first "Dee" style...the blue moon

[silvertip8k]

here is my first try at a spey style tie...



its been a "blue moon" since I used a colored feather...but after playing with some dyes had to try this...

folding the paired wings down was a bit hard at first, but after studying some SBS's and just looking at countless others you folks have tied I made a stab at it...
...I made a few changes to what I have seen the maestros do here...but seem to help me out and maintain a look...I used the main wings and pulled down a few barbs on each side for the underbody...making one less material...when they are pulled apart they looked OK to me...I just hope the steelhead agree...

I used only three feathers , one for the tail and two for the wing...the blue , is a rooster hackle I dyed with alcohol base stain...so its not a wild bird...but it still is "homegrown", actually another "yard bird" that also served as Sunday Supper......I tied this along with some other patterns lately for a trip planned to the Deschutes river later this year to try to catch some steelheads with my spey bamboo ...

#4 stainless hook
wood duck feathers for wings, no barring
rooster haclke for tail dyed blue
buffalo wool for dubbing
lead wire for weight and spiral wrap on body

thanks so much for tying all those great flies you folks put up here...it is the best education going to learn more... t

[wt bash]

That'll get you a grab without a doubt. I like tying the overly fancy stuff sometimes but its patterns like your that are bread a butter fish catchers. Nicely done!

[Hardyreels]

Very nice,

I took a look at your rods and read through your site. You are truly producing a different type or style of rod with the materials employed. For steelhead the fly should work just fine.

Ard

[silvertip8k]

thanks Ard & WT...sometimes I look at the super cool classic patterns and wonder is it necessary??

plus I doubt I will ever get close to being able to tie them...too many years banging nails...

after seeing a friends(he on this forum a lot) fshazn, and his incredible ties, I had to decide to just do something I was happy with...and if it can catch fish...my main concern...

I saw some pics of his beauties wet...and in the water swimming...and a lot of the glamor is gone...they are some subtle things added from all the extra work, but maybe I can slick by on a few of those details??I looked real close at the pics wet and dry...to see what stood out...little flashes of color on the tail...cheeks, stuff like that...so that is what I focused on...the wet and swimming look, for lack of better terms...


proof is in the puddin'...a lot of my other patterns have worked super...its just that steelhead is a new area for me...having most of my experience with trout...

[wt bash]

Around the tribs I'll fish gaudy fancy stuff when the water is stained or slightly off. Once it drops and clears up they tend to get a little trouty, plus with the popularity of the big flashy flies like intruders and hobo speys with all the tinsel and flash the subdued natural colors come into play more. From October to practically May our fish see every imaginable concoction tied to a hook so when they get lock jaw the natural, obscure and old forgotten patterns come out of the box. Plus I just can't justify spending an hour tying one fly that looks perfect in a photo and blows apart after a few casts or a few fish. Which is why I prefer folded wings like yours and plain old feather wing style flies, I like shorter rods lately and airborn casts and married wings just don't mesh well.

[Diver Dan]

Just a tiny comment. On Dee flies the wings are tied flat in a V.

In the photo here, the wings of the fly on the right are made of mottled Turkey tied Dee style;

[silvertip8k]

thanks Dan...I corrected that...split wing dee, folded down spey...right...thanks for telling me...t