Killer Tups softhackle

[letumgo]

Here are the different variations I tyed:

Flymph Version: (honeydun hen hackle and tail)


Spider Version: (dun hen hackle)


Tenkara Kebari Version: Tups Killer Kebari(Wayne - this version was tyed with the Coachman Brown Hen you gave me. Thanks.)

Hook - Scud/Emerger Hook (Size 12)
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Camel)
Hackle - Hen Saddle Hackle (Coachman Brown)
Rib - UTC Wire (Small/Natural Copper)
Abdomen - Chadwicks 477 Yarn Sub (Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine/"Steel Cut Oats"/Color # 1214)
Throrax - Mike Valla Tups Blend (creamy pink wool blend)

Curved Caddis Version: Tups Killer Caddis (coturnix flank hackle)

Hook - Scud/Emerger Hook (Size 12)
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Camel)
Hackle - Coturnix Flank Feather (creamy tan with bold markings)
Rib - UTC Wire (Small/Natural Copper)
Abdomen - Chadwicks 477 Yarn Sub (Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine/"Steel Cut Oats"/Color # 1214)
Throrax - Mike Valla Tups Blend (creamy pink wool blend)

Coturnix is also known as Japanese Quail. The hackle feather for this fly comes from the breast region of the skin, near the wing,

The last version is my favorite of the lot. The coturnix hackle (aka - Japanese Quail) has a creamy tan with striking barring. Gorgeous feathers.

All of the flies were tyed with the Chadwicks 477 yarn substitute, Phil (ThirdMeadow) kindly provided. Really nice stuff! I'm afraid I'm hooked on this stuff already. Thanks Phil. You warned me...

[tie2fish]

That quail would serve as a quite good sub for Golden Plover, Ray. All of your excellent versions of the Killer Tups are instantly recognizable as being in the genres you have assigned to them, and your tying, as per usual, is impeccable. The kebari shows off Wayne's gift hackle to good advantage, but I would also like to see a similar fly from you with a light blue dun hackle.

[Ruard]

Ray,

Bill said all the things I would say and better

I like the hackle in the last one and the last one as total.

greeting


Ruard

[letumgo]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Glad you liked them.

Bill - I will try the kebari version with a light blue dun hackle. I wish I had a grizzly dyed that color too. I think it would go nicely with this pattern.

[Old Hat]

Both of those are very nice Ruard. I guy could not go wrong with either on the end of his leader.

Great work everyone. Nice ties!

[letumgo]

bumping an old topic showing the Chadwick 477 sub

[Bazzer69]

This is one I would give a try, dunno about the curved hook though, I would tie it in a spider short shank hook such as those from partridge
Barry

[letumgo]

Barry - Can you elaborate on your hook comments? I’d like to hear more about why you would choose one versus another. Advantages/disadvantages/reasoning.

[Bazzer69]

Barry - Can you elaborate on your hook comments? I’d like to hear more about why you would choose one versus another. Advantages/disadvantages/reasoning.

Very easy. The first is just looks, soft hackles have been tied on shorter shanked hooks for ever. Check out Davie McPhail he uses a normal length hook shank but ties the body short. Look at Bob Smiths book, all his beautifully proportioned flies are short shanks. I suspect maybe short shanked hooks just swim better although I have no proof of this. Curved hooks? look great to a lot of people but most nymphs are straight, also my experience is they don’t hook nearly as well. Give me a nice straight shank hook with a perfect bend. One again look great in the fly shop, but do the fish like them more?
Barry

[Old Hat]

Chadwick's yarn, tups dubbing...just add some plover hackle and you may have the "magic fly".