FLYMPH FORUM

Maybe a little too much dubbing. (I love the old dressings!)

4. LITTLE WINTER BROWN; or LIGHT WOODCOCK.
HOOK – No. 1
WINGS – Hackled with a feather from the outside of a Woodcock's wing.
BODY – Orange silk, with a spare dubbing of Hare's ear.

Elegantly scruffy! (how's that for a compliment? wink)

Isn't it amazing, how so few materials can create such a great fishing fly? It is no wonder these old patterns have stayed around so long. Simple construction, but highly effective on the stream.

Keep 'em coming, please!

I agree with the "too much dubbing" assessment; more orange showing through is important to the intent of this pattern.

That being said, these are really attractive flies to my eye from the standpoints of proportion (I like longish full hackle) and construction (tying skills).

I agree with the above replies. Nice work. Thanks for keeping classic patterns alive. Art on a hook. I have never tied according to classic recipes by using silk. It’s great people are adhering to the old patterns.

Hankinsfly wrote: ↑Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:53 pm I agree with the above replies. Nice work. Thanks for keeping classic patterns alive. Art on a hook. I have never tied according to classic recipes by using silk. It’s great people are adhering to the old patterns.

One of things I really like to do in tying the old dressings is to locate as many of the old materials (or subs) that I can so that I can "try" to do the dressing as close as possible to the original dressing. Needless to say, I now have LOTS of materials, many of which it'll take me forever to use up!

I understand a lot of the Pearsall’s silk goes for a pretty penny now. Is that true?

YES, when you can find it. Some colors, including a few that are called for in many old North Country patterns, are virtually impossible to locate any more.

Hankinsfly wrote: ↑Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:42 pm I understand a lot of the Pearsall’s silk goes for a pretty penny now. Is that true?

Yes, some of the colors (colours!) like purple, hot orange, black, etc. are selling for somewhat higher prices. But, a lot of the other colors are still available from soe people. That being said, there's lots of YLI 100 silk subs that work well .

I believe flyhookfiller still has a couple of hundred black Pearsall's Gossamer spools left.

dd

daringduffer wrote: ↑Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:58 pm I believe flyhookfiller still has a couple of hundred black Pearsall's Gossamer spools left.

dd

Not surprising. In my experience, black Pearsall's silk has been a troublesome color. I had problems with thread breakage. The dying process may weaken the black Marabou silk.