Whatcha think?

[SBecker]

So I had another informational tying session with Heritage at my house and he taught me a few patterns. First he taught me a version of the San juan worm, that i will not bore you with. He then taught me the Vladdy worm and the Cdc and Elk. I then had the bright idea for our Fly swap to tie a terrestrial called the Toonoble, but after tying one I said F U to you guys because they take to long, and I then renamed it the Hellian. So here's some pictures.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Moving along quite nicely, grasshopper.

You've got skills.

Next lesson, we ramp it up a couple of notches - all dry flies.

 

[jdaddy]

What hook did you use for the Vladi? It's hell to keep the latex from sliding down the bend of the hook, no?

Torque down a bit more on the Vladi's Maxima ribbing to get better segmentation. Ribbing is closer toward the head.

Another wicked take off on this Vladi is to do the exact same technique but use regular color latex and lightly (and I mean next to nothing) dub some black ice dubbing in there before the last wrap. Creates awesome veining.

You are gonna love this fly. Check out some of these . . . .

http://czechnymphs.com/CZN_catalogue_2010.pdf

 

[SBecker]

H-A Provided the hooks, he will have to answer, but I do know they were a certain kind of Mustad bait hooks.

 

[jdaddy]

I'll be interested to see what he uses. I have been using an Orvis swimming nymph hook.

 

[SBecker]

Thanks for the link J, Some interesting stuff in that catalog. Actually pretty cheep as well.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

jdaddy wrote:
I'll be interested to see what he uses. I have been using an Orvis swimming nymph hook.

Mustad 3191, size 4 in this case - bent with pliers to shape. This is bigger than I normally tie them - I prefer a size 6 hook. One "trick" to aid in the segmentation is to tie the fat part by wrapping the latex with one hand - allowing it to twist like a rope. Pinch it to the hook when you get to the "neck", and allow it to unwind, then wrap it flat in this section. The mono can bite in between these wraps to improve the look. YMMV...

 

[gfen]

jdaddy wrote:
What hook did you use for the Vladi? It's hell to keep the latex from sliding down the bend of the hook, no?

How much gink does it take to float those?

 

[osprey]

gfen..........seriously , if you want some floatation , use thin closed cell foam sheet instead of latex , they WILL float , makes a nice green inchworm pattern or caterpillar of any kind in the appropriate color. I also don't know how to put up pictures. I have a Gypsy Moth caterpillar pattern in grey and black , that has worked at times. LRSABecker...........I think your flies look great and if you didn't tell us you were a beginner we wouldn't know , that Hellian is nice , i can also see fish mistaking that for a frog. One of those little "Spring Peepers" man don't you wish they were peeping now?

 

[whheff]

LRSABecker wrote:
So I had another informational tying session with Heritage at my house and he taught me a few patterns. First he taught me a version of the San juan worm, that i will not bore you with. He then taught me the Vladdy worm and the Cdc and Elk. I then had the bright idea for our Fly swap to tie a terrestrial called the Toonoble, but after tying one I said F U to you guys because they take to long, and I then renamed it the Hellian. So here's some pictures.

Becker, I was going to send some Vladdy worms to you in the swap but I see that Ed has taught you well. You are doing a great job of tying and you have a very good instructor.
I can't wait to see you swap fly.

 

[SBecker]

Thanks guys, the problem with the "Hellian" is that it is a 50 50 chance it floats the right side up. It was my first time tying it and only used a picture out of a magazine for it. I need heavier thread because my 6/0 was just not doing it. It did come out pretty neat looking though, and the next time I tie one I know the correct way to tie it now that I messed this one up. Good bass/trout/indicator fly I guess.

 

[muskratnymph1]

I like that CDC and elk. It will serve you well. It really looks nice!

 

[muskratnymph1]

Jdaddy- have you ever tied the weighted micronymphs with the eyes painted on them? I almost bought some in my last order from siman. I think they look sweet.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Shane - Just thought I'd help you out with your Toonoble troubles. My eyes probably looked a bit like the eyes on that thing at 1 AM, or I may have shared this with you then. :lol:

To help with the 50/50 landing upright problem:

Try a different hook - one with a bigger gap to shank length ratio. The extra weight of the larger gap below the fly will help it land upright, and may even be able to turn it over if it lands upside down. It might take a pretty big gap to do that on that thing!

To speed up the tying in quantity:

Do as commercial tyers do - have all the materials cut and prepared for the entire batch you plan to tie. I'd just cut really long strips of foam, and deal with the overhang off the front of the hook as you tie. This way, there is no waste, either.

To avoid seeing the thread on the underbody (black foam) as you wrap back over it from the eye - tie it by the segment (left to right). Complete each segment (vertically) with all the materials, then lift up the overhang on the right up and away from the hook shank, and advance the thread on only the shank to the next segment location. Tie in what goes there, and keep repeating until you get to the eye. You bound down the black foam all the way up to the eye, then had to wrap back over it to add the other pieces.

This thread in Fl chartreuse would have been a good choice for that fly.

 

[gfen]

osprey wrote:
gfen..........seriously , if you want some floatation , use thin closed cell foam sheet instead of latex?

Interesting idea, actually.

I've picked up a pattern from a friend for a green inchworm from felt which is downright phenomenal.

 

[Fredrick]

At the jam I did better with a yellow cdc and elk than all other of my sulphur paterns .

 

[flipnfly]

on the way home from the jam i stopped at spring ck and had a few take a pale yellow no hackle elkhair caddis guess they thought it was a sulphur

 

[jdaddy]

Jdaddy- have you ever tied the weighted micronymphs with the eyes painted on them? I almost bought some in my last order from siman. I think they look sweet.

Nope, but I think the eyes are quite funny looking. They look like a fried egg.

 

[jdaddy]

I really like these hooks for Vladi nymphs. They are Orvis 1512 Swimming Nymph hooks. I use size 6. They have a great bend to them, allowing you to build up a nice lead base and latex for bottom bouncing.

One "trick" to aid in the segmentation is to tie the fat part by wrapping the latex with one hand - allowing it to twist like a rope. Pinch it to the hook when you get to the "neck", and allow it to unwind, then wrap it flat in this section. The mono can bite in between these wraps to improve the look. YMMV...

This is not even a YMMV, it's actually crucial in building up the "base" of the hook so that it bounces on the bottom when riding the river bottom. I can see where it would help in segmentation, but I am not sure that I have hit them other than random luck. I was just wanting to make sure that Shane was getting a good segmentation, as even though these are fished in fast water, I think it makes a difference.

 

[jayL]

Fredrick wrote:
At the jam I did better with a yellow cdc and elk than all other of my sulphur paterns .

Ditto. Get various CDC colors and tie them for all your major hatches.