Tongue-tied and twisted...

[hankaye]

CB, Howdy;

Reckon we'll have to await the "Watchet Watchers" for approval.

In the mean time ... I'm thinkin it's the same fly, second (my favorite too),
shows off the blue and orange threads better... just mho...

You're really pushing the envelope ain't ya? It's fun to watch some really great tyes
pop-up on here...

hank

[tie2fish]

That's beautiful, Jon -- glad you were able to work the herl into one of your marvelous creations. As for incorporating it into a "sulphur" pattern, it works pretty well as a thorax material.

[CreationBear]

Reckon we'll have to await the "Watchet Watchers" for approval.

Ha, no doubt a real Watchet doesn't go bloop, bloop, bloop on the retrieve. Messinger flymph/Dahlberg spider then?

At any rate, to answer Ray's question, those are two different flies. The first has an olive/antique gold abdomen (dusted with brown mole) with a Hun hackle up front; the latter has the classic Watchet combo, gold/purple, with a sharptail "plover" hackle. At any rate, I would be mortified to learn a big bow took this as an egg pattern this fall, but fortunately they're usually reticent about providing such information.

[CreationBear]

Here's an idea for an abdomen: wax a Pearsall's purple loop, touch-dub some brown mole, then spin a bit of tinsel inside (in this case, Sulky Holoshimmer "rootbeer"):




It's quite a bit darker to the naked eye--I'm thinking it will settle down to a nice mahogany once it gets wet...maybe I can get the sulphur/shuck thing happening on these #16 C53s's.

[letumgo]

Very handsome fly...but I expected that.

Jon - What are you using to twist the material together? Are you using a hook, or hackle pliers?

[CreationBear]

What are you using to twist the material together?

Just a cheap "sheperd's crook" bobbin twirler--I don't have a Mitch's Bobbin yet, but it seems as if it would be ideal, and maybe make the whole process more streamlined. (And an "English style" hackle pliers is on my shopping list as well. )

[willowhead]

Thank you for such a wonderful contribution Jon.

[CreationBear]

Ha, thanks...at any rate, at the very least "torquing" all these materials let's you know what they'll stand up to.

[daringduffer]

New World Watchet, maybe?

Beautiful...so beautiful...protected species..?

dd

[William Anderson]

It looks like I failed to say so, but the color combo is brilliant for this type of fly. Just really vibrant. The herl thorax is very striking.