What do you think?

[Foxgap239]

Good morning. I saw a post a few months back about a book by Lloyd Gonzales so I bought the book. I read it and I'm now trying to tie his patterns. Below is a picture of my first attempt at one of his more realistic patterns. I wanted to get some expert opinions from my PAFF brethen. I'm not sure all the colors are right because I didn't have all the right color matches but I wanted to try the techniques.

BTW, I do not intend to tie these up for everyday fishing but as the book indicates for those streams where the fish are so pressured you need something different.

What do you guys think?

 

[Fishidiot]

While I love tying realistic fly patterns and nymphs in particular, I'm skeptical of the need to go more realistic on educated trout, esp with nymphs.

Anyway, regardless, it's a fine pattern and nicely tied. Get a nice collection of these realistic flies together, maybe a dozen or two, and then you can put them in a fly box for wall display or design a shadow box picture frame to display them.

 

[Foxgap239]

Thanks. I really like your idea of a shadow box. Now ya's got me thinnin!

 

[sandfly]

his patterns work any where.. nice tie....

 

[mcwillja]

I have and read Lloyds book and he has some great info and patterns in there but to be honest a lot of his patterns take too long to tie. I don't tie anything that takes more than a few minutes to tie. I fish some of the most pressured water you can find and the simplest of patterns work fine.

That is a very nice nymph though well done.

 

[MKern]

When I started tying realistic stonefly patterns I wouldn't fish them either.
Now I think nothing of tying one on. So it take 40 minutes to tie, catching a fish is way too important to let that get in the way.

I have has rainbows slam them so hard in fast riffles. Some of my most exciting fishing experiences.

 

[Foxgap239]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'm totally like McWillja and simple to me is better but one stream has me so obsessed anymore that I'm willing to try again to beat those fish. As I told one of my friends, those fish brains aren't that much bigger than mine and I'm gonna figure them out!

Seriously, realism can't hurt and the fact that it takes much longer to tie really doesn't bother me if I can have the same success that MKern had. This one took me awhile but it was my first and I'm still learning the techniques. I would guess that when I get better that fly may only take 5 minutes. I'm really waiitng to get to his dry patterns. I do agree with FI, I'm not sure how important realism in nymphs is (but here to it can't hurt) but I really think there is something to more realism in dries. I think more guys fish dries and so fish see more dries than nymphs. Don't want to start a debate on that point because that is just my unscientific observations that make me say that.

 

[jayL]

I will disagree and say that imo realism CAN hurt.

When a fly has a distinct too and bottom side, this can really make it obvious that it is tumbling unnaturally in the drift. An impressionistic bug that looks the same from all sides will appear to drift more naturally in many situations.

Certainly not a general rule, but I think it is occasionally important to consider.

 

[Foxgap239]

jayL wrote:
I will disagree and say that imo realism CAN hurt.

When a fly has a distinct too and bottom side, this can really make it obvious that it is tumbling unnaturally in the drift. An impressionistic bug that looks the same from all sides will appear to drift more naturally in many situations.

Certainly not a general rule, but I think it is occasionally important to consider.

Jayl, a valid point which the author takes into account in his fly design. The hook has a upward curve and weighting in a specifc place to help the fly drift more realistically. I cannot say I've tested it yet but it will give me something to do.

I was really just looking to see if you guys thought it looked realistic or not. There are a mirade of opinions on realism versus not so I was hoping to stay out of that debate but I can see that was impossible.

 

[dryflyguy]

I know of a few hard fished places where the fish tend to refuse my "regular" patterns - and find that more realistic stuff will often take them. I'm talking drys now.
And since these flies are a little more time time consuming to tie - and fragile - I do kinda save them for when they're needed.

 

[jayL]

I definitely think it looks realistic, and appears to be nicely tied.

Care to share a pattern for it? I am beginning a major stonefly blitz soon.

 

[Foxgap239]

No problem sharing. He has some really awesome stonefly patterns. I'll get you the info but I can tell you this, I could not have tied this bug without reading the earlier chapters on techniques plus I had to refer back as I was tying. I'm sure you are a more accompished tyer than I am and I'll get you those patterns. If you have any questions on the "how's" I can certainly direct you with what I took from the book. Maybe some other guys that read and have the book can add more color to techniques. I'm not the best wordsmith.

 

[jayL]

Just looking for ideas. I don't often follow recipes too closely. I'm sure I'd miss the primary techniques, but as long as I have an idea of the general pattern, it should help my cause.

I'll be fishing them in blown out rivers this spring, to stupid fish. I don't think it matters much, but I want to have a variety of patterns so I can dial in on what works.

 

[gutcutter]

Come on, Jay.
Place size 10 2xl hook in vice
Lead wrap thorax area
Using black thread, tie in a clump of black hackle fibers as a tail. Wrap a black fine chenille abdomen, leaving the tag end uncut.
Tie in a black hen hackle.
Wrap a yellow chenille thorax.
Palmer the hackle around the thorax.
Clip the top of the hackle off.
Use the black chenille as a wing case.
Whip finish.

A perfect 2 minute stupid trout stonefly nymph named after your new home...

 

[gutcutter]

Alternate:
Lead wrap another 2xl nymph hook
Tie in two white rubber tails
Weave black and orange chenille abdomen (black on top)
Tie in brown hen hackle
Tie in 2 white rubber antennae (if your good, you can use the same ones as the tail)
Wrap a black chenille thorax
Palmer the hackle and whip finish

A 4 minute stupid fish stonefly nymph named after your old home...

 

[lv2nymph]

Nice lookin fly,fished it yet?

 

[Foxgap239]

lv2nymph wrote:
Nice lookin fly,fished it yet?

Thank you. Not yet but I am looking forward to trying it. Jayl makes a good point about floating natrually so I want to see how it drifts.

 

[flyfishermanj]

foxgap,

Nice tie! Keep them coming.

JH

 

[Foxgap239]

flyfishermanj wrote:
foxgap,

Nice tie! Keep them coming.

JH

Thank you.

FI, got me really thinking about a shadow box. I think what I'll do is tie a few more and save the best one then move to the next type. He's got some awesome ties. I really want to get to trying dries because I think they are the ones that I'll benefit the most from.

 

[Volksnurse]

Ummm...obsessed George? OK...yeah, we'll go with it.

Foxgap239 wrote:
Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'm totally like McWillja and simple to me is better but one stream has me so obsessed anymore that I'm willing to try again to beat those fish.