FLYMPH FORUM

Good Evening Forum Friends,
I was reading with great interest recently some comments by Dave Hughes in his great book "Wet Flies" that the action in a soft-hackled fly is in the hackle. And in the same way, the action in a flymph is in the body of the fly! I think that Syl also commented and indeed challenged each one of his readers in one of his wonderful books (sorry, I can't remember exactly which one at this moment) to tie and fish an all hackle pattern, no body at all! The pictures below are my latest attempt at such and I was just wondering if anyone has taken up this challenge beforehand? I have but it was years ago. I found a battered old beast in the very corner of my wet fly box and I thought about these words and so I tied a few in size 12. My intentions are to try them soon and get back with you-all. Does anyone want to take up the challenge with me for fun and enlightenment?
A Stewart Spider is very close to an all hackle, no body fly pattern and I have had tremendous success with them! Here is the shortest recipe ever for a fly pattern (the all hackle!)
Hook: TMC 3761 size 12 or 14
Thread: Danvilles 6/0 dark maroon (I think it's listed as sherry?)
Hackle: Darkest, speckled Hungarian Partridge. Lighter hackles from the breast or around the neck would also do well. I happen to love the darker ones more!
Wax: Just a single run thru of Bill's tying wax over the first 6" or so of the tying thread. It helps tremendously!
Head Cement (optional because of the wax's tackiness): Loon clear water-based head cement used sparingly on the head only!
Enjoy and report back soon!
Doug

Doug - I am reminded of the articles on Ruard's website. This looks a lot like a Tummel style fly. I will give the challenge a try.

I'm so happy you've mastered posting pictures. Keep them coming please.

I'll see what I can come up with. Neat stuff Doug!

letumgo wrote:Doug - I am reminded of the articles on Ruard's website. This looks a lot like a Tummel style fly. I will give the challenge a try.

I'm so happy you've mastered posting pictures. Keep them coming please.

Great flies and great pictures Doug.

Ray,that is Artikel 3 of Davis Westwood.

Greeting

Ruard

That is a really nice hackle job, Doug.

Maybe I should jump in as I just finished Sylvester's last two books (looking for the first one), and started Dave hugh's book. I think I remember the chalange in the fog of my mind, so it must be in one of the last two books. I am going to be fishing sofy hackles, or trying to, entirely this year. I figure that if one wants to learn something they must commit to it. Gotta little bite reading Neme's books. Will be looking for a good magnifieing glass, and a net now to add to my kit. Thinking I might need a microscope too.
Hey, has anyone ever used jungle cock swords in a soft hackle or flymph??? I acquired a small piece of neck the other day. Thought I had a real treasure, but found out they were becomming more available. Dang luck, wish I could find the same thing in the old soft hackle feathers. English snipe was 125.00 .
later
Jon

jong4029 wrote: Hey, has anyone ever used jungle cock swords in a soft hackle or flymph??? I acquired a small piece of neck the other day. Thought I had a real treasure, but found out they were becomming more available. Dang luck, wish I could find the same thing in the old soft hackle feathers. English snipe was 125.00 .
later
Jon

I did and here is the link:

http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... it=+Jungle

greeting


Ruard

Here's another link, Jon, to a JCSH ... http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... ister+Grey

jong4029 wrote: Dang luck, wish I could find the same thing in the old soft hackle feathers. English snipe was 125.00 .

You should be able to find snipe a lot cheaper than that.

There's no real difference between American ("Wilson's") and English ("Common") other than one has one more feather in its tail than the other. The different ornithological groups have been going back and forth for years about whether they're the same species or whether that one tail feather makes them different species (current opinion is that they're different, but there's not 100% agreement.)

Apparently there is a scarcity of snipe skins on the international market at this time. A shop that deals with both Veniard and Cookshill has told me that they have been "shut out" on their requests for both complete skins and wings-only offerings for at least the last year. Under normal circumstances, snipe skins retail for less than $ 50.00 each; the last one I purchased a couple of years back (packaged by Veniard) has a price sticker on it that says $ 38.00.