Blue quill dries

[lv2nymph]

I've been tying dries lots of dries, more dries than I've ever tied in one stretch ever... I've turned my attention to the above insect the blue quill. I've been looking around at different places at different patterns and one thing I've found is there seems to be a lot of different colors of this insect! I was under the understanding that the duns pretty much retain the coloration of the nymphs. I'm hoping some of you would like to help a budding dry fisherman out. What color, & pattern have you all found works best here in Pa. with this little guy? I've read that parachutes & compare-duns work better than a standard hackled version, but heck I don't know... :-?

 

[LeTortAngler2]

18 Adams

 

[BrookieChaser]

I agree on the Adams.

 

[dryflyguy]

Jack -

Just like the BWO's we fished with last spring - except you use a gray body, instead of olive.
Some patterns call for a rusty brown colored body. And I've tied some that way too. But it really didn't seem to make a difference - they both worked .
When I first started tying them, the standard pattern called for matched mallard flank wing sections. And a stripped peacock quill body. Not an easy fly to tie - and also not durable either.
I switched to gray turkey flat wings, and dubbed body.

 

[lv2nymph]

Very good, some ties I can handle. Thank you very much guys.

 

[Tigereye]

Agree on the adams.

Years ago I also tied some (adams') by blending dun with grizzly for the hackle and tail (the classic adams blends brown with grizzly)

They look cool and work but I cant say with certainty that they where more effective.

The classic adams was just as good and alot more versatile. Thus my departure from that experiment.

As for parachutes and compardun styles, it really depends on the water you are fishing. If you are fishing glides and softer water, i think you will find this style fly more effective than the catskill style.

If the water you fish is a bit "rougher" the catskill style will fare a bit better and will not have the tendency to swamp as readily.

 

[troutbert]

At this site you can see photos of the actual insects.

Some consider this relevant. 🙂

http://www.troutnut.com/common-name/17/Blue-Quills

 

[InCahoots]

Lv2nymph, You tie beautiful nymphs, I'm sure you'll do the same with dries. Check out the blue quills in Henry Ramsay's book about Eastern hatches. He uses a mahogany biot body and dun CDC wing. Nice!

 

[lv2nymph]

Dwight, personally I agree with you that's very relevant. For many years I've seined nymphs for coloration, size, & shape. That's one of the reasons I wanted to see what everyone uses, because I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed the popular flies don't seem to have the actual tones the real one has. This isn't the first time I've seen something like this in patterns that are effective. So...inquiring minds want to know. :-D

Appreciate the info Te, I'll keep that in mind.
Inc, thank you very much. I do love my nymphs. I'll definately check that one out.
I really appreciate the Intel you've all given me, I thank you...

 

[redietz]

I've had pretty good luck with a conventional Catskill-style blue quill (quill body, quill-slip wings, dun hackle) in a size 18, but I'd agree that an Adam will probably work just as well.

 

[InCahoots]

Lv2nymph, Found my copy of H Ramsay's book. Blue Quill: 16&18, dark brown 8/0 thread, dark gray fibbets, mahogany turkey or goose biots, thorax mahogany brown superfine, wings are dun CDC, hackle is bronze dun tied thorax style trimmed on bottom. Great book!

 

[sandfly]

this for one !

 

[lv2nymph]

Thank you Inc for looking into that for me I appreciate it. Sounds like a good tie. Bob is that top pic a spinner or a dun from up your way? Thank you for the pictures. Redietz thank you...

 

[lv2nymph]

Harrop's hair wing dun w/quill body.

I have others to tie, but I'm going to give this one a try anyway...

 

[dryflyguy]

That's a beautiful fly lv2nymph!
Reminds me of an old Chauncey Lively pattern called a tri point dun - which I first found out about in PAAngler many years ago.
It has the same deer hair wing - but also uses two more clumps of deer hair tied in for the legs, one on each side, instead of hackle.
Kinda of a more realistic comparadun.

Anyway, it works real well on picky fish.

 

[blueheron]

Jack,
I tie blue quills for the pocono streams in a catskill style, but that's what I like to tie and fish. 16 or 18 , light brown to mahogany body, dun tails and hackle, dun wings. I have to say again that I tie catskill dries because I can adjust the ride height on the stream as conditions dictate by trimming the hackle beneath the hook, I can float it high or in the film with a few snips. How's your daughter doing? Chris

 

[lv2nymph]

Thank you very much Bill! I'm going to have a look see for the pattern you're talking about there, sounds interesting. Thanks
Chris, I like your thinking with the on stream adjustments to your patterns, sadly she has lost interest in tying for the time being. She's moved on to all of the things that teenage girls are into, and tying with dad isn't one of them. :-( but I'm keeping the box of flies and vise handy for any glint of interest. Thank you for asking Chris.

 

[sandfly]

Jack its a spinner

 

[lv2nymph]

Thanks Bob.