Thanks FishnDave!

To be honest, none of these patterns are tricky, they just take a bit of practice to get the proportions right. The tricky bits for the Ewe Wasp and the Vanessa is getting the topping to sit properly. I've only recently been adding toppings and it can be challenging. But, as with all things, when it works it there is a pleasant sense of accomplishment, coupled with the thought "but I can do better". The Red Setter, Copper Dorothy, and Taihape Tickler are really examples of "styles", that with simple changes of colour become different patterns. These "styles" are quite popular here in NZ. For example, the Red Setter, if tied with black squirrel tail and black hackles becomes one of the "fuzzy wuzzy series"; specifically an orange fuzzy wuzzy. If, however, you use grey squirrel tail and grizzle hackle, it would be one of the "dappled dogs" - an orange dapple dog. (Although some people argue that the dapple dogs must be tied with flourecent bodies, we won't be quite so pedantic on that point). There are hundreds of flies tied in the basic manner of the Dorothies. In particular a yellow Dorothy is a popular day time fly, while a red Dorothy is considered a good night fly). The New Zealand approach to feather wing streamers was to use a regular length hook and bind the wing down along the shank while in North America, longer hooks were used and the wing is only tied in at the head and left to stream free. Both are ways to try and combat the problem of the wing wrapping around the bend when you cast them. Probably the most popular pattern of this style would be Parson's Glory (red tuft tail, body yellow, rib silver, wing and hackle honey grizzle). Another really popular one is a Grey Ghost (not the Carrie Stevens pattern), which is a red tuft, silver body & rib, wing and hackle of grey hackle. The pukeko style flies have fewer patterns, and I know of only about 5 or 6. Pukeko also have black feathers, and most patterns use either the blue or the black. A feather from an English magpie could be used as a substitute for the black. In both cases, the wing usually requires 2 or 3 feathers to be laid in together. In small sizes (size 10 and under) these can be used as beetle immitations.

All sorts of patterns can be created by variations of body colour and what kind of feather you use for the hackle for the spiders. In some ways, these are trickiest of the lot because the temptation is to over dress them. In fact, the hackle on the Water Cricket is a bit much. However, as it is a starling feather, which the trout often damage when they take it, after a few fish it should be just right! A fly that only getts better as it gets worse! nice!

Anyway, thanks again for the compliments. I figure, if I can tie a reasonably neat example of these then anyone can. It really just takes practice. I also tie quite slowly, and make a concentrated effort to try and make them as neat as I can. I don't always succeed, but then, I don't post those ones either!

- Jeff