FLYMPH FORUM

Great looking flies!

The killer bug is my most productive fly, by far, and has been ever since I started tying it, even though I don't use real Chadwicks. I've tried adding partridge or bob white hackle, and although I think it looks better with hackle, the fish really don't seem to care.

When it's wet it looks like this. Sorry, I don't have any photos of it without fish attached. I can't seem to get it wet without getting fish. Pesky fish.

* chuckle *

I can't think of a better way to "present" the fly. Lovely trout, my friend.

It is so very nice to see that people appreciate fish, and their beauty, regardless of size. I believe this is special for fly fishing people (but not all of us).

Earlier in this thread I mentioned that some stress the importance of the colour of the copper wire used for Killer Bug. Re-reading a passage of Frank Sawyers book I could see that he thougt this of no importance at all. He is explicit about that. Just wanted to mention.

dd

dd - Thanks for the additional background.

Great thread.............how the hell i missed it before, i'll never know........ TKX. everyone..........

Thank you all for sharing details of a fly with such historical reference. The fact that this yarn has all but disappeared is not surprising in considering the that it was obviously a blended wool, likely from several critters; maybe from numerous farms /areas of the country, and then for the military use of fixing socks, so many years ago!!
It tickles me, in that I, like so many, we will near place our lives on the line to protect the specific materials that go into some of our variations... the "Secret Fly".... that one that we know that no one else has because we don't share "IT".
I once fished with a river guide who I found out had such a secret fly, that only he "fished", kept so by not ever even allowing his "sports" to handle it! No one ever got closer the 8'-6" (rod length) to the fly. He would pull that small pocket sized box out towards the end of a "low count day" and save world peace!! But there were rules: He landed all fish by net, removing the fly to "check it" while handing you the net to look at your catch and release it. Then you fished on by him flipping the fly away fro you and into the water, thus protecting its full identity. With any gesture of intruding his "private fly", he removed it from your line, never to share with you again, even on a next booking! And, you thus forfeited opportunity to "catch big numbers", by his guiding!

We all know the greatness of our history; our secret fly variations; and the affects of confidence towards fishing. Collecting bits of history... those special bits of feather, books, equipment, tools, (Yes.... I have my "one and only" Herter's original, half hitch tool.... 1962. https://i.etsystatic.com/11666628/r/il/ ... 5_k2zt.jpg ), There is still room for variation in tying an imitation of a crane fly larvae.

For those of us who lack a hidden card of 477 tucked away (oh.... special thanks to those who used a bit of the original stuff to tease the rest of us! That changing colors once wet, is still different in stained water vs tap water!! ), I give you the knowledge that "not all crane fly larvae look alike!!!" Our great friend over at Trout Nut.com and several other sites, have posted, some great pics:
http://www.troutnut.com/im_regspec/pict ... _large.jpg
https://www.northeastipm.org/neipm/asse ... -fly-1.jpg
https://www.northeastipm.org/neipm/asse ... -fly-2.jpg
https://diptera.info/forum/attachments/larvae_27mm.jpg
https://bugguide.net/images/cache/4HD/H ... ZL2ZSL.jpg

And where did the term "Four-eyes" come from???
https://diptera.info/forum/attachments/larvae_27.jpg

So you can see, they run the course of "shades of bug colors", blacks, gray, browns, and into olive/greens..... and who knew... some live in stream... others in earth.... and they all feed fish, buzz your face and scare some.... when turned to adults.

Back to the drawing board..... finding your local color critters, pass the yarn... and "Match the hatch".
Happy tying, tight lines, keep it all alive! History goes on!

P.S. Ray,
Keep an eye open for that "box of stuff" being adds to the "yard sale pile"..... or a bit of history could be lost. Thanks again for all you do around here to keep us tuning in!

I looked at some original 477 yarn under a microscope. The 85% wool is so pale it might be undyed. The 15% nylon is sort of a light, brownish red. My color reference book describes it as raspberry. The nylon fibers are so thin that it's difficult to describe exactly what the color is. An idea to try is to take some undyed wool and mix some appropriately colored fiber into dubbing.

wsbailey wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:40 pm I looked at some original 477 yarn under a microscope. The 85% wool is so pale it might be undyed. The 15% nylon is sort of a light, brownish red. My color reference book describes it as raspberry. The nylon fibers are so thin that it's difficult to describe exactly what the color is. An idea to try is to take some undyed wool and mix some appropriately colored fiber into dubbing.

...and there lies my issue. I love playing with dubbing and various yarns and wool, dyed and natural. The problem comes when I plan on just a quick date with the material and a grinder and suddenly half the day is gone. So many chores, so little time. I've never tried to come up with my own version of 477, I have nothing to reference it against, but I do have a room full of substitutes in various hues. Great fun.

If you look at the picture of the flea; it will give you an idea what color matches the nylon portion of 477 yarn.

http://thisisversaillesmadame.blogspot. ... olour.html

So Ray... have you put the hackled killer to the test? It just seems like a natural adaptation for us soft hackle fiends. Admittedly, I haven't put my versions in the water either.... don't know why. I may get a chance later this week.