Friday, February 14, 2014

Bucktails and Bombers

Come quick, look out the window "it's snowing". Yet another "nor'easter" hits Connecticut. Depending where you live wind driven snow in amounts up to 14 inches blanketed the state. I sure hope the thaw comes slowly, flooding we don't need.

So it being a stay home day I spent some time at the vise tying some flies. The boxes are pretty full, and I have ample reserves on the most popular ones. I put a few more streamers in the mix because I think we'll have some high water situations to deal with in the weeks to come.

These are about a simple as it gets. The color combinations should draw interest, especially the "Red and White" bucktail. These are tied on a wonderful little streamer hook that's readily available. Mustad 79580 #10.


As the eyes get older it becomes harder to pick up a fly as it hits the surface of the water. This material makes visibility so much easier. The material is "Aero Dry Wing" by Tiemco. Tied in sparsely with the other wing materials it makes following your fly easier. It comes in various colors, I used pink because it stands out better.


Here's a Ausable Bomber tied with the addition of Aero Dry Wing.




While tying flies a wonderful smell worked its way up the stairs. It was the smell of blueberry muffins. They were a comfort after a hard day at the vise.









23 comments:

  1. You'll have no problem finding those muffins even without the pink Aero Dry. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apache Trout,
      Thanks.
      What I've had a hankering for is a nice "Halfway"
      Must be buried in snow.

      Delete
    2. I know of some others in that area we need to check out before the end of Feb.

      Delete
  2. Great looking flies Alan and I can almost smell those muffins from here.

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    Replies
    1. Bill,
      Thanks.
      As good as they were eating, the smell of them baking was better......well almost.

      Delete
  3. I can handle a couple of those muffins, slathered with butter Brk Trt!! Love those streamers too!!

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  4. Alan
    You guys are getting the blizzard that came through northern Alabama Wednesday night. It dumped 4 1/2" of snow here in Jasper and 6" in the northeastern part of the state. This is a tremendous amount of snow for us, in fact our largest since 1990. I hope you guys don't lose power; a lot of folks in this area did lose power. Take care and know that spring will be here soon and we can all get back to our love of fly fishing.
    By the way nice patterns on the streamers and what can I say that I already have said about the Bomber, my favorite of all time dries. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      This winter will go down as one of the craziest. Been OK here as far as power gos.
      Bring on the Mayfly hatch.

      Delete
  5. Tis the season for tying for sure. Looks like we will be getting a warm afternoon this afternoon and I am trying to think of somewhere that isn't iced over to wet a line. You had be chuckling with your comment about the blueberry muffins after a hard day at the vise!

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    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      I would think you would find a few that are fishable, make sure you have snow shoes though.
      Those muffins baking were very disruptive.

      Delete
  6. I like the pink on the bomber. Us old guys need all the help we can get, like blueberry muffins on a cold day.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz,
      Thanks.
      Exactly, the eyes don't pickup on the flies like they used to.

      Delete
  7. Alan

    First,.. I'd like to wish you and Jeannette --a happy-Valentines- Day ..
    great photos of the streamers...as well.. and a lot of good clean snow to make the rivers run high....hopefully theres enuff snow to wash all the salt and chemicals that seem to seep into our water supply.. and we just might have ourselfves a fine new-year of flyfishing this spring....stay warm and keep tying...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. flyfisher1000,
      Thanks.
      Well I not one who can comment on salt run off, it happens and to much might not be very good.
      What concerns me more are the chemicals being used on peoples lawns.

      Delete
  8. Love those streamers and I'll give you a nod also on the pink for visibility. I hate being old!

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    Replies
    1. Howard,
      Thanks.
      It's like a blinking light. You mean in the process of becoming seasoned.

      Delete
  9. 14"? Pretty soon you'll have to put some of that pink stuff on your snow shovel so you can find it.

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    Replies
    1. Swamp Yankee,
      Thanks.
      More snow tomorrow, I'll need pink to find my car.

      Delete
  10. Really enjoy your work on Streamer patterns particularly. I have been busy at my tying vice working on some streamers that I think will work in my area once we get some fishable water. Really can relate to the sight thing when necessary on dry fly presentations. I use both pink and white on most of the smaller dries I fish, or, should I say purchase!

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  11. Mel Moore,
    Thanks.
    I'm going to put more time in on a few ponds as well as slower moving water. These streamers will be fly of choice.
    I have a spot picked out to fish this May, there's a lot of crappie there.

    ReplyDelete