Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo

daringduffer
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:11 am

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by daringduffer » Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:05 pm

DUBBN wrote:
daringduffer wrote:I just can't forget this fly. I wonder if somebody could suggest a good alternative to that orange z-lon tail that isn't a solid colour. I want to tie this fly and the Treacle Parkin using a rich non-solid orange yarn/wool but have no source.

dd
If I am understanding your question correctly, and I doubt I am, maybe this will help.....

Attatch a piece of Zelon to you vise (rotary really helps)
Image

Twist the Zelon like you are making cord (I hold the other end with hackle pliers)
Image

With a Sharpie Marker make a straight fast line along the top of the Zelon. If you hesitate the marker will turn the Zelon the color of the marker.
Image

This is the result
Image


This method should work for wool aswell. You will just have to figure out how fast to strike the line and how much pressure to apply.

Works well for Rubber legs on Hopper patterns and rubber legged nymphs.
Wayne,

Thank you for your suggestion and for your effort. I'm sorry for not being clear enough with my question. I'm looking for a yarn that is a mix of different colours that together look orangeish. I love to mix dubbing and hackle and such to avoid solid colours as I find them unnatural. Natural synthetics are hard to come by.

dd
daringduffer
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:11 am

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by daringduffer » Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:13 pm

Old Hat wrote:DD, I would look at a mix of mohair yarn for a substitution. It is very durable and usually has a nice sheen to it. You will probably need to mix your own to get what you want. I am not at home now (tying at a show this weekend) but will see what I have at home when I get back.

For dubbing the squirrel or other difficult dubbing I have a little technic that might help. I start by making a dubbing noodle the standard way. Wax the thread and just pitch and twist on. It's ok if it looks bad. Then I place my dubbing spinner on the thread below the noodle and fold it up to create a dubbing loop, then spin tightly. Usually I will try to pinch a tight noodle near the hook and then make it messy the further I work down the thread. This gives a nicer tapered profile.
Carl,

Yes, I've been looking for mohair but not found what I want, yet. I'm not sure of which colours to mix. Yellow and red but then what? I liked your butt, I mean your tag - butt still not shown - but want more life to it.

dd
User avatar
William Anderson
Site Admin
Posts: 4569
Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: Ashburn, VA 20148
Contact:

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by William Anderson » Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:27 pm

I'm so glad this thread is back up top. What a great pattern and an interesting conversation. dd, if you're digging around, it would be nice to bring up some of the older patterns...not that there is any shortage. This board has never been more prolific. Amazing.

w
"A man should not try to eliminate his complexes, but rather come into accord with them. They are ultimately what directs his conduct in the world." Sigmund Freud.
www.WilliamsFavorite.com
daringduffer
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:11 am

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by daringduffer » Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:26 pm

it would be nice to bring up some of the older patterns...not that there is any shortage. This board has never been more prolific. Amazing.
Could not agree more. There are a host of skilled and inspired people here.

dd
User avatar
Kelly L.
Posts: 2908
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:09 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by Kelly L. » Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:18 pm

I made a few of these today. I did not have ZELON, and my antron didn't seem quite right. Played around with a few materials. That was the main catch. I used Lady Amherst tippets, in a bright orange, they just stand out better than my Golden Pheasant tippets did. I tinkered around with the recipe a little. I think this fly will be very productive for me.
daringduffer
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:11 am

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by daringduffer » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:30 am

This is a topic worth revisiting. Most beautiful fly.

dd
User avatar
Old Hat
Posts: 4204
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:24 am
Location: Where Deet is a Cologne
Contact:

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by Old Hat » Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:02 am

Funny, reading back through this and I now use a variegated gold poly yarn that is sold by Lee Clark for his Clark's Golden Stonefly as the tag. By the way, still one of my most productive patterns. Always have a bunch of these in my box. I also now use a green tag with pheasant tippets dyed flouro green which has been very productive as well. I've always thought the "not so hot" hotspot and the way it incorporated itself with the pattern was key. I was using this for a mayfly on my home water initially and eventually learned it was the Timpanoga mayfly. But I use it as general practitioner just about anywhere now.
Clarks-Golden-Stone-Materials.jpg
Clarks-Golden-Stone-Materials.jpg (154.11 KiB) Viewed 2773 times


Here is a more recent photo with the variegated yarn tag.
reduxTimpanoga Nymph.jpg
reduxTimpanoga Nymph.jpg (112.03 KiB) Viewed 2773 times
Here is the Timpanoga Hecuba. The body color, all least on my river was darker. These may be faded do to preservation. You can see why I liked the Ke-He style tag when you look at the tail the bright orange rear abdomen on the underside.
picture_1714_large.jpg
picture_1714_large.jpg (116.29 KiB) Viewed 2771 times
picture_1715_large.jpg
picture_1715_large.jpg (112.13 KiB) Viewed 2771 times
I hate it when I think I'm buying organic vegetables, and when I get home I discover they are just regular donuts.
http://www.oldhatflytying.com
Mike62
Posts: 1043
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:50 pm
Location: Northern Maine

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by Mike62 » Fri Apr 26, 2019 5:33 pm

That's a beautiful fly, Carl. Does this fly use the same body dubbing as the fly shown in the first post? I love the colors you got out of it.
User avatar
Old Hat
Posts: 4204
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:24 am
Location: Where Deet is a Cologne
Contact:

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by Old Hat » Sat Apr 27, 2019 6:32 am

Yes same dubbing Mike. It is just tied a bit more rough in the first photo and the light is hitting it. Nothing special about the dubbing it is Davy Wotton's SLF Squirrel Dubbing in Dark Brown.
I hate it when I think I'm buying organic vegetables, and when I get home I discover they are just regular donuts.
http://www.oldhatflytying.com
User avatar
fly_fischa
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:01 pm
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

Post by fly_fischa » Mon May 13, 2019 3:18 am

That’s bloody gorgeous m8!!!
That means beautimus in proper English Carl ;)
Post Reply