Artsy Fartsy

[TGIF]

As much as I enjoy tying pheasant tails, elk haired caddis and clousers, I decided to try my hand at traditional salmon/wet flies. I don't mind putting the time in, because I find the complexity fastinating.

Here are my first 4 efforts, I would love any feedback you guys might have... I'm not ready for the a$$ kicking that these would get on the classics pages out there.

All of these flies are tied on #1 Mustad salmon hooks.

Attempt 1: Weak wing and misproportioned throat.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s9/tjcole99/IMGP0581.jpg

Attempt 2: (Irish Inspired): Body needs work, especially the orange. Wing collapsed, uneven ostrich herl tags.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s9/tjcole99/IMGP0583.jpg

Attempt 3: Wing is loose at the tips, this is a homegrown pattern, so a more significant tail would be good. Some bruises in the floss body.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s9/tjcole99/IMGP0587.jpg

Attempt 4: Parmanchenee Belle: Misproportioned throat, wing collapsed, tinsel rib should have started at the butt.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s9/tjcole99/IMGP0596.jpg


Any criticism is welcome, as I'd like to continue to improve on these.

Thanks,

TGIF

[wet_fly_action]

The only tough thing on these is setting the wings. Aside from that they are pretty straight forward.
A #1 salmon hook is pretty huge and is probably holding you back if you are using regular duck quills. They sell goose and/or swan for salmon flies.
I would say get some size 6-12 wet fly hooks and tie some flies you can actually fish. I can give you a short list of patterns I use and I'm sure some of the other members here have some wets they still fish as well.
Also, when I first started tying these I was hung up on doing complex, fancy flies. In retrospect not the best way to go. Try for correct proportions, properly set wings, smooth floss bodies, and neat heads. Once you can do this, you can tie a fly as plain or fancy as you want. The skills will transfer over to traditional streamers, as well as salmon flies.

[wet_fly_action]

One more thing- there is no secret to these. Practice makes perfect. That's why I recommend patterns you can fish with for trout and landlocks.

[Gtownfly]

TGIF -

I can't offer anything constructive because most of the flies I tie (while they may catch some fish) look like they've already seen the inside of a mouth even before the head cement has dried. Those look great for your first attempts!

[TGIF]

WFA, while the goal was the get into fully dressed salmon flies, I'm realizing that a #1 hook is a little too small for those, and too big for wet flies.

The wings are goose feathers... with the exception of the first one, which is blue macaw (friend has a parrot).

Not sure which way I'll go, either more towards the fully dressed or more toward the bergman style wets.

Let me know what patterns you like, I appreciate your help.

[wet_fly_action]

Off the top of my head, for trout-
Leadwing Coachman
Cahills (light and dark)
Greenwells Glory
Montreal
Jock Scott Sherbrooke
Orange Fish Hawk
Grizzly King
March Brown (both)
Gravel Bed
Last Chance
Also any of the ______ hackle peacock series, brown hackle peacock, yellow hackle peacock, etc.

For fall salmon-
Parmacheene Belle
Tomah Joe
Abbey

If that isn't enough to keep you busy for a while, I'll take a look through my fly box.

[overmywaders]

If you need the recipe for WFA's patterns, most of them, with illustrations, are available at http://traditionalflies.com/index.php?wetpost1930

just click on the thumbnail image. Also full-dress salmon flies.

[Chappy]

Hi,

Perhaps a few things that don't take up a lot of time, especially since you don't plan to immediately get into winging materials like bustard, and cheeking like indian crow or jungle cock, is to focus on the body. With any floss body, time spent will have atonishing affects for these type of flies as unless you have a lot of sweeping wings, toppings, shoulders, and cheeks, it is the body that stands out.

First, make sure you use an underbody - I prefer UTC white 140 denier (or 70 for smaller flies.) Take your time and every 4-5 wraps untwist the bobbin so the thread is flat. You can burnish if you want with an agate or other smooth rock. If you do not have palmolive hands you may walk silk goves for the floss work. When tying in the floss do not use your thread to tie it to the hook, instead bring the floss on the back side of the hook and this way you put it under the thread. The key is to make floss transitions at the underside of the hook.

Of course Ostrich herls is good for that. But I recommend that spend more time right now on preparing a great underbody and go with a single floss and focus on a smooth body and a 5 wrap equally spaced tinsel.

Your throats are very nice.

This little bit of time is a great investment as the important thing is to untwist the thread every 5 wraps. Spending time on an underbody will turn this into a habit that takes no time at all. This is paramount should you try to leap into the classics.

As for me, I also use this for Carrie Stevens smelt patterns. I tied 7 of these guys and tied the bodies stages compared to the wings. This way, I could improve my speed an quality. The first took 7 minutes and the last 5 minutes. Then when I went to select the wings, I had best of the best bodies to mate up with the best of the best wing materials as you will find out, natural quality will vary feather to feather. The worst of the worst makes it into my fly box, while the best made it into little riker mounts that I gave as little tokens to freinds and families.

I have been in a green Highlander rut where after finishing my 4th and each time I improved, I have 5 more sets of wings married up with hackles folded waiting for time at the vice. Maybe this winter.

Good luck on your Journey. It will never end.

BTW on my GH - notice how the wing curves up - this is a no-no as the curve should be downward in the shape of the topping. That might be something to work on when marrying - it takes an extra step..


Chappy

Reigster for the Fall Concord and Laconia Continuing Education fly tying classes coming this September.