On The Fly

      November 2010

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

TYING NEWS

   The Southern Oregon Fly Tyers invite you to attend their meetings the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is November 17, 2010. 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.
   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 1170, Standard dry, size 18 - 22
Thread:  8-0 brown.
Tail:       none.
Body:     3 strands of peacock herl twisted.
Wing:    Wood Duck flank feather fibers.
Hackle:  Good quality light brown.
Head:     Brown thread.




Tying Instructions

Step 1 Mash the barb and mount the hook in the vise.
Step 2: Start the thread two eye widths behind the eye and lay down an even thread base to just above the hook barb and return thread to the start location behind the eye with open spiral wraps.
Step 3: Select 3 strands of peacock herl, tie in by the tips on top of the shank the full length of the body down to the bend. Grab the strands together and make one wrap over the top of the hook shank, ending back at the tying thread just above the hook barb. Wrap the 3 strands together counter clock-wise around and down the hanging thread about 5 turns. At this point grab the peacock herl strands and the thread together above the bobbin with thumb and forefinger, and wind this "rope" forward around the shank in touching turns to the 2/3 point of the body. Tie off and trim the excess herl.
Step 4: Select a small bunch of Wood Duck flank fibers and measure to about 1 1/2 times the shanks length. Tie this bunch on top of the shank, just in front of the body with the tips extending beyond the hook bend. Trim the butts so they lay flat on top of the shank under the entire hackle area. Return the thread to the base of the wing.
Step 5: Select a hackle feather with barbs a bit longer than the hook gap. Tie in at the wing base and wind forward 4-5 touching turns. Tie off and trim excess.
Step 6: Form a neat tapered head with the thread, whip finish and cement.

   Last month's article was the first in a 3-part series on winter flies for the Rogue River, a mayfly, a caddis, and a stonefly. All three offer opportunity for the fly fisherman during the months that most of us hibernate and tie flies to fill the boxes for next season. Three different patterns, three different species, but one thing in common, the small size. In the fall and winter the rules change. The fish key in on size to the point where it becomes mandatory. For most of us, especially us older, optically challenged kind, that’s the major problem. That size 20 spec in your hand is difficult to tie on the tippet and too tiny to tie at the vise. You will have to solve the vision problem on your own with cheater glasses or a magnifier and a good light. The tying objection can be overcome with these simple patterns, a little practice and a lot of confidence. Then it is a matter of walking out the door, away from the warmth of home, on those cold dark days of winter. The fish are there, and so are their meals, a size 20 at a time. If you need convincing collect some samples from the river and put them next to the fly patterns in your box. You will be surprised. Winter trout feed on what's available and can't remember that "bigger is better".
   I enjoyed Dave Hughes program at the last meeting but I was sure looking forward to meeting and hearing Rick Hafele. I have learned so much from his books and articles throughout the years. If you get the chance go to his web site, "laughingrivers" and read the article entitled "Think Small in the Fall". It is one of the best on fall/winter trout fishing and the patterns that work. The Peacock Caddis Adult is one of his favorite

TYING TIPS

   Vary size and color to match the naturals. On the smallest sizes reduce the number of herls to two for a slimmer body. Also tying the herl butts down on top of the shank the full length of the body eliminates start and stop bumps and makes for a slimmer smoother body. By taking on turn of the herls over the hook before winding them around the thread eliminates the slack herl in the first turn of the rope. Trim off the fragile tips of the herl before tying in or they will break on the first couple turns. When you tie off the peacock herl rope body, be careful not to get too much thread buildup, the flank feather needs to lay flat over the body, a bump will cock it up at an angle. Again the butts of the flank feather barbs are tied full length under the hackle area to prevent bumps which make hackling more difficult. So tie some up, give them a cold weather test flight, and let me know how you do.

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