On The Fly
February 2013

"Fly tying is a school from which we never graduate"

   The Southern Oregon Fly Tyers invite you to attend their meetings the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is February 12, 2013. The meetings start at 6:00 PM, at the Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park community building near Gold Hill. Bring a friend, come early so you don't miss anything, and stay late. Tyers need not be experienced, and those with all levels of skill are welcome. Each meeting a member is encouraged to demonstrate a new or different skill, from simple to difficult. For more information, call Dan Kellogg at 773-4724.

   Our February meeting will feature two guest tyers for the tie-along session. Dick Bonamarte will be demonstrating the Polar Shrimp, a popular steelhead fly. This one features a innovative method of securing the wing. And Mark Teeters will show off two of his favorite patterns, the Mole and the E/C caddis. So bring along your tools and the materials listed below to learn some new patterns and techniques.

   DIRECTIONS: Take Gold Hill Exit #40, off of I-5 and go west, toward Jacksonville, 1.3 miles, until you reach the brick entrance way to the Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park on the right. You’ll pass a golf course parking lot on your left shortly after leaving the freeway. After you turn right into the mobile home park, proceed to the community building which is located about 100 yards ahead on the left. The address is 8401 Old Stage Rd. Please park your vehicle on the bare dirt in the parking lot to avoid the wooden septic covers in the grass.

PATTERN OF THE MONTH - "Close to"

Hook:         1760 Daiichi – 1260 Daiichi for lighter wire hook 10-20
Bead Head: Pearl white to match hook size
Thread:       Red
Weight:       Lead (where permitted)
Tail:            Red pheasant tail
Abdomen:   Red dyed turkey biot (ribbed w/red thread, lacquer under & on top)
Wing case:  Pearl Mylar and red goose shoulder, coated when done w/UV wader patch
Thorax:       Light shade rainbow scud dub (Hare Line) or rainbow warrior dub (Wapsi)
Legs:           Pheasant tail tyed in A.P. (Andre Puyans) style

   The fly that I’ve chosen for this month is the “Close To”. OK, that is a stupid name, but I had to call it something and “Near Enough” is already taken. I came up with it when my fishing partner & fellow guide, Jim Ulm, started catching steelhead and trout on Red Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Rainbow Warriors and a lake fly, the Red Ice Cream Cone. So what would happen if I combined all three? Well, I have since taken Rainbows, Cuttys, Steelhead and even the choosy bows on Hat Creek on my concoction. Most tyers feel they have to tweak patterns. This is fun and sometimes it even works!