I may have to GOOGLE this Datus Proper guy DUBBN, Datus Proper's book What the Trout Said is the best fly tying book that I know of, and it contains not a single fly pattern! The book is about fly design (what works; what doesn't; and why). Proper was a member of the Foreign Service, but he was a s...

veering off topic, ever so slightly: Joseph Grigely aka "bearbutt", somehow purchased Datus Propers travel fly tying kit. I believe it was described in one of his books, possibly "What the Trout said". From polar bear hair to size 15 Saville hooks, this kit has it all! Dana I also had the good fort...

What camera are you using? I love that photo of the trout. Ray, The camera is a mainstream point-and-shoot waterproof camera (Olympus TG-5). I edited the original a bit by twiddling the knobs on a photo editing program. This photo (also edited) probably shows better what the camera can produce, bec...

Wondering how many flymphers fish bamboo rods? Ahhh yes ... the slippery slope. I fish bamboo rods pretty much exclusively these days and own a handful that fit both my cast and my preferences of "feel". Two weeks ago, fishing with the Forum Ghillie on Soda Butte Creek in Yellowstone... An 8' 5wt r...

That starling fly is gorgeous. A Skues' Iron Blue Nymph, which features starling hackle, is one of my favorite flies when BWOs are on the menu. This one is bone dry, but it looks quite delicious, in a trouty sort of way, when wet.

John, We've got to stop meeting this way! The very long length of feather barbs on hen saddle feathers is an unsolvable problem. Such feathers work great on large flies, but not well on small ones. That's why I don't use hen saddles for small soft-hackled flies. I instead use feathers of game birds ...

letumgo wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:56 am

Outstanding!

Agreed! I like the gravel-bed scenery. An idea for photo shoot #3: Place a young-of-the-year trout in the aquarium. Glamor shots for glamorous flies.

Very nice photos gents. Ray, I especially like the light imprint of the floating spider. John, a couple of thoughts about the lack of underwater movement... Water currents are probably a big part of underwater hackle movement. Good luck working in a fast-flowing river though. That sounds like diffic...

Ray, Datus Proper's What the Trout Said is my all-time favorite fly tying book, even though it contains not a single fly pattern recipe. I couldn't find the term 'jingler' in Proper's book, but was your fly inspired by his Bent-Hackle Fly? If so, he suggests that the stiffer rooster hackle behind th...

A totally beautiful fly! What (or who) is the origin of the term "jingler"?
--Phil