Organza Ribbon

The summer has been beyond busy for me.   Little in the way of fishing or golf yet a lot of time at work.  Even with the air conditioner going when I get home the house is still a little too warm to sit down to tie with the evening sun beating on the tying room window.  To even things out I've spent a lot of after work hours splashing around in the pool and enjoying adult beverages.

Today I was able to catch up a little on some much needed sleep.  Then I found myself with nothing to do.   So I decided to unpack the last of my boxes containing fly tying materials. (That's only took 2/12 years!)  Inside one of the boxes were a couple of large patches of beautiful white Australian sheep (from seat covers), various fox tails and 8-rolls of organza ribbon.  I had plum forgot all about the ribbon, but grabbing the first roll immediately made me think of quite a few patterns that I use to tie with this sparkling material.  

It should come at no surprise that Organza is an awesome winging material for various patterns.  One of favorite uses was cutting a small patch and utilizing wing burners to create caddis wings.  I still use it quite a bit for wings and gills on midge patterns

While organza is still a viable tying option I don't see it used very often these days.  I imagine with a whole host of new materials Organza gets lost in the shuffle of the "latest and greatest" that catches the tier's eye.

In addition to winging material organza ribbon makes for an awesome effect when used as a ribbing on caddis, stonefly, damsel and dragon patterns.  I sat down and decided to toy with adding organza to one of my euro patterns.   It looks pretty darn good.  If I was a fish...

You can purchase organza ribbon at any notions/craft store.  More than likely it will not be marked "organza," but look for the bright sheen/sheer and you'll be in business.  If you have a little patience to wait on overseas shipping from China, where organza originates, I recommend Amazon.  You find a ton of different colors and widths to utilize.

Materials

Hook:  Fulling Mill Czech Nymph, Sizes 10-14 (size 10 pictured)

Bead:  Tungsten, Fl Orange, size appropriate to hook (3.5MM pictured)

Thread:  6/0 UTC, Dark Brown, or color to match body materials

Underbody:  Uni-stretch, white, to build up taper.

Ribbing:  Organza, Lt Brown, cut in a taper.

Body:  Perdigone tinsel, #223 Dark Brown

Collar:  Hends Spectra Dubbing #335 Dark Brown

Porch Light, Cinnamon (Euro) (Anchor Fly)

What night time insect isn't attracted to a glowing porch light?   This fly pattern attracts the fish... just like flying bugs to a porch light on a warm summer evening!

My Porch Light nymph is a solid anchor fly.  It brings a couple of materials fairly unique to Euro style nymphs to the table.  First, the body is made up of twisted micro Krystal Flash and Sulky.  This unique combination brings a subtle but fiery glow effect- even in low light   As far as the goose....I haven't seen but a handful of Euro style patterns that incorporates biots, but it certainly adds the "bite me" look to any pattern.

Switch out the color combinations of the body and collar!  I tie the Porch Light in black, brown, amber, gold, orange, red, purple as well as iridescent pearl (green) and ultra violet.

Materials

Hook:  Fulling Mill Czech Nymph, Sizes 10-16 (Size 14 pictured)
Thread:  UTC 70, Dark Brown
Bead:  Hot Orange (Size appropriate to hook) (2.8mm pictured)
Body:  Strands of micro Krystal Flash (cinnamon) and holographic Sulky (light copper) twisted. (Pictured is 4-strands of Krystal Flash and 2-strands of Sulky double and twisted tightly
Horns:  Goose Biots, white.
Collar:  Jan Siman UV Bronze Peacock dubbing picked out.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: The First 25

50 Shades of Hare's Ear

The First 25

Clicking on number will take you to the full page with recipe

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

#16

#17

#18

#19

#20

#21

#22

#23

#24

#25

Psycho Brassie

The Brassie is a very underestimated pattern that I tie on my tippet every so often.  Tied in small sizes is represents a midge and it does a pretty decent job of imitating glossosoma pupa in size 16 throughout the Sierra's, too.  However, the coloration just isn't quite right for me.  I really like the look of old copper which is difficult to find.   Now comes colored wires...  UTC, Hends and Sybai are all top notch with numerous colors.  However, it hard to beat Hends or Sybai and their color range in extra small sizes.

A lot of times I double with two colors to get contrasting colors or subdue the color of the ribbing. Why I haven't done this for the Brassie is beyond me.  But I am liking the effect and coloration. Off to the bench- I have a few to tie up in copper/purple (below), copper/orange and copper/pink. That should cover the Sierra's!

Materials:

Hook:  Firehole 316, size 16 or 18

Thread:  12/0 Bennechi, black

Body:  2-strands of Sybai 0.1MM.  One each of copper wire and bright voilet.  Twisted tightly clockwise and wound forward.

Wing:  (optional) One strand Hends UV Ice Effect Krystal Flash #100, UV white

Thorax/Collar:  Muskrat, black.

Notes:  

(1)  Color combinations are numerous
(2)  The wing is optional, but consider adding it for extra visibility in late evening.  Keep it short.

Desk Mess Flies: #1

Desk mess flies?  Every so often my tying area becomes an absolute disaster area!  It is amazing how big of a mess I can make and still know exactly where everything rests.  Bits, pieces and clippings of waste hair, fur, flosses, various dubbings, tinsels and half used feathers find themselves in little piles among the masses of packages I should have tucked back into the storage bins as I finished.  Once my short lived procrastination stage is over packages start finding their way back into draws and bins. Underneath these piles and mounds the waste becomes apparent.  Should I used these waste byproducts or simple place it in the trash?

There are quite a few tiers that find a purpose for their tiny scrapes that would have otherwise made it in the "circular file."  I've seen some pretty incredible flies and results.  One memory that will always stick in my mind was meeting a gentleman on the Upper Sacramento River who was catching a tremendous amount of fish.  After watching the gentleman for a half an hour or so I approached him. "What's the secret fly?" I asked.  He mentioned, "Nothing more than a simple black fly."  I had a good look and noticed the black tail fibers, but the body material threw me..  "What's the body?" I asked.  "It is the fluff from the base of a mallard feather" he said and continued with, "The tail and body is from dyed black mallard."  "I don't like to throw anything away so I re-purpose or save it." 

A desk mess can bring out the creativity and well as reduce waste saving money.  Occasionally I get a wild hair (no pun intended) to use the "leftovers."  A lot of the flies show promise and find a dark corner in the fly box until the time comes when fishing is slow.   You'll find that some flies will catch fish while fish laugh at the others.  Sometimes a little tweaking here and there of the original desk mess fly will often produce a solid fly!

Have some fun!

Hook:  Firehole 316, Size 10

Bead:  8/0 Tohu glass, Rainbow Rosaline, Opaque Purple Lining #928

Weight:  Fine tungsten wire

Thread:  Whatever is on the bobbin!

Tail:  Mottled brown hen

Ribbing:  Perdigone ribbing material, UV black

Body:  The dark, short and spikey hair taken directly from the ear of a hare's mask

Thorax/Collar:  Sybai Fine Flash, Black

Desk Mess Flies: #2

My cleaning efforts are winding down.  I can now see my blue desk mat as well as background board!  This hasn't kept me from tying..  No sir.  I am little pumped!  The mess has become a love/hate relationship!

Another desk mess fly!

Hook:  Firehole 316, Size 10

Bead:  3/16" Brass, Black

Weight:  An additional 15 wraps of .020 lead free wire

Tail:  Grizzly Micro Legs, Fl. Orange

Body:  2-strands of DMC Floss, Antique Effects #E310 and 1-strand of Sulky Holoshimmer, Lt. Copper # 6011 tightly twisted clockwise and wound forward.

Legs: Grizzly Micro Legs, Fl. Orange

Thorax/Collar:  Sybai Fine Flash, Black

Desk Mess Flies: #3

Good Lord...  The bottom of the pile has been reached!  Time to make a mess again.

This fly changed significantly even though I used the same materials from the Desk Mess #2 fly.

Tying note:

I stripped off approximately 4.5 feet of Sulky Holoshimmer to make the body.  No need to worrying about blowing through this material.  It comes on a 250-yard spool.  Simply keep doubling the material until you have 8 to 10 inches to work. Tie off to the far side of the hook.  Twist clockwise tightly and wrap forward.

Materials:

Hook:  Firehole 316, Size 10

Bead:  3/16" Brass, Black

Weight:  An additional 15-wraps of .020 lead free wire.

Thread:  UTC70, Black (On one of my bobbins.)

Body:  Sulky Holoshimmer, Lt Copper #6011.  Darken the back with black indelible ink.

Legs:  Grizzly Micro Legs, Fl. Orange

Thorax/Collar:  Sybai Fine Flash, Black

Top View

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #43

#43   Hare's Hair Soft Hackle

Notes:

(1)  This pattern illustrates how the tier can use any portion of the hare's mask.
(2) The tail and hackle hair comes from the back of the mask below the ears.  These hairs are typically long and straight.   However, hair from the cheeks can be utilized, if desired.  The body uses the short, spiky hairs from the ears.
(3) I have had pretty decent results towing this pattern around behind the pontoon.  It doesn't represent anything specifically, but the soft hair from the mask brings this pattern to life and I typically tie it in olive, brown and black.   Gold tinsel is not used for the aforementioned colors. Instead I use two or three twisted strands of root beer Krystal Flash for brown, pearl Krystal Flash for olive and blue or red Krystal Flash ribbed over black.
(4)  The body should be tied thicker to imitate dragonfly nymphs and thin for damsels and leeches.  Don't be afraid to add a little weight to the forward portion of the hook.
(5)  The hair collar can be tied long or short.   Thin and short works exceptionally well for leech and damsel patterns.
(6)  An over wing/collar of pheasant rump can be tied in and wound, if desired.

Materials:

Hook:  2XL, 3XL or 4XL (Sizes 4-14)  (Pictured is a Firehole 839 size 12)

Bead:  Optional

Thread:  6/0 or 8/0.  Color to match body

Tail:  Hair from the back of the hare's mask or cheeks.

Body:  Hare's ear.  Color of choice.  Raked directly from the ear.

Ribbing: Lagartun gold, flat, narrow tinsel.  Four or five turns.

Collar/Hackle: Same as tail.  The collar is made by adding hair to either a split thread or dubbing loop.  Length is typically to the bend.   Pheasant rump can be added as an over collar/wing.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #42

#42   Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Filoplume Prince (Guide Version)

Notes:

(1)   I am revisiting the GRHEFP.   Pictured is my guide version (less hackle collar or beard) which speeds up the tying process.
(2)   This is a phenomenal pocket water/riffle fly where stoneflies reside.  The filoplume offers a ton of movement in the water.
(2)  Try different colors of wing biots.  Fl. Orange is my "go to" for the higher flows of winter and spring as well as dirty water.  Chartreuse is a great option, too!  White is the old summer standby color.  However, there are times when I desire little more color in the water.
(3)   I also tie the flashback in peacock mylar and normal pearl.
(4)   Weight to suit, but ensure you're in the rocks!
(5)   I have older step by step tying instructions HERE

Materials:

Hook:  TMC 200R (sizes 4 - 12) (weight to suit)

Bead:  Optional

Thread:  UTC 70.  Color to match body or black

Tail: Goose biots, brown or color to match body.

Body:  Hare's ear.  Color of choice.  Raked directly from the ear.

Ribbing:  X-small Lagartun oval gold tinsel (Copper wire if tied in olive)

Back:  Large opal Mirage tinsel for sizes 4-8.  Medium for sizes 10-12.

Thorax:  Ringneck pheasant or grouse filoplume feather from rump area.  Color to match body.

Collar/Beard:  (Optional)

Wings:  Goose biots.  Color of choice (Fl. Orange pictured)

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #39

#39   Birds Nest, Hare's Ear

Notes:

(1) The Birds Nest is a very buggy searching pattern that doesn't represent a specific insect, but of impressionistic of several food sources.  Mainly used as river pattern however, don't be afraid to tie this fish catcher on for stillwaters!  A California staple for the rivers of Sierras.

(2)   Can be tied in quite a few different styles- even a Muddler or baitfish.   I tie the Birds Nest on 1XL to 4XL hooks.

(3)  More often than not many anglers choose to weight this pattern with just enough lead to break surface tension.  However, I find a heavily weighted pattern tied on as a point fly very productive.   A beadhead gives yet another option.

(4)  The body is dubbed tightly and wound forward to approximately the 60-percent mark on the hook shank.

(5)  The thorax is spun in a moderately tight dubbing loop or split thread.

(6)  The fly pictured below was tied specifically for the 50 Shades series.  However,  I plan to write a step-by-step following Cal Bird's original specifications.  Stay tuned!

Materials:

Hook:  Firehole Sticks, Firehole 839 (3XL), Size 12 pictured.  (2XL nymph hooks are the norm.)
Weight:  To suit.

Thread:  UTC 70 color to match body (Tan pictured)

Ribbing:  Gold Lagartun, small oval

Body/Thorax:  Hare's ear taken directly from the ears.  Mixed with a small amount of Sybai Fine Flash, UV

Legs/Collar:  Partridge, brown.  Should extend to a minimum of the middle of the tail.

I've opened the partridge legs in order to view the body.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #17

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear

#17  Glass Bead Caddis

Hook:  Hends BL554, sizes 10-16 (Size 12 pictured)

Bead:  Size appropriate for hook.  Color of choice (2.8MM copper pictured)

Thread: UTC 70, olive and Sybai gold wire, 0.01MM

Body:  11/0 Japanese Toho, silver lined frosted peridot #27F.  Olive hare's ear mixed with a slight amount insect green rabbit.

Thorax:  Dyed brown hare's ear mixed with a slight amount of J. Fair's Seal Sub in black and Sybai's Fine Flash, fiery brown.  Slightly picked out.

Notes:

(1)  The size and number of glass beads used for the body are dependent upon the hook and style.  As a general rule sizes 16 and 14 will use four or five 15/0 beads respectively
(2)  The thread and gold wire are combined and then dubbed upon  Once the amount of fur desired has been applied to the wire/thread combination take a few wraps behind the rear bead and then wind over the next bead repeating the process until the thorax region is reached.  The gold wire will bleed through when wet.
(3)  This pattern is a variation of the original Glass Caddis.  Colors and sizes can be change to meet your local waters.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #16

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear

#16  CDC Tail and Thorax

Hook:  Firehole 316, sizes 10-16 (Size 12 pictured)

Weight; Tungsten sheeting cut into a strip and wrapped forward.  Thorax area is doubled.
Bead:  Optional

Thread: UTC 70, brown

Tail:  CDC, light blue dun

Body:  Hare's ear, natural
Ribbing:  Sybai .01MM gold wire.  Veevus pearl tinsel, small

Wingcase:  Pheasant tail, natural
Thorax:  Natural hare's ear and lt blue CDC

Notes:

(1)  The split thread method is utilized to apply the thorax.  A small amount of hare's ear is placed between the thread opening.  Once the desired length and amount have been added CDC fibers are cut from the stem and placed across the top of hare's ear. The thread loop is closed trapping both materials.  Spin clockwise.
(2)  A great pattern for the heads of pools and tailouts.

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #15

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear

#15  The Dubbing Brush

Hook:  Hends BL554, sizes 10-16 (Size 12 pictured)

Weight; Tungsten sheeting cut into a strip and wrapped forward.  Thorax area is doubled.
Bead:  Optional

Thread: UTC 70, brown

Tail:  Partridge, brown

Body/Ribbing:  The body and ribbing is form via a dubbing brush (shown below).  For hook sizes 10 and 12 UTC Ultra Wire (gold) small is perfect.  Size 14 and 16 use UTC Ultra Wire in extra small.

Wingcase:  Pheasant tail, natural

Notes:

(1)  Very  buggy and super effective!  The dubbing brush ensures a spiky effect.  Might be most effective hare's ear for me!
(2)  The gold ribbing should be barely visible.  This will take a little practice when producing brushes (as shown below on the finished fly and dubbing brush).   If you have too much some discreet plucking will suffice.
(3)  The brush is tied in on the far side of the hook shank and brought forward to the 60/65 percent mark.  The wingcase is then tied in.  Continue with dubbing brush until reaching approximately two eye lengths behind eye and secure.  Apply a little dubbing to complete and hide securing thread wraps of the wire. then bring wingcase over the thorax and secure.   Pluck the longer individual hairs.
(4)  Definitely try various color combination.  Black hare's ear and a red or orange core is productive (rivers and streams) as well as olive hare's ear and a pink core for lakes

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear: #13 And #14

50 Shades Of Hare's Ear

#13  Stonefly - package material for wingcase(s)

Hook:  TMC 200 style or choice, sizes 4 to 12

Weight; Extra weight is optional
Bead:  3.0MM black tungten

Thread: 6/0 Uni-thread, black

Tail:  Goose biots, black

Ribbing:  2-strands gold Sulky metallic thread 2-strands Hends UV Ice Effect, UV violet twisted clockwise

Body:  Black rabbit taken from the cheeks on the mask
Wingcases:  Black packaging material from Sybai's Fine Flash cut into a strip.

Thorax/Collar:  Same as body.  Picked out well and brushed rearwards.
Head: Same as body.  Small amount.

Notes:

(1)  Very generic stonefly pattern, but still highly effective in faster or pocket water.
(2)  Wrapping/Twisting the UV Krystal Flash with the Sulky is designed to dampen the brightness of the gold and still have color/UV presence on the pattern.
(3)  Pick the body, thorax and head out.  The buggier the better!
(4)  Don't overlook tying a few in natural brown and tan.   Mixing brown and tan (80% tan 20% brown as a starting point) is a killer golden stone color!

#13  Floss dubbing loop and hotspot

Hook:  Firestick 316, size 10 or 12

Weight;  Optional
Bead:  11/0 Japenese Toho bead, silver-lined topaz #22C  or size appropriate gold bead

Thread: 6/0 Uni-thread, brown

Tail:   Rusty brown taken from the ear and checks on the mask

Ribbing:  Go-brite floss, orange #7 and 2-strands gold Sulky metallic thread twisted clockwise tightly

Body:  Rusty brown taken from the base of the ear.
Thorax/Collar:  Rusty brown hare's ear and Sybai's Fine Flash, fiery brown 

Hotspot:  Glo-brite floss, orange #7

Notes:

(1)  This is a variation of a pattern my buddy swears by.  His pattern is tied with a tail and collar of pine squirrel and a gold bead vice glass.  The body materials remains the same.
(2)  Once the tail is tied in the gold ribbing and floss are tied in.  The floss will act as your dubbing loop.  Keep the fur/hair to a minimum.  This allows the floss to bleed through when wet.  The gold ribbing is twisted clockwise and wrapped forward after the body is complete.
(3)  Other colors of floss that are effective:  crimson #3, scarlet #4, fire orange #5, hot orange #6, purple #15.

Flies Of Yesteryear: Lindgren's Peacock

Ira Lindgren is another pioneer of fly fishing and tying.  He lived in an era where flies were easy to tie and simplistic.  Lindgren lived near the Kings River in Dinuba, California. where he snorkeled often to observed trout and the way they feed.  

Ira was responsible for devising quite a few patterns- especially nymphs.  Most of his nymphs contained peacock in one fashion or another.  Many of his patterns still have quite the following in the Sierras.  However, little is known about his dry fly patterns. From the research I done it appears peccary was a staple of his dries and much of his stock was shared with Doug Prince (Pig Nymph) and Wayne "Buz" Buszek (Buz's Fly and Tackle, Visalia, California).  

Perhaps his best known pattern is the Lindgren's Olive.  However, the Lindgren's Peacock is super simple to tie and highly effective to this day.  This pattern comes with a strong recommendation from me to those just beginning in fly tying/fishing.  It is a pattern that I use often in the waters of Northern California.

Tying Notes:

(1)  The pattern should be weighted.

(2)  Only use peacock herl from near the eye.   Not only is this the best area for color and thickness, but gives the pattern a lot of "juicy" bulkiness.

(3)  Once the hackle is wrapped trim a few fibers from the top and bottom.  This will give the appearance of legs alongside the body.

Materials:

Hook:  Standard nymph hook.  Lindgren would have tied this pattern on a Mustad 7957BX or 3906B, sizes 8 to 14.

Thread:  6/0 black

Tail:  Hen, dyed black

Ribbing:  Fine gold counterwrapped

Body:  Peacock herl

Hackle:  Hen, dyed black wrapped 2 or 3 times.  Clipped short top and bottom.

Flies Of Yesteryear: Trueblood Shrimp

As a young teenager, some four decades ago, I would have never been without a few of Ted Trueblood's shrimp pattern on my local pond chasing stunted bass, crappie, perch and bluegill. These scrappy little guys absolutely loved this pattern as well as a Hare's Ear.   Now, in my middle aged years, these simple and impressionistic flies intrigue me.  So much so I have a fly box dedicated solely to flies of yesteryear.  Every so often I get a wild hair to fish retro - fiberglass and flies - and daydream of what fishing was like in those days...

 

As the name implies, Ted Trueblood designed his pattern to imitate shrimp in lakes and spring creeks. However, word soon hit the streets the Trueblood Shrimp could be fished successfully for different species in waters that lacked shrimp altogether.   Some literature from the 1970's suggests the fish may take the Trueblood Shrimp for callibaetis nymphs, too.  I believe this to hold weight as the local pond of my youth certainly did not contain scuds.  And I looked hard for them!

The effectiveness of the very simple fly comes from the use of seal's fur and a super impressionistic silhouette of several aquatic insects.  The Trueblood Shrimp, or Otter Nymph, flat out catches fish!

Tying Notes:

(1)  The Trueblood Shrimp is/was often called an Otter Nymph

(2)  Nearly every older pattern book lists the body material as a 50/50 mixture of otter and cream (natural) seal.  However, the exact ratio of otter to seal is 80/20 respectively.  More specifically, the otter should fur should come from the belly.  I have stuck to the 50/50 ratio due the my preference for the translucency of seal and confidence the fly is more effective with this ratio.

(3)  Another original portion of the recipe calls for brown thread if the fly is to be unweighted and green thread for weighted.  Green looks terribly tacky to me...  I used brown thread for weighted flies and tan thread for unweighted.

(4)  Various scud color combinations are highly encouraged.  Various shades of olive and dyed partridge has been very effective for me in British Columbia.

(5)  In the picture below the notable thick hairs is seal fur.  You can see just how translucent this fur is and how the Trueblood Shrimp, or any fly tied with seal, becomes a truly effective fly.  

Materials:

Hook:  Trueblood tied this pattern on a Mustad 3906B or 7957BX in sizes 8-16.  I've tied it on a Hanak 230BL, size 12.

Thread:  See note 3 above.

Tail:  Brown partridge

Body:  Otter and cream (natural) seal.  80/20 mixture respectively

Beard:  Brown partridge to hook point.