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3. Caddis Wing, Page 2

:)LOL Yes, they do. The dirty buggers...

I found medallion sheeting to break down pretty easy. You guys are the experts, but I have tried it on sulphur emerger patterns, and I wasn't happy. I may try some panty hose. If you get a run in the wing you can just put some nail polish on to stop it. I think the goose feather idea is a winner. All I need are some goose feathers.
Bruce

PS. What's wrong with using classic elk hair for the wing?

Nothing, Bruce. It's my favorite material for caddis wings. Louis & I are talking about what are largely "one off" flies for use over fish we should just tip our hats to as John said (if we weren't possessed). :)

I like air to pass through my wing, synthetic sheeting can cause the fly to spin in the air, and the tippet problems.

Lovely fly, Kurt. I'd tremble tying that one on. For some fish, one-fish flies are worth the time to make.

My UltDun pattern I'm especially pleased with as it really snookered those discerning Delaware browns. It was really pleasing having those compound lookers drift way back, practically press their nose to the fly, then say "OK". I was also pleased that each fly could catch more than one fish, although the FF editors decided to just call it "durable", which is pushing it.

As to legs, my UltDun pattern uses the tag barbs for legs, and is where the extra time involved in making that fly comes in. Those legs are also the most "fragile" part of the fly, not in terms of breaking as goose barbs are tough, but getting bent out of whack after a few fish. The fly depends on those legs and tails to sit on the surface film. I could do the same for the caddis but found the fly so buoyant and well balanced, and effective, I never bothered.

OK, Paul, but now we are getting curious about the UltDun pattern. Perhaps another thread on it?

I haven't noticed the problem with this pattern, Jere. Perhaps the hairs sicking out along the sides stabilize it. I'm pretty sensitive to that problem and abhor it. To the point I won't use Hoffman high grade hackle on conventionally wound designs. They get that extra stiffness from their extreme ovoid cross section that gets thicker moving down the shaft of the barbule. They look just like the blades on those wind turbines springing up all over the place. The more wraps, the better the fly spins.:) Good stuff for parachutes, thoraxes and hackle stackers, though.

Paul...Don't you remember...You were going to keep all this a secret between you and I?! ;)

I know a guy in Detroit who has a copy of the orignal Flyfisherman article...March issue 2002...I think the problem Paul was Heidi Baker on the front cover...Most of the boys never made it any further in to the magazine.

You shared some interesting company in that issue, Lefty Kreh, Jason Borger, Ed Jaworowski, and Ross Mueller.

The caddis is sweet, but you should see the Ult Dun..."Contour Feather Dry Flies: A realistic dun pattern tied with an alternative to CDC" Our own Paul Roberts sitting in at the Fly Tier's Bench!

Spence

Ach, I sold you out Spence, for the call of fame. :)

I bet Lefty and the others are secretly fishing the UltDun. That's the problem, those that got past the cover are keeping it under wraps!

Actually, first, you can't readily go buy the feathers. And the fly is a bit of a project to tie. Most people probably looked at it and went, Yeeesh! And turned the page.

Disclaimer/Caveat: I haven't been fishing in a while and its spring and ... hyperbole reigns. Pursue at risk of disappointment. Such is fishing.

You need to get out there sir and bid your favorite little runs adieu...Don't want to mess with your river Mojo. :)

Thanks, Paul. The sparseness makes it look more delicate than it really is. Perhaps Louis and I oversold the tenderness of Medallion a little as well. The wing material isn't that bad if the tips are treated. The main problem with the stuff is that it's easy to split linearly. Just casting will eventually turn it to ribbons without a little reinforcement. The fly is certainly not as robust as a Troth's Elk Hair, but it is usually good for many fish unless hooked where it rakes against teeth during the fight or has to be grabbed with forceps by the body and wing to extract. But, that can be said about a lot of spring creek flies.

It's an easy, quick tie too. Just 3 extremely sparse clumps of elk from the same stack tied on top underneath the wing. Starting from the back of the thorax, Long, med. and short between wraps of dubbing. No place setting, just splayed with a little finger pressure when tying in. Even the antennae are just stubs from the last clump. When compared to many spring creek designs, it's a breeze. The difficulty comes in getting the proportions correct, which only comes with experience tying the pattern while keeping the natural in mind

On spring creeks the right silhouette and surface pattern are key, IMO. The designs should be buggy (alive) looking yet sparse. I've seen a lot of beautiful flies with placed bent legs and barbell eyes that are wonderful expressions of the tying art, but they don't look alive to me and their silhouettes and surface imprints when viewed from below are more horsefly than delicate caddis. Perhaps my lack of confidence in them has influenced their effectiveness, but the trout seem to agree.

Thanks for the details, Kurt.

I have the issue as well. (For some reason i have all of the issues since 1982) Very cool Paul!

Well Paul, I think next April you should pick Spence up on your way east so you can both join us in PA for some springtime fun.

Another reason to hang on to those Flyfisherman magazines. Spence is right, the cover could be a distraction. Looking at the article, I now remember enjoying it and wondering about coloring the bodies. Marker? Rit? Or is color just not that important with the fly?

Paul, I seem to recall you were considering spending some time in the Pacific. Is that the reason for your dry spell?

Goose feathers run pale tan-gray to a dark gray -think Adam's gray, which covers a lot, unless you are persnickety -which, I take it you guys are. I have tinted the paler feathers with markers, and it's a light tinting so you don't glue the feather barbs. I've even played with using the white butt feathers (tail coverts) and tinted them any way I like. But these feathers are a bit too fine to perform well. I've thought I'd like to try swan, and there is nothing meaner than a mute swan. Some waters you should probably pack a handgun!

My dry spell... I spend time on 3 sites: this one, a bass site, and a hunting ethics site. I've won Tolstoy awards at all three! :) I bounce back and forth, spending more time on one than the others, depending on what I'm up to. Now my move to the Pacific has me shifting into uncharted waters. Think about planning a 2yr fishing trip, on the other side of the globe. So I've been researching Philippine saltwater and freshwater fishing options, as well as preparing for the move. Lots to do, so ... I'll be checking in but probably posting a bit lighter. From the Pacific I'll be writing and trout are one of my subjects so I'll be keeping in touch.

Eric, I'd love to pick Spence up and head East to fish with you guys. What a wonderful time that would be. Unfortunately, it'll have to be ... in the more distant future. Of course, if I find a tropical island surrounded by mangroves teeming with ladyfish and pargo, maybe we can reverse the invite.

Spence knows the way...:) Those PA boys have quite a network set up...One phone call and they fly over hill and dale, and mountains, to appear, rods in hand and ready to go.

Well if I have to break out the 14 weight and chase Giant Trevally, I am in for sure!

There are GT's there. I saw a photo of a group of about 20 that a resort on Palawan feeds. I don't think I want to mess with GTs, at least adult ones. I'm bringing a 10wt, so as far as I'm concerned they'll have to be less than 15lbs. After a certain point one can wonder where the fun went.

Aren't they the ones that upon showing up, everything else scatters and disappears - even the sharks?