Sunday, March 4, 2018

It's Simple Friends, Yeah Right

I really need to get a handle on this desk. I say I'm going to get organized and then an idea comes to mind and the organization plan gets sidelined. See that bodkin and threader on the desk, that's the work of Mike Kattner over at "Cane and Silk" he makes these tools from pieces of bamboo. A little elegance to the simplicity of my flies.

Fly patterns, I mean fly pattern names. They can be confusing to some or more like insanity to me. A couple of patterns I'm focused on here will confuse that I'm certain of. But what the hell....


The "February Red"...simple indeed. Red Pearsall's silk some light dubbing at the thorax, and a couple of turns of a grouse feather. Now can the "February Red" be fished in March?


Here's a mind blower..the "March Brown"...some partridge feathers for a tail, dark dubbing for the body, a gold tinsel rib, and a brown partridge hackle. Can this fly be fished in May and June?


Here's another turn, a "March Brown" also...more partridge tail, hare's ear dubbing, gold tinsel rib and a couple of turns of brown partridge.


A little side by side. "March Brown" and "March Brown"


Yes another "March Brown"...coq-de-leon tail, olive dubbing with a gold tinsel rib, a dark bit of squirrel dubbing for the thorax, and light partridge hackle. Now these patterns are all March Brown flymphs and from my experience they fish well in all months of the year. As for the February Red the jury is still out.









26 comments:

  1. Beautiful soft hackle Spiders.....

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    Replies
    1. Doug Korn,Fly Tyer
      Thanks
      Doug, effective also, that is when we get to actually fish them.

      Delete
  2. Those bits of bamboo wouldn't be leftover pieces from rod building would they? Nice looking varieties of March Browns..and yes I am confused..

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    Replies
    1. penbayman
      Thanks
      Mike I believe they are.
      I'm going to try to get those patterns in some kind of order.

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. George
      Thanks
      Flies that catch fish, hopefully.

      Delete
  4. You are correct Alan, lots of different patterns are known as "March Browns" (local vernacular). Anyway, I always believed "a neat desk is a sign of a sick mind". It follows therefore Alan, that you and I are mentally very healthy. Be safe.

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    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John they are generically named March Brown, that makes sense.
      I like being mentally fit, got that going for me.

      Delete
  5. That bench looks good to me, Alan. I wouldn't change a thing, especially with the beautiful flies that are created there.

    I fished the lower Swift for a few hours this afternoon, but nothing doing. Unlike past winters which have been productive at times, I have not had a hid all winter. My gosh that water is still cold. Thought I had enough thick socks on, but my feet were numb stumps walking back to the truck.

    Best,
    Sam

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    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam some waters are painfully cold, mind you we are still in early March. Another issue is that the temperature swings don't help. Below freezing night temps drop that need to eat and it takes a warm-up during the day to turn it on.
      I'm glad you were able to fish.

      Delete
  6. Alan, the name only matters if it catches lots of fish. Then you might change the name depending on the circumstances. Ed shenk actually had a fly called no name. It had no name because Vince marinaro told Ed that the fly didn't look like anything he'd ever seen. So Ed called it " no name" . My philosophy,if it catches fish, who cares. Cool tools mike makes. He is talented in a lot of areas. Thankyou.

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    Replies
    1. Brad Basehore
      Thanks
      Brad your insight into those masters of the Limestone rivers is so welcomed. Mr. Shenk was quick with a proper name for the fly.
      I love those two tools. Next to a bobbin I use them the most.

      Delete
  7. Nice wrapping on the March Brown ribbing sets. Nice.

    I've been looking at two-tone and transition light-to-dark dubbed thorax and abdomens lately. Some of the Irish soft-hackles do this. I'm trying it. Will let you know.

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    Replies
    1. spike
      Thanks
      Spike in my early research into streamer construction I came across writings on colors in the way bucktails were tied. The study concluded that two colors greatly increased the takes of the streamer, and when a third color was added the number of strikes really took off.
      So the multiple colors in a flymph should enhance it and probably increase strikes.

      Delete
  8. Lovely flies and lovely complimentary photography too. John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John the flies seem to enhance what the camera sees.

      Delete
  9. Alan
    Your creations are beautiful. And we know how effective they are.
    Good Stuff!

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    Replies
    1. TROUT1
      Thanks
      Pete I was going to test a few today, but it's crazy weather time again.

      Delete
  10. When you look at the pictures, these flies look huge but I know they aren't. For an old Geezer like myself, they're barely big enough to see. Admiration for someone who can tie flies that small.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark these are tied on #12 hooks, I know you can handle that. An old saying, "as we get older the flies that catch fish get smaller"

      Delete
  11. Alan
    A cluttered desk means someone is really busy working on the next killer pattern---and anyone of those flies you tied there could be the fly of the month. thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill busy I am, but I have to admit I'm a bit sloppy.
      Lots of fun tying and hoping that the next fly will be the "one"

      Delete
  12. Beautiful flies, Alan. What did you use for hooks?

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    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike these flies were tied on Mustad 3906B..#12's.

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    2. Thanks, Alan. I thought they looked familiar; I've got a good stash of those in 12 and 14.

      Delete
    3. mike, They are hard to find in the original form. Mustad now offers them in the new form S82, which I don't really care for.

      Delete