Ray -

What was your line thinking for using swords instead of straight herl?

Gives me a PITA just looking at it.

I occurs to me that in a smaller size it might be used as scud imitation.

Count me in on this.

CreationBear wrote:Anybody else getting an Isonychia vibe?

That was absolutely the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture, but size 16 is a bit small. Oughta be a killer regardless.

Soft-hackle wrote:A very nice variation. The original pattern I found in Trout has been long-standing favorite of mine. Bergman had nothing but praise for the fly.

In fact, I think he mentions it in the text more often than any other single fly.

letumgo wrote: I can remember hunting grouse as a kid, but I don't ever remember getting one.

My experience were similar. They had the d**nedest habit of being behind a tree just as I'm about to pull the trigger.

CreationBear wrote: Lots to learn from Mr. Herd !

If you haven't read his book, The Fly, I highly recommend it if you have any interest at all on the history of the sport.

Pritt called the same fly the Sandy Moorgame. He claimed "This is a very useful fly from May to the end of July, and is not to be neglected in a brown water clearing after a flood." I tied a bunch of the over the winter and have yet to catch a fish on one, but then again I've tried them on...

fflutterffly wrote: Redietz are you related to the author?

No. The only author that I'm aware of with my name wrote oceanography texts.

I'm still not clear on the question. Do you mean I could have two of each (i.e. 2 hooks, 2 thread colors, two hackles, etc) or that I could have just a hook and hackle, or a thread and dubbing? Assuming the former: Hook type - Mustad R50, sizes 14 and 18 Hackle - partridge, starling Dubbing - muskra...