The Last Fly Tied for 2013;

[Ard]

I spent a couple hours today tying Green Butt Dee flies and a few other trout patterns. Then my mind got to wandering, as it often does, and I went to some old patterns that I used to make and fish with. This fly, I haven't made for at least 20 years.

No matter what I can see that I can say is wrong with this, I like it. If I do another I'll probably go to silver doctor blue for the under wing, otherwise this ones good to go



I was pleased with the body, it'll have some sparkle.


It has six saddles in the wing so that it has a good full profile and I got the group centered pretty well so it'll ride well I think.


Thinking about rainbow trout and little bitty ones being eaten by great big ones

Happy New Year

 

[craigthor]

Re: I Changed gears on New Years Eve;

Very nice Ard, a great way to start off the new year.

 

[williamhj]

Re: I Changed gears on New Years Eve;

Those are purty Never fished that style of fly, but will have to give it a try. Hope you have a great new year!

 

[Ard]

Re: I Changed gears on New Years Eve;

Thanks guys,

William, it's easy, you tie them on and you figure out where there will be a fish who will hit that. For something with color like this I would fish in a good current. I wouldn't want the trout to have a long time to study the fly. I've been fishing with feather wing streamers since I was a kid. It took me about fifteen years to get slick at making them but I did. All I can tell you is that it is an incredible feeling to tie something like this to your leader and walk to the waters edge. When you tie it on you know it will work. You know why?.............Because it is so cool you will make it work, that's why.

That's the truth. I quit worrying about whether or not I would catch a fish a long time back. I began to focus on catching them on what I wanted to use, not what everyone else used. Some days things were slow. But when you got it right and people who knew you, and knew what you fished with, they respected that to a degree.

Some of the coolest encounters with strangers I remember happened when a guy would appear behind me either as I caught a fish or after I left one go; and he would say, "What are you using"? I would answer and about 100% of the time the fellow would ask, "Is that some kind of streamer"? I would step back to shore and hold out my fly, usually pull out my wallet and show him one that wasn't wet and they would say, "Oh my God, you tie those yourself"?

I would do my best at being modest and humble and admit to making the flies and they would dish out the compliments. It was cool, almost every one would say, "I always wondered if those things would work here". I would smile and say, 'now you know'.

I've never been wildly wealthy, never the coolest lid, so I picked something that would make me a little different and then stuck with it

 

[williamhj]

Thanks Ard, it is an inspiration to learn to tie and fish the patterns. Definitely more complex than my usual ties, but a good challenge.

 

[mcnerney]

Ard: That is a great pattern to end the year with, that body is gorgeous!

Larry

 

[bigjim5589]

Ard, very cool! :thumbsupu

Very Classic styling & old school too IMO! Nothing at all wrong with any of that!

William, it's easy, you tie them on and you figure out where there will be a fish who will hit that. For something with color like this I would fish in a good current. I wouldn't want the trout to have a long time to study the fly. I've been fishing with feather wing streamers since I was a kid. It took me about fifteen years to get slick at making them but I did. All I can tell you is that it is an incredible feeling to tie something like this to your leader and walk to the waters edge. When you tie it on you know it will work. You know why?.............Because it is so cool you will make it work, that's why.

That's the truth. I quit worrying about whether or not I would catch a fish a long time back. I began to focus on catching them on what I wanted to use, not what everyone else used. Some days things were slow. But when you got it right and people who knew you, and knew what you fished with, they respected that to a degree.

Some of the coolest encounters with strangers I remember happened when a guy would appear behind me either as I caught a fish or after I left one go; and he would say, "What are you using"? I would answer and about 100% of the time the fellow would ask, "Is that some kind of streamer"? I would step back to shore and hold out my fly, usually pull out my wallet and show him one that wasn't wet and they would say, "Oh my God, you tie those yourself"?

I would do my best at being modest and humble and admit to making the flies and they would dish out the compliments. It was cool, almost every one would say, "I always wondered if those things would work here". I would smile and say, 'now you know'.

I've never been wildly wealthy, never the coolest lid, so I picked something that would make me a little different and then stuck with it

You & I could almost fit in the same mold with these thoughts! I would bet in your younger days, you had thoughts of "fitting in" but eventually settled on doing your own thing! I did as well! That, is what living is about & certainly as it pertains to this sport we all love & enjoy!

As always a perfect post, and appropriate to end the old year & bring in the New! Thank You Sir! :clap:

 

[tail of the pool]

Ard

You should keep tying these as IMO this is one of your best, Lines of a race car my friend

 

[gr8outdoorz]

Beautiful fly Ard! It is definitely a unique fly!

 

[Ard]

Thanks guys

I'm about to do 2 more but dyed some different blue for the inner wings. I also need to find a box full of barred wood duck that is here somewhere first. Weird how that happens, I don't use it often at all and there is a mother load of them but I can't find it in my feather bins...... Time to do some organizing maybe

 

[jpbfly]

Another little gem Ard....:thumbsup:

 

[calftail]

Ard...

Nice fly . You struck the melancholy chord with me with the French embossed and oval tinsels...kinda like sheet metal working the real tinsel ain't it ?

Hope you find your barred WD. I'd have the same problem if I was to look for real tinsel on the wood turned spools in my "all over the house" stash haha. Sometimes the hunt for material you know you got will drive me crazy. I've been known "to heck with it" and run to the fly shop to get what I need or mail order the stuff.

Silver Doctor blue is a favorite of mine. Can't wait to see it !

 

[Ard]

Hey Buddy,

There's a fly drying in the vise now, I didn't find the duck. Weird, I have a box of it, I mean enough to make people wonder why I would have it........... Lots of the big stuff from domestically raised Woodies too. I was on a tear about 5 - 6 years ago and bought up enough to last till I die but don't have a clue where I put the box.

I got tired of looking and used folded Tragopan Pheasant for the tail and changed the scarlet red in the collar to Claret. I think I like this version even better. Once the head dries up I'll snap a photo and then start another. You know how this works, right, If you tie only one too bad for you if for some unknown reason you can't keep the fish off the fly.

I figure the third one will be about right

 

[calftail]

I took up upland game shotgunning especially for the purpose of fly tying materials. Wood Duck was primo and I never did bag one. I do have a lot of mallard quill though which will last me till death. The family hated all those ducks I brought home to eat. Now that the kids are older they like my cooking a lot better.They'd be happy if I cooked a duck for them nowadays.

Woodduck flank has always been a feather that just talks a "fly" to me and the barred flank too.....