Li'L Dorothy Variations

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hankaye
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Location: Arrey, N.M. aka 32°52'37.63"N, 107°18'54.18"W

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by hankaye » Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:56 pm

DUBBN, Howdy;

Wayne, only the 2 extream close-ups of the last 2 showed up ...
the first 2 only have a X in the empty square. ?????

hank
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
DUBBN

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by DUBBN » Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:02 pm

I dont know Hank, they are showing up on my screen.
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hankaye
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Location: Arrey, N.M. aka 32°52'37.63"N, 107°18'54.18"W

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by hankaye » Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:24 pm

Wayne, Howdy;

Ok, Now they are showing up :?:
They be some purddy skins. I just
have more than I can use myself right now...
For folks such as me with limited storage space
I wish they'd sell 1/2 skins. I ain't as proflick as
a lot of ya'll are.

hank

Rockies just won
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
JohnP
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Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by JohnP » Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:43 am

Nice looking flies and nice hackle. I was working on some variations after reading Jeff's posts, but mine are nowhere near as nice as yours. Good job, my friend. :)
DUBBN

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by DUBBN » Sat Apr 20, 2013 6:34 am

Spring Run-off starts any day now, and I am looking forward to it. The rivers are currently running lower and clearer than I have ever seen them. I have had to resort to using the size 24 to 18 flies to have any success. Normally on the Freestone rivers I do not have to use anything smaller than a size 16 this time of the year. Drought conditions have changed that way of thinking this year (for me).

This time last year I was having great success with the Peacock and Partridge in size 10. Not so this year.

I plan on taking the Li'l Dorothy through her paces as soon as the water starts to rise. Fish her through run-off, then fish her through the PMD hatches of June and July. Fishing three flies at a time makes it easy for me to take this approach. I plan on pairing her with the Tups quite often. I am curious to see how the fish will react to the Tups with a tail, compared to the Li'l Dorothy which has no tail. Of course, I will compare her with the Peacock and Partridge, Muskrat, and Hares Ear Soft Hackle as well. I know many scoff at my experimenting, but I enjoy it. Even if is an exercise in futility to most . :)

I am going to tie another half dozen Li'l Dorothy variations today. This time I am going to use the "Split Thread" technique for the thorax. To quote Mark Libertone , "The thorax is rough and when wet, should slightly veil the abdomen giving the impression of a cream colored fly with an orange cast to the abdomen." In my opinion the Coats and Clark thread I am using is brighter than Marks original thread. Using the split thread technique should veil the abdomen a bit more than just roughing the dubbing up with Velcro. In my opinion that should tone down the looks of my pattern a bit, yet retain the orange cast.

You know something? Odds are I am over thinking all of this. It's probably so, but I am not fishing this weekend, and it's raining again. That leaves way too much time to think. :lol:
DUBBN

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by DUBBN » Sat Apr 20, 2013 10:34 am

Split Thread

Image
Mataura mayfly
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Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by Mataura mayfly » Sat Apr 20, 2013 4:34 pm

Nice work.
If it were me..... and this is no knocking of your last effort with the split thread...... I would pinch the thorax fibres, pull them over the abdomen and trim any long stragglers to the length of your thread body, so they cloak- but do not trail.
But that is just me. If you leave them long, you will get the illusion of a tail- or shuck....... which is not a bad thing maybe?

On the subject of tails, Mark did not design one, but one may or may not be an advantage. I have captured plenty of tail-less duns/emergers and have seen many a natural nymph sans tail filaments, so they do occur naturally without tails and the fish do not seem to mind.......
Who is over thinking what now? :lol: It is raining here as well.
"Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout".... Irish proverb.
DUBBN

Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by DUBBN » Sat Apr 20, 2013 4:40 pm

I'm gonna leave the fibers long. It's easier to trim them off at the river than add them. There have been times when a tail has caused fish to short strike my offerings. Simply biting the tail off corrected that. Yes, "bite". ;)
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redietz
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Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by redietz » Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:03 pm

I'd say leave them long. With a fly tied without a tail unless you're imitating caddis pupae, you want something trailing behind the body.
Bob
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Re: Li'L Dorothy Variations

Post by Mataura mayfly » Sat Apr 20, 2013 5:17 pm

OK, I'm outvoted.... you know I am going to have to go tie some with longer thorax fibres now........ :evil: :lol:
I am possibly contradicting myself anyhow, as the wool yarn I am using for abdomens on this pattern has small trailing fibres of a translucent nature that may give a tail impression when swept back by current action. :)

I think the tail debate has a lot to do with water conditions and where the fly is fished. If it is rough and turbulent the trout may only have a very short period of time to decide "food or flotsam". In slower and calmer waters a more "perfect" imitation may be required.
I have watched trout feeding in fast water and it is a very busy hustle of take-decide-swallow or eject, they literally snap up everything that is around the correct size and colour, deciding after the taste and texture test if it is a food item or not.
"Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout".... Irish proverb.
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