Got any McGinty’s?http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055&stc=1&d=1251130232;-)
Best pan fish fly there is
I have never had luck with bee’s…
If I were going to tie bees I would buy or make these, have to be easier and more durable than fur or hair
Eric
http://www.jsflyfishing.com/mas_assets/full/SM-750090-0000.jpg
Nice fly.
Much better than the bee I made couple of years back.
I must admit I didn’t catch anything on it, it would be interesting to know if you cought something on this one.
Thorarinn.
I am an impressionist when it come to fly tying for the most part. I agree with exact imitation in certain circumstances but for the most part I depend on shape and size.
Yes this fly catches fish for me. I think it is a matter of confidence and many “attractor patterns” do the same job.
I like the fly because Hemingway mentions it in a few of his stories and I can relate to history.
I tied some for a swap a couple years ago. The pattern I used, had chenielle for the body. The hardest part for me was getting the wings right.
Hairwing, is that a dubbed body?
BB,
The body is dubbed poly-pro. I also tagged the fly with gold tinsel. Kinda like fins on a '57 caddy but it appeals to me.
I fish it dry and the poly-pro helps keep it on top for me. White calf tail in the wings lets me see it from a good distance away.
HW
It looks good HW, I’ll have to try that kind of body. I tied mine to a tradition McGinty Pattern with red hackle tail, slip wings, and hackle throat. I have a few in my fly box, but those are the prototypes from teh swap and they have pathetic wings (hence no pic posted). I’ve had a spun deer hair McGinty on my “patterns to try” list for awhile. This thread just got that pattern bumped to the top. 
At more than a few streams I fish, a bee is a killer trout fly as well. They are especially effective in August and September when the Yellow Jackets are abundant.
I tie my bees using Bill Skilton’s foam Yellow Jacket Bodies. On the simpliest version, I just lash the foam cylinder to the hook in the middle and wrap hackle at the tie in point, no wing necessary.