What a beautiful looking fly! I like working with foam, and this one looks like it will be a really good producer here on the EC. Very nice proportions. Has anyone had an opportunity to fish it warmwater, and how did you do? Got to get tying!
Bob
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What a beautiful looking fly! I like working with foam, and this one looks like it will be a really good producer here on the EC. Very nice proportions. Has anyone had an opportunity to fish it warmwater, and how did you do? Got to get tying!
Bob
I have been tying the Kratville Caddis too, in the grasshopper colors - I'm excited to try it in caddis colors, but it's very similar to the BC Hopper and I had a lot of opportunity to use that last year with a copper john as a dropper - As things warmed up the hopper was a real good fly for the gills! Love these FOTW!
Hello,
I mainly developed the technique of piercing the foam tying a grasshopper pattern. I then got some of the thin razor foam and figured I could use it as wing material. I tried it on a smaller hook and it naturally started to look like a Caddis. It's funny I sent these pictures in mainly because I thought I came up with a cool technique for making segmented foam bodies. Two days after submiting the photos I was in a local fly shop in Sacramento and saw my first Dropper Hopper. The guy working in the shop told me not to worry, eventually everything has been done before.
The 2302 hooks work great from size 16 to 6. This fly was initially tested on my neighbor's pond full of bluegill and it worked great. I caught trout on the Pit River last year with this pattern long after locals said they wouldn't work anymore. I hardly ever follow patterns when I tie. That's probably because my older brother always took control of our Grandma's fly books when we were learning to tie. I'm glad you guys like my little pattern. I'm glad the fish like it even more.
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David Kratville
Hi David! Thank you for taking the time to reply. That is really one of the things I like about this site. I am particularly interested in your pattern in the grasshopper flavors, and I think a nice cricket imitation would be in there as well. Heck, I'm going to try 'em all! Anyway, I suppose that tier's comment about everything being tried is probably true, but I think you have a nice technique going on here. I don't have much experience with the razor foam as of yet, but will get some soon! Foam fly technology is getting better as far as the proportions and overall look goes as the better tiers experiment more with it. Charlie Cravens Charlie Boy Hopper is what I would consider a beautifully proportioned foam fly and a real nice tie as well, and that fly is kind of the standard that I measure others by. Anyway, I think you hit on a great design, and thanks once again for the reply.
Bob
Ordered my Razor Foam about 5 min. ago. Can't wait! I think this will be an excellent fly for grayling here in Fairbanks. Thanks for sharing it David.
Ben
Since people seem to be interested in my pattern I added a page to my website: [url=http://www.kratvillephoto.com/Caddis:80b61]www.kratvillephoto.com/Caddis[/url:80b61] that shows some of the variations I tie. One of the things I was striving for was a pattern that would work for several insects in various sizes with just a few minor tweaks. Here is a group photo from the page:
http://www.kratvillephoto.com/images...W2658small.jpg
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David Kratville
[This message has been edited by davkrat (edited 04 March 2006).]
[This message has been edited by davkrat (edited 04 March 2006).]
[This message has been edited by davkrat (edited 04 March 2006).]
David K,
Well done.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif
....lee s.
Lee, I second that! Very, very nicely done!!
Bob
Anyone found razor foam in the craft stores yet?
Hey I came up with a nymph pattern this morning using a similar technique. It's in a new post titled Foam Body Stone Nymph. Hopefully this one will work too.
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David Kratville