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, November 10,2009, 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. Participants are asked to donate a fly to the free raffle held at the end of the meeting. 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.
   The last meeting got a little squirrelly, with the Pine Squirrel strips not arriving. We had to turn whole squirrel hides into strips. Dick Bonamarte did a wonderful job of stepping us through the Slumpbuster and we all had a fun and interesting evening of fly tying and fellowship. Mark Teeters will be tying the Comet and Boss flies for us this month.
   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 - Tranquilizer

Hook:     Daiichi 2441, traditional salmon/steelhead size 6-2.
Thread:   Claret or wine, 6-0.
Tail:        Yellow hackle fibers.
Rib:        Medium gold oval tinsel.
Body:     Wool or poly yarn, purple dubbing.
Wing:     Gray squirrel tail.
Collar:    Claret hackle.



Tying Instructions

Step 1: Mash the barb and mount the hook in the vise. Start the tying thread one eye width behind the eye and wrap a thread base back to just above the point of the hook.
Step 2: Select a small bunch of yellow hackle barbs one hook gap long and tie it on top of the hook just above the point. Take two wraps of thread under the tail to cock it up slightly.
Step 3: Spiral wrap the thread forward to just behind the end of the wire eye return. Tie the oval tinsel on the side of the hook facing you and secure it down with thread wraps back to the base of the tail.
Step 4: Spiral the thread forward again to the eye return and tie the wool or poly yarn on top of the hook back to the base of the tail. Wind the yarn forward in a single layer up to the tie-in point behind the eye. (If you are using dubbing for the body, dub the thread and wrap it forward to the tie-in point behind the eye). Tie off and trim.
Step 5: Wind the tinsel forward in 5 equal spaced wraps. Tie off and trim
Step 6: Select a small bunch of squirrel tail, cut it from the tail and clean out the under fur and short hairs. Measure the bunch so the tips will reach the end of the tail. Cut the butt ends at an angle and tie them securely to the top of the hook with tight wraps. Hold the bunch very tight between your thumb and forefinger until the hair is set.
Step 7: Select a claret hackle feather with barbs long enough to reach the hook point. Prepare the feather and tie it in at the base of the wing. Wind the hackle three turns forward while stroking the fibers rearward and holding them back on every half turn. Tie off and trim the excess. Tie back on the barbs slightly to hold them at a 45 degree angle.
Step 8: Form a neat, small, tapered head, whip finish and cement.


   The Tranquilizer is a classic style, hair wing steelhead wet fly. The pattern was originated by Mike Kennedy in sizes 8 and 10 for the Rogue River half-pounders. In later years it was popularized in larger sizes by Ed Harzel for the North Umpqua Steelhead.
   There seems to be a difference of opinion about which came first, the collar or the wing. Does the wing go in front? Is it a hackle or a collar in front or behind the wing? I’ve seen several versions published and read articles advocating many points of view on why one or another method might be correct. After the research and questioning I have decided to continue tying this type of pattern the way it looks best to me, with the hackle in the front as a collar. I fish them with confidence thinking that the illusive steelhead also prefer the sequence of materials. I suggest you should also take this personal preference approach to the proper order of things.

TYING TIPS

   For the body I choose a wool or poly yarn mainly because it’s easier to achieve a smooth thin profile. I am also able to dispense and wind it from a bobbin with no waste. A good option for the tail might be Golden Pheasant crest for a curved and vibrant look. The squirrel tail wing can be the most difficult material to secure because it’s hard and will not compress under the thread. The hardness makes it a good choice for a hair wing that does not flair, staying at a low angle over the body. There are two methods for attaching slippery wing material. The first one is described in the instructions above using a firm grip, tight wraps, and a touch of super glue. The second is called the reverse wing method. Simply tie the wing on first, pointing forward over the eye, finish the tail, body and rib, then pull the hair wing backward and begin making thread wrap to force the wing to remain at the proper angle toward the rear. You end up with a wing that can’t pull out. So give it a try, 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)