4″ wide – 10 feet long, and costs about $3.50 per bundle.

As long as the spinners are small it shouldn’t cause a “helicopter” issue, where it’s rigid enough to spin a fine leader, larger wings may be another story. It’s just one more thing I am tying up to test in some nice Blueline venue this season.

This could make the perfect “torment” fly – the one you know the other fellow lacks, and when asked what you’re using – it’s produced with a lackadaisical  yawn.

I only torment them for a minute or two, then I fork over six or seven, I’m all bluster and no bite.

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From Chaos comes a hint of organization

Small storage is a premium for fly fishermen, what with all the little things we carry and use, and for fly tiers it’s much worse as we accumulate dander almost as quickly as we draw moths.

Periodically I get the need for more and wander around Google attempting to find what other crafts are using. We share similarities with beaders, watch repair, and any other “small finger skills” craftsperson.

Entomology specimen vials For the budding entomologist, if you are looking for the traditional glass specimen bottles for saving bugs – they’re readily available at Freund Container.

I usually carry one of these in my vest filled with Isopropyl alcohol – on the off chance I meet something I need to imitate, which happens more often than I care to admit.

Part of the goal is simply making your messy area uniform, as the spouse appreciates any attempt at order. Spice bottles with the spoon/sift cap make for a good dubbing dispenser – you don’t have to unscrew the cap to get at the material beneath. Get them in transparent, so you can see the color without opening the container.

Lots of oddball glassware and plastic jars and vials are available at these sites, if you are required to buy cases, go in with a buddy. Most will allow you to buy individual containers, some require a minimum purchase or tariff for less than a certain dollar value.

Smells like hook storage to me A storage “system” would be nice, but it seems like they’re the most elusive of all. I haunt bead sites looking for some hint of genius … you’ll find plenty of things that will have you scratching your chin, like this 11″ X 7.25″ plastic container with 120 1″ containers inside… it smells like fish hooks to me, may even work well with nymphs and small flies – but with my pals I have adequate storage compliments of their fly box.

I’m looking for prepared dubbing storage, they’ll need to stack and be sturdy enough to travel. At less than $50 bucks for a hundred – it’s a good fit economically, and if I’m forced to share – I know where to get more.

Who Cares what the fish think

Palm trees, tiki huts, but no villagers fleeing in terror “Think Outside the Box” – we understand the concept easy enough, but only a select view are able to to put the theory to practice. The best example I’ve seen to date is from Michael LeBlanc, who won the Gold Medal in the 2006 World Salmon Fly Tying Championship of the Quebec Federation of Atlantic Salmon.

Entitled “Tsunami” – the fly incorporates tiki huts, palm trees, and an incoming wave – all within the constraints of a traditional full dress featherwing.

Inventive, humorous, and stunning, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fly tell a story before.

My fillings have been replaced so the ride in should be cake

Planning a quick scout trip tomorrow for smallmouth and largemouth bass, chores are completed so I can raze havoc at the tying bench.

I’m not sure what I’ll find as it’s a new lake and a small feeder creek, can’t fish the creek as it’s closed until April, and the lake is a man made impoundment rumored to have steep banks and unknown water levels.

It’s an adventure, and I crave the exercise so I’ll be traveling light, minimal gear, no food, and boundless enthusiasm.

Scout trips are what my Dad used to call, “Fishless Fishing Trips” – where the “getting out” was the main event, and the “getting bit” was a possibility, albeit slim…

Kokanee Salmon, Eagle Lake Rainbow, Small and Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Bluegill are all inhabitants – with 10 miles of bumpy dirt road their only protection. The locals call it a “3 beer trip” – meaning, you can drink three beers after you leave pavement – and before you see water.

The Angry Goldfish, Angelina fibers tied Spey style

I banged out a dozen Angelina spey-style streamers and I have plenty of trout stuff, so one fly box will cover me. The above picture is the “Angry Goldfish” one of my favorite scout flies for bass, it’s tied “spey” style using Angelina hackle: 5 turns of Opal, 3 turns of Watermelon, topped with Fuschia and Onyx fibers.

Ought to wake something up…

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Will the real McCoy simply show hisself

The label from the Following up on a comment from Phil Huewe on the “Cheaper Ice Dub” post I did about a week ago. I knew I had the right fiber, it was the right “flavor” of fiber that was my consternation.

I contacted the maker of Angelina, the Meadowbrook Inventions Inc. and asked them what I was looking for – I’d tried the straight, crimped, and hot melt, knew it was the right fiber, but asked if there was something they made I didn’t know about.

The manufacturer referred me to a new form called “Soft Crimp” Angelina, and was nice enough to provide a couple half ounce packages as samples…

Bingo.

Which is the Ice Dub?Angelina is available in 2″, 4″, 6″, and 8″ lengths, not only the texture can be different but the length will throw you off as well. Anything longer than the 2″ will look “orderly” compared to Ice Dub, as they’ve trimmed the Angelina to 1″ and then mixed it all up.

If you want Ice Dub, buy the 2″ flavor of “soft crimp” Angelina. The “soft” part of soft crimp is markedly different than the straight, regular crimp, or hot melt fiber. It’s identical to Ice Dub in texture (although the length will be a bit longer).

All flavors of Angelina have worthy uses, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. What makes it doubly insidious is the other two styles they told me about that I haven’t seen… sometimes your cup runs over…

I have inquiries to vendors the manufacturer recommended, and I’ll post them as soon as I have found a reputable source. I need one with all 41 colors so I can decide what to buy.

I can toss a pinch of the straight and “soft crimp” fibers into an envelope if you want to inspect them for yourself, just email me your mailing address – mine is in the “About” section at the top of the page.

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