What's in your vise?
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
So many amazing, beautiful ties here!!! So, given that lately my tying attention span has resembled that of a gnat, I’m going to shift it down to granny gear and give the newbs encouragement.
Not much to look at, but it proved it’s worth. This pattern came about (as I mentioned elsewhere) from wanting to make use of pheasant rump patches I had depleted of right-size hackle for Carey Specials.
#12 or #10 Dai-Riki #710 hook (3X Long, 1X Strong)
8/0 Black UNI-Thread
Pheasant rump hackle.
Cover the hook shank with a thread base.
The trick here is to start with the smallest hackle at the rear of the hook, starting on the shank before where the curve bend starts. Tie in as you would for any soft hackle fly. However, secure the feather by the tip and palmer forward tight and close together. You want the longest barbs ending forward. From there, use progressively larger hackle to tie in until you near the hook eye.
Another important technique is to leave the thread at the hackle tie-in point, wrap the hackle forward, and then advance the thread through the hackle (to better secure it), to the stem butt, and secure the hackle there. It’s so much easier to palmer hackle if the thread is not in the way.
Doing so, in this way, keeps the hackle barbs standing out even when wet. The shorter barbs support the longer ones forward, keeping them erect. When you strip-retrieve, the hackle will pulsate—collapsing in and breathing back out.
To be honest, I arrived at this pattern as well because I have been curious about chain-bodied, hackle Game-changers. This was an experiment to figure out how to work hackle in the GC pattern. In the end, I stumbled upon a skunk-buster.
One last thing: I could have sworn I had seen this pattern before. I spent today digging through a whole mess of my tying books. Never saw the thing. Eventually, I did find something close enough. It was the New Zealand fly called either “The Simpson Killer” or the “Mrs. Simpson.”
Both patterns are based on pheasant rump feathers. However, the Simpson has a black squirrel tail tail and the feathers are not wrapped but tied in flat along the side. I think I tried making a Killer Simpson in the past, but it proved too fragile for my taste.
Viewed 2-D from the side, one can see the resemblance. The shared element is that both ways preserve the barred and iridescent quality of the pheasant hackle. That the barbules are able to keep their original profile and breathe at the same time, preserves the virtue of the original.
Since I haven’t been able to find this pattern elsewhere yet, I guess I tentatively have naming rights: “Mrs. Simpson’s Leftover.”
Gotta give a nod to the original.
Not much to look at, but it proved it’s worth. This pattern came about (as I mentioned elsewhere) from wanting to make use of pheasant rump patches I had depleted of right-size hackle for Carey Specials.
#12 or #10 Dai-Riki #710 hook (3X Long, 1X Strong)
8/0 Black UNI-Thread
Pheasant rump hackle.
Cover the hook shank with a thread base.
The trick here is to start with the smallest hackle at the rear of the hook, starting on the shank before where the curve bend starts. Tie in as you would for any soft hackle fly. However, secure the feather by the tip and palmer forward tight and close together. You want the longest barbs ending forward. From there, use progressively larger hackle to tie in until you near the hook eye.
Another important technique is to leave the thread at the hackle tie-in point, wrap the hackle forward, and then advance the thread through the hackle (to better secure it), to the stem butt, and secure the hackle there. It’s so much easier to palmer hackle if the thread is not in the way.
Doing so, in this way, keeps the hackle barbs standing out even when wet. The shorter barbs support the longer ones forward, keeping them erect. When you strip-retrieve, the hackle will pulsate—collapsing in and breathing back out.
To be honest, I arrived at this pattern as well because I have been curious about chain-bodied, hackle Game-changers. This was an experiment to figure out how to work hackle in the GC pattern. In the end, I stumbled upon a skunk-buster.
One last thing: I could have sworn I had seen this pattern before. I spent today digging through a whole mess of my tying books. Never saw the thing. Eventually, I did find something close enough. It was the New Zealand fly called either “The Simpson Killer” or the “Mrs. Simpson.”
Both patterns are based on pheasant rump feathers. However, the Simpson has a black squirrel tail tail and the feathers are not wrapped but tied in flat along the side. I think I tried making a Killer Simpson in the past, but it proved too fragile for my taste.
Viewed 2-D from the side, one can see the resemblance. The shared element is that both ways preserve the barred and iridescent quality of the pheasant hackle. That the barbules are able to keep their original profile and breathe at the same time, preserves the virtue of the original.
Since I haven’t been able to find this pattern elsewhere yet, I guess I tentatively have naming rights: “Mrs. Simpson’s Leftover.”
Gotta give a nod to the original.
mtskibum16
Life of the Party
Jig bunny leech. Wrapped Krystal flash forward with/between wraps of the bunny. Doesn’t show in the pic but gives a nice subtle flash through the whole body. With the giant tungsten bead I could probably cast it with a spinning rod though. 
I like that, and the ones @Billy ties. Just got some black bunny strips. I'm waiting until the fish stop short hitting and eating more aggressively before giving it a go however. The little leaches are good now.Jig bunny leech. Wrapped Krystal flash forward with/between wraps of the bunny. Doesn’t show in the pic but gives a nice subtle flash through the whole body. With the giant tungsten bead I could probably cast it with a spinning rod though.
View attachment 10722
I'm down to 2 Higa's SOS (video) in sz. 16. I'm out of curved hooks in that size and smaller, and these in 14 look big. They have been good recently, especially when the big midges are active.
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Oliver1329
Life of the Party
Hoping some cutthroat will like this perdigon. Does anyone have some suggestions for spring attractor nymphs for westslope cutthroat?
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FinLuver
Native Oregonian…1846
Like the style and thought for SRC…
Maybe change the color scheme - black bead, orange dubbing collar, body of Lagartun mini flat braid - Fl Blue, and tail of GP Tippet - Fl Red.
Can’t say for spring, but in the fall that will work really well for returning searun cutts.
My two go to nymphs in the fall are a lightning bug and copper john. Have caught many cutts on both.
Very nice tie.
SF
To be clear, you're referring to West Slopes, not SRC's right? You're in Spokane after all...
Oliver1329
Life of the Party
Yes, westslope not SRC. Thanks for clarifying.
I've never had the opportunity to fish west slopes, but from my understanding, they'll literally eat anything.
And in terms of euro nymphs, I'd fish the shit outta that fly.
mtskibum16
Life of the Party
Yes Billy is the king of the jig fly imo. I saw a video that did this though don’t have the link. It’s a hybrid of a standard rabbit leech and a starlight leech. My only change was the jig hook and some light bright dubbing for a collar.
A reversed (
) blue dun and anti static bag with red rib.
Dave
) blue dun and anti static bag with red rib.Dave
A few experimental crappie/panfish flies. Plastic bead chain eyes from some stupid thing I acquired.
wanderingrichard
Life of the Party
Elegant....
