Messing with the classics

Tonight i started up tying some flyes for a fishing trip in September. I read that we could stumble on some Baetis Rhodani. So I used one of my favourite patterns, The Quill Gordon. As we are going to a catch and release water I used a barbless hook, Partridge SLD. Chosed a size 14 as the the body length of the Baetis Rhodani are 6-9 mm. the Tail is Coq de leon, really nice material for tailing, long and nicely segmented. For the body I used Golden olive dyed Peacock herl that I recently got from Mr Holding at the http://www.flytyingboutique.com/ . The dyed herl was perfect in colour to what I was searching of. I can really recomend it, don´t forget to soak it first to soften it a little. The wing, well it´s a Catskill tie so offcourse woodduck, divided. The hackle, Grizzly dyed Golden Olive.

Quill Gordon Variant
I am quite pleased of the result and looking forward to try it on the graylings up in Idsjöströmmen.

The Royster Doyster

A while ago I had my mate Roy Christie as a houseguest. After have seen one of his wonderfully dyed capes I managed to get him to take care of a grizzly cape that I had laying in my tying bag. So now I have had this wonderfully dyed cape lying in my tyingbag for some time, and today I felt It was time to play with it. I decided to do "The Royster Doyster". "The Royster Doyster" is somewhat a little tribute to my dear friend Roy Christie. Roy was my first foreign flytying mate, now after like 2 years, I consider him one of my best and closest friends. Offcourse he needs his very own fly, and offcourse if I´m doing it it has to be something close to my heart, a catskill style fly, not a quillie though, why.. Roy is more of a dubbing bloke so as a tribute to him the fly need some fur.

Here´s the stuff I used:

Hook: Partridge The Dry #14.. (Quality bloke- Quality hook)

Tails: Coq de leonBody: Red fox underfur (Roy´a clever bloke, so is the fox )Wing: Bronze Mallard

Hackle: Roy Christie special dye

A Tribute to the Dette´s

My strongest obsession in flytying, the Catskill dry flies. In my opinion the Dette´s, Walt, Winnie and Mary are one of the best examples of true genuine Catskill traditions. Their patterns, flies and skills sets the bar skyhigh. After reading Mike Wallas book "Tying Catskill-Style Dry Flies" I also need to mention

the Dette´s as humble, caring and giving people. Not only with their flytying also as human beings. Thank´s Mike for writing this piece I will cherish it and read it many times. Now I only need to look for a copy of Mr Leisers "The Dette´s" also.

My way of saluting this family is by doing a frame with a selection of their own originated patterns and favourite flies and putting them in a frame. And who is better to ask about the flies than Mike Valla, I sent him a mail and asked him about the Dette´s favourite ties. Mike replied with the Delaware Adams, Coffin fly and the Conover. I used Mike´s book for information concerning the patterns and started to tie them.

Delavare Adams

The Delaware Adams was one of Walt Dette´s favourite ties. It is originated by Walt, he developed it from the Adams.

The Conover

The Conover, Winnie Dette´s favourite fly, both tying and fishing. My Conover has some black tips in the hackle, the story says that Winnie didn´t like that. Sorry Winnie, i didn´t find Golden Badger without the black tippets.

Coffin Fly

Last out of the three Dette flies the Coffin Fly. The original calls for Peccary tails, I didn´t have that so I substituted the Peccary with something more scandinavian, moose mane. I really liked tying this fly and I can´t wait until I get a chance to try it on the trout.

The Tribute

I truly enjoyed working with this frame. There is something very special with this family. i really hope that I one day can go to the Catskills and visit their house where they had their flyshop. Mary Dette Clark, Walt and Winnies daughter is still tying her parents patterns in the Catsills today, and her grandson Joe Fox is running the flyhop. Joe also a great Catskill dry fly tyer.

Hope you liked it

Nik

Quill Spiders

This weekend I played with my favourite material, Quill. The quill i´m refering to is in this case the quills that you get from stripping the fibers of rooster neck feathers. I got the idea to the first one from my favourite fly, the Red quill originated by Catskill tyer Art Flick. A pattern from the 1930´s if I not remember wrong. Another favourite material is the feathers from the Partridge skin, really love those "spotty" feathers. And finally a real "oldie" when comes to material for flytying, Peacock herl. A material usen on fishcatchers for centuries.
So a fly containg all of my favourite materials, this must be the fly that will make my dreams come true. Like many before...

Red Quill & Peacock

Light Quill & Peacock

A killing duo