FLYMPH FORUM

I suppose that even a PT Soft Hackle would be considered Two Toned. The technique which tie2fish gave us using Midge Tubing inserted with krystal Flash or a wire certainly would be considered "Two Toned". By the way, the Midge Tubing is quickly becoming my favorite way to present flys to the fish. They seem to enjoy the technique. That being said, a dubbed body is still my favorite way to tie a Soft Hackle, and probably always will be.

I know what I am doing is not new at all. Simply adding a second color to the body of the fly is far from ground breaking. I am simply stocking my fly boxes with flys that are easy to tie, yet a tad different than what I have used in the past. The Two Tone affect has been a great producer for me with emergers for the past 10 years, and I am trying to make that success transition to my Soft Hackles. I have dubbed so many bodys in my tying life that it is easy for me to simply add a second color and make two small dubbing noodles instead of one large noodle. I will say it adds about 5 to 8 seconds of time per fly.

I will split a hair here. I maintain that the flys in this post, especially the pattern I posted should be considered a Tri-color fly. Often I read that the feathers we use on our patterns add a wonderful movement to the fly, and that is what triggers a fish to strike. While I agree with that thought, I maintain that as heavy as I hackle my flys , the color of the feather that I use becomes the primary color of the entire pattern. The body color of the fly itself become an accent.

As usual, I have no proof or documentation to support my opinion on this subject. It is just an idea that has been rolling around in my head.

I was not going to post this "Two Tone" as it is the first I of this color combo I have tyed. It is a bit rough around the edges but more than appropriate for the fish I pursue. I plan on tying a half dozen of these and a half dozen of the first pattern I posted to this thread. If the weather holds out just a bit, I plan on giving both patterns a workout on a float of the lower Gunnison this Saturday.

Gray and Olive
Hook - Mustad 9671 size 14
Thread Olive 8/0 Uni
Tail - Lt Dun Hen
Abdomen - Muskrat
Thorax - 50% Olive Rabbit Fur 50% Smokey Olive Scud dubbing (Wapsi)
Collar- Light Dun Hen hackle

I'll echo others' sentiments ... this a great topic. As always, DUBBN, your flies just look amazingly "fishy" to me; I can easily see how you can keep posting those "to die for" photos of the Colorado trout you fool on a regular basis.

Nice fly Dubbn! I just finished reading W.H. Lawrie's Scottish Trout Flies last nite. He gives a few two toned dubbed body patterns.

Thanks for all the kind words. I really appreciate them. The weather is turning a little nasty, and if i was a betting man, I would say my float for Saturday will be cancelled. If so, it's back to the vise. Oh well, atleast it still needs cleaned.

Hi Dubbin,
Sorry, I didn't mean to steal your thread. Your flies are wonderful and well worth tying for a try. I think two-tone flies have a great place in the wingless wet fly array. Many natural insects are two-toned. Nice work.

Mark

Gosh Soft-Hackle I wasnt worried about it. The reason for the post was to see Two Tones. I knew they were here. Just had to start a thread to start getting them out of the wood work. Your patterns really do reveal the artist in you, and it is always a pleasure and treat to see them. I hope you can put them back.
It's a privlege to be able to post on this forum and discuss pattern and techniques.
Thank you Mark.

This is such a GREAT thread/topic. Wonderful stuff, and no surprise to me at all, that DUBBN brought it forth. i love all your flies Wayne.........every single one just exudes "i'm for fishin'".....in ALL the best possible ways, AND you tye them very well, with heart, spirit & love. It's no wonder the fish simply can't resist them.
Question.........i was watching a video i have again yesterday and today..........Mike Lawson tyin' Spring Creek flies.............and i just wonder how many of you agree, about something he said, which is. That he preferes using game bird feathers (partridge/grouse, etc.), over domestic hen virtually all the time, because the hen has a tendancy to just collasp and glob around the hook once wet...........whereas the game bird feathers do a much better job of holding their shape in the water. Opinions?

willowhead wrote: Question.........i was watching a video i have again yesterday and today..........Mike Lawson tyin' Spring Creek flies.............and i just wonder how many of you agree, about something he said, which is. That he preferes using game bird feathers (partridge/grouse, etc.), over domestic hen virtually all the time, because the hen has a tendancy to just collasp and glob around the hook once wet...........whereas the game bird feathers do a much better job of holding their shape in the water. Opinions?

I feel it to be a very true statement, but any hen hackle I have is probably of a very low grade and most of the gamebird feathers I have are gathered as a by-product of hunting....... can't get any fresher than that!

I often find that game bird feathers are much softer than hen, It seems to me they'd be the feather that collapses much more easily. I prefer game bird feathers because of their thickness and fiber-y appearance, and I think they undulate more. I also like the mottled appearance of various game bird feathers. Genetic hen feathers, on the other hand, are often stiffer and finer than game bird, which may help when used in faster water. Also the employment of a fur or feather thorax on a soft hackled fly is suppose to help keep feathers from collapsing. We must also remember that traditional North Country patterns were tied so the feather, whatever was used, were butted against the thorax or fly body so they stood out, almost perpendicular to the hook shank, like this Woodcock and Orange I tied.



Mark