The top photo was taken a week ago in the front of my deck. As you can see the maple is already on the turn. To turn away from why this early change I direct my thoughts to what this post is about, and that is contrast. A great example of contrast is the first photo, blue sky, white clouds, green trees and a speckle of other colors. They all seem to blend in but also have their own identity.
This same contrast is also very valuable in fly construction. A slight subtle contrast, and a bright pronounced contrast have their place in fly construction.
Here are a couple of examples of contrast in in these soft-hackle flies. The first has an olive body, with an orange thorax. The hackle is a tawny pheasant feather.
This soft-hackle has a orange silk thread base. The body is natural squirrel, and the thorax is peacock. The hackle is a dun hen. These little changes in color can mean the difference between a strike or a refusal.
Delightful flies, the tying at the top is real treat but then so is the sparse tying below. The trees here look tired from the heat, they look as they do towards the end of September when the colours start to change. We're promised rain again tomorrow that'll be twice in a week, a real novelty. Regards, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
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John I to am partial to the sparse fly, I think the fish like them to.
We have had considerable rainfall in July with August keeping the trend. I hope for a wet few days for you.
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the Scottish Borders. The countryside here is definitely starting to take an autumnal look to it. The summer of 2018 has been quite hard on nature here in the UK with drought and record high temperatures - think she just wants summer over and done with!
On a different note, I can confirm that Scottish trout like Ausable Bombers! Tonight I managed to rise many fish on the Dye Water and landed quite a few (despite the low water). It worked a treat in the pocket water��.
Alistair
Anonymous
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Yes Alistair the border, birth place of the Jingler.
I am delighted to hear of the stellar performance of the Bomber. I don't know if you took any photos of the Bomber but if you did I would love to see them. You can email me at uppahdam@aol.com
Those are beautiful flies, masterfully tied. The heat here in the west has stressed the trees so that many are starting to turn already - normally it would be next month.
ReplyDeleteTom Davis
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Tom I don't think the turning of the leaves on that tree is due to stress. We have had ample rain and it seems to be the only tree doing it around home.
I tied a couple of the flies from your last post, I'm going to give them a float or two soon.
I'm rather sad to see a tree turning already, but Mother Nature has been rather cruel this Summer. Beautiful flies as usual Alan.
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard you guys out west have had a nasty stretch. Back here it has been OK...I'm ready for the change in season.
Hi Alan, In my view, any fly that traps and holds "air shot" (micro air bubbles) will excel at catching trout. There are many suggested reasons for this but likely bogus, since "how can we know what goes through a trout's mind"? Anyway your second pattern looks like it would trap "air shot" very well.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John I did a test with various soft-hackle flies. They were dropped into a glass of water and photographed. It showed just how visible that trapped air bubble is. Trout will key on it.
Yin and yang ...
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
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I was hoping for frick and frack.
<|:-)
DeleteAlan
ReplyDeleteAmazing sometimes how a tiny little in change in color on a fly can get a take---thanks for sharing