On The Fly

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

TYING NEWS

   The Southern Oregon Fly Tyers invite you to attend their next meeting, Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at 6:30 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. Tiers 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.
   Ed Morphis was our demonstration tyer for April and he showed us an easy way to tie this old standard. The H & L Variant is a great fast water fly. Thanks, Ed, for showing us this great little fly, and for putting aside your own personal discomfort to be at the meeting. I'll be adding this pattern to my fly box in several different sizes and colors.
   The May meeting will be a special night at SOFT. There won't be a tie-along session at this meeting. May 11 will be an Expo night with several tyers demonstrating different styles of fly tying all at the same time. Move around whenever you want to. A good night to bring a friend.
   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.

Hook:     Daiichi 1560, 1X-long Nymph, #10-16. Thread:  Black, 8-0.
Weight:   Lead wire.
Rib:        Copper wire.
Case:      Hare’s ear plus, natural.
Thorax:   Caddis green Haretron
Legs:       Brown Partridge fibers, collar style
Head:      Black Ostrich herl.

Tying Instructions

Step 1: Mash the barb and mount the hook in the vise. Start the tying thread two eye widths behind the eye and wrap a thread base back to a point just above the barb.
Step 2: Wrap about 7 turns of .015 lead wire around the shank just forward of the halfway point. Use thread wraps to secure the lead and form a taper underbody.
Step 3: Tie in the copper wire along the shank back to the hook bend.
Step 4: Apply hare’s ear dubbing to the thread and wind forward to the lead. Tie off and trim. Wind 5 equal turns of wire forward over the dubbing to create the ribs.
Step 5: Apply the Caddis Green dubbing to the thread and wind forward 3 turns to form a thicker thorax. Tie off and trim.
Step 6: Select a Partridge feather with barbs long enough to reach the hook point, prepare, and wind one turn with fibers swept back. Tie off and trim.
Step 7: Select a black Ostrich herl, tie it in and wind 4 turns to form a head, Tie off and trim.
Step 8: Form a small neat head, whip finish, and cement.

   This Emerger pattern was developed by George Anderson on the Yellowstone River. At the time he was the owner of Anderson’s Yellowstone Angler Fly Shop. Tied to imitate the Brachycentrus, or Mother’s Day Caddis, the nymph constructs a case made up of vegetative matter found on the stream bottom. Trout will eat the entire case, sometimes feeding on them exclusively. Most are found in moving water and need to be weighted to get them down, tumbling along the streambed with its head pointed toward the bottom.

TYING TIPS

   Leave plenty of room behind the eye for the thorax, collar and head. Wrap the lead wire in slightly forward of center for the desired tipping effect. Taper an underbody of thread toward the lead before dubbing for a realistic look. Substitute olive or white colored dubbing for the thorax to match different species. The legs are often tied in as a down beard, not quite reaching the point of the hook. The Peeking Caddis is an easy tie using common, inexpensive materials. By learning the style you can easily change color and size to imitate any cased caddis available in your waters. So tie some up, give them a test flight, and let me know how you do.

Tie One On,
Dan Kellogg (you can contact me at FLYGUY@EZNORTHWEST.COM)