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spey flies are easy...right?

3K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  flytyer 
#1 ·
I just got my a$$ handed to me trying to tie my first spey. My spacing got away from me towards the head...and i think practice will eventually remedy that...but setting the wings really put me in my place. I think i might need to go back to hairwings for awhile. I have a new found respect for bronze mallard.
 

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#2 ·
Well I'm not an educated fly tying critic and it looks pretty good to me. It will certainly catch a fish on my river.
 
#3 ·
Thanks Poppy. I did take the picture from a more favorable angle to hide some of the flaws. Hopefully the steelhead will see it that way.

By the way, that Wulff Ambush you sent me loads my 7wt great...on the lawn (snow) anyway. Thanks again!
 
#4 ·
I will agree with MJC here and tell you that you are making a great looking fly that will catch fish just fine for you. I think many of us are far too focused on wanting to put up a picture of the flies we tie but at the same time pre-excusing what we perceive to be imperfections. I never posted a picture of a fly that didn't have something that fell short of perfection but I didn't let it bother me at all. You are a really good tier and shouldn't be concerned about this one at all.

Ard
 
#5 ·
I think that tying with bronze mallard is always a painful task, no matter how nuch we try it always is tricky. You have done a very nice jov there, just keep it going :hihi:
 
#6 ·
Take it from "Hardy Reels" who always seems to have positive viewpoint...
It looks like a great tie...and will catch fish.
Each of us tend to be our own worst critics
Living in Minnesota for many years, I inherited another perspective that lets us be a little more human...after all perfection is subjective.....
The Ojibwa intentionally put flaws into their works of art/creative process, to represent the idea being -that nothing human is made perfect, and its a way of paying homage....a celebration in a way...
This probably has nothing to do with the thread...and will piss of a few who strive to be exemplarily tiers...but my two cents....Fly looks great!
 
#8 ·
I disagree with the above comments in one respect, and that is that hiding mistakes to make a fly look better for us to view here is about the worst thing you could probably do. And those mistakes could cause this fly to NOT fish well and perhaps blow apart on a few casts. Yes, it looks good but i really think you should post the fly for everyone to see,, inspect and comment on,, otherwise your just spinning your heels at the vise, especially with BM.
Now having said that I do enjoy your flies Turkish,, and yes,, you do tie a great fly....and they will certainly hook your share of fish for you. I'am just saying it's not neccessary to hide any mistakes here,, because we've all been there and we're all here to help overcome those problems.
Salmon Chaser
 
#9 ·
I very much agree with Dwayne's comments !! There are many wonderful tyers on this forum that are more than willing to help out and can offer some great tying tips . Be proud of your accomplishments and that will intern give you great satisfaction and confidence , which will then spill out into fishing that fly . Nothing better than fishing a fly that you have great confidence in !!









Mike
 
#11 ·
That looks pretty darn good for your first try at a spey with Bronze Mallard wings!!

Body is nice and sparse, hackle looks good, ribbing is just fine, the wings may be a bit long but it will fish just fine.

Trying tying each wing in by the base of the fibers, meaning the grayish portion that is closest to the stem. Try to get the wing to extend to the butt of the body, maybe a tad farther but don't go beyond the bend of the hook........unless you are going for a specific look.

I have found that horizontal thread pressure works much better when setting bronze mallard for spey wings. If you tried to tie the BM wing the same way you would tie a hairwing that would be first thing to change or try differently.

I also like to leave the fibers attached to the stem when tying them in. If I mess up the first try I can get a few more shots at getting them right.

You have a lot of good things going in this first try and it's just a touch away from being over the top!! Oh yeah....definitley get this one swimming in your favorite stream.....it will get hammered!!

Frank
 
#12 ·
Remember there are fishing flies and there are presentation flies. Presentation flies will catch fish but not half as good as fishing flies. Your fly is looking pretty good and would fish without question. I still struggle with bronze mallard and rarely tie with it. The more you work with it the easier it will get. Good work.
 
#13 ·
Thank all of you guys for the complements and encouragement. Its definitely motivating to get feedback from guys that are such great tiers.

The tip about leaving the mallard wing slips attached to the stem while mounting is something i need to do. I tried to mount these wings literally 10 times so they got a little frazzled by the time i was done.

Hey Ramcatt, i was wishin that i grabbed some of that 14/0 when i got to wrapping the throat. It got bulky fast. The shop is having someone coming in to do a spey fly demo early in march i believe. Im gonna hafta check that out.
 
#14 ·
Posting of our own efforts of ties educates us all - and that's got to be a positive, however critical we are of our own ties ;)

I think this is a great tie, and I'm sure it will fish well :)

I did notice that the rib appears to have been wrapped anticlockwise as we look at it - do you tie 'leftie'??

Mike
 
#15 ·
Hey Mike. I wrapped the rib that way because i saw an example like that in one of J. Shewey's books. I got halfway into the fly and i couldn't remember what the purpose for the counter ribbing was.

I actually am left handed, but taught myself to tie right handed when i started because all of my instruction books were oriented that way.
 
#16 ·
Turkish,

You have the skills to tie spey flies, you just haven't tied this style before or tied in bronze mallard wings before. You need to learn how to make the materials do what you want them to do, and that just takes practice and some suggestions from others on how to improve the look of your spey flies.

You've been given some great advise already regarding tying the bronze mallard in at the grey root of the feather near the stem. The other things I'd change are strip one side of the hackle to make it sparser and keep the wing no longer than the bend of the hook with it between the root of the barb (i.e., the point were the barb starts to leave the hook point) and the bend of the hook.

Others who have commented about having made many mistakes is accurate for all accomplished, good and excellent tyers. We've all make many mistakes, but unless others can see them, they cannot help you improve you skills. I've have my share of mistakes and flaws pointed out over the years.
 
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