TED'S GRAY IRRESISTIBLE
As a fly tyer I'm always looking for patterns with universal appeal. It's an occupational hazard for me to carry hundreds of patterns. I keep trying to reduce the load but I'm always afraid I'll leave the 'right' pattern back in the tackle box. But over the last few years I've made a considerable effort. The fly pattern today is truly one that has helped. This creation comes from the vice of Ted Earl. Ted was a commercial tyer who hailed from Kingsley, Michigan. This pattern was created back in the mid to late 1960s. This fly possesses magic. Like the Adams, it has the right colors and silhouette.
Materials:
Hook: Mustad #94870 Size: 8-12
Thread: Black, 6/0
Tail: Fox Squirrel
Body: Gray Yarn or dubbing, with a back of natural deer hair
Rib: Crisscrossed thread
Wing: Gray Hackle Tips
Hackle: Grizzly
Let's tie up a Ted's…..
Lay in a good base of thread, now tie in
your tail of Fox Squirrel, standard length. Secure it with thread.
Wrap in your body of Gray wool or dubbing.
Secure it with thread.
Here's where the pattern gets a little tricky.
Take your deer hair, pull it over the back of
the fly. Tie it in so that the hair tips extend to
one third the length of the tail, crisscrossing
your thread down and back. Be sure you
flare the hair at the tail. Trim off the butts.
Tie in the Gray Hackle Tips using standard
techniques. Secure with thread.
Wrap in your hackle. Tie off your head.
Be generous with head cement.
Ted also allowed you to replace the tail with natural bucktail if you don't have fox squirrel. This fly is one of a series
of four. Ted's Brown Drake Irresistible had brown yarn or dubbing, brown wing tips and brown hackle. Ted's Adams Irresistible had grizzly hackle
tips and mixed brown & grizzly hackle. Ted's White Irresistible had a white body, white hackle tips and a white hackle.
See you on the water…..
Tom Deschaine
~www.michigandryflies.net~
For more great info, check out:
Beginning Fly Tying | Intermediate Fly Tying | Advanced Fly Tying.