Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Betters And Gartside

The longer I fish the more I come to rely on certain flies to get the job done. Looking back over the years most of my successful patterns have had in their material list a few materials that have made them so great. The materials also have been favorites of two very special fly tyers. Fran Betters and Jack Gartside two gentleman who created so many successful flies, flies that have a following world wide.

A favorite material of Fran Betters was the Australian opossum and which he dyed rusty orange. Quite a few of his patterns used this material as dubbing. Jack Gartside had a love of the ringneck pheasant. These feathers were used in so many of his patterns. So I took these materials and worked them together to make some "fish appeal" flies. The photo above shows the marabou of a hen pheasant. Most tyers bypass this insanely fish taker feather and choose to use only other feathers in the skin. Using these pheasant marabou feathers I create wings in several patterns...they work.


Now Mr. Betters dyed his possum rust orange, some of the hair came out "real" orange, and some not so. The not so has some nice features and when dubbed on a fly it creates a nice difference in the body.


This pattern uses an orange dubbed body. It does not incorporate a wing, only a soft hackle collar.


This pattern uses an orange dubbed body, with a light colored marabou wing. It features a soft hackle color of bleached starling.


This pattern features Jack's and Fran's materials in one fly. The body is a darker colored possum body, a dark colored marabou wing, and a pheasant feather for a collar.


You can see some of the materials, different ones at that here. One constant was the fact that Fran's favorite color thread was used.









39 comments:

  1. Alan - Beautiful flies! I am surprised the starling handle the bleaching process since it is so fragile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NJpatbee
      Thanks
      Pat this is the second bleached skin I've had. The first one was real fragile but this one is doing much better. It also has longer/thicker feathers.

      Delete
  2. That right there is a lot of fish catching about to happen... Betters and Gartside. What a fly tying and fishing brain trust that was!
    Keep well Alan,
    Will

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    Replies
    1. Hibernation
      Thanks
      Will so far they have been well received by the local guys, more testing will be done.
      Those two gents would have been great together in one fly shop.

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    2. With today's news... Imagine the trifecta - Betters, Gartside and Lefty...
      RIP Lefty...

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    3. Will we are loosing another diplomat in he field of fly fishing. It's hard to imagine what our sport would have been without their input.

      Delete
  3. I have a short list of mat'ls I consider fish magnets (peacock herl, pheasant tail, hun partridge, calf tail etc. ect.). I also have a list I disdain (closed cell foam, rubber legs etc.). However those mat'l I disdain for trout flies make great bass baits. Be safe Alan. Think Kapusta for Saturday.

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    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John that list of naturals has put a lot of fish on the fly. The synthetic stuff has a place for sure.
      Picked up the brisket corned beef today, the veggies Friday..good times ahead.

      Delete
  4. Paintings with raw fly-tying materials. Beautiful. A pleasure to behold.

    John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John some call it art, and I'm one of them.
      The fully dressed Atlantic salmon is an outstanding example of the tyers art...and so is the sparse North Country spider.

      Delete
  5. Beautiful flies, Alan. I like your chances with all of them. Maybe you will get a chance to drift them this weekend being it is supposed to be somewhat mild. Runoff from recent snow may be a challenge, though small streams seem to shake that off pretty well.

    I drove by the Scantic in Hampden tonight...a little high, but I have never seen it look better, especially since that dam in the center of town got breached. I really hope the authorities don't fix it.

    Best, Sam

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    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam I'm going to try to fish a bit tomorrow. Dr's appointments in the way of a Friday try.
      That busted dam can only help all things in that stream. The dam has probably out lived its usefulness.

      Delete
  6. When I was a teenager I thought Jack Gartside was the coolest guy out there. You've done beautiful work again, Alan.

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    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Jack has influenced me. What an attitude he had.
      Fran has been an inspiration to me as well.

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  7. Alan, it's amazing all the combinations you can come up with with just a couple materials. Beautiful flies, I'm sure the brook trout approve. Thankyou.

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      Brad so much of the good stuff is wasted. I for one was guilty of wasting it until I did some reading.
      That little bit of marabou in the wing makes a big difference.

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  8. Alan, I've just been informed that lefty kreh has passed. We lost a true legend of our sport. May God bless.

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    Replies
    1. Brad, I read that earlier. I never met the man but his accomplishments are well known.
      I believe he was 93..a good life. He will be missed.

      Delete
  9. Both tyer's brought so much to the bench. I personally feel that both their styles produced flies that caught fish, and not fishermen. A trait not too often found. :)

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    Replies
    1. Ralph Long
      Thanks
      Ralph your comment is right on. I know many of us feel the same about these two men.

      Delete
  10. Alan
    Your creative juices are flowing. I love those creations and I am sure they will work well in the brooks and stream that you frequent.

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    Replies
    1. TROUT1
      Thanks
      Pete they have already pleased a few natives. I have my sights set on the Farmington later this year.

      Delete
  11. Nicely done! There is no doubt that these flies will have "fish appeal".

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    Replies
    1. Chris "Kiwi" Kuhlow
      Thanks
      Chris Frans touches and influence are the keys to fish appeal.

      Delete
  12. Some wonderful materials = some good looking flies! Well done Alan

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    Replies
    1. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark with those two gents to guide me, I can't go wrong.

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  13. Those two men and the flies they tied are what fly tying is all about. Originality, proportions and effectiveness on the stream. Both were innovative and effective teachers as well. Their flies have stood the test of time. You can't go wrong using the materials favored by Jack and Fran. I like the patterns you've tied Alan it's tough to beat pheasant feathers, I use every feather on a skin.... As my boss at the fly shop use to say leaning over my shoulder as I tied; "that'll work"....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doug Korn Fly Tyer
      Thanks
      Doug pheasant is not used often, or at least you don't hear much of it's use. I know Gartside was a fan. As far a Betters that's a whole book by itself.
      Great reply.."that'll work"

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  14. Lovely tyings allan they have come out superb.

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    Replies
    1. George
      Thanks
      Now if the weather would be cooperative perhaps I could fish them properly.

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  15. I'm always impressed by your tying Alan. But with those two mentors how could you go wrong. Lovely flies for sure.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard, a Betters and Gartside degree could land you a job most anywhere. Those guys could work materials.

      Delete
  16. Betters and Gartside in one fly... now if that doesn't say "fisher catcher" nothing does.

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    Replies
    1. RM Lytle
      Thanks
      Rowan you for one know what these guys have contributed to fly tying and fishing.

      Delete
  17. These are some of the fishiest looking flies I've ever seen. Great idea! I suspect they'll be record breakers. The one fly looks like an improved Trude. You've inspired me.

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    Replies
    1. George S
      Thanks
      George record breakers, well that's to be seen. They have taken a few so far. A better test will come when the weather gets warmer.
      Go tie a few and please let me know how they work for you.

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  18. Pheasant rump marabou is my favorite marabou for smaller patterns.

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    Replies
    1. Ralph Long
      Thanks
      I know it's not the same as CDC but I find the movement similar and use it in place of cdc many times. A tad of floatant on it and "high and dry"

      Delete
  19. Alan
    Awesome work at the vice----thanks for sharing

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