What Are You Tying Today?
- Thread starter DaveKile
- Start date
dc410
Well-known member
No weight on this one.
hooker-of-men
Well-known member
I like those colors together.
When I tie light Hendrickson dries, I sometimes tie the body with a reddish brown thread. When the flies get wet, the darker reddish color shows through the light dubbing in a weird translucent way that - I think - gives it a more organic appearance. This reminded me of that. Very cool pattern.
jifigz
Well-known member
I've been slowly filling up my bugger box over the last few days. All fresh ties in there ready for when I'm able-bodied enough to fish again. One of my 2024 goals was to simplify, so I am gonna try to only carry these streamers while trout fishing.
mt_flyfisher
Well-known member
For all of you football fans: The Blow Torch.
With Michigan leading Alabama by 7 points last night, and playing in overtime, Alabama had a 4th down at the 3 yard line, and needed a touchdown to tie the score.
Sabin called a play that he expected would TORCH the Michigan defense. Instead, he BLEW the call. A quarterback run straight up the middle. Whodda thought? Michigan’s defense did. They tackled Jalen Milroe on the 2 yard line and won the game, 27-20.
Note: The Jig is Up on these flies, as it is on Alabama’s winning streak. And here’s a few Crimson Tide Blow Torches in memory of last night’s game.
With Michigan leading Alabama by 7 points last night, and playing in overtime, Alabama had a 4th down at the 3 yard line, and needed a touchdown to tie the score.
Sabin called a play that he expected would TORCH the Michigan defense. Instead, he BLEW the call. A quarterback run straight up the middle. Whodda thought? Michigan’s defense did. They tackled Jalen Milroe on the 2 yard line and won the game, 27-20.
Note: The Jig is Up on these flies, as it is on Alabama’s winning streak. And here’s a few Crimson Tide Blow Torches in memory of last night’s game.
jifigz
Well-known member
Nice play on words through your post, and that was a helluva game to watch. It's about time the Big 10 got a "W" in the bowl games.
I've never fished a blowtorch..I also don't know if they fit into my simplistic approach to flies for 2024 .....
JimNovo
Well-known member
Headed to the ladies at CfR.
I’m a fan of the looped CDC, but still not a fan of working with deer hair.
Interesting all the disdain for foam in caddis and stimis. I use em on both and have had good luck and performance with it. I know one thing is to not pull the foam too tight or you just compress all the air voids. Or just don’t use foam haha.
Tied up some bigger dries and some Baltz paranymphs
Tied up some bigger dries and some Baltz paranymphs
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tomgamber
Well-known member
Yes, that's why it's called Shenks white minnow. 😉 Also why asked about the rabbit because I was hoping he had something easier to work with. Haven't tied one in decades but remember the rabbit being a little difficult to spin as software it was. Dubbing loop is a good idea.
dc410
Well-known member
The arctic fox is a great material to work with, the pack I have is a Hareline product. Spin it up in a dubbing loop, wrap it on for the body. I then tease it out all around the shank with a dubbing brush (for me that’s a .22 bore cleaning brush). Then just trim it up. Give it a try - I think you’ll like it.
falcon
Well-known member
Rabbit was used as it absorbs water. The arctic fox has longer hair so it would be easier to insert in a dubbing loop. The fly fishes better without or lightly weighted. Eyes would be a good addition.
tomgamber
Well-known member
You're right. The rabbit sank like a stone. Fished the Skuke near Shoemakersville one day and caught no less than 30 decent smallies all on that fly. Felt like cheating.
jifigz
Well-known member
The Shenk's Minnow is such an easy and simple looking fly. I have never fished one, but I'm sure it crushes lots and lots of fish under the right circumstances. The real question, however, is how much better can it work than a white woolly bugger or bugger variation?
dc410
Well-known member
Many years ago at the Lancaster Flyfishing Show I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Ed Shenk specifically about his White Minnow pattern. He actually recommended that I blend white rabbit fur and arctic fox for the body (rabbit for the sinking factor and the Fox fur for its great dubbing properties). He said the magic behind his fly is that “it’s a fly that the fish just love to chew on”. They just tend to hang on to it and chew on it longer because it has a soft and natural feel to it.
falcon
Well-known member
Makes perfect sense. He may have mentioned this in his book "Fly Rod Trouting" where he discusses the fly. I have the book in my library.
falcon
Well-known member
His book lists the fly under Chewy Flies.
Hook #10 to #2 3X to 4X long
Tail - white marabou not quite as long as hook
Body - cream or white fox tied as a fur chenille ; trim to shape
Head - thread, black or grey; painted eyes optional
No mention of rabbit. However I have seen it tied with rabbit
Regardless of the fur used, the fly wetted may have to be squeezed to eliminate the trapped air allowing it to sink
The fly being light enters the water quietly but projects a large profile which is important fishing Spring Creeks.
Ed knew his stuff and was considered the best fisherman among the Letort regulars.
Hook #10 to #2 3X to 4X long
Tail - white marabou not quite as long as hook
Body - cream or white fox tied as a fur chenille ; trim to shape
Head - thread, black or grey; painted eyes optional
No mention of rabbit. However I have seen it tied with rabbit
Regardless of the fur used, the fly wetted may have to be squeezed to eliminate the trapped air allowing it to sink
The fly being light enters the water quietly but projects a large profile which is important fishing Spring Creeks.
Ed knew his stuff and was considered the best fisherman among the Letort regulars.
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tomgamber
Well-known member
As someone who grabs a bugger before almost anything, I gotta say it's a killer. I guess I gotta tie some up during the "snowy winter". It's been a minute so I'm curious to fish em side by side.
Which is where I am these days. I'm not a counter or a picture guy. I like to see what I can MAKE them take see if this works better than that. Basically just a lot of f#$&ing around.
Which is where I am these days. I'm not a counter or a picture guy. I like to see what I can MAKE them take see if this works better than that. Basically just a lot of f#$&ing around.
falcon
Well-known member
I would imagine the fly would work well on the West Branch Delaware when Cannonsville is spilling and many dying pastey colored alewife are washed down river. Dead drift with a ocassional twitch.
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jifigz
Well-known member
Articulated peanut envy type of jobby. This one is for someone else. I usually don't like to mess with the articulated stuff.
