What have you tied today?

[Crawhin]

Cheers Bri. Not really used the Fraser nymph before. My previous staples nymph-wise have always been good old basic copper wire PTNs, gold-head GRHEs and mini Montanas. I like the close turn pearl flashabou ribbing on these Fraser variations though so plan to give them a swim this season.

Another Irish mayfly - green this time:-

[attachimg=1]


Cheers,

Ian 

[Black-Don]

Few more I tied today , one new one to me" Rogans extractor", and a couple of my favourites, Orange invicta and Claret bumble, just catching up before the start,    :roll:   breac uaig

Nice flees Breac, I like the " Extractor " invented by a dentist perhaps ? 

This weekend I have been mostly thinkng of Summer - so tied some Irish style wet Mayfly patterns just to cheer maself up a bit    :-

attach=13153




Cheers,

Ian

Big Browns love flees like that in June, July, August  stripped fast and just as they're about to come out of the water. :



I WAS TRYING TO COPY IAN's TOP MAYFLY. CAN SOMEONE ADVISE HOW I DO THIS PLEASE WITHOUT PHOTOBUCKETING ETC.,

[Black-Don]

That's the one. Thanks.



Let's see if this works.

Cracking Mayfly BTW.

It's not working, I give up.  :shock:


( EDIT - Thanks John, I've ammended it now, sorry for taking a few posts to get there but it is a cracking looking Mayfly. I was sure I tried that but obviously not  :? )

[.D.]

Today's/ yesterday's burnt offerings.

Crimes against peacock herl:





A hare's ear nymph with a herl thorax, and guard hairs wound through the herl.I used the split thread approach for that one but don't necessarily always bother. I don't necessarily always bother with the tails either.

And a pretty tatty looking version with brown olive squirrel fur:






On the tatty theme a hackled dry fly with a tabby cat fur body; a 'Catsbody', if you will :roll:. They still actually work, hackled dry flies. Contrary to popular belief .



Cheers,

.D.

[.D.]

Back again. Only a few weeks to go after all .

Simple Grannom larva, peeping caddis type thing.







Cheers,

.D.

[.D.]

Thats another nice looking flee D . I was out on the Leader with Brian yesterday(we blanked) . We spent a bit of time in the afternoon looking at river life under the stones etc. WE found plenty of stone clingers, baetis , stone flies including the "gadger" (and a few hatched shucks  were in evidence) and a lot of cased caddis in various sizes under the stones and ontop of some stones but still under water were  loads of smaller ones (empty) , after seeing this post it has occurred  these could well have been grannom larva cases??
Col

Thanks .

Could have been . They're made of secretions with plant material mixed in - gives them a heavily segmented appearance. They're usually rectangular in cross section when smaller, There is another little larva with a vaguely similar case though. Do you get Grannom hatches on that river?


Cheers,

.D.

[Crawhin]

Stunning flees .D. Your peeping caddis in particular is just beautiful - what's the tying for that?

Cheers,

Ian

[.D.]

Stunning flees .D. Your peeping caddis in particular is just beautiful - what's the tying for that?

Cheers,

Ian

Thanks again.

OK, but the materials aren't exactly set in stone:

Hook: long enough to give you a case 10-13mm long (excluding bead, it  kind of merges in with the rest of the case). I've used a Varivas 2500V streamer hook, size 12.

Bead: Black, tungsten or brass to suit. 3mm here.

Thread: Chartreuse 8/0 Uni-Thread. Black or brown thread used only for tying off the case material at the bead, when tying is completed.

Head: something black or brown and glossy. Three turns of small Wapsi Vinyl rib here but I'd normally go for a single full turn of brown or black standard Veniard Magic Glass ( I can't find mine just now).

Legs: I've used fibres from a Guinea Fowl wing here, but you could use anything.

Thorax bit: Chartreuse Ice Dub or similar bright greenish dubbing.

Case (the interesting bit :lol:): Standard size Veniard Ultra lace tubing, either brown, or (as here) clear stained tan brown with a marker. Slip two contrasting earthy colours of small (or maybe brassie) Wapsi Ultra Wire into the tubing - as long as you can make it ( 4.5-6"? I've never measured the amount). That's the only bit that's difficult :lol:.I've used Brown and the paler Ginger here. Tie it in and wind it up to the bead in slightly lapping turns. Tie it off and varnish the case.

Easy tie. Apart from getting the wire into the tubing. Do that bit first.


Cheers,

.D.

[.D.]

Hi D,  Couldnt tell you if they are definitely in the Leader but they are in the Tweed "catchment" according to the link below.
Col
http://www.tweedfoundation.org.uk/ttgi/Downloads/Detailed_Key_Mayflies__Stoneflies_and_Caddis_flies.pdf

Nice little link.

[silverbutcher]

Col,
     Gordon (Bushy1) and I had some great sport two seasons past on a muddler just like that, but with an orange hackle behind the muddler head.

Billy