I just started scanning some favourite flies to share- first lot are River Dry stuff. Mostly just general go to patterns. Some Old Scottish/Border fav,s included -tied hackle through hackle ( Beacon Beige for example) A couple of Japanese Tenkara style and some usefull Caddis styles. I'll add folders for Clyde Style/SoftHackles River flies and /Traditional Scottish/Irish Loch flies that have served me well hereabouts and elsewhereabouts:) If anyone is interested.
I have some loop winged CDC and some dubbing loop CDC caddis/emerger/buzzer(chirinimoid-if thats how its spelt- buzzer is sooo much easier) patterns i'll scan those - and make some notes on using CDC for wings/bodies/hackle enhancement- would it help to scan some CDC as well? I use plumes and straight CDC . The tenkara are adaptations of the style to western patterns- basically using the wing colour for the front hackle and the float or main hackle colour) for the rear hackle- so for the coachman- a white or griizzzle hacle in the front and a coachman/brown for the rear hackle- just take your fav attractor/or emerger pattern and rework it that way in the Tenkara style. They seem to work best well dressed with floatant and fishing "in the film" verses "on the film'". The Tenkara caddis deadly fished that way:)))
You've posted some beautifull patterns Cane. The CDC's are very good patterns . Most people don't know what the CDC represents in the pattern,just that it works. The filliments trap air bubbles the same way and give the same look as the gas bubbles that pupa use to travel from the river/lake bottom to the surface. I have a photo taken by a friend of mine on one of our collecting trips that actually shows the bubble of gas around a Caddis pupa. The Stuck Shuck Caddis is also a very realistic pattern. I have observed this during most hatches of insects. The White May Flies on the Assinibione are frequently trailing their shuck and it gives the impression of a mating pair. It causes the insect to struggle on the surface for a bit longer and fish key into that type of thing. The Green Caddis pattern is very much like soft hackle patterns that I tie. I just use the Grouse as you have on your pattern but I don't tie a stiffer hackle in front. The soft hackle flies are considered wet flies as they are fished in the film or below. If you are digitizing your flies with a scanner go to the Global Fly Fisher and check out the work shop they have on Digitizing and Photgraphing flies great stuff there. Someday I will learn how to get my photos on this site.
Caddis- yep- the cripple/in distress/emerging patterns are very effective- trout being the opportunists that they are:)- they recongnize an easy meal. I don,t often fish the obvious hatch prefering to use cripple/stuck general patterns- I just fing that more effective. The Grouse and Green is a pattern for a good friend who likes to stand at the top of pools on the Pine and DANCE his flies back upstream hopping them across the surface- let them drift back down on the surface for a couple of feet and DANCE them further upstream again:)) CDC is an interesting material:))- I think the other major advantage it has is that it is verrrrrrrrry soft/mobile and if used as an accent to other stiffer hackle gives a great deal of movement sub surface- a little CDC added to nymph leg hackle works well.
I like to tank /aqarium test my flies to see how thwy react under the water. The soft hackle have similar properties for traping air bubbles.The soft hackle patterns are very old patterns probably as early as the 1600's when Skues caused all the controvercy about fishing subsrface. When the long soft hackle fibers get wet they envelope the fly body trapping the air bubbles against the body.I would have never noticed this had I not played around with my Flies in an aquarium. The bubles reflect light and it probalbly shines like a beacon to Trout. Adding CDC to these patterns would only make them more effective but I still like the sparse look of traditional soft hackle patterns. I find to many "New" Fly fishers don't seem to have much interest in the history of our great sport and past time. I still think some of the best names for patterns come from the UK. Patterns such as the Butcher, Picket Pin, Bread Crust, Clarets. Who else would categorize Fly patterns into Buzzer(chironimide) Chompers(nymphs) and Nobblers(leeches). You only get half the picture if you never look in the rearview mirror. Where are you hosting your pictures Cane? It seems to be a very good way to bring them to this site.
yep- I too feel theres a lot to be learned from the"old" flies. They were often tied for use on heavily fished/tough waters and by ordinary folks catching fish to feed their families., so they had to work:)) and still do work. I'll have to try your tank test:))) in all honesty my confidence in them has more been based on their versatility and a belief that the movement as they are worked is a huge trigger factor., but I can see the trapped air as being advantages that way as well. hmmms maybe i should have gotten a snorkel and goggles from Santa- so I can lay in the Pine and drift flies past my mask:)))) I'd be interested in hearing you fish them btw- dead drift/across and down/upstream nymph style ??
mrspratley: Talked with the fisheries biologist and he said the tigers have disappeared and their stocking seems to be a failure. Also last year a friend was by there and said the boat launch was in bad shape.
May 18, 2024 15:51:23 GMT -6
dizzydoc: A month late but....
Oct 30, 2023 17:37:21 GMT -6
craigb: Still doesnt work unless you enable all content.
Oct 16, 2023 21:17:36 GMT -6
highlander: Bissett? Had a summer job there 40 years ago. At that time all the "strange" people in the Province seem to end up living there. Perhaps it's changed.
Mar 4, 2023 14:27:24 GMT -6
bctroutteaser: Looks like we will be making a trip out in the middle of March to look at a few homes. Swan River is number one on the list but also have a place in Inglis to check out and another we like in Bissett. So we shall see how it goes.
Feb 16, 2023 21:29:09 GMT -6
lockport1850: I agree, a dropper fly can work wonders. Also, consider putting a stinger hook just behind your main fly. You will be surprised how may trout will bite "short", and you get them on the stinger rather than the main hook.
Feb 14, 2023 13:08:16 GMT -6
lockport1850: Thanks Robert!
Feb 7, 2023 13:46:37 GMT -6
Robert Burton: Check out some of the new features with more on the way!
Jan 30, 2023 12:40:54 GMT -6