Post by Nick Pionessa on Dec 20, 2015 8:41:24 GMT -5
Mixed Media
This fly gets it’s name from the combination of synthetic and natural materials. Also the mash up of baitfish and Scandi style flies. It has developed over the past three seasons with a couple of ideas in mind. I have really gotten to like using tube flies and looping the hook of the rear of the fly. Moving the hook back in the fly and also having it looser to find a better hold are the top two reasons. When this is done though the pattern can lose it’s ability to orientate correctly. Bead chain eyes keep the pattern keeled better than the usual cone head so I can run the hook point up and decrease snagging. On this pattern the junction tubing is able to rotate on the main tube. This allows for easy orientation of the hook when the loop method is used. Pull the loop knot into the junction tube then rotate the junction tubing on the main tube to align the hook as you wish.
Start with 1” of HMH small diameter Poly tube
Melt one end slightly with a lighter
Cut a 3/8” piece of Junction tube and slip it on the mandrel with the Poly and push 1/8” onto the Poly
Slide the combo into the vise jaws and since there is no body clamp it where you like. Start the thread leaving about 3/8” forward of the thread
Clip off a small bunch of craft fur about this big
Comb out the short fibers
Hand stack the clump to shorten it and increase it’s density
Clip off the butts relatively even
Set the clump down and form a dubbing loop with the thread
Slip the craft fur into the loop with about 1/3 of the length to the right of the thread
Distribute it evenly over about 2” of the looped thread
Spin up the loop nice and tight
Brush out the fibers with a Velcro dubbing brush
Fold the fibers over to one side to wrap it forward
Wrap it tightly forward combing the fibers back as you go trying not to trap fibers under
Tie off the loop then fold it back and wrap over it again so it cannot slip out after it’s trimmed off
Brush the fibers out with the Velcro again so it’s nice and full
Select a small Guinea body feather to match
Prepare it to tie in and keep both sides
Tie it in by the tip
Fold and wrap it tightly forward
Tie off the stem, clip it neatly and wrap it down securely
Clip a pair of large bead chain eyes colored to match
Tie them in with figure eight wraps tightly against the Guinea collar. Finish with the thread just in front of the eyes
Clip off one Pearl and two blue holographic strands of Flashabou fold them in half clip the loop end then fold them again with the loose ends somewhat even
Loop the Flashabou under the tube and pull it toward the rear of the fly. Wrap the thread over the eyes to get behind them and tie the Flashabou down. You can keep it up in the wing or pull it down along the sides of the fly if you like
Bring the thread forward of the eyes about 6 wraps
Clip off another bunch of craft fur about this big and comb out the short fibers as before
Even the tips slightly while keeping the clump as long as possible. Tie it in by the butts reversed with just a couple of thread wraps and flatten it out a bit at the tie in point
Clip off another bunch of craft fur for the under wing color about half the size of the over wing clump
Tie it in on the center top of the previous clump
The under wing should be shorter than the over wing but longer than the belly of the fly
Wrap the wings down tightly then pull them backward tightly and secure with a few wraps. Push down on the tie in point with your thumbnail to spread the fibers 180º around the top of the tube.
Select four nicely tapered ostrich herls
Tie them in on the center top of the wing trying to follow the natural curve of the ostrich to lay nicely on the wing. Clip off the butts of the ostrich tight to the thread.
Choose a contrasting color of Lady Amherst tail fibers for the horns.
Tie in the near side horn to follow the curve of the wing
Tie in the far side the same way keeping it even with the height of the near side horn
Wrap the head securely and neatly the clip off the thread. You can also melt the remaining tube back to protect the thread. You may have to clip off some excess first depending on how you finished the fly. This one finished about right with just a bit of un used tube forward of the thread
Fill in around the eyes and head with some UV cure glue of the thicker variety
Zap it with the UV light and you’re done
Finished fly ready to cast into a tree or your favorite Steelhead pool!
This fly gets it’s name from the combination of synthetic and natural materials. Also the mash up of baitfish and Scandi style flies. It has developed over the past three seasons with a couple of ideas in mind. I have really gotten to like using tube flies and looping the hook of the rear of the fly. Moving the hook back in the fly and also having it looser to find a better hold are the top two reasons. When this is done though the pattern can lose it’s ability to orientate correctly. Bead chain eyes keep the pattern keeled better than the usual cone head so I can run the hook point up and decrease snagging. On this pattern the junction tubing is able to rotate on the main tube. This allows for easy orientation of the hook when the loop method is used. Pull the loop knot into the junction tube then rotate the junction tubing on the main tube to align the hook as you wish.
Start with 1” of HMH small diameter Poly tube
Melt one end slightly with a lighter
Cut a 3/8” piece of Junction tube and slip it on the mandrel with the Poly and push 1/8” onto the Poly
Slide the combo into the vise jaws and since there is no body clamp it where you like. Start the thread leaving about 3/8” forward of the thread
Clip off a small bunch of craft fur about this big
Comb out the short fibers
Hand stack the clump to shorten it and increase it’s density
Clip off the butts relatively even
Set the clump down and form a dubbing loop with the thread
Slip the craft fur into the loop with about 1/3 of the length to the right of the thread
Distribute it evenly over about 2” of the looped thread
Spin up the loop nice and tight
Brush out the fibers with a Velcro dubbing brush
Fold the fibers over to one side to wrap it forward
Wrap it tightly forward combing the fibers back as you go trying not to trap fibers under
Tie off the loop then fold it back and wrap over it again so it cannot slip out after it’s trimmed off
Brush the fibers out with the Velcro again so it’s nice and full
Select a small Guinea body feather to match
Prepare it to tie in and keep both sides
Tie it in by the tip
Fold and wrap it tightly forward
Tie off the stem, clip it neatly and wrap it down securely
Clip a pair of large bead chain eyes colored to match
Tie them in with figure eight wraps tightly against the Guinea collar. Finish with the thread just in front of the eyes
Clip off one Pearl and two blue holographic strands of Flashabou fold them in half clip the loop end then fold them again with the loose ends somewhat even
Loop the Flashabou under the tube and pull it toward the rear of the fly. Wrap the thread over the eyes to get behind them and tie the Flashabou down. You can keep it up in the wing or pull it down along the sides of the fly if you like
Bring the thread forward of the eyes about 6 wraps
Clip off another bunch of craft fur about this big and comb out the short fibers as before
Even the tips slightly while keeping the clump as long as possible. Tie it in by the butts reversed with just a couple of thread wraps and flatten it out a bit at the tie in point
Clip off another bunch of craft fur for the under wing color about half the size of the over wing clump
Tie it in on the center top of the previous clump
The under wing should be shorter than the over wing but longer than the belly of the fly
Wrap the wings down tightly then pull them backward tightly and secure with a few wraps. Push down on the tie in point with your thumbnail to spread the fibers 180º around the top of the tube.
Select four nicely tapered ostrich herls
Tie them in on the center top of the wing trying to follow the natural curve of the ostrich to lay nicely on the wing. Clip off the butts of the ostrich tight to the thread.
Choose a contrasting color of Lady Amherst tail fibers for the horns.
Tie in the near side horn to follow the curve of the wing
Tie in the far side the same way keeping it even with the height of the near side horn
Wrap the head securely and neatly the clip off the thread. You can also melt the remaining tube back to protect the thread. You may have to clip off some excess first depending on how you finished the fly. This one finished about right with just a bit of un used tube forward of the thread
Fill in around the eyes and head with some UV cure glue of the thicker variety
Zap it with the UV light and you’re done
Finished fly ready to cast into a tree or your favorite Steelhead pool!
