One of my favorite bugs when I fished the Beaverkill & Willowemoc regularly. My imitations always emphasized the dorsal stripe and the very prominent (when viewed in the water) gill structiure. My favorite pattern (a lot of parts but easy to tie) was/is: Hook: Mustad 9671, #10 Thread: Black 6/0 ...

Can't help on the historical post side, but Moscow Hide & Fur (http://www.hideandfur.com/) in Moscow, Idaho, sells pieces of fur from almost any critter you can imagine at pretty attractive prices, and in sizes ranging from the entire skin down to small junks at $2.50. I can't personally testify...

Nice to hear you got out Mark. Even nicer that you ran across some fish. I can recall some pleasant April days in the Catskills seeing the fish move well to midge pupae drifting just subsurface. We occasionally did well with thread midges on #22 dryfly hooks fished in the film. Kinda Zen fishing as ...

Mike, If you're considering Whiting to be a "lesser" hackle, you'll get no pity from me. Some of us started tying with feathers that wind up in the trash from most benches today

EP

Speaking as one who rarely ties "patterns" but who does tie flies for fish, i like each of them for a different reason/situation; higher in the column, playing on different lighting, whatever. I would never settle on one to the extent of barring the others from my flybox. Whichever you sel...

Good job, Mark. I was trying to figure out how to say what you said in as few words. Perfect explanation.

EP

>>Revisiting this; your tying makes the most of this hook. Scruffy, deadly, stylish without being elegant. Wish I were a trout!<< I like the dubbing rough, and the hare's ear blend I used here still allows a tight twist to give some segmentation. If a hook can be called "inspiring," the 14...

I kinda liked this one . . .



Hook: Grip: 14723 BL #18
Thread: Benecchi 12/0, black
Tail: Coq de Leon, Pardo
Abdomen: Hare's ear
Thorax: Dark brown rabbit
Hackle: Quail -- dunno species.

Re "not always RIGHT" . . . yeah, occasionally wrong, but never in doubt. That's Ralph.

EP

Ah . . . two gentlemen who obviously know Ralph well. Still among the very best I have ever seen tie a fly.

EP