Here are two variations on well known themes that I've been skating.
The first one is obviously a purple variety of the Muddled Skunk from Combs' book. It swam for me on Friday on the North Umpqua. The steelies were less than impressed but it did entice a very nice, spunky trout. It should have done better. I don't think it was working hard enough.
The other three are Spade variations: I think I have been most satisfied on the NU over the last couple of years when I am swinging a hitched Spade. They ride high, skidding on the surface usually, while fishing "damp" 1/3 of the time. These three are conceived to skate even better. The hackle is a three-part affair: #1 is 5-6 turns of dry fly grizzly, which creates a nice firm base for the 2-3 turns of saddle that follows. The grizzly also creates a "skidding" surface, I think. The last stage of the hackling is again grizzly, but this time softer and longer to give a nice sexy motion to the spade.
These Spades are clearly not portly little buggers in the line of Alec Jackson's beauties. All the same, they appeal to me, look nice in the water and are fishy enough. Please excuse the shabby floss work on the two of them. That is one layer of floss over silver tinsel, with the hope of creating a nice glowing butt to the fly.
These aren't the classic darlings that you guys do so well, I do admit. However, I enjoy tying and swinging them.
I've been playing with a couple of caddis variations, too. Will try to get them posted.
Keith
The first one is obviously a purple variety of the Muddled Skunk from Combs' book. It swam for me on Friday on the North Umpqua. The steelies were less than impressed but it did entice a very nice, spunky trout. It should have done better. I don't think it was working hard enough.
The other three are Spade variations: I think I have been most satisfied on the NU over the last couple of years when I am swinging a hitched Spade. They ride high, skidding on the surface usually, while fishing "damp" 1/3 of the time. These three are conceived to skate even better. The hackle is a three-part affair: #1 is 5-6 turns of dry fly grizzly, which creates a nice firm base for the 2-3 turns of saddle that follows. The grizzly also creates a "skidding" surface, I think. The last stage of the hackling is again grizzly, but this time softer and longer to give a nice sexy motion to the spade.
These Spades are clearly not portly little buggers in the line of Alec Jackson's beauties. All the same, they appeal to me, look nice in the water and are fishy enough. Please excuse the shabby floss work on the two of them. That is one layer of floss over silver tinsel, with the hope of creating a nice glowing butt to the fly.
These aren't the classic darlings that you guys do so well, I do admit. However, I enjoy tying and swinging them.
I've been playing with a couple of caddis variations, too. Will try to get them posted.
Keith
