I feel like I’m all thumbs when I make parachute-style flies. That’s because I usually don’t lose many dries, and so, I often don’t make them. I find that going very slowly helps. I also rotate the fly in the vise. For example, before I lash the hackle onto the post, I flip the fly
Category: Flies and fly tying
What the Herl?
OK, bad puns aside, the good folks at Orvis have been pushing out some amazing 1-min. videos. The latest one (link here) has all sorts of interesting information about peacock herl. I only recently have bought whole peacock tail feathers for my fly tying. I found that the ones that were already plucked and sorted
At the Bench: a CDC Sulphur Emerger
With Sulphurs hatching, I decided to tie up a new fly. I started with the Klinkhammer-style hook in size 20. I really like how the shape of the hook makes the fly look like a sitting duck to fish. Half of the fly is sub-surface, suggesting a bug struggling to emerge from its shuck. A
‘Dries or Die’ with New Patterns
I took some of my new dry flies for some “dries or die” spins. The size 30 CDC Midge Emerger worked like a charm. Purple got looks, but black received many takes. The Renegade did well sporadically, but, mostly at choppy water. And, smaller fish really liked the “Hi-Viz” Griffith’s Gnat. A tough fish to