First off let me mention I’m a relative newcomer when it comes to tying. And secondly I have a very creative mind. There are the traditionalist that will follow a recipe to a T. Well I do to. But after mastering the skill or the newest material purchased the creatve side of me kicks in and I begin to mix an match and tie flies that I think might be of interest to a fish. In essence not following a recipe at all.
When I show off these flies I get the, “WOW, that looks great, but will the fish be interested in it?” question alot. I really don’t know; we’ve been burried under a mountain of snow. “Besides” I say to them, “A) It kept me busy. B) somebody has to come up with the new patterns, or variations.” And my most defensive response (when absolutely necessary), “C) a Copper John matches nothing all but find a guy nymphing he will probably have at least one in his box.”
Yesterday I was at my local shop and something caught my eye and bought it. It is a Ringneck rump patch, natural. Normally I ‘shop the recipe’ for what I need, but when I saw this patch I just had to have it. The irredessence of the feathers from grey to blue to green with the rusty tips on the longer feathers are remarkable. Boy, could I get creative with this. But as I have said before I want to ‘master’ the material by following recipes before I let my creative juices loose.
Unfortunately, I’m not having any luck finding this ‘ingredient’ in any recipes.
That is where I hope you guys come in and can suggest some flies using my new found feathers, and how they can be used.
what ever you come up with Im sure someone has tried it or tied before. If it works for you on fish, Great. Thats where we separate ourselves from other species, our creativity.
I found that if you tie something no one else uses,and the fish eat it, keep your mouth shut. LOL I have noticed that bringing something new to the table the fish eat it because it`s close to a natural and they ( the Fish) never seen it before. So if that works stick to it . Good Luck and good fishing.
No suggestions, but a question. What is this “Shop the recipe” you speak of? My wife and I generally walk into a flyshop a grab whatever we think we may need someday.
REE
Hi,
Here are two flies tied with ringneck rump feathers.
This is one of my own patterns. The tail is a clump of fox squirrel belly hair, the body is fox squirrel body, rib dark copper wire, wing is the rump feathers tied in flat on top, and a grizzle hackle collar. You can sub in hare’s mask instead of fox squirrel.
This is a popular NZ lure called a Mrs. Simpson. There’s a black tail of black squirrel tail hair. It should be a bit longer and stick out beyond the feathers (two each side, one pair tied in half way along the hook shank). Also, there’s a dubbed wool body, yellow for day flies and red for night (nobody knows why this matters because the body is hidden by the side feathers).
Since i am a new fly tier as well i can explain where he is coming from
About once a month or so i figure out the flies i am going to tie. Based on the recipes i find either online, semi-create, or find in a book. Then once i know what i want to tie, i figure out the materials i am missing and go down and buy them. Thats what he means by “shop the recipe” i assume.
I, Also am a “Shop the reciepe” tyer, I go into the Fly Shop with my list, Then totally ignore it and buy all kinds of stuff then go home and tell Jean “Da**” I forgot to or they didn’t have what I needed then head to a different shop.:rolleyes:
They’re sold as a cheap substitute for rare/illegal feathers used in spey flies. But spey flies are not the best fish catching patterns so I use them in several different colours for nice wings on mini-muddlers or wing cases/tails for nymphs, etc. You can even make a “Pheasant Rump Nymph” so yes, don’t be afraid to veer from any recipe since keeping to a recipe generally doesn’t matter. Catching fish is 90% fishing skills, 5% fly fishing specific technique, and 5% fly pattern.
If you “shop the recipe” and get caught up in the great variety of recipes we are exposed to in all the magazines and websites, you will be following the path to the slippery slope that we all are on. Just be prepared to set up a bank account your better half will be unaware of with about $10,000. You won’t be alone.
By looking at my Visa bill the past couple months, I think instead of shopping the receipe, I’ve been shopping the entire fly shop. Just give me one of everything and two of the stuff I may eventually need.
Sorry I haven’t posted back to my own thread until now. My daughters had school work and needed the computer. I’ll be brief for the time being, because it is late.
THANKS for the links, ideas and suggestions.
Jim
ps. I’ll be back to post comments, as I said it is late. Again thanks.
And anywhere else I think they might be fun. They also look pretty good as hackle on softhackle flies. I love the colors they show as the light hits them. . . .
I, Also am a “Shop the reciepe” tyer, I go into the Fly Shop with my list, Then totally ignore it and buy all kinds of stuff then go home and tell Jean “Da**” I forgot to or they didn’t have what I needed then head to a different shop.:rolleyes:
