Who enjoys tying dry flies????

[ted1]

I don't!!!!!!
I was going to ask anyone to tie me up a few for a yellowstone trip in June, but realized that the only way I'm gonna get it right is by doing it! I am awful at anything dry, and anything under a sz 12. I guess i'll have to learn. Bad eyes, clumsy hands, little patience for the tiny stuff.
I'm almost happy with my EHC, and happy with my foam ants, but anything else is unrecognizeable. Can anyone suggest an easy to tie pattern for a blind man? I've tried Para Adams, EHC, BWO, PMD, G-Gnat, Mosquito, Stimulators (Which are somewhat decent), and humpys. Most looked miserable, and I can't bring myself to pay for flies when I have all the materials!

[JD]

For caddis, Han Weilenmann's CDC & Elk is the easiest and most productive pattern I tie: http://www.danica.com/flytier/hweilenmann/cdcelk.htm. For mayflies, you might want to consider the Deer Hair Emerger: http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/101804fotw.php. The Comparadun/Sparkle Dun is also fairly easy once you have the right materials.

As with anything else, the only way to improve is practice. Start with a large hook and keep tying flies on the same hook (clean with Xacto knife) until you are happy with the results, then tie a dozen. Once you are happy with the results at that size, go to the next fly smaller and repeat. If you can tie nymphs, you can tie dries.

[Hairstacker]

I was going to say, tie up some parachutes but then I noticed you already tried those. Funny, I've always thought of those as being fairly straight-forward to tie.

I think JD is dead-on about starting with the largest ties first. I too find that it often helps to sneak up on the smaller ties in this fashion.

[Mike R]

Comparaduns and sparkle duns are relatively easy to tie. If you can tie an EHC, you can tie these. Then if you want to get really tricky, tie a cdc comparadun for one of the better small mayfly imitators out there, IMO.

Learn to tie the "easy" dries: caddis, spinners, larger stones. Then you only need to buy the harder patterns.

Also, work on variations of what you tie. For example, a little bit of z-lon or sparkle yarn turns an EHC into an X-caddis.

Most importantly, practice and remember the basics (use as little thread as possible, less is more with material, proportions, etc...).


Mike

[SteveP]

Two words for you if you want a super easy dry fly for yellow stone..... :The Usual". Here is a decent you tube video of the fly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7A-IILkq88

This is a better video for instructional purposes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE9RcD6jqeo

You tie the entire fly with only three materials if you count the thread and hook. It works great if skipped, dead drifted, or swung and will float like a stinking cork.

Steve

[ted1]

Thanks for the replies. I like the patterns, especially the cdc elk. Parachutes are my nemesis, I just can't cut it when it comes to the hackle. I'll take a look at those youtube vids tonight, darn state computers won't let me watch any videos!! Really limits my goof -off time. I'll see if I can tie up a few tomorrow, and maybe i'll be brave enough to post some pics.

[Ed Wahl]

Ted, being all thumbs myself I've learned that the best way for me is to just tie 'em up in bulk. I end up looking back and tossing the first dozen or so. After a couple dozen they're looking like what I want.
I think of it as finger memory, after awhile the fingers just know what to do each time.

And you end up with like 4 years worth of the same fly.

Ed

[ted1]

Well, after failing 3x on sz 10 humpys last night, I think it's time to try other patterns. Didn't like the color combos, the proportions, or look for that matter. I took a pic to show my failure, but coudn't get the lighting right. I HATE ALL MY SMALL THREAD!! I have hated danvilles 6/0 since I started tying, And I hate 8/0 Uni, well I like the black 8/0 I have, but the white I was using is now in the trash. Tonight its the EHC and tryin the cdc elk.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

"Back in the day" in the 1970s we were lucky to have met Bob Quigley and we had him teach some fly tying classes at my first fly shop, The Fly Hutch, in Sacramento.

Bob taught us how to tie a parachute or para-dun which step by step was not that hard.

I still love fishing that pattern on smooth water.



Back then the "Humpy/Goofus Bug/Horner Deer Hair" was extremely popular. We tied them from size 8 to size 18 in many colors but yellow underbelly was the most popular.

Around that time I think Al Troth came up with the Elk Hair Caddis? It took off like a bomb...and was very easy to tie.

Back then they had not invented or introduced the indicator so we fished with dries more then. Back then shops sold more dry flies than anything else.


Actually when I started selling flies at Sports Unlimited in 1965 there were not even that many nymphs. It was dry flies, wet flies and tons of old classic streamers.

No Woolly Bugger back then but we did have the Woolly worm. The Woolly Bugger actually helped eliminate many old wet flies and streamers after it's arrival on the scene.

The number one selling hook back then was the Mustad 94840 dry fly hook.

Today is is the 2457 which is a nymph/caddis/scud/egg imitation hook.

[Jgoding]

the humpy is all about proportions and knowing how to measure the hair to get the body and wings to come out right (should be using one clump if doing it the right way!) I think the opposite.... tie the smallest stuff first because it's the hardest, then the bigger stuff will be easier. Also, if you think 8/0 is small, I tie almost everything with 14/0 so here's what I recommend. Grab the smallest stuff you have, tie with that for awhile, yes you're going to break it a lot but once you get used to it, then switch to your 8/0 or 6/0 and it'll seem like you're tying with steel wire... (ok, maybe not, but it should help). Or, my recommendation is get some 55 denier gsp.... you can't break it and it's very small diameter, lays flat etc... It is kind of slick though but should do fine if you keep it twisted by spinning the bobbin time to time.

If you want I can post my caddis I tie as either a parachute or conventional. I can try a humpy if you want, but it's been about 18 years since I tied one but I have the Jack Dennis book where he ties one quite well.... Hairstacker might be able to help you out too, he ties a mean trude.

Bill, is the 2457 the straight eye version of the 2487? I love that hook too. For dries I've been using the TMC 101, not sure if I like it yet.. the hook point itself seems kind of "short" for the hook, but it seems to hold those small AR steelies quite well.

[Mike O]

Humpies suck. period.

The only way I do them, when I feel masochistic is by tying the wing and hump/tail separately. Not the pure way, but it works, and looks the same.

I also tie more royal trude than royal wulff. Fish don't seem to care.

[MarkF]

Ted,

I have instructions, including pictures, for tying Humpies that I used in tying classes. Very easy to tie, if you follow the directions exactly. If you start it correctly, the fly works out very easily. It is the original way of tying Humpies. Ken H. will remember I think. Send me an email address and I will scan and send them to you. Hmm, come to think of it, I might even have a video of it that I did. Have to see if I can dig that up. If I still have it, I'll figure out a way to get it to you.

Mark