FLYMPH FORUM

UC Steve wrote:

tie2fish wrote:Well, now I have to get rid of one of the caddis patterns in my box to make room for this. This looks deadly, Steve.

Bill, I'm sloppy. I think you could bring out the elegance of this pattern. Love to see it. In my last couple posts at Soft~Hackle Journal, I feature a couple spider versions of this stage that I like as well, & I switch around as the whims of trout seem to go, though this one is reliable with fair consistancy.

http://soft-hacklejournal.blogspot.com

I think your version is perfect for an insect at that stage in its life cycle, Steve -- too neat would be counterproductive.

I don't know how I missed this beauty. Steve, the proportions of this fly are right on. Nice sparse collar for the legs, looks fantastic. I'll have to give this a go.

Smuggler, no collar (forgive the bad photo), that's the guard hairs of the squirrel thorax.

Better yet!

I've carried some and tied many F-flies but haven't scored well. No doubt it's the wrong time in the wrong place and if I would use them more they would probably be favorites. Glad to hear this one kills for you. It's easy to see why.

William, I've not done well with these during the emergence/egg-laying period. Soft-hackles work better then, in my own experience. This one seems to come into its own during late season, when there are no more pupae available & there's a lot of accumulated male spinners swimming in the water.

Thank you Steve, for bringing nourishing food for the table. I was mentioning the Endrick Spider in another post. I suppose 'my' fish take it as a spent caddis in the autumn. I guess a damp/wet F-fly, or the fly you posted, would work for dying needle flies when tied on size 16-18 hooks. I will tie some on Kamasan B525 with light brown and with honey colored bodies for 'my' grayling. (Trout season is closed).

(If needed, I will cheat and trail one behind a fluttering stone).

dd

DD, I like the sound of all those ideas. I fish a spider design for this stage as well, & switch back & forth as trout whims dictate, but the winged version really is good for the smaller sizes.

I wish 'I' had grayling.