In the prior blog post I commented on Bill Long's realistic dragonfly nymph. I have now uploaded to fishingwithflies.com Bill's story of this big bad boy. Included are tying instructions and tips, fishing tips, and a few pictures including a top view and side view.
The story is indexed at the top of the following page. It is labeled as story #89:
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/FliesWithaStory.html
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Bill Long's Realistic Dragonfly Nymph
A while back (actually, a very long while back) my friend Bill Long from Pennsylvania sent me a sample of a very realistic dragonfly nymph that he has fun tying and fishing.
I've drafted a page for the "Flies With a Story" section of my Web site and have sent it to Bill to check for any errors or revisions to the recipe. It will include several photos of the sample he sent me, and some tying and fishing tips.
When the page is ready for the Web site I will post a follow up blog to this one, with the link. In the meantime, below is a single image to give a sense for the size of this beauty. The nymph is a bit left of the wooden ruler because I pressed the hook point into the end of the ruler, but you can see that it is very close to 2" in length.
I've drafted a page for the "Flies With a Story" section of my Web site and have sent it to Bill to check for any errors or revisions to the recipe. It will include several photos of the sample he sent me, and some tying and fishing tips.
When the page is ready for the Web site I will post a follow up blog to this one, with the link. In the meantime, below is a single image to give a sense for the size of this beauty. The nymph is a bit left of the wooden ruler because I pressed the hook point into the end of the ruler, but you can see that it is very close to 2" in length.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Soft Hackle Flies: Thoughts on Tying Techniques
My last three blog posts have been about soft hackle flies tied by my friend Paul DiNolo.
Soft hackle flies are generally simple to tie. Usually it's only a simple body, perhaps a touch of dubbing for a thorax and to make the barbs of the hackled collar stand out, and a few turns of a soft hackle feather. Materials are minimal and applied sparsely.
When it comes to tying in and wrapping the hackle there seem to be two general techniques: (1) back-to-front and (2) front-to-back.
The one I have used, and the one I think is the most common (at least among my friends), is to tie the feather in by the tip and wrap it forward. This is the "back to front" approach. This places the longer feather barbs toward the front of the fly. But because the stem of many soft hackle feathers gets stiffer and thicker very quickly as you move down the feather from the tip to the butt, a sturdy tie-off requires more thread wraps (at least for me) and results in a more substantial head than what is offered by the "front to back" technique.
Using the extensive video library at www.globalflyfisher.com/videos I found a couple of videos that demonstrate the "back to front" technique. Both are by Davie McPhail. The first one shows him using a hackle that has been stripped clean of barbs on one side. Because of this, the three wraps of hackle he gives the fly result in a nicely sparse fly. In the second video, he uses a hackle that has not been stripped on one side, and he also demonstrates a different tie-in technique. These links will take you to the videos on globalflyfisher.
The second technique is the "front to back" technique.
I've never been able to master the technique. But now Hans Weilenmann has made a few videos that make the technique much clearer to me. I believe Hans Weilenmann is the master of the economically tied fly. I don't necessarily mean that he uses economical materials. I mean that every thread wrap has a purpose. There is no waste of materials, thread, or time.
[I've just reminded myself that once Hans told me that if a screw driver is needed for the job, the best tool is a screw driver, not a Leatherman. If you think of flies as tools for catching fish, he seems to apply this thinking to his flies as well.]
The following videos are again from the globalflyfisher library of videos. Both videos demonstrate the front-to-back technique. The second pattern, the Lil' Dorothy, was just published on YouTube yesterday.
Please note that Hans has prepares his videos to be best viewed in HD; either 720p or 1080p.
Soft hackle flies are generally simple to tie. Usually it's only a simple body, perhaps a touch of dubbing for a thorax and to make the barbs of the hackled collar stand out, and a few turns of a soft hackle feather. Materials are minimal and applied sparsely.
When it comes to tying in and wrapping the hackle there seem to be two general techniques: (1) back-to-front and (2) front-to-back.
BACK TO FRONT
The one I have used, and the one I think is the most common (at least among my friends), is to tie the feather in by the tip and wrap it forward. This is the "back to front" approach. This places the longer feather barbs toward the front of the fly. But because the stem of many soft hackle feathers gets stiffer and thicker very quickly as you move down the feather from the tip to the butt, a sturdy tie-off requires more thread wraps (at least for me) and results in a more substantial head than what is offered by the "front to back" technique.
Using the extensive video library at www.globalflyfisher.com/videos I found a couple of videos that demonstrate the "back to front" technique. Both are by Davie McPhail. The first one shows him using a hackle that has been stripped clean of barbs on one side. Because of this, the three wraps of hackle he gives the fly result in a nicely sparse fly. In the second video, he uses a hackle that has not been stripped on one side, and he also demonstrates a different tie-in technique. These links will take you to the videos on globalflyfisher.
Check out the full catalog of Davie McPail fly tying videos at YouTube:
FRONT TO BACK
The second technique is the "front to back" technique.
I've never been able to master the technique. But now Hans Weilenmann has made a few videos that make the technique much clearer to me. I believe Hans Weilenmann is the master of the economically tied fly. I don't necessarily mean that he uses economical materials. I mean that every thread wrap has a purpose. There is no waste of materials, thread, or time.
[I've just reminded myself that once Hans told me that if a screw driver is needed for the job, the best tool is a screw driver, not a Leatherman. If you think of flies as tools for catching fish, he seems to apply this thinking to his flies as well.]
The following videos are again from the globalflyfisher library of videos. Both videos demonstrate the front-to-back technique. The second pattern, the Lil' Dorothy, was just published on YouTube yesterday.
Please note that Hans has prepares his videos to be best viewed in HD; either 720p or 1080p.
http://globalflyfisher.com/video/soft-hackle-wet-wsplit-thread-rib
http://globalflyfisher.com/video/lil-dorothy
Check out the full catalog of Hans Weilenmann fly tying videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HansWeilenmann
Also, check out Hans' excellent Web site:
http://www.danica.com/flytier/index.html.
http://globalflyfisher.com/video/lil-dorothy
Check out the full catalog of Hans Weilenmann fly tying videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HansWeilenmann
Also, check out Hans' excellent Web site:
http://www.danica.com/flytier/index.html.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Soft Hackle Flies: A follow up by Paul DiNolo
My friend Paul has just prepared another article about soft hackles, which I published on the Web site earlier this evening. I am writing about it here on the blog, but the full article and five photos of samples he tied and sent to me with the article are on fishingwithflies.com, here:
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/FliesWithaStory.html
It's at the top of the list, story #88. Story #87 was also written by Paul and I published it two weeks ago, about his Soft Hackle Brassie and how to fish it. The two articles are a good complement to each other.
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/FliesWithaStory.html
It's at the top of the list, story #88. Story #87 was also written by Paul and I published it two weeks ago, about his Soft Hackle Brassie and how to fish it. The two articles are a good complement to each other.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Soft Hackle Brassie: better photos and Paul's article
I hope you will enjoy Paul DiNolo's article about the Soft Hackle Brassies he and his friends found so successful this fall and early winter on the deep glacier-formed ponds (called kettle ponds) near his home in southeastern Massachusetts.
I've published his story on my Web site in the "Flies With a Story" section here:
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/SoftHackleBrassie.htm
Also, I have some better pictures of the flies. These have been included in the story, as well.
The photos done for the previous post were taken with a modified flash arrangement I was experimenting with. I didn't like the results: things looked to flat and there was no pop. So, I am back to the way I've done it from the beginning... using 2 or 3 desk lamps with spiral lightbulbs.
I've published his story on my Web site in the "Flies With a Story" section here:
http://www.fishingwithflies.com/SoftHackleBrassie.htm
Also, I have some better pictures of the flies. These have been included in the story, as well.
The photos done for the previous post were taken with a modified flash arrangement I was experimenting with. I didn't like the results: things looked to flat and there was no pop. So, I am back to the way I've done it from the beginning... using 2 or 3 desk lamps with spiral lightbulbs.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
The Soft Hackle Brassie
My friends Paul, Dennis and Jim have been fishing the kettle ponds of Cape Cod and environs all fall and through December, with awesome success. I haven't quite found my way down to fish with them, as I seem to have put my gear away in early September. But I have enjoyed Paul's frequent telephone calls with "fish reports" to tell me how great the pond fishing (stocked trout) has been this year (unlike last year).
Paul loves to fish dry flies and usually waits to see insect activity before stringing his flyrod. This is the advantage you have when you live so close to good trout water. Over the years he's developed some good instincts for fishing his home waters through the fall and until the last pond freezes over.
But this year, Paul and my other buddies seemed to have eschewed the dry fly and have found their greatest success with what Paul calls a soft hackle brassie. I recently asked him to send me a sample and he quickly tied up a couple of each of the colors he'd been using: copper, red, and green.
Paul is a great story teller and writer. He's written two "Flies with a Story" articles for my Web site, here and here. I've asked Paul to write a story about fishing the soft hackle brassie, and I a sure he will. In the meantime, here are a few pictures I took of the flies he sent me. These are all tied on size 12 hooks.
Paul loves to fish dry flies and usually waits to see insect activity before stringing his flyrod. This is the advantage you have when you live so close to good trout water. Over the years he's developed some good instincts for fishing his home waters through the fall and until the last pond freezes over.
But this year, Paul and my other buddies seemed to have eschewed the dry fly and have found their greatest success with what Paul calls a soft hackle brassie. I recently asked him to send me a sample and he quickly tied up a couple of each of the colors he'd been using: copper, red, and green.
Paul is a great story teller and writer. He's written two "Flies with a Story" articles for my Web site, here and here. I've asked Paul to write a story about fishing the soft hackle brassie, and I a sure he will. In the meantime, here are a few pictures I took of the flies he sent me. These are all tied on size 12 hooks.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
I've decided to sell my Regal Vise
No. I am not leaving the world of fly tying. Assuming I find a buyer for the Regal, I still have three vises left. (I am talking about fly tying vises, of course!) It's just that I haven't used the Regal for quite a few years.
If I can't sell it to one of my friends on this blog in the next week, I will list it on eBay with a "buy it now" price of $100.
This model is the Regal Medallion series with Traditional Jaw (ties sizes 22 to 1/0) with a C-clamp. According to the Regal Web site this model sells for $165. I also have the bobbin holder that appears to have been replaced by a more spiffy model. That doesn't mean the new one works any better. I recall paying $35 for the one I have and the new version is selling for $45.
Here's what I have. The vise, c-clamp, and bobbin holder will be sold as a package. My price is $100. I figure that is about half of what a new set up would cost. I also figure you can buy it from me for $100, use it for several years, and sell it for $100.
Everything is in perfect mechanical condition. The jaws have never "spit" a hook, which means I have always been careful in inserting a hook. There are no chips on the jaws as you can see on the macro photos. If you have never used a Regal, be sure to consult the instructions for jaw placement. This is very important on this powerful vise.
UPS Ground shipping should be $15 or less. (That's what it would cost to send from my office near Boston to my brother's residence all the way across the country in Spokane, Washington.) I will split the cost of shipping equally with you up to $15 ($7.50 you, $7.50 me).
Please contact me by email if you are interested. See "contact information" down the left size panel. First come, first served. Shipping is to USA only.
Full Disclosure: I do not have the original box. I imagine it came with one, but I have no recollection of what it looked like. I've looked thorough through my merchandise "box collection" but found nothing.
If I can't sell it to one of my friends on this blog in the next week, I will list it on eBay with a "buy it now" price of $100.
This model is the Regal Medallion series with Traditional Jaw (ties sizes 22 to 1/0) with a C-clamp. According to the Regal Web site this model sells for $165. I also have the bobbin holder that appears to have been replaced by a more spiffy model. That doesn't mean the new one works any better. I recall paying $35 for the one I have and the new version is selling for $45.
Here's what I have. The vise, c-clamp, and bobbin holder will be sold as a package. My price is $100. I figure that is about half of what a new set up would cost. I also figure you can buy it from me for $100, use it for several years, and sell it for $100.
Everything is in perfect mechanical condition. The jaws have never "spit" a hook, which means I have always been careful in inserting a hook. There are no chips on the jaws as you can see on the macro photos. If you have never used a Regal, be sure to consult the instructions for jaw placement. This is very important on this powerful vise.
UPS Ground shipping should be $15 or less. (That's what it would cost to send from my office near Boston to my brother's residence all the way across the country in Spokane, Washington.) I will split the cost of shipping equally with you up to $15 ($7.50 you, $7.50 me).
Please contact me by email if you are interested. See "contact information" down the left size panel. First come, first served. Shipping is to USA only.
Full Disclosure: I do not have the original box. I imagine it came with one, but I have no recollection of what it looked like. I've looked thorough through my merchandise "box collection" but found nothing.
 |
| This is the underside. The wear on the label is from the thumb of my left hand |
 |
| The notch you see in the middle of the picture is NOT a defect. That is where the "hook pocket" is located. |
 |
| There is a bit of wear here. It came from holding the unit with my left hand. This is where you will most likely rest the palm of your hand. |
 |
| As good as new. No nicks or chips in the jaws. |
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Here is a better link to the Canadian Rockies posts
Yesterday's post provided a link to Post #1 of my two week Canadian Rockies trip. See the post below this one.
Unfortunately the link was broken because some of the characters were missing. For about an hour it didn't work, until I corrected it. That link in yesterday's post will now get you to Post #1. But it will not get you to Post #2, which was published an hour ago.
So, I have keyworded all the posts "west2012", so if you use THE BEST LINK below at any time, you will get all the posts in chronological order, most recent on top.
Here is THE BEST LINK:
http://peterfraileyphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/west%202012
Unfortunately the link was broken because some of the characters were missing. For about an hour it didn't work, until I corrected it. That link in yesterday's post will now get you to Post #1. But it will not get you to Post #2, which was published an hour ago.
So, I have keyworded all the posts "west2012", so if you use THE BEST LINK below at any time, you will get all the posts in chronological order, most recent on top.
Here is THE BEST LINK:
http://peterfraileyphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/west%202012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Travelogue of my trip to the Canadian Rockies
Full and upfront disclosure: this trip was not a fishing trip. I am only posting this information here because I know many of my readers follow my photography Web site and blog, and many others are simply outdoor people who like to travel to beautiful places.
I won't belabor the point past this one short post on fishingwithflies.com.
My wife and I spent two weeks in June in the Canadian Rockies and I have just finished a series of about 14 posts for my photography blog, to be “published” at the rate of one per day. I’ve taken a travelogue approach whereby I include a map each day of where we traveled and the pictures are not intended to be necessarily the “best ones” but ones that might tell a story of the journey.
I just uploaded the first post and it is here:
http://peterfraileyphoto.blogspot.com/2012/08/canadian-rockies-day-1-of-14-flying.html
Also you can signup for email notifications of each update, and then unsubscribe at any time. The sign up is a box within the right hand margin of the photography blog.
I won't belabor the point past this one short post on fishingwithflies.com.
My wife and I spent two weeks in June in the Canadian Rockies and I have just finished a series of about 14 posts for my photography blog, to be “published” at the rate of one per day. I’ve taken a travelogue approach whereby I include a map each day of where we traveled and the pictures are not intended to be necessarily the “best ones” but ones that might tell a story of the journey.
I just uploaded the first post and it is here:
http://peterfraileyphoto.blogspot.com/2012/08/canadian-rockies-day-1-of-14-flying.html
Also you can signup for email notifications of each update, and then unsubscribe at any time. The sign up is a box within the right hand margin of the photography blog.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
A beautiful sky today.
It was early afternoon when I saw this forming against the bright blue sky. I was float tubing in a farm pond. I was happy that this cloud broke apart a few minutes later.
Now, five hours later (and about four hours after I stopped fishing) we are having quite the stormy weather. Thunder and lightening galore. I hope it brings in some dryer and cooler air, as we've been over 90F for five days now. (Again, I should feel pretty lucky when I compare our weather here in New England with some of my Internet friends in Texas and other draught stricken areas.)
This is one of those times I wish I'd had a better camera with me, as I might have captured a bit more detail in those clouds.
Now, five hours later (and about four hours after I stopped fishing) we are having quite the stormy weather. Thunder and lightening galore. I hope it brings in some dryer and cooler air, as we've been over 90F for five days now. (Again, I should feel pretty lucky when I compare our weather here in New England with some of my Internet friends in Texas and other draught stricken areas.)
This is one of those times I wish I'd had a better camera with me, as I might have captured a bit more detail in those clouds.
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