Wednesday, February 18, 2015

What are you doing..........

With all of the snow and brutal cold there's not much doing outdoors. We still take our daily walk, although limited it's still fresh air. Indoors is reserved to cleaning reels, eliminating flies from boxes, the kind that you haven't used, "why are they in there in the first place"...who knows. As you can see from my desk I have been tying and trying. I have to organize that desk. Last night I couldn't find room for my coffee cup.

Below are a couple of "light cahill" dry flies tied in the Catskill style. As you look at them you'll notice they do not have wings, innovative right, well maybe but I was not the first to try such a thing. While looking at several books about the Catskills I found several photos which show several of the well known tyers of that era tying flies without wings. In Mike Valla's book it shows several Rube Cross dry flies wingless as well as Art Flicks variant's. In the book "Land of Little Rivers" it shows a Walt Dette fly called the "Conover". This fly is also tied without wings.


I am sure there are many other patterns and tyers who also tied these delicate and crisp patterns without wings.
Though the two fies represent the "light cahill" they are a bit different. The shades of hackle are a light ginger, and a medium ginger. These are tied for the discriminating tastes of certain trout.






I just want to show you my latest piece of brook trout art. It's a line drawn male brook trout with a blue winged olive dry fly. The artist in Chase Bartee. He has several other outstanding art pieces for sale at his site. He and his friend Aimee, who is also an artist and is very good with a camera. They make some wonderful videos which you can view on their site http://tightloopsfly.com/home Tell them you saw it here.



22 comments:

  1. No room for a brew, tis time indeed to sweep the decks. Agree with Tex about the picture.
    John

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John Wooldridge,
      Thanks.
      John mission accomplished. The coffee cup found a safe place to sit.

      Delete
  2. Well Alan, I can tell you I'm not fishing. The last time I was out was January 2nd! From the weather forecast it looks like I will be tying for a few more weeks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      When this stuff starts to melt it will swell and dirty the waters. Looks like some rain for Sunday and that seems like it will start the process.

      Delete
  3. Alan
    That tying desk shows me that a lot of fly patterns have passed over it's surface. I assume you have a room where you house your desk with all the tying accessories and supplies?
    I am anxious for you to give the Light Cahill a try when you guys dig out of that blizzard you are going through now. How deep is the snow at your house? Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      Bill I have tied a few over the years. I have a small corner of a room for my tying, it's ample.
      I don't know just how much snow we recieved in total, but the mounds," piles" of snow are like mini mountains. Some are 20 ft high.

      Delete
  4. Nice little patterns, I am sure they will bring the trout up. The line drawing is a great acquisition. Very crisp.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RM Lytle,
      Thanks.
      You should check out his site. You would enjoy his videos.

      Delete
  5. Once again you guys get slammed. I'd be nuts by now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz,
      Thanks.
      Mark it's getting real hard to maintain sanity.

      Delete
  6. Nice flies & art work. I have the same lamp and plastic storage drawers as you. Great minds think alike I guess. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      John I bought that light many years ago on sale. What I love about it is the bulb has yet to burn out. My McKenzie light seem to burn out pretty regularly.

      Delete
  7. Alan those are some great looking fly's. So simple and clean. Love it. On the desk, it's just right. Have you seen pictures of Einsteins desk? If not, google it. Greatest genius of modern times and his desk makes your's look neat and tidy :)!

    Beautiful picture!
    Will

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation,
      Thanks.
      Will I'll have to check that out.

      Delete
  8. The coffee comment made me laugh. I was at the table last night (new arrivals) and my drink kept getting moved to make room. At 1 point it was almost under the vise...the thought of dropping a hook or bead in it made me realize I need a bigger desk!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DrewLooknFishy,
      Thanks.
      Drew your comment brought to mind the number of times I removed feathers, and fluff from my coffee.
      Perhaps we should market a top for a fly tyers drink.

      Delete
  9. Nothing much going on here either Alan. More snow tonight and I haven't mastered one handed tying! I should have been practicing...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howard Levett,
      Thanks.
      Well at least you can type 1 handed. Good to hear from you.
      Guess what it's going to snow here today..when will this end.

      Delete
  10. David McKenzie,
    Thanks.
    Black and White on this drawing looks so right.

    ReplyDelete