Hi All,
I thought I would post a pic to my latest. I wanted to tie Barr’s Meat Whistle, but did not want to spring for the correct hooks yet. So I tied it clouser style. I know, Barr’s does not have rubber legs but I added a few. It’s on a #1 Mustad 3366.
Take a look . . .
-wayne
Nice Tie!
Barrs flies names sound like they are should be in porn films. lol
How old are you again? 
Nice fly! I really like that! Could you do a FOTM? I need to tie a half dozen of those in cream and brown for the gulf, they look like a good crab imitation.
I was not familiar with this fly so I googled “Meat Whistle” . After I weeded out the porn sites I found this site that has a fairly good picture and a list of ingredients.
http://www.madriveroutfitters.com/pc-2297-216-meat-whistle.aspx
Tim
The one in the pic above is easy.
#1 Mustad 3366
Dumbbell eyes mounted a bit toward the eye.
zonker strip tail
Wrapped gold tinsel body but you can’t see it
palmered marabou collar
I was not sure how to finish up a good front end. I ended up coating the area around the eyes with Hard Head.
-wayne
Nice tie. It’s a good variation on the original.
Barr’s original pattern is tied on a Gamakatsu 90 degree jig hook, in a size 3/0 to 1/0, and sports a copper cone head. In his book, he does it in rust, olive, and black. Like the one above, it looks deadly. I’m gonna have to tie up some of both.
CJ
Think i like yours better.
Nice looking fly!
Wayne, just goes to prove, "no pattern stays the same!?!
You’re right, as far as I’ve ever learned… Barr’s pattern has no rubber legs that’s the way I tie it.
And yet, several sites, (such as Umpqua Feather’s site picture, below), shows it WITH rubber legs!?!
I like your fly. Its a very good tie and should work very well!
My own “Meat Whistle”, (THAT sounds kinda weird to say?)
Umpqua’s “rubber leg version”
Umpqua, who usually touts “Original patterns, tied the original way”, doesn’t even use a copper cone head, like the “original pattern” called for, either!?!
Go, figure, huh?
I do intend on getting the 90 degree bend hook and tying some. I have noticed that cone head flys hang up a bit less on the bottom than those with dumbbell eyes.
-wayne
With 90 degree jig hooks I like to open up the 90 degree bend up a little to about a 75 degree or so. I find it hooks better than the regular 90 degree bend, It also still lets the hook ride point up and everything normally.
Guys,
These things always evolve.
You can now buy (for the last fifteen years, at least) jig hooks with a 60 degree bend. They also have some at 22 degrees. Gamagatsu even makes some that aren’t 90 degrees.
If you don’t like mail order, the Sportsman’s Warehouse near me has many of these hooks hanging on the rack. I’m sure other places (not fly shops) sell these hooks.
The beauty of using a jig hook for this style of fly is that it keeps the hook point riding upwards and the ‘shoulder’ of the bent shank helps the fly walk over obstructions better than a straight eye or TDE hook.
I’ve never had hooking issues with a 90 degree hook, and I use them for a variety of such ties, but I also have and use 60 and 22 degree jig hooks. I like how the 60 degree hooks slide over stuff, and the 22 degree hooks are nice if you work a fly horizontally through lots of cover (still needs a weed guard).
I typically eschew the cone head, and use dumbbell eyes, and find no loss in effectiveness (maybe the reverse) on these ‘jig’ type flies.
Good Luck!
Buddy