Casting for recovery has held their recent retreats on a stretch of river I am familiar with. I’ve always had good success there in late summer with a crowe beetle, but that’s a bad fly choice for non-tyers. It’s just not very durable. The solution, of course, is a foam beetle. Instead of using a pattern off the web I just started tying. The shellback and head are the usual black craft foam with a small piece of pink foam( leftovers from another fly) on top, but the underbody is dubbed from a shiny black craft fur I chopped up instead of the usual peacock herl. I thought of several things for the legs. I didn’t like the looks of rubber legs though they would probably have worked. I considered using black deer hair to get legs like the crow beetle, but it made a thick tie in point. Bear guard hair proved too flimsy and flashabou or flashy winging material were obviously worse. I ended up using two stands of Danville’s flat black nylon which seemed to give the right combination of movement and shape.
I like it. NO rule that says you can’t dhange things.
Rick
When I first started tying, I thought that sticking to the recipe was the way to do things.
That idea died an early death.
I can’t recall the last time I tied to a pattern as written.
There are some flies that I would find it hard to improve. I’ll always tie an adams to the recipe for example.
If I were tying trout flies like an Adams, I would do the same.
…I tend to buy small flies for trout, and tie bigger ones, like streamers for trout, bass and muskies.
Great job improvising a popular pattern by creating a simple and more durable pattern. You not only shared an effective pattern, but you encouraged new tyers to experiment with different materials which, to me, is an important part of learning how to tie flies and be creative. Well done!
I love modifying, “improving” and creating what I think is a new pattern. Usually not.I And I also agree that some flys are perfect as tied by their creator. One that comes to mind is Gary La Fontaine’s Sparkle emergent pupa. A. K. Best said he tried to create his own emerger that was as effective, but he couldn’t. It must be tied using Antron yarn and tied the way he did. But there aren’t many patterns that we can’t play around with. I have many books, and videos about fly tying. And of course, YouTube. I think though I’ve learned the most from being a member of VFB for 40+ years. Swaps made me a better tyer.
speaking of emergent sparkle pupas, it’s one of the flies that I would definitely have handy on the Pere Marquette in August when Reeling for Healing is holding their retreat, but I’m not sure about sending them some. Do you folks think that it’s a difficult fly for beginners to use. It can certainly be hard to see.