Fancy Salmon Flies II

[Fishidiot]

Earlier this year I posted a thread on tying classic salmon flies with some thoughts on why this is appealing to me and how I think it makes one a better fly tier:

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6336&forum=5

Here's one fresh out of my vise. As pointed out in the earlier thread, what makes a salmon fly "good" - among other things - are golden pheasant tips that bend back to touch each other without a lot of overlap. I think this one turned out decent.

 

[BrookieBuster101]

Wow nice tie! Ive given them a shot before, alas ending in failure. But i will try again... when i have time. My main goal is filling up my steelhead box.

 

[MidasMulligan]

That's a great looking tie fishidiot. I don't have any experience with traditional salmon flies...any great references (books?) out there?

 

[Fishidiot]

Thanks MM. Paul Jorgenson's "Salmon Flies" is a beautiful reference book. The Somerset FF show every year in NJ has some of the best salmon fly tiers from around the country. Every time I visit that show I'm just stunned by the quality of the fly tying - not just salmon flies but all manner of flies. I'm really into tying saltwater stuff and the examples of that craft there are just superb. I've never searched Youtube for examples of classic salmon flies but I'd bet there is some good stuff there too. The hardest part of classic salmon flies is "marrying" feather sections (a step I usually don't bother with) and getting golden pheasant crest overwing to lay properly.

 

[DMT]

Nice work!
Here are a couple of mine:

 

[Fishidiot]

DMT,
Those salmon flies are top notch! How do you display yours? I usually mount mine in oval frames. In order to faciliate this, I tie my salmon flies with a wire post similiar to the post indicated in my tie tack thread. Some folks use the glass dome displays and I like these (they allow a 360 deg view of the fly) but my preferance is to put the fly up on the wall - or mount it into the matting of a framed piece of artwork.

Your avatar has got me dreamin. Man, this winter weather sure makes a sunny day poling (or in my case usually paddling) around the Keys awfully appealing.

 

[DMT]

Thanks!
I generally just use riker mounts. When I frame them, I poke a couple holes through the mounting board and snake some fine copper wire through to hold the fly.

 

[Fishidiot]

Not the best photo but here's the same fly in it's oval frame and another mounted into a mat board cut-out.

 

[boss_steb]

I am humbled by the talent...those are awesome...