Been Busy

[hap]

It has been a very bad week in too many ways to count... As therapy I have been busily tying flies and trying not to think about several things like the good friend that failed to wake up Monday morning, though she was apparantly healthy and relatively young. I fell on the ice just over a week ago and whacked some ribs pretty badly. They do not hurt as bad as losing a friend though. And that will be enough of the Debbie Downer for now...

I absolutely love tying steelhead speys. Many of these are established patterns, some are close, and some more are just whatever seemed right at the moment. Lots of blue-eared pheasant hackle and married goose wings. Few have less than three ribbings, though this sort of photo will not show that.

I teach the occasional class on tying these wings and it gets harder all the time to imagine why they start out so tough...
art

[Hans Weilenmann]

Hap,
Fine work, and hard to think of a more effective therapy.
My condolences on the loss of your friend. At least the ribs will heal, and no ice was hurt in the process.
Cheers,
Hans W

[hap]

Unfortunately, the Glengary variation (just below the big hot pink fly in the bigger picture) is not laid out well to show what it is... That is an ostrich spey hackle hanging out behind, but the wing is three pairs of jungle cock nails back to back and staggering down in size, with another pair as sides on the throat. Instead of mallard I use wood duck on these for a roof and really like the look.

[hap]

Hap,
Fine work, and hard to think of a more effective therapy.
My condolences on the loss of your friend. At least the ribs will heal, and no ice was hurt in the process.
Cheers,
Hans W

Oh, but you are mistaken! I am 6'4" and 240 pounds! Not only did I break ice I think I broke concrete UNDER the ice! That old adage about the bigger they are... it is true!

Thanks for the kind words!
art

[rayhill190]

Hap,I so enjoy looking at other flies.Very nice.That's therapy to me.The harder they fall might be true but I used to say the harder they are to fall.Ray

[Rick Z]

Nice ties. I like seeing your work.
Don't abuse the ice anymore.

Rick

[FishnDave]

I like these, Hap!

[NewTyer 1]

I want to express my sincere sympathy on the loss of your friend. I had a cousin, just after HS grad. not wake up and an Aunt and Brother-in-Law. It is hard when someone you love passes but, atleast they were at peace when they passed. Although I do not fish for Salmon and do not Spey fish, I love to see the flies tied for them. Your flies are esquisit and I truely enjoy looking at them. I too tie for therapy. I suffer from PTSD and have trouble focusing and staying on task as well as concentrating so, tying allows me to train my brain to do that.

Keep up the good work.

Scott

[namekagon]

Therapy tying? Yeah,,,I think so.
Tying can help a fellow deal with personal loss, cabin fever, or something as mundane as an increasing awareness of ones own mortality.
Very nice ties hap!
Sorry for your loss.

[hap]

Just realized how bad the photos are...

I should probably stick to solo fly photos.