BiColour SbS

[AlanB]

This was a FOTW some time ago, in it's reversed form (perhaps the easiest way to tie it). Recently I've put it up on my site in its more usual form, but with legs (which can be omitted if you like). It is more a way of tying a nymph than a pattern in its own right, so vary it to suit your needs. I plan on adding more, on my variations, to this. There are one or two techniques and tips that may may be useful in this. One certainly didn't occur to a master tier, who looked at me like I had two heads when I suggested it to him. (Name withheld to protect the guilty).
New BCN_0001.jpgBiColour SbS_0019.jpg

Cheers,
A.

[lastchance]

Really nice tie. I've been tying my sulfur nymphs in a bi-color and they've worked great. Thanks

Do you find that your fishing has improved with the bi-color style? I should use it for more of my nymphs. It certainly make sense and presents a more realistic pattern.

Interesting site.

[AlanB]

Thanks, and yes, it solved a problem for me a few years ago.

On the Yorkshire Calder near Halifax I found dry and wet flies worked as well as anywhere, but nymphs only picked up the odd fish. Stone turning revealed the brightest yellow dorsal side to nymphs I have ever seen. That area of the Calder I would describe as "post industrial". It isn't a water that I would recommend keeping fish from, even now. Too many heavy metals etc. left from those days. There is as much tumbled down dressed stone as there is natural rock on the bottom. You will loose a lot of flies fishing nymphs.

I wanted an easy way to tie a nymph that had a good colour distinction. My original solution was to weave the body. At the rate I was loosing nymphs I wanted something simpler. The BiColour is what I came up with. Now I'm living in Scotland, I've found it works well on the lochs for wild browns as well. Though I don't often get to fish them as when my boat partner visits he hoovers up any that I've tied! I've even had to go round to get parts of orders of flies back from him before! The BCN is one that he homes in on.

Charles Jardene complained that the tail was too bushy for his nymph imitations when he first saw it. I handed him a pair of scissors and winked!

Cheers,
A.

[Ed_D]

Alan,

Those are fine-looking flies. Did Charles Jardine trim the nymphs?


Regards,
Ed

[AlanB]

No! I think he was just looking for one of his usual put downs.

I do sometimes though. For a small still water fishery near here I use one with a tail of golden pheasant tippet tied very short, and a bead head. 50/50 Black tip and orange. That is tied in first and the pheasant tail trimmed off. It just gives the fly a little hot spot.

Cheers,
A.

[Ed_D]

Now you've got me thinking about doing the same thing but with Lady Amherst Pheasant tippet, dyed chartreuse or fluorescent chartreuse. That and an orange belly might do well with bluegills here. That would have to be in sizes 8-12. Too small and the 'gills might swallow them so completely that surgery would be required to remove the fly. It is embarrassing to fillet a 4" bluegill. It makes you look desperate.

Regards,
Ed

[ScottP]

Alan,

Very nice fly; thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Scott

[AlanB]

Hi Ed, Sorry I don't have the materials for the combination you mentioned, but here is the one I was trying to describe.
BiColour SbS_0022.jpg
The tail shows you what I mean by50/50 black orange. GP tippet is naturally florescent in the orange part so that gives a very slight hot spot.

There is a small stocked still water fishery near here, in Dornoch (yes the place where Madona got married), which is our solution to the shack nasties in the winter when all the regular places are closed. If it isn't frozen over. This is one of our standard patterns there. For fishing there a standard (brass) bead is enough weight. I've never tied them with tungsten, but you could if you need the weight.

You could add a beard hackle by holding the fibres in place while you finish the wire, then trimming off.

Would love to see yours if you tie some.

Cheers,
A,

[mickporter]

In the UK a Pheasant Tail Nymph is about the closest thing to an all round fly. Sawyer made it to represent most of what lives in our streams and rivers. He also fished quite successfully in Sweden and I believe the US too. It definitely catches me fish in most areas under the right conditions.