Advice on these bugs?

[Wildfish]

It's been a busy winter, so I didn't get to spend as much time tying as I would have liked and I can't quite turn the corner on some techniques. For example, the palmered hackle is always thinner and less uniform than I would like (see the coachman and sulfur). Any suggestions for those or the other ties below? Notice any bad habits? I really do appreciate all the advice!

 

[gfen]

1) Body goes too far down.
2) Looks great, but antron sucks up water like a sponge. Learned that the hard way. Poly floats better, but doesn't look as good.
3) Tail is gonna sink, and I bet it lands face first, but it still looks good.
4) Hell, even on my worst day (today!) I can't find anything bad about that.
5) Use ample floatant.

The Coachman's hackle looks fine, if you're comparing to Royal Wulffs realize the pattern calls for _two_ hackle feathers which is what makes it so very, very bushy.

 

[MKern]

I personally would leave the poof off the zebra midge. I would also wrap tighter to the bead and not so far down the bend. Other than those minor things it looks good.

I think the coachman and the last fly just need more hackle.

On the last one those tail fibers might not be strong enough to supprt the fly.

 

[ryguyfi]

More hackle on your dries. You want each turn of hackle to be directly in front of the other. They should be very tight and as close to the eye of the hook as you can with room to finish. You should be able to fit twice as many wraps in the amount of space you used. Then they will float great!

Watch the size of your head on that sulphur. Too much thread can cause too much weight and it may sink.

Love that caddis emerger. That's how I tie mine and they work great in the fast water. Tie it in all sizes and colors.

When you're doing your hairwings you can pull a bit tighter or just push the hair down so it'll match the surface of the water. The hair is just a bit too far up top and it should "splay" out a bit more.

Overall they're not too bad and will def catch some fish.

 

[Wildfish]

I really appreciate it guys. Finally going to get to a local TU tying meeting next week to ask questions, but this is really helpful.

GFen--that actually is poly on #2, so floating shouldn't be an issue.

RE the tails, what makes you think they will sink/not support the fly? They are CDL, which I thought was the good stuff . Am I not using enough?

ryguyfi: So I want the deerhair to ride parallel to the surface as much as possible? And when you say "too far up top," do you mean it is too close to the hook eye?

Really, thanks again for all the advice. Finally have some free time this weekend, so I want to get behind the vise.

 

[gfen]

Wildfish wrote:
GFen--that actually is poly on #2, so floating shouldn't be an issue.
RE the tails, what makes you think they will sink/not support the fly? They are CDL, which I thought was the good stuff . Am I not using enough?

Fair enough, it was nice and shiny so I presumed antron. I was wrong. It happens, mostly to others.

CDL, as in Cock day lion? They're pretty, but they're not any better and tehre's just not alot of them back there. Floatant helps, but can only do much.

FWIW, I like wings. That sulphar would do well if it had one, c oz it'd be prettier and prettier flies fish with more confidence coz they're proud of themselves. Again, take a bunch of mallard flank, pull it from the raichus, roll it between thumb and fore finger, then tie it down.

 

[Wildfish]

Thanks gfen. Will work on a wing. I have plenty of mallard to play with--never tried to make a wing like that before. I usually use the tips of cape or saddle hackle (depending on the wing size). Your way sounds easier and floatier.

 

[ryguyfi]

the hair on the comparadun looks to be in a good position. in "too far up" i meant in standing up rather than disbursed evenly to sit flat on the water. Comparaduns are killer especially for my larger flies. Pretty easy to tie too and you don't have to buy expensive hackles. Check out the existing thread on them.

 

[gfen]

Cheaper, too. Its how I make pretty much any wing that's not hair, and its made the same way as a hair wing, too. Split it if you want, or leave it as a clump if you don't.