Something unusual ...

[JohnScott]

... if not absolutely unique. Tails incorporated in an FEB. Something I've never seen in 18 years of fly tying, reading about fly patterns, watching demos and videos and following the ongoing content of the FAOL FOTW articles, except when such flies were coming off the vice on my fly tying desk. And something not seen by anyone else I've shown the technique to, including, most recently, Barry Ord Clarke.

Fly Tyer Magazine Magazine named Barry Ord Clarke it's first and ( so far ) only Fly Tyer of the Year in 2021. Clarke has been writing about fly angling and tying for many years, has written or contributed to thirty books on fly angling and flies, and has something north of four hundred videos on fly tying, a large number of which are posted on YouTube.

A couple weeks ago, Barry posted a video on YouTube for a furled extended body mayfly. His technique and materials are somewhat different than I have used over the past decade plus, but the end result is quite similar.

So I decided to direct Barry to a couple of my FEB flies, first Duck's Green Drake and then the Serendipitous PMD Emerger, as examples of tails incorporated in an FEB. Felt rather a bold thing to do, considering Barry's standing on the International Stage of fly tying, especially when I told him that I would be delighted if he was interested in and would give some thought to posting a video on the technique to YouTube, something I am simply not equipped to do.

I heard back from Barry this morning - "That's interesting!"

Barry didn't commit to anything, and only time will tell if he follows through on my request. But his email was a nice way to start the day.

John

[FishnDave]

That's exciting, John! Hope the patterns and techniques get shared, and you get some acknowledgement for your designs!

[Steve Molcsan]

I have one of your original patterns that you gave to me
on the little lost area,
Been a long while since you had originally posted and
invented this pattern, I think it would be great to see the
new take on it and the method.
The one I have is a true JSFEB and goes back long time
but I would bet you could cobble together old posts and photos
showing your method.. Just a thought...

BTW the one original I have is not for sale..

Take care

[JohnScott]

The one I have is a true JSFEB and goes back long time
but I would bet you could cobble together old posts and photos
showing your method.. Just a thought...

BTW the one original I have is not for sale..

Take care

... to the Reader's Voice Forum at the top of the page, Steve. For the time being, the original post there has a link to the Serendipitous PMD Emerger FOTW article, which is one of the better presentations of the technique for incorporating tails in an FEB.

Duck's Green Drake, with incorporated tails in an FEB is my favorite fly. Because ... the year I first tied it, I happened to give a couple to a fellow I met over on the Lochsa who was not having much luck dealing the with green drake hatch.

The following year, I happened to approach that fellow at an access, and as I walked up he said that he remembered me. I didn't remember him until he mentioned that I had given him a couple Duck's flies. Then he thanked me, and told me that his daughter had been with him that past year and was quite discouraged with fly fishing, having caught nothing. He tied on one of Duck's flies for her, and she immediately began catching fish, and much enjoying the fly angling experience. Instead of quitting, as she had intended, she committed to stick with it, fish with her dad, much to his delight.

That young lady was the best catch Duck's fly ever made. Which is why it is my favorite fly. Doesn't get any better than that.

John

[Steve Molcsan]

Great story John!

Cheers

[JohnScott]

That's exciting, John! Hope the patterns and techniques get shared, and you get some acknowledgement for your designs!

Thanks, Dave. I do want more fly tyers to be aware of this technique and find ways to use it and enhance their tying and angling experience.

As far as "acknowledgement" goes, no big deal one way or the other. If Barry, or someone else, does post it to a broader audience without crediting it, that's just fine with me.

John

[Steve Molcsan]

As far as "acknowledgement" goes, no big deal one way or the other. If Barry, or someone else, does post it to a broader audience without crediting it, that's just fine with me.

Maybe so John but , but to take credit is another matter , I don't think that would be right at all , and very likely
Barry having the standing he has likely would not do so and will mention the originator even only to credit the method.
As the title of your post states something Unusual and indeed it was and is.



Be safe - sm

[ducksterman]

Well, I know John does acknowledge and I appreciate it. It goes back a ways.

[Steve Molcsan]

I agree , and as I mentioned Johns creation goes back a long way...
Reminds me of a Fly a gentlemen gave me a long while ago a White Miller
but the man shared its with me on the stream and we talked how he tied it
, made for a great day and its a fly like Johns that I keep in my vest.
Johns is just as personal and a true original from the original trout bum himself , John Scott ..
how cool it that,,
One has to be a fly fisherman to understand... right

[JohnScott]

Well, I know John does acknowledge and I appreciate it. It goes back a ways.

For those who are not otherwise aware, ducksterman posted two techniques that he had used in fly tying that were fundamental to my creating the incorporated tails in an FEB technique. Which is why Duck's Green Drake bears a version of his FAOL Bulletin Board name.

Thanks again, Duck. It does go back away, but it is always relevant. Just a couple years ago, I gave a version ( different color combination for a different hatch ) of the original fly to a young lady employed by Idaho Fish and Game who was just getting started in fly angling. She caught her first fish, a northern Idaho freestone creek Westslope cutthroat trout, on that fly.

John